Meghan Jones
10/24/2018 12:19 PM
I eat a lot of canned beans. Buying dried beans in bulk and cooking them myself would cut down on waste and be a healthier choice.
Meghan Jones
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,194 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1,225pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO300minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO220gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO235minutesspent learning
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO1.0locally sourced mealconsumed
Meghan's actions
Simplicity
De-Clutter My Home
I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.
Waste
Recycle Everything I Can
Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching and recycling all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.
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.
Nature
Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset
I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.
Water
5-Minute Showers
I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.
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.
Transportation
Choose a Carbon Offset
If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.
Health
Support Pollution Reduction
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home
I will spend 15 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Health
Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns
I will spend 15 minutes researching environmental justice concerns in my region, their causes, and local initiatives to address these concerns.
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.
Health
Learn More about Food Deserts
I will spend 15 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will spend at least 20 minutes finding out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
Community
Support Native Communities
I will use the resource links provided and spend 10 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area prior to colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist.
Food
Buy From a Farmers Market
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.
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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Meghan Jones 10/24/2018 10:30 PMCongratulations to all on finishing the 2018 EcoChallenge! Thank you, everyone, for participating and posting about your experiences. I am feeling very inspired by all the great ideas and proud to be part of a strong team!-
Irene Matthews 10/25/2018 5:15 AMI agree. See you next year.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Buy From a Farmers MarketWhat is one food choice that you make, or could make, that would do more good and less harm?
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Meghan Jones 10/24/2018 11:02 AMWe are in third place! Great job, everyone! Let's keep going strong over the finish line! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Support Native CommunitiesIndigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?
Meghan Jones 10/23/2018 11:05 AMBalance is central to sustainability because it shows our need for nature as well as our respect for it. When we respect nature, we will not abuse it. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Learn More about Food DesertsWhat are the implications of access to nutritious food for a community?
Meghan Jones 10/23/2018 10:55 AMThe implications of access to nutritious food are health problems like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. I learned that I live four blocks from an orange area on the USDA food access research atlas, meaning that a significant share of residents in my neighborhood live more than half a mile away from a supermarket. I am fortunate to live a few blocks from a fruteria and a co-op where I can get a few items at a time, but making large grocery runs can be difficult if you depend on transit. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Learn About Local Environmental Justice ConcernsWho is most affected by environmental degration and/or environmental irresponsiblity in your community? How are they affected?
Meghan Jones 10/23/2018 10:39 AMI live in N/NE Portland, where the African American community has been most affected by environmental degradation. Major infrastructure projects in the mid-19th century created lasting air quality and economic issues and segmented communities. In the transportation and infrastructure industry, we have the opportunity to respect environmental justice in all our projects to minimize these impacts in the future.-
Meghan Jones 10/23/2018 11:19 AMOops, getting my centuries mixed up! Should have said mid-1900s!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Online Energy AuditWhat most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint?
Meghan Jones 10/22/2018 1:29 PMThe energy audit showed that our greatest use of energy comes from hot water. We already launder with cold water, and we have no control over the type of heater, so it appears the best thing we can do is continue to shorten the duration of showers. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Find Local Recycling DepotsOur 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?
Meghan Jones 10/22/2018 11:38 AMI found that nearly everything can be recycled in some way or another. Locally, Far West Fibers seems to be a great resource. Metro also hosts hazardous materials drop-off locations around town if you are unable to visit their central location. My best find was GemText, which places bins around town where you can donate clothes and shoes that may not be suitable for resale by thrift stores. https://gemtextrecycling.com/ -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my HomeTo what extent do you believe that environmental factors contribute to your own health or issues with health?
Meghan Jones 10/21/2018 3:04 PMWhen researching cleaning products, I found that many standard products contain chemicals linked to cancer. Using more natural cleaning products can reduce that risk and improve indoor air quality. I am going to try some of these DIY non-toxic cleaner recipes to save money while reducing my environmental impact. https://www.womensvoices.org/take-action-with-womens-voices/green-cleaning-parties/green-cleaning-recipes/-
Irene Matthews 10/22/2018 9:04 AMWay to go Meghan. I went to the website and browsed through the recipes. All are simple recipes so I'm going to try some of these. Thanks for sharing and have a great day.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Recycle Everything I CanWhat have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?
Meghan Jones 10/21/2018 2:47 PMI was pleased to learn that a nearby Whole Foods has drop stations that accept corks, old shoes and clothes for recycling. I also read that some Goodwill locations accept fabric scraps. At the end of my research, the only item that couldn't be recycled in Portland was a prescription medicine bottle. We are fortunate to have so many options here!