Amber Shimkus

UMass Dartmouth

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
254 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

90

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

8.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed

Amber's actions

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Buy Bamboo

#35 Bamboo

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

#5 Tropical Forests

I will replace or remove products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Connect With A Nonprofit

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on womens' or girls' issues in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Amber Shimkus 4/23/2018 9:22 AM
This challenge has inspired me to make a lot of changes in my life. For one, I've quit the habit of drinking 1-3 daily caffeinated coffees, cutting back to the occasional decaf cup for taste, not as a crutch. I have replaced my morning coffee with a fruit smoothie! Secondly, I have decided to attempt a vegetarian diet for my own health, the welfare of animals, and the environment. I've purchased bamboo toothbrushes for my household as well as reusable stainless steel straws. Lastly, I am creating a worm bin to turn my kitchen scraps into compost/soil for my beloved plants!

Read More
Amber Shimkus 4/09/2018 9:17 AM
The challenge is going GREAT so far! After the challenge, I plan to adopt a more flexitarian diet. This means I will eat mostly vegetarian meals, and indulge in meat products only occasionally. This will make a positive impact on the environment as well as my health! :)

Read More
Amber Shimkus 4/06/2018 9:22 AM
It has not been too difficult to cut meat to one portion a day! I am an ex-vegetarian, so I have some favorite foods in my cabinet containing no animal products. For anyone struggling: avocado on toast, hummus, Indian chickpea curries, and falafel really hit the spot!

Read More
Amber Shimkus 4/06/2018 9:19 AM
Day 5 of no coffee! For anyone who knows me, this is a huge deal. But I'm a utlilitarian at heart: the health of the earth needs to outweigh my love for the roasted bean. On the plus side, I feel fantastic, and have upped my fruit smoothie consumption to counter those caffeine cravings!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Amber Shimkus 4/02/2018 10:57 AM
For the past week or so, I have started paying attention to just how much plastic I use in my lifestyle...and I have to tell you, it's a lot more than I thought! Iced coffee cups, straws, shrink-wrap packaging, shampoo bottles, takeout containers....and that's just from one person!

While some of the other changes I am making for the Eco Challenge will automatically reduce plastic usage (giving up coffee, for instance), I will need to make a concerted effort to avoid buying products with excessive packaging and seek out businesses that sell in bulk or in more eco-friendly containers. I hope learning more about this issue will create a permanent change in how I see and use plastic!

Read More
Amber Shimkus 3/26/2018 10:34 AM
Environmental efforts have always been close to my heart, as a lover of the outdoors. I do my best to recycle, walk where I can- but I always felt I could be doing more to reduce my carbon footprint. This EcoChallenge is the most tangible and comprehensive solution I have come across! I have chosen efforts spanning from reducing plastic and animal product consumption, to learning more about technologies to make our food and energy production more efficient. We can make the world a better place, guys! Step by step :)

Read More