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October 3 - October 24, 2018
Victoria Salerno's avatar

Victoria Salerno

UWL ENV Braun

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 508 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    22
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    22
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    44
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed

Victoria's actions

Health

Avoid refined sugar

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 0 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 22
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 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 22
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Volunteer in my Community

I will volunteer 2 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of C02 over the course of the next year.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Explore My Area

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

UNCOMPLETED
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?


  • Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/18/2018 2:28 PM
    Today I visited my local food co-op and ate at their locally sourced restaurant. It was interesting to see all of the natural products they sell there and to eat food that I knew was from local sources! Its interesting to think about where our food is coming from and how far it has traveled to get to us (and how that travel affects the environment).

  • Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/12/2018 11:55 AM
    This morning as I made myself some tea for the day in my travel mug that even this simple action can have an influence on the environment. Reusable Mugs are the way to go!

  • Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/09/2018 11:43 AM
    Today I have been feeling really enthusiastic about this challenge because I am wearing a pair of thrifted overalls. Thrifting clothing is environmentally friendly as I am recycling and reusing something that would other wise be thrown out;. For this pair of overalls no additional dyes, electricity, etc are used for me to get them. In theory two people have utilized them for the production cost of one. Plus they are super exciting because they have a moose embroidered on them!

    • Maggie Braun's avatar
      Maggie Braun 10/18/2018 11:23 AM
      This is great!  We will get into this topic later in the semester.

  • Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/08/2018 5:56 PM
    At this point in the eco challenge all of the tasks have been going well. It feels good to know that my actions can affect the environment even in the smallest way!

  • Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/05/2018 8:36 AM
    Enjoying the October Eco Challenge so far! Looking forward to seeing if these habits become more ingrained and second nature to me! 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health Avoid refined sugar
    Before you started this challenge, did you think you were 'addicted' to sugar? How do you feel now?

    Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/04/2018 8:40 AM
    I have always been aware of my sugar consumption but since coming back to college I have found that I had become more addicted to it. After one day of more consciously avoiding refined sugar, I feel some cravings but I feel accomplished. Excited to see how the next days go.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health Happiness
    How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

    Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/04/2018 8:38 AM
    Practicing gratitude helps to keep me centered and motivated to better the world by reminding me that the positive outweighs the negative. Life is full of fluctuations and it always will be. If we choose to focus on the negative than out lives will only display and exude the negative; However, if we choose to accept and acknowledge the positive then we in turn will be more positive to the world around us.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Reduce Animal Products
    What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than in other places, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How do we start shifting a meat-focused food culture?

    Victoria Salerno's avatar
    Victoria Salerno 10/04/2018 8:36 AM
    I believe that North American populations eat more meat than other places due to a cultural mentality. In the United States eating meat is the norm and seems to be associated with power and strength. The idea of being a vegetarian, vegan, or cycling meat has a stigma attached to it. I believe that it shows a lack of understanding in the American culture. I believe that a strong movement that reduces the stigma of being meatless as a solely humanitarian based argument would be needed to shift the meat focused food culture. Although there will always be the moral debate about eating meat, I believe if the functionality and effectiveness of eating meatless was highlighted more there would be more change.