Katherine Moore-Freeman

USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter

"Doing my best with what I have."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
218 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

125

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched

Katherine's 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 30 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

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
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?
Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/06/2018 8:31 AM
I had a friend that stockpiled gasoline in metal canisters on the side of his home after hurricane Katrina. His neighbor called county officials on him for this. He was very angry at his neighbor for doing so and he felt that the local government was infringing on his rights. I did my best to explain to my friend that perhaps his neighbor felt unsafe having a bunch of flammable liquid stockpiled beside her home.

I can fully see how methane digesters have great potential in fuel production. However a few of those small scale DIY YouTube videos on this subject kind of remind me of my friend and his dangerous gas can collection.

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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?
Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/05/2018 11:39 AM
I picked the challenge to learn more about silvopasture because I had no idea what that word meant. One of the videos I watched indicated that traditionally pasture lands were viewed as open areas without trees. This was in fact my concept. It strikes me as somewhat funny that it never occurred to me that one could both graze animals and grow economically useful trees on the same space. It's not that profound of an idea. . . and yet someone had to point it out to me.

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- Jenna Jarvis 4/05/2018 12:03 PM
  I felt the same way! And it's such a "duh" moment that seems more natural, plus you always see cows huddled around the one tree during the summer. Maybe someday I'll try it on our family farm.
  
  Read More
Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/05/2018 10:32 AM
I joined EcoChallenge because my colleague asked me to join. So far I have choose challenges that involve educating myself more about electrical generation because I was already involved with a project that related to this field.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?
Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/05/2018 10:18 AM
The Land Art Generator provides a platform for artists, architects, landscape architects, and other creatives working with engineers and scientists to bring forward solutions for sustainable energy infrastructures that enhance the city as works of public art while cleanly powering thousands of homes.

This intersection of art and clean energy generation intrigues me. I am interested in learning more about these types of developments.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Geothermal 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?
Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/05/2018 8:47 AM
Today I learned that Iceland is the world leader in geothermal energy use with six geothermal power plants. According to Wiki, the Hellisheiði power station has capacity of 303MW of electricity. It also supplies the city of Reykjavik with their hot water supply.

In contrast, the Callaway Nuclear Plant in Fulton, Missouri produces 1279 MW of net power or 19% of Ameren Missouri's Power.

However, geothermal energy is the number one renewable energy used in the United States beating out both solar and wind power.

I also learned that geothermal power can be used not just to create electricity but to displace other energy forms. For example geothermal power can be used to heat buildings or melt snow on sidewalks.

I would like to learn more about the cost and the process involved with installing heat pumps in average homes.

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Katherine Moore-Freeman 4/04/2018 6:49 AM
Hello. I wish to build a spinning wheel to spin thread out of plastic shopping bags which at the same time will generate enough electricity to power an LED light as part of a demonstration for the upcoming multi-venue art exhibit #ThisIsMyFerguson.

I already have experience spinning such plastic thread with a drop spindle and my spinning wheel design is loosely based of the toy featured in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g142U6Le8N4&t=52s )

In order to complete this project, it would be helpful to find an old bike wheel or similar object. Finding said item has proven more difficult than anticipated. If you have such an object lying around and you wouldn't mind donating it, I would greatly appreciate it.

The aim of this project is simply to get people to think differently about waste materials and alternative power sources.

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