Saila Balasubramanian

HP PALO ALTO

"To learn more ways to help reduce our impact on the planet :)"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
681 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.0

hours

volunteered
UP TO

26

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

5.0

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

190

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

15

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

520

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

68

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

10

locally sourced meals

consumed

Saila's actions

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of C02 over the course of the next year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Find Local Recycling Depots

I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 20-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 30 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 12
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

Simplicity

Meditate

I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 5 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 2 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Donate to or Volunteer for Low-Income Solar Initiatives

Whether it's by donating or volunteering, I will research the benefits of low-income solar and find out how I can support low-income solar initiatives in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

How might thinking creatively help us address big systems problems differently?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 8:01 PM
I think that's self-evident - if we come up with creative solutions, we'll be able to address big systems problems in ways we hadn't previously tried. Which is great, because we clearly haven't come up with a lasting solution yet, so we need to think outside of the box

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

Our ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:59 PM
I was looking up how to recycle lightbulbs and learned that many things are recyclable that I never would have realized - like electronics, fabrics, etc. I'll always have to check in the future to avoid a wasted recycling opportunity :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

What would you like to invest more time in reflecting on?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:56 PM
My career - it's not always a comfortable thing to think about, so I need to force myself to spend more time than I'm currently spending

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How do you experience your neighborhood or city differently when walking instead of driving?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:56 PM
I'm very aware of where I am, so I get a better map of the neighborhood in my head, and I see more details that make me feel closer to my neighbors

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

How can you incorporate other personal values (like quality time with friends or spending time in nature) into your exercise routine?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:55 PM
Working exercise into every day lets me use my time management skills and discipline :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:53 PM
Knowing more about the environment I live in makes me feel more at home and more connected to where I live. It literally helps me put down roots :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

What is one food choice that you make, or could make, that would do more good and less harm?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:51 PM
I can choose to avoid anything with excess packaging (like single packs and other unhealthy snacks), which would help both me and the environment

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

Equitable access, environmental justice and creating employment opportunities are just a few advantages of low-income solar programs. Can you think of other benefits that could come from initiatives like this? Which advantages of low-income solar do you find the most compelling?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:49 PM
Low-income solar can actually generate enough energy that the excess can be sold back to some utility companies, providing an easy additional source of income for the communities. In addition, the cells can look nice and futuristic and improve the look of some of the buildings.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:46 PM
SF actually has a pretty clean grid! It's made it much easier to feel good about switching to an electric car, and really reduce my carbon footprint

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

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?
Saila Balasubramanian 10/22/2018 7:42 PM
I think it means we need to start having more convenient vegetarian options - there aren't that many good vegetarian fast food places, which seems to drive a lot of eating decisions

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