Martha Fleming

Built Ecology & Friends

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
331 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

18

meatless or vegan meals

consumed

Martha's 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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore), #8 Solar Farms

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Calculate Your Carbon Impact

SDG 13

I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how lifestyle changes could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Calculate Your Water Footprint

SDG 6

I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste.

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your zipcode, and in your state. What steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?
Martha Fleming 4/19/2018 2:59 PM
This (asking utility for average use) is a great way to find out how good or bad your usage is - and try to do better regardless.

steps each day?
I don't turn the lights on in my office - I use only naturally lighting (except when the sun isn't up when I get in).
Turn off the outside lights at night.
Air dry your laundry as much as possible.
Wash dishes by hand.
Keep heat at a minimum in the house and program it to be even cooler (or warmer in the summer) when you are not there.

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Martha Fleming 4/19/2018 2:54 PM
I coincidentally received a "clean choice" notice from my electric company this week. I am making the switch!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Producing uneaten food squanders many resources—seeds, water, energy, land, fertilizer, hours of labor, financial capital. Which of these motivates you the most to change your behavior regarding food waste?
Martha Fleming 4/18/2018 1:34 PM
Although I feel guilty tossing food because it's like throwing out money, in reality I realize the bigger waste is all the effort it took to get the food to my home, not the pittance of money I wasted. Of the resources squandered to get the food, I think the carbon-related energy wasted - tilling/plowing/planting, then all the transportation - most motivates me to cut down on food waste.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
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?
Martha Fleming 4/17/2018 1:12 PM
Building a larger-scale composting system than my recently purchased black plastic barrel, which would allow for massive amounts of leaves and grass and manure, as well as kitchen wastes.

Or a nice hen house and hens.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

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?
Martha Fleming 4/17/2018 1:09 PM
Meat is cheaper here than elsewhere (except lamb in UK, IRE, and FR) due to many reasons, including VAT abroad. I think that people eat more meat because it was a treat and only "rich people" ate it at various times (e.g., Depression, WWII); maybe we still see it that way so, it is almost a status symbol: why eat lowly chicken and pork if meat is available.

I have to think we are shifting away. Everyone should be aware of the waste associated with meat (beef) relative to poultry/pork and shift as well as the health benefits of a lower meat diet.

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Martha Fleming 4/16/2018 6:14 AM
Successful Friday - no dinner. Successful Saturday - leftover stir fry for husband's lunch on Monday. Successful Sunday - food prep waste: 1 T flour; left over eggs from food prep got microwaved and served for the dogs' dinners; leftover breadcrumbs frozen for future; extra eggplant parm for dinner and lunch throughout the week.

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Martha Fleming 4/16/2018 6:11 AM
oops. didn't know to do this everyday. I was successful on this challenge Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will remember to post again tonight.

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Martha Fleming 4/13/2018 12:24 PM
I joined to make myself think about all my actions and impact of those actions on the environment.

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