Ecochallenge.org

2018 People's Ecochallenge

October 3 - October 24, 2018

benjamin brown

EcoINL

"To become environmentally sensitive"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,366 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

13

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

community events

hosted or attended
UP TO

87

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

2.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted
UP TO

40

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

780

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

13

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

13

pounds of paper

have been saved

benjamin's actions

Waste

Choose Two-Sided Printing

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper each day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 13
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

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 60 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-Waste Cooking

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Organize a Course

I will organize NWEI's discussion course 'Voluntary Simplicity' with my family, friends, coworkers, or classmates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home

I will spend 10 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Organize a Course

I will organize one of NWEI's discussion courses on food sustainability, 'Menu for the Future' or 'Hungry for Change', with my family, friends, coworkers, or classmates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Advocate for Greener Vehicles

I will spend at least 10 minutes assessing the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.

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

Transportation

Choose a Carbon Offset

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Track my Purchases

I will spend 5 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.

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
Water Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

How do you think climate change will affect your region’s water supply? Think about the effects of weather, storms, salinity, and sea level rise, among other changes. How can you find out more about climate change’s impact to your region's water?

benjamin brown 10/24/2018 6:16 AM

I read that about 5 years ago the city of Rexburh almost put out a Warning telling everyone to boil their water. So I emailed the city asking what I can do to prevent that from happening again. Water is way more valuable than money.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Car Share

Take a moment to think of places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 9:23 AM

I now go to the store only once a week. I used to go almost everyday to pick up stuff for dinner like french bread or something, but I am trying to write down a list of foods on the fridge so that I can get all the food I will need for the week in one stop.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Advocate for Greener Vehicles

Reducing (or eliminating) exhaust emissions and improving public health are two benefits of green vehicles. What other motivators inspire you to consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 9:16 AM

Price of gas. I would like to use an electric car to get to work and back. I am worried about hackers though, apprently they can hack into electric cars fairly easily.

Read More
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?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 9:15 AM

This blew my mind learning about how much CO2 is in our atmosphere due to flying. I thought flying was helping the envirnment. I was going to fly down to AZ for the holidays, but now I am considering carpooling with some other family members.

Read More
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?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 9:13 AM

Source of food. I love picking apples from the orchards and making homemade apple sauce.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Track my Purchases

What have you noticed about your purchases? Where are you inclined to make shifts, if any?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 9:11 AM

I have noticed that my wife and I have spent more on food for the past three months than we had planned to, mostly impulse buys too. Like chocolate chips, donuts, etc so by shopping after we eat we are going to try and shop smarter.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Organize a Course

How can you use NWEI programs to help mobilize your community to take action toward a sustainable future?

benjamin brown 10/23/2018 8:57 AM

Creating awareness was the biggest issue for me, so maybe thats the issue with most people. Just being aware of the issue and knowing the small things we can do to help the problem.

Read More
benjamin brown 10/23/2018 8:42 AM

I volunteered in the community for the first time, I enjoyed being out there helping the little kids.

Read More
benjamin brown 10/22/2018 6:46 AM

Its hard to keep going over the 3 day weekend. But I have talked with my wife about it so she helps me out

Read More
benjamin brown 10/20/2018 6:41 PM

Keeping it going on a weekend!

Read More