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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
Jim Tolbert's avatar

Jim Tolbert

Creation Care Alliance of WNC

"Love my neighbors. And be responsible for the gift of "every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it". And be responsible as we "rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 394 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    18
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    5.0
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    6.0
    public officials or leaders
    contacted
  • UP TO
    4.0
    zero-waste meals
    consumed

Jim's actions

Materials

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 2 meal(s) from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Communicate With My Elected Officials

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore)

I will write or call 6 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Rooftop Solar Consultation

#10 Rooftop Solar

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

UNCOMPLETED
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?

  • Jim Tolbert's avatar
    Jim Tolbert 4/25/2018 7:44 AM
    This has been a meaningful and fun exercise.  I especially enjoyed logging the food waste. It would be interesting to log EVERYTHING I through out.  The exercise got Celeste and I to set up a compost system which we had in our previous house, but hadn't set up since moving 3 years ago.  Also re-focused effort to simply stay out of my car.  
    Read More
  • Jim Tolbert's avatar
    Jim Tolbert 4/24/2018 7:47 AM
    Attended EarthX in Dallas Texas over last weekend - which was part of my work also.  The air plane ride was extravagant form the perspective of the CO2 footprint. But once on the ground in Dallas I only used my feet and the public transportation (rail) to get around.  Many meals were provided as parts of different conferences I participated in - and they served meat (it being Texas). I could have accepted more responsibility to log on to the events ahead of time and request vegetarian meals. 
    Read More
  • Jim Tolbert's avatar
    Jim Tolbert 4/16/2018 10:41 AM
    Held 4 Zoom meetings - virtual on-line meetings with my video camera - today.  Great tool so I can work at home from North Carolina and behave as if I am in the same office with team members from across the country (and even out of the country).  And it lets me leave my car in the garage all day.
    Read More
  • Jim Tolbert's avatar
    Jim Tolbert 4/10/2018 11:30 AM
    It has been interesting logging all of our food waste. Celeste and I put a pad of paper in the kitchen where we write down every food item that makes it's way to the trash can. We don't have much - but it makes us much more aware of buying the right size for perishable items like apples or celery or bananas. Also, finishing open jars before it's too late (like some apple sauce). We already had a pretty lean trash can, still a good exercise.  
    Read More
  • Jim Tolbert's avatar
    Jim Tolbert 4/05/2018 6:18 AM
    Proud to look at my trash can on the street this morning waiting for weekly pick-up.  Celeste and I typically just have one small trash bag of waste in it - yet many people on my street have the lid bulging open on their container. Always room to improve, but our waste volume is relatively low compared to many neighbors. And recycle bin typically has more than trash bin. But, alas, it is even better to simply reuse and not even recycle much.
    Read More