Jennifer O'Brien

Team Ramblers

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
655 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

community event

hosted or attended
UP TO

60

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

17

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

18

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

14

whole food meals

consumed

Jennifer's actions

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Adjust the Thermostat

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Whole Foods Diet

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Have a Garage Sale

I will have a group garage sale with friends, family, and/or neighbors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Improve a Bus Stop

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/24/2018 10:23 AM

Advocating for sufficient access to public transportation that is also using an environmentally friendly means of energy is probably the most impactful. Access to direct public transit can be life altering for individuals without the means to own a vehicle. In many Chicago neighborhoods on the far south side, the proposed extension of the red line train south of 95th will have tremendous benefit to residents who have to take multiple buses to get to their jobs (often creating 2-3 hour commutes).

We live off of a commuter bus line that runs M-F 5:30AM-8PM. My husband uses this bus to get to the metra to get to work downtown. In addition to lower emissions, he also has a much less stressful commute to work than I do driving.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Choose Organic Ingredients

Can organic farming feed the world? Which side of the argument do you fall on? Why?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/24/2018 10:17 AM

This is such a challenging question because it involves undoing decades of farming standards, and dealing with farm lobbiests. GMO folks would certainly have you believe that their scientific improvement of crops and plants can be helpful in feeding large populations of people, but they invariably don't acknowledge the side-effects of that type of farming to the soil and waterways nearby, nor do they acknowledge all that is unknown about how GMO products actually are digested, processed, and used by the body (think food sensitivities). If proper methods of crop rotation, soil amendment, and farming to scale were empowered, organic farming could certainly feed the world. Organic food, imperfect veggies/fruits, and eating in season area all areas that many people are focusing their attention on as a means of positive environmental impact.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Skip the Straw

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/24/2018 10:11 AM

I think the most challenging "R" for most American's is reduce. When products and advertisements are always promoting the latest and greatest new thing, it hard not to get sucked into wanting to buy something new. One area that I am trying to focus on is reducing the purchasing of new items, but instead participating in the purchase of gently used items. We have a new baby coming in January, and we're reusing many items from when my daughter was a baby, but we're also focusing on filling the gaps of what we need from online garage sale groups and community baby item exchanges. I will continue to challenge myself in this area, and will also look to be better at repairing and repurposing items that no longer work.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/24/2018 10:08 AM

Spending time outdoors makes one more aware of one's surroundings, and is a touch point to a person's own health and well-being. I find that time spent around trees or a body of water have an immediate calming affect on my mind, and help me to slow down, breathe, and regain a sense of balance. The connection to place, season, or time is also there, as a means of reminding me of how I fit into a larger picture or community.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Have a Garage Sale

Building community is good for your soul and fun to do! What were some of the positive outcomes that came out of your group garage sale?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/08/2018 7:48 AM

I participated in a baby gear swap. This was held at a local church, and participants from the Rogers Park Baby Wranglers Group were able to drop off baby gear no longer needed in advance of the swap, and then come day of the swap to take items that might be needed. This was a great event in that it was a true sharing of resources with no money changing hands. I also got to meet a lot of other parents that live in my neighborhood, which helped to build community and make connections.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Whole Foods Diet

Michael Pollan states that "it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor." What are your thoughts on this?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/04/2018 2:20 PM

It is absolutely better to pay the grocer/farmer than the doctor. Having participated in a Whole30 challenge twice, I can absolutely say that focusing on a whole foods diet makes you feel better and improves your energy. Eliminating refined and process foods from your diet also makes you understand how addictive sugars can be. This type of diet also naturally helps manage weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Adjust the Thermostat

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your zipcode, and in your state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/03/2018 7:52 AM

We attempt to ensure lights are off when we're not in a room. Also unplugging cords and chargers when not in use helps with "vampire" energy drain. Additionally we use a smart strip for our entertainment center so that other appliances like our dvd player and stereo components are not drawing power when our main appliance (television) is turned off.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Use a Reusable Water Bottle

While water bottles serve an important role in places for health and safety, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. Can you identify the barriers in making this a new habit? How can you set yourself up for success in making this a permanent change?

Jennifer O'Brien 10/03/2018 7:47 AM

One major barrier is remembering to carry a bottle with me. In order to overcome that, I will make sure I always have one in my office (I will keep a couple of spare bottles in a drawer should I accidentally take one home).

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