Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Eric Rechlin

Go eQo

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
782 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

30

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

192

miles

traveled by bus
UP TO

263

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

20

lightbulbs

replaced

Eric's actions

Transport

Improve a Bus Stop

#37 Mass Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Replace Manual Thermostats

#57 Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Tour a Green Roof

#73 Green Roofs

I will set up a visit to tour a green roof in my city, and ask about the codes and process for installing a green roof.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 20 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

#66 High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Public Transit

#37 Mass Transit

I will use public transit 12 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 16.44 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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
Transport

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?
Eric Rechlin 4/23/2018 7:56 AM
When you walk or bike, you notice so much more about areas you pass through when driving. You're usually going at a slower speed, giving more time to look around, plus you can smell the nice flowers this time of year (albeit suffering more from pollen for those with allergies).

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

What are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety.
Eric Rechlin 4/23/2018 7:55 AM
A big factor in choosing a transportation method is keeping one's sanity. Taking a bus or train to work lets someone else deal with the stress of traffic while you can read. Riding a bike lets you avoid the traffic while getting exercise at the same time. For longer trips, driving or high-speed rail lets you avoid the ridiculousness that is the TSA for the airline alternative, plus the inevitable delays due to broken planes and missing flight crew.

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- Missy Lucas 4/23/2018 8:15 AM
  👏👏👏
  
  Read More
Eric Rechlin 4/19/2018 8:03 AM
Interesting article from yesterday about food waste: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/18/americans-waste-food-fruit-vegetables-study

Read More
- Missy Lucas 4/19/2018 1:43 PM
  Neat article! I wonder, if the people it mentions are throwing out so much fresh food instead of eating it, is it really their diets or just their spending habits that are "rich in fruit and vegetables"? 🤔
  
  I definitely agree that while intending to eat healthy is a good start, it's important to act responsibly and without creating waste or contributing to other problems. I'm also curious about the amount of non-food waste sent to landfills daily by people who eat mostly fresh/unpackaged food vs. those who don't.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?
Eric Rechlin 4/18/2018 8:17 AM
Dedicated bus lanes (like those being made on Post Oak) minimize the time buses spend sitting in traffic, increasing their efficiency while also getting people to where they want to go faster. By electrifying regular buses (either through hybrid drive systems or all-electric), the buses can run quieter, not only reducing air pollution but also reducing noise pollution and improving passenger comfort as well.

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- Missy Lucas 4/19/2018 1:52 PM
  So true! A win/win 👏
  
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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?
Eric Rechlin 4/18/2018 8:14 AM
My compost pile is primarily for yard waste, not food waste, but after seeing how fast things rot in Houston's climate, it just makes much more sense to put it all in a corner of my yard where it eventually turns to dirt rather than in a trash bag to make a landfill taller.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
Eric Rechlin 4/12/2018 8:22 AM
When I hop off the bus early to stop by the grocery store on the way home from work (and walk home the rest of the way), I use my backpack to take my groceries home to avoid having more bags that need to be recycled.

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- Missy Lucas 4/12/2018 7:09 PM
  Woohoo! Saving time and materials, so efficient
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

How do you anticipate replacing your thermostats for smart ones will positively impact your life?
Eric Rechlin 4/06/2018 7:27 AM
With smart thermostats, my phone's location can tell whether I am home or not, automatically adjusting the temperature. When I am on my way home, once I am 1km away, they automatically go to "home" mode to start preparing the temperature.

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- Missy Lucas 4/06/2018 7:58 AM
  Wow that's so neat!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next?
Eric Rechlin 4/04/2018 2:23 PM
Replacing old appliances (especially refrigerators) with modern, energy-efficient ones can more than pay for themselves in reduced utility costs in the long run.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

How has your access to various kinds of transporation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?
Eric Rechlin 4/04/2018 2:21 PM
When we have access to all kinds of "transporation" [sic], using them makes us realize the need for "complete streets" that handle all forms of transportation -- individual cars, mass transit, bicycles, and pedestrians.

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Eric Rechlin 4/04/2018 2:18 PM
LED floodlights are better than incandescent and fluorescent floodlights in every way, except initial purchase price. 30 watts in an R40 size give the brightness of a 180-200 watt incandescent while having a good color rendering index and maintaining about the same color temperature even when dimmed. Plus they last a longer. Completely compatible with existing recessed light cans, too. You may not find the best ones locally but go online and there are lots of great options (I use 1000bulbs.com out of Dallas).

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