Ecochallenge.org

2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Thomas Farrenkopf

PCC EcoPanthers

"For a better tomorrow."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
821 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

3.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

66

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

20

hours

volunteered
UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

24

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

730

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

420

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1,595

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

500

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

31

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

439

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

3.3

pounds of paper

have been saved

Thomas's actions

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Watch a Documentary about Racial Injustice

Do at Home

I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about systemic racism.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Donate to or Volunteer for Low-Income Solar Initiatives

Do at Home

Whether it's by donating or volunteering, I will research the benefits of low-income solar and find out how I can support low-income solar initiatives in my area.

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

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Learn About Constructive Communication

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minute(s) learning about constructive communication.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Engage In Active Listening

Do at Home

I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 3 conversations.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

Do at Home

I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Install a Toilet Tank Bank

Do at Home

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water each day by installing a toilet tank bank.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Volunteer in My Community

Do at Home

I will volunteer 10 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Research Voter Suppression

Do at Home

I will spend at least 60 minutes finding out what local laws, policies, and practices keep people from voting in my community.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Sign Up to Vote

Do at Home

I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go Get a Check Up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Take Control

Do at Home

Both systemic and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Do at Home

I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Keep a Nature Journal

Do at Home

I will journal each day about my experiences in nature.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Leave No Trace

Do at Home

I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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

Energy

Choose LED Bulbs

Do at Home

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

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

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

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

Do at Home

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

Nature

Explore My Area

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

Do at Home

I will take a 30-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Practice Gratitude for Earth

Do at Home

I will spend 20 minute(s) per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and my natural surroundings.

COMPLETED 19
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
Community Volunteer in My Community

What is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/22/2020 2:59 PM

Every week I walk my local neighborhoods and collect any trash I come across. It takes everyone in our communities to keep things looking nice. As a member of my community Iike my neighborhood to be trash-free and I understand that it is partially my responsibility to make that happen.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Install a Toilet Tank Bank

Name some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/22/2020 2:57 PM

One of the biggest concerns I have is with the ever reducing amount of freshwater we have on the planet. As we march towards the future our supply seems to get smaller and smaller. We've seen countries around the world start to build systems to make saltwater drinkable and that is where the human race is heading. The really frustrating part is the oceans are so contaminated with oil and trash that it may not be a viable resource.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Sign Up to Vote

Why is voting important to creating a just, sustainable, and thriving world? In what other ways can you actively participate in important decision-making?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/22/2020 2:50 PM

Voting is important because it gives us a voice with who represents our voice. We're never going to find a candidate that fits our thought process exactly but we select a candidate that closely resembles the direction we hope to move. It is vital that as many people as possible vote so that we have an understanding of where we are going. In addition to voting, we can make our voices heard by calling our elected officials and letting them know what we think of certain projects they're working on. Maybe we agree, maybe not. Either way, they need to hear from us so they know what their constituents are thinking.

Read More
Thomas Farrenkopf 10/20/2020 12:22 PM

I really appreciate that this challenge is keeping me focused on my goals. A lot of my daily practices revolve around being outside and engaging in physical activities. I decided to go this route because the pandemic has given me reason to reconsider my time outdoors but this has reminded me how important it is.

Read More
Thomas Farrenkopf 10/18/2020 11:17 PM

I have been spending a lot more time outside and I'm really enjoying the opportunity to move. After the pandemic started I only went outside if it was a necessity. I became concerned about the negative impacts of this. I am glad to have this challenge, providing me with the excuse I needed to get back out.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Choose LED Bulbs

Switching out your lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! In what other ways can you exercise your civic duty to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/13/2020 9:35 AM

When I first read through this action I felt a little underwhelmed by the idea of "just" changing my lightbulbs. This idea seems so small and has been around for a long while and how I took this responsibility on many years ago. However, the truth is that this should be a norm that can have an impact on our impact if everyone got on the same page. The reason why I selected five bulbs is that when I walked through my apartment I found five bulbs that were not LED bulbs. With exception of one odd bulb lamp, all of my bulbs are now converted to LED.

Back to the question at hand. The local power company over the course of the summer sent a fairly regular text about when they needed people to reduce their power consumption. This was usually on abnormally hot days and during peak hours when most AC units were being run. To help reduce the impact, the power company offered rebate savings on our bill if we were able to reduce our power consumption during those periods. It was during those times that I found much enjoyment in hiking the local trails and keeping my power off. While it helped on our impact it also saved me money and that will always be a WIN-WIN in my book.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Family Game Hour

How does being playful with others enrich your life?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/12/2020 11:06 PM

Simply put, smiles. That's one thing I think we could all use, even more with the pandemic.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Work From Home

It takes the average worker in the United States 26 minutes to travel to work. One way to fix long commutes would be to make cities more affordable. An even simpler option: promote the use of telework. How have you used technology to replace in-person meetings or work this year?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/11/2020 8:30 PM

Typically, my commute to the offices is about 70 minutes each way, by public transportation. However, driving the same distance would usually take me about ten minutes less. I ultimately ditched the car because the cost to use my vehicle was not worth the extra 20 minutes per day. Now, since the pandemic hit, my daily commute averages zero minutes. I'm kind of dreading the idea of going back to campus because I would have to resume that long commute. So while we have it, I'll enjoy this opportunity to get more done without it. Eventually, things will go back to the way they use to be, but for now, it's a mad dash to use all this time to the best of my ability.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Improve a Bus Stop

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/11/2020 8:24 PM

I've lived in the Portland Metro area since late 2018. Prior to living here, I used public transportation rarely and always depended on having a vehicle. This was mostly because I traveled a lot for work and/or the town I was living in had pretty poor public transportation. However, after moving to Portland I found out how much better the Trimet is, compared to the other places I've lived, and I've almost stopped driving my car completely. Having a transportation system helps by encouraging people to use those options. It doesn't matter how environmentally sound a system is if people won't use it. First, it has to be convenient. Next, it should do as much as possible to reduce it's needed on carbon fuels. For instance, trains powered by electricity from solar or wind farms. There are ideas that will aid us in reducing our impact, we just have to invest in them.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

How does food sovereignty address the complex transition from localized food systems to modern global food systems?

Thomas Farrenkopf 10/07/2020 11:09 PM

All global food systems have to start with localized systems. The only problem we're now faced with is that start happened a long time ago. We must learn the skills to grow for ourselves and local communities again. This starts with the individual and grows throughout the community. This creates a more sustainable food structure because it addresses dependency issues. Trucking food into a distant location is environmentally irresponsible when we have the tools to create what we need.

Read More