2020 People's Ecochallenge

October 7 - October 28, 2020

Cassandra Urban

""You have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
707 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

38

whole food meals

consumed
UP TO

305

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

675

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

3.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

986

minutes

spent learning

Cassandra's actions

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

Nature

Do Nature Activities

Do at Home

I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 30 minute(s) each day. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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

Simplicity

Track My Purchases

Do at Home

I will spend 15 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Learn About Trans, Femme, and Nonbinary Experiences

Do at Home

I will spend 120 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Support Comerica's National Day of Service

As an extension to Comerica's National Day of Service in September, consider conducting a virtual volunteer action that supports our communities. Since there are no organized in-person river, beach or lake clean-ups in most communities this year, if you would like, you can consider cleaning up around your house and neighborhood to support your local environment as neighborhood storm drains commonly drain to local water bodies. Please do not invite others outside of your household if you choose this action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Whole Foods Diet

Do at Home

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Watch a Documentary about Racial Injustice

Do at Home

I will watch 3 documentary(ies) about systemic racism.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Meditate

Do at Home

I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 10 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.

COMPLETED 21
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 Learn About Trans, Femme, and Nonbinary Experiences

How is equality for trans, femme, and nonbinary people important to a just and sustainable society?

Cassandra Urban 10/28/2020 11:38 AM

We are all connected to each other in some way. We all need each other and we need to all support each other and work together (no matter what our race, religion, gender, or sexuality is ) to make this a peaceful, sustainable living beautiful world. That is the only way this planet will survive!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Find Local Recycling Depots

Our ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors, including market demand for recyclables. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?

Cassandra Urban 10/27/2020 7:46 AM

I have been cleaning out my garage and workshop and I found several places very close to my home that take things like paint and paint products, and automotive fluids like old oil, trans fluids, etc.. It is a a great peace of mind to know that there are these facilities that are available. I also learned that my local grocery stores will take in used grocery bags, overwrap, and various other plastic bags and wraps that can't go in curbside recycle bins! It is nice to know that we have these options for us, so less items go to landfills and dumps!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Needs Vs. Wants

How is creativity a necessary ingredient for practicing simplicity?

Cassandra Urban 10/27/2020 6:26 AM

By being creative, you think outside the box! By thinking of creative ways to garden, forage and creating recipes that stretch your ingredients. By being creative in activities and entertainment (making up your own games, doing arts and crafts with items around the house and yard). Limit the use of technology and have great conversations with your family and friends. There are many ways to practice simplicity, you just have to be creative!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Meditate

What would you like to invest more time in reflecting on?

Cassandra Urban 10/27/2020 6:17 AM

I would like to invest more time reflecting on my life goals. Reexamine my life goals. What are those goals? Where am I at in reaching those goals? Do I need to change any of those goals? And, What do I need to do to reach those goals? I believe this is a great way to be successful in reaching one's goals.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Track My Purchases

What have you noticed about your purchases? Where are you inclined to make shifts, if any?

Cassandra Urban 10/23/2020 12:57 PM

I notice that we would eat out at least once a week, and/ or I would buy lunch at least once a week. I have really cut down (to only a couple times a month) and watch what I spend. I would rather put that money towards fresh vegetables and fruits, etc. Also, after reorganizing my closet, I realized that I need to stay off of those shopping sites, and ignore the emails and texts that they send with GREAT DEALS! LOL

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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?

Cassandra Urban 10/16/2020 8:32 AM

I would say that my motivation for foraging is to learn and utilize new and exciting ingredients that are already available. Waste not want not! Why not use ( while respecting the environment, and foraging in moderation) what is provided by Mother Nature. My best friend goes foraging for wild mushrooms. She is going to take my daughter and I next year and teach us how to identify, and what and when to pick the mushrooms. We are both very excited! I will have to let everyone know how it goes at next fall's eco challenge!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Try a New Way to Prep

Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA or another trusted source. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?

Cassandra Urban 10/15/2020 7:58 AM

I have already made some pickled cabbage and mixed vegetables. I would like to try to make freezer jam (strawberry), and tomato relish. I also make two or three soups and freeze them for the winter. Nothing like a good homemade soup on a cold winters day!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Do Nature Activities

What did you observe while spending time outside -- through sight, sound, smell and/or touch?

Cassandra Urban 10/15/2020 6:56 AM

Fall is a beautiful time of year to do this. There is something about the smell of Fall and the colors of the trees! Also, the birds, squirrels and chipmunks are going nuts (pun intended, lol) over all the birdseed (that I put out) and my black walnut trees. I have an acre and a half with over well over a 100 various trees and a pond. It is like living in a park so I don't even have to leave my home to enjoy nature.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Whole Foods Diet

Michael Pollan states that “it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor.” What are your thoughts on this assertion?

Cassandra Urban 10/09/2020 8:19 AM

I agree with this statement 100%. Our Diet = Our Health! If we eat fresh organic and free range unprocessed food, there will be less visits to the doctor, less illnesses diagnosed, and less medication prescribed! Proof is my father. He is going to be 76 years old this month. He was diagnosed over 10 years ago with type 2 diabetes. He has been able to control it and not be prescribed any medication for it, all by watching what he eats. He also walks at least a mile everyday, not to mention that my father still works fulltime (even overtime) as a electrician at a Steel Company. He also goes out dancing with his girlfriend on the weekends, plays in cribbage tournaments, and travels!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing and Renewal Core Values

What are your top 3-5 core values? How did you narrow it down to those as being your core values?

Cassandra Urban 10/09/2020 7:31 AM

This was a really hard task. Not so much in knowing what I value, but trying to pick my top 3 core values was really hard! I had to really think about this and search my soul! Many things are important to me and I value many things like love, kindness, honesty, loyalty, knowledge and wisdom, etc. However, after really thinking about what I value the most, I would have to say: 1. God ( my spirituality). It is what keeps me grounded and true to myself. And with spirituality other values go with it , like honesty, compassion, love, and kindness. 2. Family. I strive to be a better person because of my daughter and she makes me a better person. I want to be a positive role model for her. 3. Respect. If we all respected each other and our differences, and respected the environment around us we (as a whole) would be in a much better place physically, mentally and spiritually! I think with these 3 core values, all the other values come with it ( love, compassion, fairness, loyalty, etc.)

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