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Greta Foster's avatar

Greta Foster

MSR Design

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,118 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    110
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    2.0
    people
    helped
  • UP TO
    2.0
    public officials or leaders
    contacted
  • UP TO
    42
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made
  • UP TO
    132
    gallons of water
    have been saved

Greta's actions

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

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

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Materials

Choose Recycled Paper

#70 Recycled Paper

If I have to buy paper products, I will only purchase products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Install a Toilet Bank

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water per day by installing a toilet tank bank.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 45 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

#6 Educating Girls

I will donate one or more Femme Kits to help girls overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 1
DAILY ACTION

Transport

Conduct Virtual Meetings

#63 Telepresence

I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Communicate With My Elected Officials

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore)

I will write or call 2 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Give a Microloan

#62 Women Smallholders

I will give 1 microloan(s) to women who need help starting a business.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will donate to The Nature Conservancy, which works with Indigenous Peoples to secure land tenure and resource rights, support improved governance and local institutions, assist in natural resource mapping, planning and management; and strengthen livelihoods and sustainable economic development.

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?


  • Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/25/2018 3:27 PM
    Let's keep up all of this good work!  I have enjoyed the reflection and all the learning I've been doing.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities
    What are your next steps for saving energy?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/25/2018 3:21 PM
    I have been doing more research on strategies to reduce energy consumption.  Having it present on my mind has helped me to think about more regularly.  I've noticed making sure that the lights are off when I leave a room, making sure our smart thermostat really knows that we are not at home, etc.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    How can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/25/2018 12:53 PM
    One thing we have been doing is letting our lawn grow natural.  Creeping Charlie may be an eyesore to many, but it is remarkably drought resistant.  We have a green lawn without watering.  But seriously, we have been planting more hardy, native plants and landscaping.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    How can you take your action a step further?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/25/2018 12:49 PM
    Refuse and Repurpose, baby!  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls
    Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. Why do you think that is?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/25/2018 11:00 AM
    I think it might have to do with opportunity.  Women's work is typically viewed with a focus around family.  Stereotypical roles around housework support the family rather than the individual.  When given the opportunity to do something outside the home, the focus still remains and is familiar.  It will be interesting if gender equality will change this focus.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport
    How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/24/2018 10:16 AM
    Because of our proximity to the bike path that takes us both further west and all the way downtown, our family has gotten to know (2) families in our neighborhood.  It is unlikely that we would have connected with these families without the bike path.  There is rarely a weekend that we don't use the path and most times we run into one of these families or we plan a trip to get custard, stop by the brewery or zip over to the playground with one of these families.  It has made us feel more part of our local community.    
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport
    How can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/24/2018 10:07 AM
    I have changed my computer's background to show an image of MSR's trip to Iceland.  (I wasn't able to make our Chicago trip this year.)  It is a good icebreaker for the beginning of a meeting while we wait for others to join.  It allows me to talk about what we learned while on that trip and also share that MSR has invested travel as a company-culture upgrade.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

    Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/23/2018 11:11 AM
    There is an opportunity that comes with repair and repurpose that is sometimes not recognized.  Repurposing encourages creative thinking and problem solving.  Learning to repair teaches practical skills.  It encourages you to think about the purchases you make and the potential life of a product therefore reducing or refusing new or duplicate purchases and encouraging reuse.    

  • Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/22/2018 7:35 PM
    Happy Earth Day!

  • Greta Foster's avatar
    Greta Foster 4/21/2018 2:45 PM
    We rode our bikes to the library today and the grocery store to pick up some items for dinner!