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October 3 - October 24, 2018

Generation 180 Feed

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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?


  • Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/05/2018 1:19 PM
    Tried a new way to meal prep today with no packaging waste at all
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Online Energy Audit
    What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/04/2018 12:10 PM
    I was surprised by how large my transportation footprint was since I do not own a car and only carpool if I am riding in one. Since I have taken more trips than usual in the past year, however, the carbon emissions from one flight outweighed any of my small victories by walking and biking to work or class. I need to cut down on how often I am flying in the future.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Switch to Cold Water
    What do you plan to do with the money you save from making more energy efficient choices?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/04/2018 12:08 PM
    By switching from hot to cold water, I am able to reduce my carbon footprint. I plan to further reduce it by washing clothes by hand when I can to avoid the electricity use of a washing machine.  These choices save me money that I plan to use to help me invest in more technologies that will retrofit my apartment to be more energy efficient.
  • 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?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/03/2018 10:35 AM
    Economics are a major player in this cultural trend. The government currently supports a lot of loopholes that make it easy for meat producers to sell meat at cheap prices, driving up demand and increasing the amount that animal products contribute to the total global carbon footprint. Since meat is available at lower prices than in other countries, it is oftentimes on the American table at mealtime. It is intimately tied to cultural traditions of celebration and family - so it is going to be hard to force people to end these customs. What we need to do is not eliminate this behavior but to only eat meat again in times of celebration, not three times a day.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Whole Foods Diet
    Michael Pollan states that "it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor." What are your thoughts on this?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/03/2018 10:27 AM
    I agree with this statement. Food should be used as medicine in both preventative and restorative terms. Rather than fuel ourselves with foods that are harsh on our bodies because they are heavily refined and processed, we should concentrate on foods in their whole form. This is better for our health, the economy, and reduces our environmental impact; we will require less medical intervention and prescription medicines, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of our diet by eating less processed foods made in factories.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Weekly Meal Planning
    An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/03/2018 10:22 AM
    It is sad to think about how much perfectly good food goes to waste simply because supermarkets think it does not look "good enough" for the consumer to buy or because consumers that buy food let it go to waste in the back of their fridge. This money could be more appropriately used to fund programs that increase people's access to affordable and healthy foods.
  • 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?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/03/2018 10:20 AM
    I would love to enjoy tomatoes all year long, so today I spent time learning about how to make batches of tomato sauce ahead of time and how to keep it frozen. Another thing I explored was drying my own tomatoes and fruit to extend the season of fruits and my access to them. I hope to try out both of these techniques soon.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Plant an Herb Garden
    Consider the ways you can garden: a plot of land? a patio container? hanging basket? windowsill gardens? What would work best for your living situation and lifestyle?

    Jamie Wertz's avatar
    Jamie Wertz 10/03/2018 8:25 AM
    Today I built raised flower beds with some roommates for our outdoor garden on campus and we planted several different herbs. We built them out of recycled wooden pallets that the produce from the dining hall is delivered to us in. Now we will have fresh produce to add to our meals without having to buy it from the store or use processed ingredients to flavor our food.