Ecochallenge.org

2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Sarah Pipping

OUSD ECCL

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
181 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

180

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

3.0

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

pounds

waste composted

Sarah's actions

Simplicity

Research My Investment Portfolio

Do at Home

I will find out what stocks and bonds are in my investment account portfolio to determine if they align with my values (e.g. environmental, social responsibility, community).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Research Impact Investing

Do at Home

Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing and determine if it is right for me.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Join An Outdoor Project

I will join an outdoor restoration project in my community while observing best practices in my region for not spreading COVID-19.

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

Community

Join My Neighborhood Association

Do at Home

I will join my neighborhood association or another local group of decision makers.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Express My Support

Do at Home

I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home

Do at Home

I will spend 120 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

Do at Home

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

Do at Home

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Join a Local CSA

Do at Home

I will sign up for a local CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes learning about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Compost Food Waste

Do at Home

I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Research Local Waste Sites

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Go for a Daily Walk Outside

Do at Home

I will take a walk outside for 20 minutes each day.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Family Game Hour

Do at Home

I will spend quality time with family and friends by playing low-tech game(s) and/or through the spirit of imagination.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Do at Home

Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate. I will keep 1 container(s) out of the landfill each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

Do at Home

I will spend 180 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Support Businesses Owned by People of Color

Do at Home

Racial inequity is both a sustainability and justice problem. I will support businesses owned by people of color in my community whenever I shop.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Support Native Communities

Do at Home

I will use the resource links provided and spend 180 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area prior to colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist.

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?

Sarah Pipping 10/12/2020 6:53 PM
Today I focused on the Support Native Communities action. Some learning and action I took today:
- Went deeper into the recommended resources from native-land.ca to learn about the land I occupy and the ancestral stewards of our land who are facilitating the return of indigenous land to indigenous people: The Lisjan Ohlone People
- Paid my Shuumi Land Tax
- Explored the work of Illuminatives
As stated in today's Anti Racism Daily post: "it’s essential that, as you move to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, your efforts go past today and into tomorrow. Renaming a holiday alone is insufficient. It’s easy to acknowledge something one day a year, but far more necessary to center the voices and needs of Indigenous communities in all aspects of your life." I'm thinking about my work as an educator in Oakland and what I can do to center and partner with our indigenous students, families, community and organizations. What will it look at The Center and at our schools?

Check out the projects of Sogorea Te' Land Trust to begin imagining. I will reach out to Sogorea Te' Land Trust for guidance for what can be possible for our new Central Kitchen, Instructional Farm and Education Center.
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- Sarah Pipping 10/12/2020 7:03 PM
  
  Also reading The Red Deal
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community Support Native Communities

Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?

Sarah Pipping 10/12/2020 6:39 PM

Everything requires balance, and when I think of things being in balance (nature, mental health, relationships, a meal, etc.) I think of peace. And that doesn't mean lack of complexity or conflict, but I believe balance ignites a natural resonance that promotes peace. Balance is important to sustainability because we need to understand and support natural systems to ensure sustainability for our world, nature knows how to manage stability and change and we must tap into this knowledge to create and maintain our systems.

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Sarah Pipping 10/07/2020 6:34 PM

Day 1 of People's Ecochallenge...worked on my daily actions...some reflections:

SUPPORT BUSINESSES OWNED BY BIPOC: Found this local resource: https://sfist.com/2020/06/04/you-can-find-black-owned-businesses-to-support-with-these-apps-and-online-lists/. There's a lot of resources out there and what I love about living in Oakland is this isn't something I have to be too conscious of. Regardless, I'm trying to double check where I'm getting my take-out during the pandemic (try to cook most days, but support business once a week) and I'd like to think about where I'm getting my groceries. I've also been sending cards and little gifts to family and friends as pick-me-ups and I can look to purchases some goods from Oakland homegrown BIPOC stores.

REDUCE SINGLE-USE DISPOSABLES: Have moved away from using plastic bags to store food. Now using tupperware and mason jars. Also going to read the book "Plastic Free" by Beth Terry this month

USE REUSABLE BAGS: Grocery stores have allowed the return of reusable bags (but not reusable produce bags yet) so that's great. Have to think about how to reject plastic bags for take-out...maybe its as simple as putting it in a note or talking over the phone and stating not to put it in a bag...?

COMPOST FOOD WASTE: Just doing it. I've wondered about those compostable bags...stopped using them, but curious about those. Need to advocate for composting in other cities...my hometown doesn't have a city-wide composting...what pull do I have since I'm not a resident there or other places?

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Sarah Pipping 9/08/2020 9:03 AM

I joined this challenge because I'm intrigued by how we can use research-based habit building tactics and structured community challenges to build engagement around sustainability. I appreciate how the actions included resources to educate and learn more and enjoy choosing actions that validate what I'm already doing and encourage me to do more. I wonder how we can learn from and localize this type of program/platform. I'm excited to start selecting my personal actions and I'm thinking about which actions we could complete or create as a team!

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