April 4 - April 25, 2018

Jeff Gilliland

"My mission is to seek new ways to reduce my daily carbon footprint, and to encourage and empower to strive for drawdown every day. We can reverse global warming in our lifetimes!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
452 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

2.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning

Jeff's actions

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

Support Microgeneration in Low Income Countries

#48 In-Stream Hydro, #76 Micro Wind, #78 Microgrids

I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Buy Bamboo

#35 Bamboo

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Conduct Virtual Meetings

#63 Telepresence

I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Fund Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

I will donate to Cool Effect's cookstove projects or another nonprofit that installs clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 10 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Electricity Generation

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

#8 Solar Farms

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

#30 Methane Digesters (large), #64 Methane Digesters (small)

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will donate to The Nature Conservancy, which works with Indigenous Peoples to secure land tenure and resource rights, support improved governance and local institutions, assist in natural resource mapping, planning and management; and strengthen livelihoods and sustainable economic development.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 0
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
Food Reduce Animal Products

What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than other countries, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How do we start shifting a meat-focused food culture?

Jeff Gilliland 4/18/2018 12:12 PM

Meat consumption in Western/North American culture seems to me a product of two related notions: humanity's "God-given right" to rule the Earth, and capitalist-driven material wealth. Following the former idea led, perhaps inevitably, to the latter -- and the latter spurred a race to the heights of production and consumption that largely disregarded environmental and social impacts.

Nowadays, we are caught in the nexus of those ideas, often unable or unwilling to extricate ourselves. Shifting this culture begins with awareness: both of our meat intake and its repercussions, and of the narratives that brought us to where we are. Once we see the problem for what it is, we can begin to rectify it by creating new, healthier narratives!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Every dollar you put into solar or wind is a dollar not put into traditional financial institutions. You'll also be bolstering the fossil fuel divestment movement, too. What are some companies you know of that invest in green energy, and how can you support them?

Jeff Gilliland 4/06/2018 3:52 PM

By building a socially responsible investment portfolio, you can ensure that your money is supporting the companies and causes you care about -- and then their success becomes your success!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. What kind of investment seems most feasible for you?

Jeff Gilliland 4/04/2018 10:27 AM

I see two kinds of investment being most feasible and effective: large-scale investment in geothermal power plants, and community-based investment in geothermal heating systems. Where geothermal energy is abundant, power plants can provide cheap, renewable energy for centuries to come; everywhere else, we can use geothermal heat pumps to draw natural heating and cooling from the Earth. That way, we both lighten the load on the electricity grid and provide renewable sources of that electricity - a win-win!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Jeff Gilliland 4/04/2018 9:56 AM

My vision of a sustainable community is one in which homes and vehicles are powered by renewable sources, food is grown locally and regeneratively, and the community members hold each other (and themselves) accountable for their carbon footprints. For that vision to become a reality, we need to change our habits and priorities - one step at a time!

Read More
Jeff Gilliland 4/03/2018 4:36 PM

Can't wait for the Drawdown EcoChallenge to start tomorrow! I just selected a number of Challenge Actions (from learning about renewable energy sources to eating 1 veggie/vegan meal per day), and am excited to spend the next three weeks seeking ways to change my habits and reduce my carbon footprint. Looking forward to hearing about all of your success, as well - let's keep encouraging each other and building this community!

Read More
Jeff Gilliland 3/01/2018 10:33 AM

Excited to be here and take part in the first-ever Drawdown EcoChallenge! Looking forward to spreading the word and helping to change the world through a fun and friendly competition.

Read More