Dana Bannister

KEEN HQ

"“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
903 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted
UP TO

254

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

660

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

44

zero-waste meals

consumed

Dana's actions

Create Your Own Action

Bump up Yoga

I have been doing yoga once or twice a week, but really want to increase my practice and do more, so I signed up for a Developing Your Personal Practice class. It's a 4 week course which started last night and I think it will really help me boost my practice and build a framework for doing more yoga on my own time when I need it.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Avoid refined sugar

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Choose a Carbon Offset

If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Less Screen Time

I will replace 30 minute(s) of screen time each day with other activities.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-Waste Cooking

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Know My health

I will get my Core Four Biometrics tests (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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?

Dana Bannister 10/24/2018 8:07 AM

I'm really excited that a lot of people got involved and did things to reduce their footprint! GOOD JOB EVERYONE!

Don't forget this is just the beginning, and we can always do more! The latest UN Climate Report shows "Limiting warming to 1.5 C...would require a 40-50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030" but levels are currently still rising. "We have a monumental task in front of us," says co-author Natalie Mahowald, from Cornell University, "but it is not impossible." In 50 years, she says, "it's going to be very different. This is our chance to decide what that road will look like."

(Excerpts taken from this NPR article.)

One person can make a difference, and that starts by voting! I hope everyone keeps up the great work!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Less Screen Time

What did you notice in implementing this challenge? Was it hard to choose other activities over screen time? How did you decide to spend your time?

Dana Bannister 10/24/2018 7:22 AM

The Eco-challenge helped me with less screen time and be more mindful about getting things done around the house and garden right when I get home rather than collapsing in front of the TV. This was the hardest challenge since it's so easy to just veg out after a long day.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Know My health

How do you deal with the physical and emotional stress of the big problems we face? How can you help others cope?

Dana Bannister 10/17/2018 7:39 AM

Yoga really helps me stay centered and have a time to turn it all off. I have been doing yoga once or twice a week, but really want to increase my practice and do more, so I signed up for a Developing Your Personal Practice class. It's a 4 week course which started last night and I think it will really help me boost my practice and build a framework for doing more yoga on my own time when I need it.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Needs Vs. Wants

How is creativity necessary for practicing simplicity?

Dana Bannister 10/15/2018 8:12 AM

Just say NO! The 5 R's start with REFUSE (then Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot.) Living in a tiny house helps make living simply a lot easier, because there is no room for lots of extra stuff! I have to find creative storage methods, so I have only what I absolutely need in my 1'x5' closet, and a few Ikea baskets to store linens and extra large sweaters and jackets when not in use. I'm still trying to think of a good shoe storage method!

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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?

Dana Bannister 10/11/2018 7:48 AM

"There is no away" really rings true these days. I think people who live in developed countries are so used to the way things are, they don't see a need for change. But when you look at the amount of single use plastic in the world that will be here forever and companies keep on making new products that are convenient, people will buy it and think it's OK. It's ruining the planet and killing wildlife, that's why it's important to vote with your dollar, shop mindfully, and let those companies know that you are making a choice not to purchase their items if not packaged in a sustainable way. Farmer's markets, shopping in bulk and bringing your own produce and grocery bags are just a few ways, but there is always more we can do! Better takes action! :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Avoid refined sugar

Before you started this challenge, did you think you were 'addicted' to sugar? How do you feel now?

Dana Bannister 10/09/2018 4:03 PM

I have been a huge sugar addict in the past, but when I went vegan in April of this year, I started by juicing for 4 days and kicked sugar, caffeine, alcohol and all animal products for 30 days! :O I felt like I got hit by a truck for the first couple of days, but after that huge detox, I started to eat a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet, I felt a lot better. I never had that 'aha' moment where I had tons more energy, but I have other back and foot issues to deal with also. I've had many days since where I had a boost of energy and felt great, and have lost 25 pounds since the beginning of the year as a bonus!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Zero-Waste Cooking

In North America, up to 65% of food waste happens at the consumer level. Chef Steven Satterfield advocates for utilizing every part of a vegetable. How can you incorporate using an entire vegetable, including the skins, tops, and stalks during your next meal prep?

Dana Bannister 10/08/2018 9:36 PM

I am making it a point to go to the farmer's market every weekend, although I got sick and didn't make it this weekend. I still had fresh veggies from last weekend stored in my Green Bags (thanks for the tip Elsa!) that were still perfectly fresh, so I used what I had and defrosted some stuff from the freezer I had made previously. Next round I'm going to make a big pot of veggie broth out of my veggie scraps. Yay!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Choose a Carbon Offset

A round-trip flight from New York City to Los Angeles emits just over 1.5 tons of CO2—per person. That’s a lot of carbon! What can you do to reduce the number of flights you take per year?

Dana Bannister 10/06/2018 7:12 PM

I don't travel too much, but whenever I fly, I purchase a carbon offset through https://carbonfund.org/. You can calculate your carbon footprint and find out ways to reduce your energy and offset those things you can't live without.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Dana Bannister 10/03/2018 11:27 AM

I sent an email to Trader Joe's today asking for less plastic packaging and more eco-friendly choices for their products. Too much plastic really concerns me, and the fact that China doesn't take the plastic recycling from the US any longer, and there's no PURF in the US at all for us to be able to manage it on our own is disturbing.

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Dana Bannister 10/03/2018 7:43 AM

Can't wait to get started. Go KEEN HQ!

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