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Welcome to Drawdown EcoChallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown EcoChallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown
Drawdown EcoChallenge
April 4 - April 25, 2018
Ripal Patel's avatar

Ripal Patel

Illinois Green Alliance

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 627 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    4.0
    people
    helped
  • UP TO
    30
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    4.0
    donations
    made

Ripal's actions

Women and Girls

Give a Microloan

#62 Women Smallholders

I will give 3 microloan(s) to women who need help starting a business.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

#6 Educating Girls

I will donate one or more Femme Kits to help girls overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will donate to The Nature Conservancy, which works with Indigenous Peoples to secure land tenure and resource rights, support improved governance and local institutions, assist in natural resource mapping, planning and management; and strengthen livelihoods and sustainable economic development.

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

Food

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

I will donate to Cool Effect's cookstove projects or another nonprofit that installs clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

COMPLETED
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 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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
    Women and Girls
    In what other ways could you help girls overcome health barriers to being able to attend school?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/25/2018 9:04 PM
    Many girls in developing countries are malnourished because their brothers are given higher priority. Perhaps we can help by funding schools to feed them when their families do not have the means. This brings them to school, takes part of the burden off the families, and then the educated girl will be in a better position to help her family when she is older. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls
    Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. Why do you think that is?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/25/2018 8:48 PM
    The better question would be,  "Why do men not invest more in their families and communities?"  Are they unaware of how their actions affect their loved ones? How do we raise boys to be better men?
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use
    Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/25/2018 8:45 PM
    Anything out of balance cannot last. Balance allows the natural cycles to continue and maintain life.
    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?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/21/2018 8:00 PM
    I had never heard of this livestock feeding/farming technique before, and was happy to be able to recommend it to a client whose boarding school incorporates farming into the curriculum. The biggest benefit is that it can help farmers with resiliency against the challenges of weather extremes, while also slowing our contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
    Read More
    • Ripal Patel's avatar
      Ripal Patel 4/21/2018 8:05 PM
      I'm talking about silvopasture -- I hadn't realized the questions don't show up with the response.
      Read More
  • Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/08/2018 8:23 AM
    I have been vegetarian most of my life, so I decided to take on the challenge of eating vegan regularly.  I hope I don't run out of fresh ideas. Hoping to find some great "keeper" recipes!
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    What 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?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/06/2018 8:19 PM
    Meat is a tradition and part of the culture. People develop habits and find comfort in food they grew up with. However, North Americans eat more meat than other societies that have similar traditions. Perhaps it is because of the enormous amount of land and resources that make it less expensive to produce. The abundance of cheap meat makes it an easy choice. The meat lobby in the U.S. is strong, and affects government  recommendations. Also, I think parents don't try enough to get their kids to eat and love vegetables in North America. We need more information out there about the effects of such a diet on health and the environment.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/06/2018 8:01 PM
    An extra $1500/year would be a great addition to the kids' college funds!
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    How are environmental issues like black carbon and other emissions from cooking fires or rudimentary cookstoves also human health and social justice issues?
    Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/06/2018 8:00 PM
    People who can't afford better cooking methods suffer on many fronts. It costs more over the long run to provide the fuel, keeping them back economically. And the immediate pollution affects their health, which contributes to the cycle of poverty.
    Read More
  • Ripal Patel's avatar
    Ripal Patel 4/06/2018 7:55 PM
    Writing all wasted food down makes you think! We had some food go bad while we were out for a week. Next time, I'll try to be better about what I buy the week before, and make time to get any extra food to a food bank or neighbors before leaving.
    Read More