Joseph Martin

"As the Leadership Intern of Social and Environmental Justice, it is my role in the community to set an example for others to follow. To this end goal, I shall use the EcoChallenge to approach those goals and educate myself about how I can make an impact here at Susquehanna."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
718 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

320

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

110

minutes

spent learning

Joseph's 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

Nature

Learn About the Impact of Old Refrigerants

Do at Home

I will spend 30 minutes researching the impact of old harmful refrigerants on our environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Calculate the Carbon Footprint of my Household

Do at Home

I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.

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

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 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Support Native Communities

Do at Home

I will use the resource links provided and spend 20 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

Water

5-Minute Showers

Do at Home

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Research Voter Suppression

Do at Home

I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out what local laws, policies, and practices keep people from voting in my community.

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?

Joseph Martin 10/28/2020 10:41 AM

Last day today, and I've honestly enjoyed the focus that this challenge has allowed me to have on my impact. While my actions were mostly focused on improving my mental state, the resources I've explored while doing the challenge have helped me key in on areas where I can improve as well as give me tools to spread awareness of issues important to me. I really hope that everyone's had a positive experience with this, and I can't wait to see how we carry on this mission!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Learn About the Impact of Old Refrigerants

Why are old refrigerant gases so harmful to our environment?

Joseph Martin 10/22/2020 7:19 PM

In spite of their ubiquity prior to the 1990s, refrigerants containing CFCs and HCFCs can destroy the ozone layer and rapidly increase the rate of climate change. While these are banned from production worldwide, they still can create huge problems if not disposed of properly, which is why organizations like Tradewater are working toward recovering the rusting containers and disposing of them so they don't leak into the atmosphere.

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Joseph Martin 10/21/2020 6:48 PM

I'm seeing that a lot of people around campus are currently hitting a wall due to the lack of fall break, but even as time's get tough, it's important to not get discouraged. If you haven't selected it as a daily action yet, I highly encourage doing the daily thankfulness reflection as a way to keep your spirits up and find your drive to power through the final few days of EcoChallenge. Keep up the good work, and let's make a difference together!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Happiness

How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

Joseph Martin 10/19/2020 9:48 AM

Doing a daily gratitude reflection has helped me stay centered on what really matters at a time when even staying positive can seem daunting in the face of all the negative in the world. While this seems like it might not be having a directly positive influence on the environment, keeping a healthy mind is the first step towards achieving a healthy world.

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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?

Joseph Martin 10/15/2020 4:57 PM

Indigenous culture holds its roots in a way of life where endless expansion wasn't viewed as an option, and so you had to take care of what you had, or else it wouldn't be there to take care of you down the road. They recognize that we are an integral part of our environment, and like everything else, we must take our place in the ecosystem for us and our surroundings to thrive.

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Joseph Martin 10/15/2020 1:17 PM

While I may be planning to vote in person, I understand that it's not safe for everyone to do so and I will continue to encourage everyone to register to vote and sign up for their mail in ballot before the deadline. I'm particularly using my position within the chapel at Susquehanna to amplify the voice of Achieve Lead Vote to encourage SU students to vote.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community Research Voter Suppression

What are the ways in which voters are prohibited from or discouraged from voting in your region and/or state? What could be done to get rid of these barriers?

Joseph Martin 10/14/2020 9:58 AM

While Pennsylvania doesn't have as many issues with voter suppression as other states (thanks in large part to the concerted efforts of the ACLU), efforts by Republican legislators in the state are a constant threat to the ability of threatened communities to vote. The best way I can think of to keep stringent voter ID laws from becoming a reality here is staying informed on incoming legislation and speaking out when negative legislation is moving through Harrisburg.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Calculate the Carbon Footprint of my Household

After you determined your carbon footprint, did you see what different choices you can make in order to reduce it?

Joseph Martin 10/13/2020 6:29 AM

While it might be difficult for my parents to reduce their car usage given the lack of public transportation in my area, my time as a student and my work at a camp cut my transportation needs down to very little. The next steps I could take are reducing my meat consumption to only a few times per week.

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