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Welcome to 2020 People's Ecochallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an 2020 People's Ecochallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org
2020 People's Ecochallenge
October 7 - October 28, 2020
Theresa Haider's avatar

Theresa Haider

Saint Louis Zoo Volunteers

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 361 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    25
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    14
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Theresa's actions

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

Do at Home

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Nature

Watch a lecture series on climate change

The Aquarium of the Pacific has bundled a number of their past lectures on various aspects of climate change. You can pick and choose, but they have arranged them in a sequence that they believe presents a coherent picture of climate change and its impacts. Each of these lectures was presented by a leader in his/her field. See link below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Support Local Pollinators

Do at Home

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will spend 30 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Online Energy Audit

Do at Home

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Skip the Straw

Do at Home

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Read about sustainable living

Read a (new to you) book about sustainable living. Check the links for some suggested titles or ask a friend or fellow volunteer for a recommendation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use the plastic footprint calculator

Complete the 3-minute consumption calculator to find ways to balance your plastic footprint.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Be a litter hero

Pick up trash in your neighborhood or a local park.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Build a bee condo

Help a very important native pollinator - bees! Provide a nesting spot.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Use the sustainable palm oil app.

Download the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's sustainable palm oil shopping app.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate for Sustainable Palm Oil and Help Orangutans

Support companies that have joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Write to your favorite companies and restaurants. Ask them to use sustainable palm oil in their products and to join the RSPO if they haven't done so already.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy orangutan-friendly candy this Halloween

Orangutans and many other animals are in danger due to unsustainable palm oil plantations, which destroy their forest homes. Palm oil can be found in many products—even candy! We are dedicated to caring for animals, so we encourage you to consider purchasing candy that contains sustainable palm oil. For a list of suggestions, please visit: https://www.stlzoo.org/files/9815/6985/6138/STLZoo_Candy_Guide_for_Holloween.pdf

COMPLETED
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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Skip the Straw
    How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
    Theresa Haider's avatar
    Theresa Haider 10/15/2020 9:45 PM
    As a crafter, I upcycle to create pieces. Example - old table with broken plate mosaic top 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Use Reusable Bags
    What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with you or aren't allowed to use the one you brought? 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 create a successful habit of not using plastic bags?
    Theresa Haider's avatar
    Theresa Haider 10/15/2020 9:43 PM
    As I often shop at Aldi, I either use one of their empty boxes or just carry I bagged groceries to my car where I put them in totes. I usually use reuseable bags. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Online Energy Audit
    What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint? What changes did you make or will you make?
    Theresa Haider's avatar
    Theresa Haider 10/08/2020 9:59 AM
    Windows are in good shape but always have to adjust doors. The six inch filters make a difference in the hvac. 
    Read More