Ecochallenge.org

2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Alison T.

Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston

"To be the best steward of the Earth and her inhabitants that I can be!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,295 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

52

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1,035

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

60

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

36

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

145

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Alison's actions

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

Do at Home

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Launch a Recycling Program

I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.

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

Learn About the Impact of Old Refrigerants

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes researching the impact of old harmful refrigerants on our environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Research Restorative Justice

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Support Pollution Reduction

Do at Home

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Know My Health

I will get my Core Four Biometrics tests (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go Get a Check Up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes learning about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Research Local Waste Sites

Do at Home

I will spend 60 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

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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Learn More about Food Apartheid

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes learning about food apartheid and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Support Native Communities

Do at Home

I will use the resource links provided and spend 60 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

Action Track: Justice for the Whole 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

Food

Reduce Animal Products

Do at Home

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 0 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Do at Home

Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate. I will keep 2 container(s) out of the landfill each day.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Watch a Documentary about Racial Injustice

Do at Home

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about systemic racism.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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: Justice for the Whole Community

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

Do at Home

I will spend 60 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Do at Home

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Choose Clean/Renewable Energy

Do at Home

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

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?

Alison T. 10/28/2020 5:45 PM

Barely made it in to complete all my committed challenges, but I did it. Learned some things I didn't know and for me that is the best part because I can use my knowledge to keep working to better myself as a steward!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Research Local Waste Sites

In what neighborhoods or areas of your region are landfills or other waste sites located? Which communities are most affected by these locations?

Alison T. 10/28/2020 5:42 PM

I have to say, I was shocked that there are 21 toxic sites in and around Houston (according to this article https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/There-are-21-toxic-Superfund-sites-in-and-around-15029461.php#photo-7170982). I am not familiar with most of the areas noted, but based on my research they are highly likely to be in or near communities that are mostly low-income and / or where the majority of the residents are people of color.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Support Pollution Reduction

What environmental factors affect human health in your region, and how do they affect it?

Alison T. 10/28/2020 5:34 PM

In Houston there are several factors that affect human health but a couple of specific ones I have been hearing about recently are: (1) air pollution and groundwater pollution from the petrochemical industry in East Houston; and (2) water contamination from chromium 6 in Alief. These issues affect people's breathing and can give them cancers and other health ailments.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Research Restorative Justice

How can Restorative Justice help foster the well-being of both people and planet?

Alison T. 10/28/2020 5:22 PM

When a person (or Company for that matter) takes the time to really reflect on their negative action(s) that caused harm to another and / or to the planet and view the situation from the other perspective, I think it makes it more personal and intimate and can facilitate change in future behavior and potentially direct them to a path to do better.

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?

Alison T. 10/27/2020 9:32 PM

I personally express myself in some of the following alternative ways - (1) the events I attend - share my thoughts, experiences with others; (2) in my volunteer work; (3) thru my support and advocacy of the organizations and causes I follow; and (4) with the art (amateur) that I occasionally create.

Read More
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?

Alison T. 10/27/2020 9:26 PM

One glaring way in which voters are discouraged during the current election is how the state has restricted the mail in ballot collection centers to only ONE per county. Texas is big and this restriction makes it very difficult for some voters to turn in their ballot (i.e. if a voter is in the far northwest portion of Harris County, they have to drive approx. 50 miles (~1 hour) to get to the NRG collection station).

Voting and advocating is a big way in which we can work to try and get rid of these barriers for the future. Maybe also thinking creatively (within the law) to organize some way to get the people and / or the ballots to the collection box somehow?

Read More
- Lisa Brenskelle 10/28/2020 4:32 PM
  
  I've been posting a lot of information on my church's FB about voting, vote by mail, being a poll worker/monitor. I think that the more engaged we can get everyone, the better off we will be, even with the restrictions in place on voting.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community Learn More about Food Apartheid

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?

Alison T. 10/27/2020 9:16 PM

One thing that lack of access to nutritious food affects communities is mental and physical health - good nutrition can aid in less obesity and better concentration / focus.

In one of the resources provided for us to read (https://www.guernicamag.com/karen-washington-its-not-a-food-desert-its-food-apartheid/) the following quote was very enlightening for me:

"What I would rather say instead of 'food desert' is 'food apartheid', because 'food apartheid' looks at the whole food system, along with race, geography, faith, and economics. You say 'food apartheid' and you get to the root cause of some of the problems around the food system. It brings in hunger and poverty. It brings us to the more important question: What are some of the social inequalities that you see, and what are you doing to erase some of the injustices?"

It shows that access is not the entire issue, it is just one component in a complicated issue and in order to tackle the issue we must consider and work to address all components.

Read More
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?

Alison T. 10/27/2020 6:42 PM

Balance is important to sustainability because if things go too far one way or the other and get "off balance" sustainability cannot be achieved. The "off balance" situations create domino effects that essentially break the chain.

Read More
Alison T. 10/27/2020 6:01 PM

Trying to make a final push to get all my committed challenge actions caught up and done...

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Learn About the Impact of Old Refrigerants

Why are old refrigerant gases so harmful to our environment?

Alison T. 10/26/2020 9:56 PM

They contribute not only to the climate change, but also the pollution problem, especially with the containers that are just sitting around and not being monitored. It is an issue when things get phased out and there is no real plan on how to deal with the "leftovers".

Read More