Kathleen Brown
10/10/2018 11:26 AM
My footprint is much smaller than the country's average, but larger than the world target. With small changes I can reduce my own footprint easily.
Kathleen Brown
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 620 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO150minutesspent learning
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UP TO540minutesbeing mindful
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UP TO12poundswaste composted
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
Kathleen's actions
Energy
Online Energy Audit
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.
Food
Meet My Local Farmers
I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those who produce my food in other regions of the world to make better choices when I shop.
Simplicity
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
Energy
Heat and Cool Naturally
I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.
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.
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 1 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.
Food
Plant an Herb Garden
I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.
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.
Food
Join a Local CSA
I will sign up for a local CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture).
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Online Energy AuditWhat most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Personal Waste AuditWhy 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?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:48 PMI will definitely be purchasing things more intentionally to avoid the accumulation of things that cannot be recycled. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Eat MindfullyMindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How do your eating experiences differ when practicing mindfulness?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth HappinessHow does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:46 PMIt helps put tough days in perspective. There is always something good going on even if it doesn't get top billing. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Join a Local CSADependable fresh food, better prices (cutting out carbon-heavy supply chain and grocery stores), supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these benefits (or others not listed here) inspire you the most?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:43 PMHelping the local farmers has been the best. The added benefit is that food tastes better and is fresher when it is local and harvested when it is supposed to be rather than when it is most convenient. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Meet My Local FarmersWhen you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? Do you think this might enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:42 PMLocal CSAs have been great. Not having to transport food long distances means things are harvested when they should be rather than when it has to be in order to still be edible when it makes it to its destination. The down side is that not everything can grow in every environment so sometimes you have to do without, but the food is so much fresher and flavorful that it makes up for it knowing that it tastes better and you can trust the source -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Choose Organic IngredientsCan organic farming feed the world? Which side of the argument do you fall on? Why?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:38 PMOrganic farming *should* feed the world but will have to be more affordable to be put into effect. If I can't buy organic, I at least buy local (ideally, both) -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Plant an Herb GardenConsider 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?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:37 PMWindowsill containers for now, raised bed garden this coming spring with our own compost -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Heat and Cool NaturallyWhat are other ways you could use the power of the sun to reduce your own environmental footprint?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Compost Food WasteNew to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? Do you know how your compost will be used and the benefits it has on the environment?
Kathleen Brown 10/01/2018 3:35 PMSO much is getting composted! Planting a garden will be a lot easier this coming spring