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Welcome to Drawdown EcoChallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown EcoChallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown
Drawdown EcoChallenge
April 4 - April 25, 2018
Amber Shimkus's avatar

Amber Shimkus

UMass Dartmouth

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 254 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    8.0
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent learning

Amber's actions

Materials

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Recycle Everything I Can

#55 Household Recycling

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 8
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?

  • Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 4/23/2018 9:22 AM
    This challenge has inspired me to make a lot of changes in my life. For one, I've quit the habit of drinking 1-3 daily caffeinated coffees, cutting back to the occasional decaf cup for taste, not as a crutch. I have replaced my morning coffee with a fruit smoothie! Secondly, I have decided to attempt a vegetarian diet for my own health, the welfare of animals, and the environment. I've purchased bamboo toothbrushes for my household as well as reusable stainless steel straws. Lastly, I am creating a worm bin to turn my kitchen scraps into compost/soil for my beloved plants! 
    Read More
  • Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 4/09/2018 9:17 AM
    The challenge is going GREAT so far! After the challenge, I plan to adopt a more flexitarian diet. This means I will eat mostly vegetarian meals, and indulge in meat products only occasionally. This will make a positive impact on the environment as well as my health! :)
    Read More
  • Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 4/06/2018 9:22 AM
    It has not been too difficult to cut meat to one portion a day! I am an ex-vegetarian, so I have some favorite foods in my cabinet containing no animal products. For anyone struggling: avocado on toast, hummus, Indian chickpea curries, and falafel really hit the spot!
    Read More
  • Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 4/06/2018 9:19 AM
    Day 5 of no coffee! For anyone who knows me, this is a huge deal. But I'm a utlilitarian at heart: the health of the earth needs to outweigh my love for the roasted bean. On the plus side, I feel fantastic, and have upped my fruit smoothie consumption to counter those caffeine cravings!
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials Eliminate Toxic Plastics
    What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
    Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 4/02/2018 10:57 AM
    For the past week or so, I have started paying attention to just how much plastic I use in my lifestyle...and I have to tell you, it's a lot more than I thought! Iced coffee cups, straws, shrink-wrap packaging, shampoo bottles, takeout containers....and that's just from one person!

    While some of the other changes I am making for the Eco Challenge will automatically reduce plastic usage (giving up coffee, for instance), I will need to make a concerted effort to avoid buying products with excessive packaging and seek out businesses that sell in bulk or in more eco-friendly containers. I hope learning more about this issue will create a permanent change in how I see and use plastic!
    Read More
  • Amber Shimkus's avatar
    Amber Shimkus 3/26/2018 10:34 AM
    Environmental efforts have always been close to my heart, as a lover of the outdoors. I do my best to recycle, walk where I can- but I always felt I could be doing more to reduce my carbon footprint. This EcoChallenge is the most tangible and comprehensive solution I have come across! I have chosen efforts spanning from reducing plastic and animal product consumption, to learning more about technologies to make our food and energy production more efficient. We can make the world a better place, guys! Step by step :) 
    Read More