Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Ruby Gerken

Asheville High School!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,055 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

190

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

5.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

66

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched

Ruby's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 3 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

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 1 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#54 Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Land Use

Advocate for Forest Protection

#38 Forest Protection

I will contact 2 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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
Land Use

Higher standards of living are very often dependent on moving our environmental costs elsewhere. What are some specific ways in which the environmental impacts of your own lifestyle might be shifted elsewhere?
Ruby Gerken 4/25/2018 11:30 AM
I think that my environmental impacts have the ability to help shift in small ways the bigger picture of climate change.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What inspires you to act on sustainable energy and other energy issues?
Ruby Gerken 4/25/2018 11:27 AM
What inspires me to act on energy issues is that the negative impact is so great, so its important to try to help reverse the effects.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

What are your next steps for saving energy?
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 12:11 PM
To ask my parents what energy saving technologies we already have and if we qualify for more.

Read More
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?
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 12:04 PM
I think that the hours of labor people put into producing this food that goes to waste in the most motivating thing that encourages me to change my food waste

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 11:53 AM
If there is better walking info structure it encourages people to walk places and get exercise. It also encourages people to do more waling rather than driving which is better for the environment.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 11:28 AM
It wasn't very difficult to change my diet

Read More
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 11:20 AM
Bio plastics: I think locally we should be concerned with how each individual effects the environment. Globally, I think we should focus more on corporations and how we can make them more environmentally aware.

Read More
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 11:17 AM
Temperate forests:As I learn more about the seriousness of environmental challenges, I think it is more important to have positive impact on the environment. It makes me more careful with my actions that impact the environment. It also makes me realize how serious it is.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Micro turbines can be placed on large structures to take advantage of stronger, steadier breezes. The Eiffel Tower now sports vertical axis turbines that produce electricity for use on site. Where could micro turbines potentially be installed in your city?
Ruby Gerken 4/24/2018 11:12 AM
The taller buildings downtown would be a good place for these turbines. They are tall and supported.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Ruby Gerken 4/23/2018 11:46 AM
I think my diet doesn't have that much of an impact on deforestation. I don't eat meat so I dont impact it in that way. But I do consume dairy and coffee which impact deforestation. So if I cut down on dairy and coffee it could have a positive impact.

Read More