Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Mike Gorham

Opsis Architecture

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,245 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

165

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

7.0

miles

traveled by carpool
UP TO

21

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

22

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

50

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

1.2

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Mike's actions

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Nutrient Management

#65 Nutrient Management

I will buy from organic and local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 10 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Go Paperless

#70 Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and subscriptions.

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

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

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

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Choose Better Wood Products

#38 Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Try Carpooling

#75 Ridesharing

I will commute by carpool 7 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 1.22 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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 50 friends, family and/or colleagues.

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?

Mike Gorham 4/25/2018 9:55 PM
The bike more challenge is next. Here are some tips:

https://www.lovetoride.net/oregon/pages/info?locale=en-US&page=3_tips

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? Were you surprised by the information you found?
Mike Gorham 4/25/2018 9:45 PM
- no commercial wave or tidal projects have yet been developed in the United States

- Oregon and Washington have the strongest wave energy resource in the lower 48 states and could eventually generate several thousand megawatts of electricity using wave resources.

- Because water is much denser than air, tidal turbines are smaller than wind turbines and can produce more electricity in a given area.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Had you heard of the term silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?
Mike Gorham 4/25/2018 9:39 PM
-No
-More drought tolerant

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

Take a moment to think of places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?
Mike Gorham 4/25/2018 1:57 PM
yes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Mike Gorham 4/25/2018 1:44 PM
My vision of a sustainable community achieves the goals of the drawdown without needing an ecochallenge. To make this happen we need systematic change in addition to lifestyle changes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Mike Gorham 4/24/2018 5:19 PM
If everyone in the world lived as Americans do, we would need 5 Earths to support humanity - Global Footprint Network

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How can you take your action a step further?
Mike Gorham 4/24/2018 5:17 PM
- print sheets only when needed
- use the back side of paper for notes or sketches
- recycle or compost pages

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

Beyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?
Mike Gorham 4/24/2018 2:59 PM
Forests offer me a place to take the dog!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

Name 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?
Mike Gorham 4/23/2018 2:26 PM
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/30938

Recreation and Portland's working harbor are ways that human activities impact the Willamette River and Watershed. Upstream dams , development in the floodplain and agricultural runoff also affect our section of the river.

Where there is not room for large trees, ecoroofs are a good way to add habitat and manage stormwater.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How does environmental quality influence your sense of community?
Mike Gorham 4/23/2018 2:17 PM
Environmental quality improves my sense of community. Neighbors with gardens interact!

Read More

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/30938