Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Katie Corgan

Oregon State Bar

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
989 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

6.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

7.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

4.0

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

160

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

3.7

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Katie's actions

Women and Girls

Start a Social Media Campaign

#6 Educating Girls

I will share stats on gender inequity in education with my social media feed to raise awareness.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

#5 Tropical Forests

I will replace or remove products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Research Retrofitting Incentives

#80 Retrofitting

I will spend at least 10 minutes finding out if my city, region, or state offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 6 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Go by Bike

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 2 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 1.87 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Connect With A Nonprofit

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on womens' or girls' issues in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Online Energy Audit

Multiple Solutions

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

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
Women and Girls Start a Social Media Campaign

How are people responding to the statistics you're sharing on social media?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:22 AM

Using the #NowMoreThanEver hashtag on several of the social media platforms I am on has resulted in multiple people sharing their thoughts and feelings about how important it is for girls around the world to get a good, quality education. It has been a real stepping stone to getting the conversation started about a very important topic.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls Learn about the Need for Family Planning

What did you learn about the need for family planning? Share some of the learning with your friends!

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:18 AM

Access to voluntary, high-quality family planning around the world is a human right that has powerful positive impacts on the health, welfare, and life expectancy of both women and their children and is a key factor in reducing rates of poverty. Lack of access to quality family planning and pregnancy services limits their ability to build a stable life and future for themselves and their families. It's important to keep these services available to low-income women and families so they can build the kind of positive, productives lives they'd hoped for.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:14 AM

Even though we live in a first world country, things like securing women’s right to voluntary, high-quality family planning is is a real barrier that women and girls still face every day. Family planning and access to healthcare that impacts on the health, welfare, and life expectancy of both women and their children. Also, closing the wage gap between men and women in the workforce would allow everyone, men and women, to improve their quality of life, as well as their participation/representation in our communities.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Explore Other Transport Solutions

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:08 AM

Recently, Trimet has revealed plans for expanding their services out to where I live and work. This is exciting to me because not only will this reduce the cars on the road, traffic will get better, people will be able to move throughout the state easier, and I won't have to drive to and from work every day. If mass transportation was available near where I lived and worked, I would gladly leave my keys at home and hop on the bus or train!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:04 AM

Prior to this challenge, I had never heard of the Kigali accord. Now that I have, I am ecstatic to learn that this project will start in the very near future (2019) and bring down global warming temperature by one full degree, which is huge! It's exciting to know that something that will have a real-world impact will begin so soon, and not at some distant time.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 11:01 AM

It scares me to know that we are on the brink of doing irreparable harm to our planet. It's against all odds that we're even here to enjoy this beautiful place and everything that makes this planet "work" is in such a fragile balance as it is. When we start dumping pollutants into our air, water, and soil with no thought of the future, it both scares and frustrates me because we're putting our current, selfish needs against those who will inhabit the future.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Forest-Friendly Foods 2

How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 10:57 AM

Surprisingly, I thought this particular challenge would be one of the hardest for me. So far, I have very much enjoyed my meatless meals. There are plenty of alternative protein options out their that fulfill both my hunger and taste-desires. If you load a salad with enough yummy toppings, who cares if you don't have grilled chicken to go with it? Not me!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 10:55 AM

Sadly, I learned that some of my favorite foods are a part of the deforestation problem. I greatly enjoy my morning cup of coffee and I often eat meat and dairy during at least one meal a day. I will make a conscious effort to reduce my reliance on coffee, and strive to have at least half of my weekly dinners be meat and dairy free.

Read More
- Lin Orndorf 4/19/2018 11:04 AM
  
  Katie, you could also make sure you purchase shade-grown, fair trade coffee. These coffees tend to be more expensive, but the benefits to the planet and communities where coffee is grown far out-weigh those costs. Coffee plants are even more productive when the grow in the shade larger trees. This article from alternet.org explains things pretty well; https://www.alternet.org/food/6-reasons-choose-organic-shade-grown-fair-trade-coffee
  
  Have a great day!
  
  Lin,
  Asheville, NC
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Learn about Temperate Forests

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 10:51 AM

I was surprised to learn that 99% of temperate forests had been altered in some way during their history. As global warming progresses, these forests are pushed further and further by environmental stressors such as longer and hotter heat waves, more frequent droughts, and insect and pathogen outbreaks. It made me feel hopeful to know that project an additional 235 million acres will be restored through natural regeneration by 2050.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before this? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

Katie Corgan 4/19/2018 10:19 AM

I had never heard of biomass technology before this, but I'm glad I have now! It seems like a fantastic way to bridge the gap between burning fossil fuels to renewable energy by utilizing carbon-rich biomass. It does require us to work together to move forward with this way of energy harvesting by (using appropriate feedstock, using sustainably grown perennial crops, and moving away from annual grain crops like corn and sorghum). It would be a challenge, but one worth working on.

Read More