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October 3 - October 24, 2018
Ruby Sawhney's avatar

Ruby Sawhney

Multnomah County

"Incorporate at least one of these new challenges into my EVERY DAY routine. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 855 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    22
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    75
    minutes
    spent learning

Ruby's actions

Community

Support Native Communities

I will use the resource links provided and spend 60 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area prior to colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Online Energy Audit

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Forage for My Food

I will use the 'Learn More' resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 0 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Happiness

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

COMPLETED 12
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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

De-Clutter My Home

I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

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
    Community Support Native Communities
    Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/24/2018 12:35 PM
    Our ecosystem is a delicate balance and needs to be protected.  The earth is in trouble and we all need to do our part to get our ecosystem back in balance.  Otherwise our earth will continue to see the negative effects and our planet will die.

  • Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/12/2018 12:43 PM
    I am grateful for this beautiful day, a fun car to drive in it and that it is Friday!   
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Online Energy Audit
    What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/10/2018 12:38 PM
    I was surprised that the survey indicated that it would be a potential of  of 53% decrease.   I had thought we were doing better then that.   


  • Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/08/2018 12:19 PM
    I used my own bag at the store this week-end.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature Forage for My Food
    Amongst the motivations for foraging are: a source of food; means of income; connecting with nature; cultural tradition; or transmitting "local ecological knowledge, and a means for stewarding local and native plant populations" (McLain et al. 2012, 13). Which of these would be your chief motivation and why?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/05/2018 2:10 PM
    Means for stewarding local and native plan populations.  Until I read the links associated with this challenge I had no idea this site existed https://fallingfruit.org/ 
    After looking at it I discovered 3 locations of abundant grapes, figs and plum right in my own neighborhood.   
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Use Reusable Bags
    What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reuseable one with you? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to establish this a successful habit?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/03/2018 2:32 PM
    I have been using paper bags provided at the store.  I carry a big tote with me daily as my purse and I will put in a fold able reusable bag in it to use when I go shopping.  If I happen to forget it then taking things out to the car in the cart is a good alternative.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Simplicity De-Clutter My Home
    How can you prevent yourself from accumulating more things in the future?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/03/2018 2:28 PM
    Stop buying I want and focus on only buying things I actually need.   
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health Happiness
    How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/03/2018 2:28 PM
    Gratitude can improve both physical and emotional health.   
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Reduce Animal Products
    What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than in other places, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How do we start shifting a meat-focused food culture?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/03/2018 2:24 PM
    We need to get the word out that today’s industrial food production contributes significantly to environmental degradation. Meat production accounts for the largest impact, including greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use. 
  • 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?

    Ruby Sawhney's avatar
    Ruby Sawhney 10/03/2018 2:21 PM
    Unplug idle electronics and turn off your lights.