Chelsea Spangler

"This challenge is a good reminder not to rest on my laurels. It's easy to focus on the good choices we're already making, and forget that we can always do better!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
860 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

15

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

150

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

150

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

1,470

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

30

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

630

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

106

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted
UP TO

42

whole food meals

consumed

Chelsea's actions

Food

Whole Foods Diet

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 21
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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Personal Waste Audit

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Do Nature Activities

I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 30 minute(s) each day. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Launch a Recycling Program

I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home

I will spend 30 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go get a check up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go by Bike

I will commute by bike 10 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to 7.08 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 70 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 21
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?

Chelsea Spangler 10/24/2018 12:56 PM

I hope everyone had a chance to check out the gorgeous sunrise this morning! The mountain has retreated behind the clouds now, but it was a real treat to see the colorful sky today after recent foggy commutes.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Launch a Recycling Program

How might thinking creatively help us address big systems problems differently?

Chelsea Spangler 10/24/2018 9:07 AM

Creative thinking is the *only* way we can address big systems problems. The reason they're big systems is that they're so entrenched, we see them as the only possible way. We have to be bold and envision new, better ways forward before we can effectively dismantle old, harmful systems.

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Chelsea Spangler 10/24/2018 9:05 AM

Commuted to work today on my brand new Space Horse! New bike euphoria is powerful, and makes me want to bike everywhere I go. Finally having a rack means I can run a lot more of my errands on two wheels instead of four.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Personal Waste Audit

Why is it so difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places? How might your experience with this challenge impact your future consumption and choices?

Chelsea Spangler 10/23/2018 3:34 PM

We are pretty disconnected from how much goes into the production of what we purchase, not to mention the packaging, especially when we buy online. It's so easy to click that "buy" button without thinking about the fact that shipping essentially doubles the amount of packaging we consume for each purchase.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Exercise Daily

How can you incorporate other personal values (like quality time with friends or spending time in nature) into your exercise routine?

Chelsea Spangler 10/17/2018 11:44 AM

Most of my exercise is biking, and it's kind of a perfect coming together of so much of what I value. I get to be outside, I have time to be alone and think, I avoid driving a car, and it gives me so much freedom.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Happiness

How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

Chelsea Spangler 10/15/2018 11:00 AM

Working on environmental issues can feel enormous, daunting, impenetrable. It's so important to focus on what's working, and what's good in the world, to keep us going!

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Chelsea Spangler 10/15/2018 10:58 AM

What a gorgeous weekend! Took advantage of the weather and went on a 14-mile bike ride with stops at a farmer's market and several chestnut trees to forage for goodies :)

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Chelsea Spangler 10/10/2018 9:09 AM

Wasn't able to check in over the weekend because I was out of service in Olympic National Park, but our little cabin had this in the shower! The 5-minute shower challenge isn't one of the ones I chose this year, but I learned from this little timer that my usual showers are only about three minutes anyway :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

How can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?

Chelsea Spangler 10/10/2018 8:56 AM

We are starting to think about significant water storage solutions for our family cabin in the Sierras. It's at 7,000 feet of elevation, so we get access to most of the region's precipitation in winter, but the summer droughts are getting worse every year. We use as little water as possible, store as many gallons as we can for emergencies, and clear a defensible space for wildfire control each year. We may install an additional well.

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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?

Chelsea Spangler 10/05/2018 9:51 AM

Food is what makes our bodies work! I am always excited to try a dietary solution to physical problems before making them into medical problems. We use a lot of herbs and teas to treat minor ailments. Ginger and turmeric are basically cure-alls in our house! Which reminds me, I need to get a batch of fire cider going before winter...

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