Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Joseph Pautz

Asheville High School!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
901 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

285

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

2.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

2.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

0.0

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

9.0

lightbulbs

replaced

Joseph's 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 1
DAILY ACTION

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Replace Manual Thermostats

#57 Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

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.

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

Fix Leaky Faucets

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 9 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

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

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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

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

Food

composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

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

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 1
DAILY 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

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:47 AM
I hope to continue cutting down on my consumption of coffee, cocoa, and dairy products I hope to reduce my impact on the environment. Current meat production practices also contribute negatively to the environment and I hope to reduce my consumption of meat, too.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:44 AM
I have always wanted to own land with a beautiful house upon it. However, as I learn more about how we are destroying the natural ecosystem and its sustainability I have worked on adapting that dream. Looking at how humans experience an intense drive for expansion it seems overwhelming to change our course. I know that many people are viewing this differently and looking at some innovations and ideas that have been developed recently gives me hope. City centers are becoming more welcoming and green with multiple things in development that could placate our desire for expansion, but also help reverse the damage we have already done.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. In what ways can you support your closest regenerative agriculture farm?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:38 AM
By seeking out local farms which practice regenerative agriculture and then buying their produce we can not only support the local economy, but also speak with our dollars. The produce will be fresher, the air will be crisper, and our lives will be richer.

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?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:36 AM
Our culture is partially based on the value of opulence. We view having everything we want as a virtue and a goal that should be pursued. Eating meat has been pushed to us as a necessity of life and for many that is considered a truth. Including protein within a vegetarian diet is very easy, enjoyable, and pretty cheap when you know how to do it. By adding this variety into your diet you can have a more satisfying diet that can also help you cut down on unhealthy components which can lead to many different problems later in life.

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?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:27 AM
I would much rather spend any money saved from cutting food cost on more exciting things like travelling or various entertainment avenues. We already try to monitor this issue at home as we must be prudent with our money, but further looking at how to achieve a lower level of waste is always a smart idea.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Now that you know the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates, how will you view expiration dates differently?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:26 AM
Expiration dates are merely a suggestion as they are largely unregulated by the government. Many of the expiration dates are a generalized view from the production company that is not well tested. By learning how to tell when your food has spoiled you can be the final judge and avoid a lot of unneeded disposal.

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?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:24 AM
We have kept a compost bin since living in our house. It is a good way to not only feed animals who may not be able to find sustenance in our growing urban/suburban area, but also feed the soil which could be used to grow more plant life. We are not gardeners, yet we enjoy feeding the land with our produce waste that is naturally created through cooking.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before this? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:20 AM
I have heard of green fuels before, but have never researched the drawbacks of their current implementation. Creating biomass fuel from corn is a heavily detrimental process that should be revisited with a different crop in order to produce a truly sustainable fuel.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What inspires you to act on sustainable energy and other energy issues?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:18 AM
I believe that we must treat our planet properly so that it can continue providing us with the necessities of life. Without this planet thriving naturally we will not be able to exist much longer. We must pursue all different technologies which can help us halt and potentially reverse the damage which we have already done. Wind power could be an essential part of that process.

Read More
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?
Joseph Pautz 4/25/2018 8:05 AM
The most feasible investments for geothermal energy would be directly from governments. By producing reliable, abundant, efficient, and renewable energy for their citizens the government would have other opportunities open up. Corporations would be more likely to invest in those locations as energy costs would be lower. Citizens would be able to survive and thrive with less income, thus opening more of their existing income for them to put back within their economy. It would not be viable for individual citizens to invest as these types of energy producers require large facilities and a sizable initial cost.

Read More