Ecochallenge.org

2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Bethanie Tabachnik

420 East Ohio Apartments

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
772 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

community event

hosted or attended
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person
UP TO

10

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

95

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

30

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

39

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

11

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

10

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

164

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

3.3

pounds of paper

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted

Bethanie'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).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Core Values

Do at Home

We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home

Do at Home

I will spend 20 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Explore My Area

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Host a Watch Party

Do at Home

I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Choose a Carbon Offset

If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Happiness

Do at Home

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Forgiveness

Do at Home

I will begin, or continue, on the journey of forgiving myself and/or other(s). I may do this through journaling, meditation, prayer, and/or talking with a licensed healthcare professional.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go Get a Check Up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Install Alternative Energy

Do at Home

I will install an alternative energy system, such as solar electric systems or solar water heaters.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Find Local Recycling Depots

Do at Home

I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Personal Waste Audit

Do at Home

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Go Paperless

Do at Home

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Do at Home

I will spend 20 minutes learning about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Do at Home

I will keep 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Work From Home

Do at Home

I will work from home 5 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

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
Nature Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/15/2020 6:13 AM

Spending more time outdoors brings more awareness to how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful city.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Go Get a Check Up

How do you practice self care?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/14/2020 6:22 AM

I practice self care by ensuring I have time each day to exercise and do other things I enjoy even if I am busy at work.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Install Alternative Energy

How is your region being affected by climate change? How will it be affected in the future?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/14/2020 6:21 AM

Chicago is affected by climate change through record-high lake levels, warmer temperatures, and more frequent major storms. These will continue to increase in the future.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Personal Waste Audit

Why is it often difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/13/2020 1:00 PM

It is often difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places because we rarely see where the waste goes

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Skip the Straw

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/12/2020 6:26 AM

Another wasteful practice is using paper towels instead of regular towels to dry your hands or wipe the table. Keeping towels next to the sink helps people use less paper towels.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

How can you express your personality, creativity, and values in ways that don't require fast fashion or buying more clothes and accessories?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/12/2020 6:21 AM

Repurposing old clothes or buying used items are great ways to do this

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Use a Reusable Mug

Maybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/11/2020 6:25 AM

I hope that everyone will eliminate single use cups/plates/bottles in their homes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Find Local Recycling Depots

Our ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors, including market demand for recyclables. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/09/2020 10:02 AM

I did research on where I can recycle clothing and shoes that may not be suitable to donate.

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?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/08/2020 3:26 PM

If I find myself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with me, I will usually try to only buy what I can carry. If I absolutely need a bag, I make sure it is one that I can reuse or recycle.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Use a Reusable Water Bottle

While water bottles are needed for health and safety in certain places, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. What are the barriers to you using reusable bottles and tap water instead of bottled water? How could you make this a permanent habit?

Bethanie Tabachnik 10/08/2020 11:36 AM

Easy access to filtered water from a Brita filter can make using a reusable bottle a permanent habit.

Read More