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Welcome to 2020 People's Ecochallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an 2020 People's Ecochallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org
2020 People's Ecochallenge
October 7 - October 28, 2020
Joe Walter's avatar

Joe Walter

CLEAResult

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 521 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    320
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    28
    more servings
    of fruits and vegetables
  • UP TO
    630
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    1.0
    public official or leader
    contacted
  • UP TO
    96
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    18
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Joe's actions

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 17
DAILY ACTIONS

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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Joyful Movement

Do at Home

I will spend 20 minutes doing an activity where I'm both moving my body and enjoying myself.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Express My Support

Do at Home

I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Prevent Recycling Contamination

Do at Home

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those around the world who produce my food in order to make better choices when I shop.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community

Learn More about Food Apartheid

Do at Home

I will spend 30 minutes learning about food apartheid and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Join My Neighborhood Association

Do at Home

I will join my neighborhood association or another local group of decision makers.

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

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
    What sustainability issues are most pressing or prominent where you live?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/28/2020 2:14 PM
    I would think recycling is one of the more prevalent issues of sustainability in my area.  I live in a small city area.  Recycling occurs, it is curbside pickup by the waste hauler.  It is combined recycling all in one bin.  The issue is properly identifying what is recyclable and what is not.  There are not enough resources or education on what is recyclable for the masses, so a lot of people are either not recycling what they could be, or putting items in recycling that are not.  I am often still confused about what can go into recycling.  Searching online was difficult because there does not seem to be a definitive listing in my area by municipality or by waste hauler.  More emphasis on this is really needed, especially now with foreign countries not taking our U.S. waste for recycling.  The U.S. needs to develop a better internal recycling system that covers the gamut of waste we are producing.  
    Read More
    • Courtney Groszhans's avatar
      Courtney Groszhans 10/28/2020 4:52 PM
      In the city of Portland, Oregon you can sign up to take recycling classes, where you become a "Master Recycler" or something along those lines. It goes through the whole waste system, what can and cannot be recycled along with the composting facility. Do you know if you city has a similar program?
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Justice for the Whole Community
    What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/28/2020 2:08 PM
    Everyone should have access to nutritious food.  I have felt for a long time as I stated in other Reflection Questions on here, it is shameful in my opinion that healthy, organic, and nutritious foods often times cost double OR MORE than junk food in the grocery stores.  There is no wonder that often lower income residents in communities often suffer with health conditions such as diabetes and others when it is more affordable to buy your family less nutritious foods filled with additives and preservatives.  A community can become more resilient to health concerns in general if healthier food options would be available and affordable to them. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste
    In what neighborhoods or areas of your region are landfills or other waste sites located? Which communities are most affected by these locations?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/21/2020 2:50 PM
    In my region, landfills all seem to be in more rural areas outside of populated towns or cities.  They do not seem to be in areas where they would create problems that are publicized a lot recently.  Certainly the rural areas they are located in could be impacted by them in some fashion.  Waste sites inevitably effect water sources near them.  

    More should be invested into finding ways to further utilize the waste site bi-products such as possibly methane digesters or other power generation to be incorporated with landfills or other waste sites that create methane.  
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste
    What have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/21/2020 2:46 PM
    I have learned some about food contaminated recycling which I sadly was not always aware of.  Also, some items we think or assume are recyclable (some plastic bottles, containers, food containers, etc.) which are not can be frustrating.  When items are marked with the recycle symbol on the bottom with a number in the middle of the 3 arrows, that makes you think that item would be able to be recycled.  It can be confusing, and also further confusion as to what your local area does and does not recycle. 

    Also now that other counties such as China who used to take on 2/3 of the world's recycling waste is not doing so, I feel it is up to our own individual government to find a way to make it happen internally.  We create our own trash; we have to be responsible to dispose of it correctly, including recycle and reusing it.  The world is changing, and we have to do better to change responsibly with it. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste
    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?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/15/2020 2:22 PM
    I find this to be a difficult dilemma. I find myself at the store sometimes having forgotten my reusable bag. Unfortunately I typically use the store plastic bags. There is not much choice as I usually am not there for a couple items. If that was the case, then I always refuse a bag for what I can carry.  But our area does not prohibit plastic bags and they are the mainstream.  Other than remembering my bags or keeping them in the car which is not always feasible, I am not sure what to implement to remedy the issue. Any suggestions? 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Simplicity
    What would you like to invest more time in reflecting on?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/15/2020 2:17 PM
    I would like to invest more time reflecting on how I can accept some things about society which I cannot change, and also how I can improve myself to better contribute or effect change where I can. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health
    How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/15/2020 2:15 PM
    While I try to eat more than the recommended daily fruits and vegetables, I love meat!  I always incorporate veggies and fruit into almost every meal, we garden for our own fresh produce, and we love greens and veggies.  But I do not intend to give up meat.  I like it too darn much!  I try to buy organic and free range or cage free chicken. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health
    What's your favorite activity(ies) in which you experience joy while being active and moving?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/15/2020 2:11 PM
    Kayaking on our local rivers in Central PA.  It is great exercise and a great nature experience as well as thought provoking and therapeutic for me anyway!  And I can fish as well, so added bonus!  
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    When you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? How can knowing their food producers enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?
    Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/15/2020 2:04 PM
    Knowing who produces your food and where it comes from gives a sense of peace of mind and satisfaction knowing you are receiving good quality food, and how it is processed.  The issue I see is that local and often "organic" food is usually more expensive than other mass produced foods. This in my mind does not lend itself to being able to have many people of all backgrounds and economic lifestyles to be able to afford good clean quality food.  I have wondered for some time now about how this create issues of social food injustice.  
    Read More
  • Joe Walter's avatar
    Joe Walter 10/13/2020 6:13 AM
    Getting outdoors and meditation and joyful movement during this challenge. Important to take care of ourselves as well as the planet! 
    Read More