Colleen Foster

"Think, share knowledge and learn as much as I can to simplify my life to leave the least amount of carbon footprint on this planet Earth."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
620 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

840

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

20

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

840

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

34

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill

Colleen's actions

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 60-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 14
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 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Work-Life Balance

I will not work more than 8 hour days each day to practice work-life balance.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

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

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Go get a check up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Tend a Garden

I will tend to a garden each day, or work on starting one.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Support Local Pollinators

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will spend 20 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Know My health

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

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 Eco-friendly Gardening

What are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.

Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:24 PM

I have been using organic fertilizers and composting to enrich the garden soil in the veggie garden. Using mulch for the other flower beds. The only thing I need to do now, is dedicate an area where their is bare soil for the bumble bees and other ground doweling bees.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Skip the Straw

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:22 PM

Well the time I visited Mc D's, I rejected the straw and they did not seem surprised. Which tells me, maybe there are others who are doing the same. Yeah!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Needs Vs. Wants

How is creativity necessary for practicing simplicity?

Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:21 PM

I did really well with this up until the Beach trip with my friend. Yet, I still feel I did well. The beach trip, I set a limit, but my friend had issues with her card, and I then was paying for her lunch and her grand babies. Yes, I could have done the fast food avenue and most likely would have been in my budget of $60.00 for myself, but I wanted at least one meal that was worthy of eating fresh fish. They all enjoyed their meals and I was happy.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Support Local Pollinators

Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:18 PM

Learning about natives and adding them into my garden, I hope to create a Mason Bee haven next spring. I am looking for plants this fall to add so I can fulfill my mission.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Work-Life Balance

Is practicing work-life balance difficult to do? How does it feel when you first begin? How does this feel for you after 21 days?

Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:17 PM

I found it easy to handle this one. Thank goodness.

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Colleen Foster 10/25/2018 4:15 PM

I love being challenged and also learning to think outside the box as well. What did I learn the most from this challenge....native plants. There are so many, but knowing where to go and find the ones you really are needing, the local nurseries only carry a few varieties. I need to visit Echo Valley Natives, 18883 S Ferguson Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045. They are only native plants. Knowing I do not want to add trees, and add smaller shrubs and flowers, and of them to be blooming all summer long is my goal. Talking to the specialists, getting the complete run down of their habitat is what I am after.
This weekend I hope to finish my mulching. If I had not planned on a trip to the beach this last weekend, I know I would have had the mulching completed. Lesson learned.

I hope everyone else had a great time and I look forward to the next one.

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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?

Colleen Foster 10/23/2018 8:06 AM

I believe in starting small. Attend a NWEI class(s). Purchase their books; read as much as possible on the topic at hand. Then search for forums to listen to, so I can understand the bigger picture. Share my ideas and interests.

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Colleen Foster 10/22/2018 10:15 AM

Sunday - playtime at the beach. Lunch at Devil's punch bowl and romping around. Then 3 hours for a return trip home. Actually it was only 2 1/2, the traffic was lighter than what I expected. By the time car was unloaded it was too dark to look at my garden to see if I could work a few minutes in it. Plus I needed to get the laundry started. Can I take some of my time in the garden work on Friday for today?

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Colleen Foster 10/22/2018 10:12 AM

Oh, my budget, it went well until my co-hort card was declining and she could not pay for herself and the kids. So I had to add to the bill, otherwise, I stayed within the $60.00 for myself. Even gotten a jacket and my grandbaby's first leather purse for $5.00. Sure, Ella is only 3 months, but I couldn't resist!

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Colleen Foster 10/22/2018 10:09 AM

Satruday - enjoyed the stroll through Connie Hensen's Garden in Lincoln City. The boys (7 and 2 1/2) enjoyed the stroll, the koi fish in the pond was a natural hit for them, along with being able to cross those bridges. I think we crossed each one at least 3 times. The little hidden alcoves was a hit too. I wish there were bees and butterflies for them to see, but that was ok. This was our test to see if they could handle hiking. We looked at one hiking trail, but it had cliffs, and I just did not want to take the chance with the 2 1/2 year old. He escaped from the hotel room a few times. Smart litte tyke!

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