Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Janet Matelski-Smith

RLI Kent COBA

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
728 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

19

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

185

minutes

spent learning

Janet's actions

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Keep Track of Wasted Food

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the EcoChallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will support women-owned businesses when I shop this month.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Research Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Choose Better Wood Products

#38 Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED 12
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?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/25/2018 12:38 PM

This was such a great experience and I'm so glad I participated! I learned so much, including more ways to look at how my actions impact the environment. I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did. Thank you!

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!

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/25/2018 12:35 PM

There is still a staggering need for family planning in developing countries. Some of the conditions in these countries are so disparate from ours, it's hard to imagine daily life, let alone not having access to contraceptives and other healthcare. This has opened my eyes and I will be more active in supporting causes that allow for what I consider to be a basic human right.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Now that you know the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates, how will you view expiration dates differently?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/25/2018 12:29 PM

According to the USDA, none of these dates (with the exception of infant formula) are actual safety dates. This makes me look a the use by dates very differently. However, all sources I found stated that relying on taste or smell was not a reliable safety check, so I will still probably adhere to the dates, just not as closely.

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?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/15/2018 3:48 PM

My vision of a sustainable community is primarily walkable with renewable resources used, such as the anaerobic digesters used in Wales and MSU (among other places) to create electricity. Low to no reliance on fossil fuels will be key, and the entire community would be on board with recycling and other environmental initiatives. I think many communities are heading in this direction, but to achieve this more quickly, it may require financial incentives to motivate those not as interested in the initiatives. For example, one of the things we've talked about in my community is a recycling rebate, where a small amount of money is applied to trash bills for those who actively recycle and opt for smaller waste bins. These incentives could later lead to penalties/fees for the few remaining non-participants, but positive reinforcement is probably the best start.

Read More
Janet Matelski-Smith 4/14/2018 4:56 PM

This question came up in the feed last week a few times, so I thought I'd share. If anyone, like me, needs to "go back" to load activity (I've been remiss in logging in every day but do the activities nonetheless), click on Dashboard, then use the arrows on either side of the calendar page at the top of your dashboard. This will allow you to check off anything you did but forgot to give yourself credit for. It only goes back so far, but it's better than no points at all!

Read More
- Janet Matelski-Smith 4/14/2018 5:40 PM
  
  No worries, Erin! I need to be better about regularly logging in, but I'm glad that I am able to go back and "catch up," so to speak. Thanks - have a great weekend!
  
  Read More
Janet Matelski-Smith 4/10/2018 10:19 PM

Sorry for falling off the last few days, everyone! Believe it or not, I have been thinking about this challenge, but haven't done the best job of posting activities in a timely fashion. I will strive to do better for the remaining days, but I'd love to hear if anyone has any recommendations on how to keep up with logging the activities. Thoughts or suggestions, anyone?

Read More
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?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/10/2018 10:17 PM

Honestly, I have no idea why North Americans eat more meat than the rest of the world, though I suspect is has to do with the geography. We have a lot of open land suitable for both crops and raising livestock and there were a lot of natural sources for meat in the habitat even prior to remote parts of the continent being "settled." I do feel that we missed the boat as far as humanely treating the animals we eat, though we are finding ways to improve (just not fast enough). Just like most changes, I think the shift has to stem from education and raising awareness. Changes to the food pyramid are a great start, but meat has been so entrenched in our culture for so long, it may take another generation or two for more meatlessness to become the cultural norm. I'd also like to see us reduce focus on food fads - it makes it very confusing for people and contributes to cynicism when things are good, then bad, then good, etc., undermining education and awareness efforts.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Keep Track of Wasted Food

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/10/2018 10:11 PM

On vacation to a beautiful, sunny (and warm) beach!

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Janet Matelski-Smith 4/05/2018 6:42 PM

I joined this challenge to learn how to do more and further reduce my carbon footprint. I was fortunate that I had some amazing teachers in elementary and middle school (that were probably a bit ahead of their time in discussing environmental initiatives) and those lessons and the desire to do the right thing by the planet have continued into my adult years. My dad was military and so I spent 6th grade in Hawaii, where the cultural norms are much more in tune to the environment (you really have to take care when you live on an island in the middle of the Pacific). I'm not perfect, but I figure if we all try a little harder everyday, that's something, right?

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Choose Better Wood Products

Beyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?

Janet Matelski-Smith 4/05/2018 6:30 PM

I'm a huge animal lover, so I appreciate the wildlife that thrives in forests. I also grew up playing outside A LOT (I was quite the "tomboy," so to speak) and time in the woods exploring with friends are some of my fondest memories.

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