Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Erin Ronald

SustainableSCU

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
467 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning

Erin's actions

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Local Perennial Biomass

#51 Perennial Biomass

I will spend at least 30 minutes finding out if anyone is working on perennial biomass projects in my region and how I can get involved.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 20 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

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

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 4 friends, family and/or colleagues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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
Land Use Local Perennial Biomass

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe states that "The reason we care about climate change is because it affects the people and places that we care about." What is happening (or will happen) in your area that will affect the people and places you care about?

Erin Ronald 4/25/2018 9:41 AM

In California specifically, oceans are warming and acidifying disrupting the marine ecosystem, droughts are effecting water supply and agriculture, and the snow patterns are becoming more and more irregular.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. In what ways can you support your closest regenerative agriculture farm?

Erin Ronald 4/14/2018 11:03 AM

I can support regenerative agriculture in my area by purchasing a CSA box from these farms with good practices. I can also educate my peers on what practices are used and encourage them to choose CSA's from these farms instead of purchasing fruits and vegetables from the store.

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?

Erin Ronald 4/12/2018 9:12 AM

My vision of a sustainable community involves zero waste, renewable energy, efficient water management, many patches of green space, healthy and local plant-based food options, social welfare, equitable distribution of resources, healthy public transportation, bikability, walkability and a engaged community. Our society needs a complete paradigm shift to achieve this, but easy changes can be made to increase renewable energy. Methane Digesters can substantially contribute to this sector of a community, and can be utilized to reduce carbon-intensive methods of energy production. The process is able to divert organic material, save methane and produce sustainable energy.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Silvopasture

Had you heard of the term silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?

Erin Ronald 4/08/2018 9:23 PM

I had never heard of the silvopasture farming technique before this, but after learning about it, it makes so much sense! By integrating cattle and trees, you can sequester significantly more amounts of carbon, as well as improving the health of the cattle and obtaining another crop from the planted trees.

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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?

Erin Ronald 4/06/2018 3:42 PM

A "Best if Used By/Before" indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.

A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula as described below.

After reading more on expiration dates and learning that none are meant to refer to safety, I will now view them as simply general eating guidelines. The USDA states that it is consumers that must determine if food has spoiled. It is still very okay to consume products past their expiration date as they are not unsafe if stored properly.

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