Kathleen Irwin
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 356 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO105gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO4.0lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO7.0meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO432milestraveled by carpool
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UP TO25minutesspent learning
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UP TO134pounds of CO2have been saved
Kathleen's actions
Women and Girls
Support Women-Owned Businesses
#62 Women Smallholders
I will support women-owned businesses when I shop this month.
Food
Smaller Portions
#3 Reduced Food Waste
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.
Food
Reduce Animal Products
#4 Plant-Rich Diet
I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
Food
Explore Other Food Solutions
All Food Solutions
I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.
Women and Girls
Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.
Materials
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
#46 Water Saving - Home
I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.
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.
Transport
Try Carpooling
#75 Ridesharing
I will commute by carpool 54 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 16.7 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Buildings and Cities
Choose LED Bulbs
#33 LED Lighting (Household)
I will replace 4 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
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 QUESTIONFood Reduce Animal ProductsWhat 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?
Kathleen Irwin 4/24/2018 8:48 AMThis is a tough one, but I would think that the ranching and farming industries are huge in North America and along with that goes huge pushes in propaganda through advertising. Add to that all of the current diet fads such as Paleo, Atkins, Keto, and the plethora of low-carb diets that elevate meat as a protein source. I'm not saying meat is bad necessarily, but I do think we over-consume meat and I know that the by-products of the meat processing industry are extremely bad for the environment. Just my 2 cents, I could be completely off-base. To shift this culture, we need more education on the plant sources that do provide high amounts of protein and how one can use these to replace some of their meat portions in their diets. As an example, I was surprised to learn that spinach actually has a fair amount of protein, so with your spinach salad, you could cut way back on adding meat or delete it entirely. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Recycle Everything I CanHow could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
Kathleen Irwin 4/20/2018 2:23 PMThanks to our neighborhood weekly recycling, we recycle almost EVERYTHING! Plastics, paper, glass, you name it. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBuildings and Cities Choose LED BulbsChanging lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next?
Kathleen Irwin 4/20/2018 11:21 AMLED bulbs may be more expensive, but they last so much longer. They are also getting much better at warmer temperatures so that home lighting looks less commercial or industrial. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransport Try CarpoolingTake 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?