Ecochallenge.org

2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Katie Ives

TIG Environmental - Syracuse

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
710 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

32

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

60

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

30

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted
UP TO

33

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

tree

planted
UP TO

9.0

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

385

minutes

of additional sleep
UP TO

80

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

10

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill

Katie's 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

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

Do at Home

I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

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 5 conversations.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

Do at Home

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

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

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 30 minute(s) learning about constructive communication.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Waste

Research Local Waste Sites

Do at Home

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

More Fruits and Veggies

Do at Home

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Healthy Sleep

Do at Home

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 30 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Work From Home

Do at Home

I will work from home 1 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Forage for My Food

Do at Home

I will use the resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Plant Trees

Do at Home

I will plant 1 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

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?

Katie Ives 10/28/2020 8:57 AM

Last day of the Ecochallenge!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Plant Trees

How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

Katie Ives 10/28/2020 8:56 AM

We planted a river birch. It is a local species to NYS and within hours of completing the job, birds and squirrels were seeking refuge in our tiny sapling. Its rewarding to watch something grow and has inspired us to spend more time in our backyard.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Forage for My Food

People are motivated to forage for many different reasons: as a source for food, a means of income, to connect with nature, to participate in cultural tradition, transmitting specific ecological knowledge, or as a means of stewarding local and native plant populations are just a few examples. What is your chief motivation for foraging?

Katie Ives 10/28/2020 8:53 AM

Foraging is a great way to pick up survival skills and also can contribute conversation as fun factoids when sharing the outdoors with others.

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?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:57 AM

At home and in the office, this is always the habit. Making the habit of bringing mugs to to-go places is more difficult. Coffee shops often allow this, but not all other food places do. So in these instances, maybe opt for no drink?

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Upgrade My Windows

How does improving your home's energy efficiency help you better live out your values?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:54 AM

I value saving money and, of course, the environment. Switching to LEDs, sealing windows, reducing drafts, and saving water are all ways to both cut your energy bills and reduce your footprint.

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?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:51 AM

We can't understand because most of us live comfortably and don't have landfills in our backyards or deal with pollution on a daily basis. That's why we educate ourselves to understand the impacts of our decisions

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?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:48 AM

95% of the time I will just carry things out in my arms if I do not have a bag. NYS has been great in banning bags so it has become a habit and more acceptable to bring your own bags to stores.

Read More
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?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:37 AM

I always tell people I'm more of a nature walker than hiker. I like to soak it all in, the colors, the wildlife and plants. Slowing down and using all your senses allows you to appreciate your surroundings even more.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Plant an Herb Garden

Consider the ways you can garden: a plot of land? a patio container? hanging basket? windowsill gardens? What would work best for your living situation and lifestyle?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:31 AM

A raised bed garden would be ideal for my little piece of land. Right now I'm just working with potted plants, but next growing season we will be upgrading!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing and Renewal Forgiveness

How has the process of forgiving, or contemplating forgiveness, benefited you?

Katie Ives 10/26/2020 10:28 AM

Forgiveness and letting things go is hard. But finding peace and happiness is beneficial to your mental health.

Read More