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October 3 - October 24, 2018
Kim Smith's avatar

Kim Smith

SOC 228 Environmental Sociology

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 931 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    380
    minutes
    not spent in front of a screen
  • UP TO
    270
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    39
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched

Kim's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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

Simplicity

Less Screen Time

I will replace 20 minute(s) of screen time each day with other activities.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Meditate

I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 15 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

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
    Health Happiness
    How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

    Kim Smith's avatar
    Kim Smith 10/24/2018 8:24 PM
    I have tried to have gratitude journals over the years, but it goes in waves.  The structure of the EcoChallenge keeps me on track and accountable every day to think purposefully about gratitude.  Knowing that I am keeping a list of the many things that I appreciate and cherish offers positive energy, which keeps me centered and motivated to do what I can to work for a better world.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Simplicity Meditate
    What would you like to invest more time in reflecting on?

    Kim Smith's avatar
    Kim Smith 10/20/2018 11:55 PM
    I had the blessed opportunity to attend a flute and piano concert tonight.  I used to play the flute and it was amazing how I could let my mind go listening to the musicians. I closed my eyes and thought about this meditation challenge.  I was able to release my thoughts about work for long stretches of time and it was blissful.
  • 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?

    Kim Smith's avatar
    Kim Smith 10/17/2018 12:55 AM
    We have such a strong cultural habit to eat meat with a variety of meals. Normally, I am just fine with eating meatless meals, but I hosted a party Friday night and so many people brought meat! They left a lot of leftovers behind and I feel obligated to eat them.  I guess that I could toss them (I donated some at least), but then I feel bad about food waste.

    I think a lot of awareness about health, for personal motivation, and our carbon footprint from meat consumption, for an increased sense of community responsibility, could shift practices toward eating les meat.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Try a New Way to Prep
    Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?

    Kim Smith's avatar
    Kim Smith 10/06/2018 10:00 PM
    I had a wonderful Portland experience today - harvesting grapes at a friend's vineyard "Seven Sails"!  I learned about wine-making and how they try to keep everything estate-grown and local. They were able to build community and a sense of ownership of the wine by having all harvesting labor done by volunteers.  We worked hard but had a lot of fun.  It was really educational and I will have much greater appreciation when I drink their wine, as I know exactly where their wines are made and how much effort it takes to collect the precious grapes.  Our harvest? 3 tons!!