Alaina Ungarini

EcoLogicals

"Happy to be a part of the solution!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
626 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

180

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

570

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

570

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

19

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted

Alaina's actions

Waste

Carry my Trash

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

COMPLETED 15
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

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 30 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

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
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?

Alaina Ungarini 10/23/2018 5:30 AM

I think that it's most difficult to understand the impacts our purchases have on the world because once we through something in the trash we never see it again. Most of us don't live in a community near a dump or live in highly polluted areas so for me at least, my trash is out of sight and out of mind. In college I learned a lot about waste and how food choices can impact that waste and I've been working ever since to make less of an impact. I try to buy the least amount of packaged foods that I can, and purchase bulk options when available so I can use my own containers. Through the waste audit, I know that my waste is mostly coming from processed food's containers. Granola bars are something I like to snack on but I can easily make them myself at home and cut down on a lot of waste so I will be making those tonight as I have just finished my last prepackaged granola bar!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Plant an Herb Garden

Consider the ways you can garden: a plot of land? a patio container? hanging basket? windowsill gardens? What would work best for your living situation and lifestyle?

Alaina Ungarini 10/11/2018 5:55 AM

I planted some rosemary and basil in a small planter that I keep in my kitchen by the window. These are the herbs I use most often in cooking. Once the weather gets warmer, I would like to plant some outside as well so I can grow more and not have to use my kitchen plants so sparingly.

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- Nicole Kozlowski 10/11/2018 6:07 AM
  
  What's great about the fall season is that cooler weather vegetables, like lettuces, grow very well in this temperature. Also, cilantro, parsley, and dill still have some time left before it gets too cold.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Carry my Trash

What one thing could you do right away to reduce your waste?

Alaina Ungarini 10/11/2018 5:53 AM

I think by shopping at the farmer's market I could further reduce my waste. During the day, I don't really create a lot of waste because I don't use plastic bags or containers to carry my lunch, I have a few reusable napkins that I cycle through to wrap my breakfast in and I always use my swell bottle for water. I'm finding that the bulk of my waste comes from the containers my food comes in before I cook it. My spinach comes in a plastic box, my veggie chicken comes in a plastic bag etc. So this month I'll be trying to reduce my consumption of packaged foods. Shopping at the farmers market and bringing my own bags is a good way to do this, but this week the Thursday market is closed because of rain!

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- Rachel White 10/12/2018 9:46 AM
  
  I have the same problem. I've eliminated many single-use plastics, but i'm stuck on meat and other "cold stuff" that comes pre-packaged from most food stores. I don't eat much meat, but the answer for me is probably to eat even less meat/dairy!
  
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Alaina Ungarini 10/10/2018 5:55 AM

I'm really interested in composting and unfortunately, I can't compost in my own yard. I live in Mercer County. Does anyone know of a place that accepts compost in the area?

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- Alaina Ungarini 10/11/2018 5:44 AM
  
  Hi Amanda, I'm interested in composting my kitchen food scraps. Thank you for the suggestion, I'll reach out to them!
  
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- Amanda LeBon 10/10/2018 6:12 AM
  
  Hi Alaina, what type of compost? http://hamiltonnj.com/EcoFacility takes brush and sticks and grass clippings. Maybe reach out to Princeton Sustainability? They show up at the Princeton Farmer market on Thursday and collect items. (Last time I went it was for batteries though)
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Spend Time Outside

Rachel Carson said that we need the beauty and mysteries of the natural world for our spiritual and emotional development. Does that ring true for you? What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors?

Alaina Ungarini 10/08/2018 12:31 PM

I think it’s really easy to get caught up in your daily routine and when I do have downtime, I usually spend it on my phone or watching tv. This month I’ll be making a conscious effort to spend more time outside. Whether that means incorporating the outdoors into my routine, like going for a run outside instead of at the gym, or just taking time to go outside for the sake of being outside. I spent some time at the beach today with a friend and while it was chilly and windy, it still felt nice to be outdoors and see the beach when it wasn’t full of people!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Bringing your own bags and containers to the grocery store, and even to restaurants for leftovers, are a couple of ways to reduce your waste. What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?

Alaina Ungarini 10/03/2018 9:11 AM

Every day I bring all of my food in reusable glass containers and I put all of those containers in my reusable lunch box. The single use items I use every day are tissues, the occasional paper towel and wrappers on my granola bars. I can get a hankie instead of the tissue, dry my hands on a towel and make my own granola bars.

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- Louisa Lubiak 10/05/2018 12:42 PM
  
  Alaina, your lunch habits remind me of my grandfather who took his lunch to work in a ceramic-coated metal lunch pail. Everything old is new again!
  
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