Amanda O'Rourke

Orange is the New Green

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
394 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

52

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

9.9

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Amanda's 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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Say No to Plastic Straws

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Power Down the Computer

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 each day that I do this.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?
Amanda O'Rourke 10/19/2018 1:48 PM
I think spending more time outdoors helps us to appreciate the beauty and nature around us, and if we don't appreciate those thing then why would we work hard to protect them? It all goes together.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

What are other easy things you could do to save energy and reduce your environmental footprint?
Amanda O'Rourke 10/19/2018 1:47 PM
My husband always leaves a small light on in our daughter's bedroom when she's sleeping, but she's old enough now that she really doesn't need it. I've been flipping it off every night on my way to bed.

I'm also collecting terracycling in our home and have a big bag to bring in to school, and I take the items I can't recycle at school home for our vendor there.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
Amanda O'Rourke 10/19/2018 1:46 PM
I've been working hard to remember to give the straw back or to decline one when I order. I've noticed that oftentimes the straw comes already in my drink, so I have to be really intentional about declining up-front. It's such a small thing, but when you're not accustomed to remembering it, it's tough!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reuseable one with you? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to establish this a successful habit?
Amanda O'Rourke 10/17/2018 2:22 PM
I mindlessly accepted a plastic bag and felt very disappointed afterward. I didn't realize before this challenge how much more mindful I need to be in my decision making.

I often reuse, recycle and repurpose plastic grocery bags, but after Monday I began using a reusable grocery bag to tote various items into and out of work.

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Amanda O'Rourke 9/28/2018 9:47 AM
Just bought my first set of stainless steel straws.

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