
Laurieann Phalen
"If not me, who?....."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,607 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO2.0documentarieswatched
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UP TO1.0lightbulbreplaced
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UP TO420minutesspent learning
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UP TO1,100minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO66plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO24pounds of CO2have been saved
Laurieann's actions
Energy
Upgrade My Windows
I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.
Nature
Forage for My Food
I will use the 'Learn More' resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.
Water
Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater
I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.
Health
Learn More about Food Deserts
I will spend 60 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.
Health
Take Control
Both system and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.
Health
Support Pollution Reduction
I will spend at least 120 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 2 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.
Waste
Skip the Straw
Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 3 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.
Nature
Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset
I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.
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.
Nature
Do Nature Activities
I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 20 minute(s) each day. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and ending unwanted subscriptions.
Food
Plant an Herb Garden
I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.
Energy
Choose LED Bulbs
I will replace 1 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
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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Laurieann Phalen 10/24/2018 8:44 AMI plan to continue with my daily actions, as well as the challenge I made to myself to (as an environmental scientist) read at least 1 new scientific article about the environment everyday. I have been posting them here, and I hope that others have benefited from them.-
Marianne Greco 10/24/2018 9:09 AMLaurieann,
I followed your thoughtful posts and appreciated the many articles you linked to.
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Laurieann Phalen 10/24/2018 8:44 AMI plan to continue with my daily actions, as well as the challenge I made to myself to (as an environmental scientist) read at least 1 new scientific article about the environment everyday. I have been posting them here, and I hope that others have benefited from them. -
Laurieann Phalen 10/23/2018 4:28 AMThe photographs in this article put it all into perspective - in a very sad way. "The devastating environmental impact of human progress..." https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ed-burtynsky-anthropocene?fbclid=IwAR3P63lVOBf4qNORafq5lH5zQ0paizx8evHUY4Lja2KO8dodWJUkJU-ucyY -
Laurieann Phalen 10/22/2018 8:48 AMA floating dairy farm...what do you think?https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/world-s-first-floating-dairy-farm-could-be-wave-future-ncna905521-
Marianne Greco 10/24/2018 9:05 AMI would be concerned about contamination run-off into the ground water. How do they manage the animal waste ?
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Laurieann Phalen 10/21/2018 7:38 AMI am originally from Florida, and remember as an Environmental Science major studying about and seeing the destruction caused to the Everglades by channelizing the Kissimmee River. This article about how climate change threatens to effect he restoration efforts of this Ecosystem is disheartening. The Florida that I grew up with is not the Florida of present, and it makes me so very sad. I never want to go back to see my favorite wild places of youth - I want retain the memories of how beautiful and wondrous they used to be. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/17/everglades-climate-change-threatens-work-to-reverse-manmade-damage -
Laurieann Phalen 10/20/2018 11:47 AMThis is such a great idea - diversifying working lands (farmland, range land) by adding trees, hedgerows to provide habitat for beneficialwildlife such as bats.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181018151103.htm -
Laurieann Phalen 10/19/2018 9:16 AMThe article "Microplastics found in 90% of table salt" is concerning to me. While the article states "the review of 320 existing studies found “major knowledge gaps” in scientific understanding of the impact of microplastics" - it is known that PCBs collect on microplastics - and PCBs are "probable" carcinogens, have acute toxic effects, disrupt hormone function, cause developmental defects, effect the immune system, AND accumulate in the body. https://relay.nationalgeographic.com/proxy/distribution/public/amp/environment/2018/10/microplastics-found-90-percent-table-salt-sea-salt-
Marianne Greco 10/24/2018 9:07 AMDreadful!
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Laurieann Phalen 10/18/2018 6:32 AMConsidering Climate Change as a transformative force rather than an environmental issue allows for discussion on how atmospheric changes impact many aspects of life and society. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181017211703.htm -
Laurieann Phalen 10/17/2018 2:07 PMCollected salt marsh cord grass today for our lab - they are studying what makes these plants tolerant to salinity and drought, so that these genes can be activated in crops to help make them more resistant to climate change. -
Laurieann Phalen 10/16/2018 7:17 AMMan-made volcanic eruptions to fix climate change.....what do you think? https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/last-ditch-global-warming-fix-man-made-volcanic-eruption-n918826