Mickella Geary
"Our cows kick grass and eat it too! "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,541 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO3.0conversationswith people
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO10lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO235minutesspent learning
Mickella's actions
Transport
Explore Other Transport Solutions
All Transport Solutions
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.
Transport
Advocate For Greener Vehicles
#26 Electric Vehicles
I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles.
Land Use
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
#5 Tropical Forests
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Materials
Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips
#47 Bioplastic
I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 3 friends, family and/or colleagues.
Land Use
Learn about Temperate Forests
#12 Temperate Forests
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.
Transport
Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail
#66 High-Speed Rail
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.
Materials
Properly Dispose of Refrigerants
#1 Refrigerant Management
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.
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.
Food
Learn More about Silvopasture
#9 Silvopasture
I will spend at least 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.
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.
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).
Electricity Generation
Learn More About Geothermal Energy
#18 Geothermal
I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.
Materials
Go Paperless
#70 Recycled Paper
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and subscriptions.
Transport
Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle
#26 Electric Vehicles
I will spend at least 60 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.
Buildings and Cities
Choose LED Bulbs
#33 LED Lighting (Household)
I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Materials
Launch a Recycling Program
#56 Industrial Recycling
I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.
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.
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.
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.
Food
composting
#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste
I will start a compost bin where I live.
Buildings and Cities
Plan to Insulate
#31 Insulation
I will find out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.
Food
Smaller Portions
#3 Reduced Food Waste
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Share Bioplastic Disposal TipsWhat concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 4:28 PMI am most concerned about how careless we have been in our actions towards the health of our planet. We take down forests and destroy river valleys and try to control the uncontrollable. In the end, mother nature will always win. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Mulch the Base of Trees and PlantsName some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 4:23 PMSome human activities that impact the water systems locally and globally are the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides that run off into water or seep down into the ground water. Another big issue in our watersheds and ocean is trash. So much plastic is being dumped into our waterways and oceans that it destroys the water and plant life. To improve the health of water systems we need to find alternatives to toxic pesticides and herbicides as well as educate better on pollution. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Use Forest-Friendly Foods 1How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 4:19 PMMy diet unbeknownst to me was actually really impacting deforestation with my use of products with palm oil in them. To decrease my negative impact I need to look at the products I am currently using and find alternative options for them. To increase my positive impact I can continue to not eat meat or drink coffee. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Use Learn about Temperate ForestsAs you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 12:39 PMIt has a major impact on my thinking and actions for sure. The part that is overwhelming is wanting to save the entire world all at once, but I feel hopeful that challenges like this and organizations are out there focusing on the issues and providing simple ways to help change bad habits that contribute to the challenges we are facing. I feel like just by making changes in my own life and being a good example give me hope that others will follow suit and together we can make a larger impact. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Learn More about SilvopastureHad you heard of the term silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 8:27 AMI have heard about the term silvopasture before doing this additional research. I think the biggest advantage of it is the growth in diversity that you can get out of land. It maximizes the output and quality of the property you are managing. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Generation Learn More About Geothermal EnergyGeothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. What kind of investment seems most feasible for you?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 7:19 AMI think for me, this is something that I want to incorporate in the home that I plan to build within the next 5-6 years. I want to install a full geothermal system to cool and heat my home. By planning over the next few years, this will allow me to budget accordingly to fully install the system. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane DigestersWhat does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 7:14 AMMy vision of a sustainable community looks like a more robust recycling program to start. Next would be to create a compost center and more accessible large item recycling center. To see this vision come to life in my own community would take education and incentive to get people started; much like this challenge! -
Mickella Geary 4/25/2018 7:09 AMFinal day of the challenge but leaving with a list of great life changes!! Cant wait to dig further into my home improvement project list this summer. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Learn the Truth About Expiration DatesNow that you know the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates, how will you view expiration dates differently?
Mickella Geary 4/24/2018 9:18 AMI definitely wont be wasting as much food. I will look more closely at the specific product and determine the best course of action before just tossing it in the garbage. -
Mickella Geary 4/24/2018 9:12 AMToday I had the best experience watching our recycling guys stop and have to load more than they probably expected from one house!