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October 7 - October 28, 2020
Steph Fregosi's avatar

Steph Fregosi

PCC EcoPanthers

"Foster healing, hope, and resilience."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 427 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    50
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent learning

Steph's actions

Health

Reduce Refined Sugar

Do at Home

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Upgrade My Windows

Do at Home

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement

Do at Home

I will spend at least 15 minutes using the resources provided to learn about water justice and find out how I can get involved in local initiatives.

COMPLETED 6
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

Tend a Garden

Do at Home

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Go for a Daily Walk Outside

Do at Home

I will take a walk outside for 15 minutes each day.

COMPLETED 3
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?


  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/28/2020 10:45 AM
    It's important to recognize that there are multiple indicators of health. Weight isn't the only one. I can weigh the same and have the same amount of muscle and fat and still be in poorer shape than I was pre-quarantine. I'm working at taking longer and longer walks at least three times a week. That seems to be far more important to my physical and mental health than giving up sugar.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Upgrade My Windows
    How does improving your home's energy efficiency help you better live out your values?

    Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/23/2020 12:19 PM
    It's important to me to know we're using the resources available to us to the best of our ability. That leaves more resources for others and in the mean time, our home is more snug and we're better protected from bad air and the cold.

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/15/2020 3:46 PM

    I spent a little time cleaning out the garden this afternoon as a break between zoom calls. It's my goal to get this ready for winter before the end of the ecochallenge.

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/14/2020 9:38 AM
    The last article in the water justice series was really illuminating. I mostly avoid bottled water and when I do have to buy it (like in 2016 when our local water supply was contaminated by toxic algal blooms and a little unsafe for my particular conditions) I usually try to find some that comes directly from a spring. I hadn't realized that some of that water could come from tribal lands. I generally avoid Nestle as I wasn't too excited when they tried to move into Cascade Locks, but I should look more into what other companies practices are like in the future.

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/14/2020 9:31 AM
    I was sick over the weekend. I played some games with my family but that was all I really managed. It's important to kick back when we need to.

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/08/2020 2:38 PM
    This isn't my first time giving up refined sugar. Actually I've managed to find good brands that have the least amount of refined sugars out of our everyday products like ketchup, and peanut butter. It's much more like giving up desert and keeping an eye on the sugar in yogurt and then watching white flours - for me this about my blood sugar level, not just sugar. I bought the yogurt not remembering about the ecochallenge, so I'm focusing on everything else but the yogurt... Sugar is hidden in everything though, but I need my energy levels to be as good as they can be during the pandemic.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement
    Who is affected by polluted water or a lack of access to water in your region? How are they affected?

    Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/07/2020 11:32 AM
    Both the Willamette and the Columbia River are highly polluted, but people who depend on those rivers for sources of food are the most impacted, followed by those who eat the food that is irrigated by these rivers. 

    According to the Street Roots, "A century of poison has made the Willamette one of the most polluted rivers in the United States – it contains at least 65 chemicals that risk human and environmental health, according to the EPA, including petroleum, poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides like DDT, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, asbestos and zinc."

    I'm always shocked. I grew up in a Boston and we had a very polluted harbor and the Charles River was notorious. I fell in once and had to take a shower, but five years before that you would have had to had your stomach pumped. It's since been greatly improved, so the shock is from seeing the improvements not extending across the country. 

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/06/2020 2:17 PM
    The pandemic made bringing reusable bags to the grocery store really confusing. Over time, we are learning about transmission of COVID-19 and it became clear that we are less concerned about picking up the virus from surfaces and more about catching it from the air. Many places that I shop let you bring your own bags as long as you pack your own groceries. Here's to revisiting this important habit. And I should ask for paper when getting groceries delivered!

  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 10/06/2020 2:10 PM
    I included family game hour into my actions this year and thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of great games for families.

    Here are a couple of family friendly recommendations that are on theme for the ecochallenge.

    Tiny Towns - really the only thing on theme about this game is that it involves planning. It's quite simple in its structure although winning at Tiny Towns is very hard. I like it because it lets you play however competitively you like.

    Wingspan - gorgeously illustrated game that will teach you about birds. Fun to also enjoy with a supplemental google search of the sounds the birds make. This game has you try to attract the best birds to your wildlife preserves. The birds are in the form of cards, some of which give you special powers. Anyway it's very family friendly and really fun.

    Photosynthesis - this is a very meditative game in which you are planting trees as the seasons change. Shade from your trees inhibit the growth of your opponent trees, but the sun does move around the board, meaning that the shade moves too.

    Forbidden Island - Work together to capture the treasure and escape the island before it floods. This game is great for building collaboration skills, but beware of family arguments!





  • Steph Fregosi's avatar
    Steph Fregosi 9/29/2020 3:29 PM
    In addition to using the resources provided to learn about water justice, I'm also planning on reading The Poisoned City.