Ecochallenge.org and Project Drawdown

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 4 - April 25, 2018

Ben Warren

Asheville High School!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
475 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

155

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

4.0

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person

Ben's actions

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 1 meal(s) from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 25 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 1 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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
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?
Ben Warren 4/25/2018 9:51 AM
The fact that temperate forests are constantly fragmented by human development is not okay. They are also being pushed passed their limits by many different climate change aspects such as frequent droughts, heat waves, severe wildfires, and worsening insect and pathogen outbreaks. This is overwhelming because there are many different aspects of environmental damage caused by humans. Some things that make me feel hopeful about this is the growing effort to stop climate change and deforestation.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Ben Warren 4/25/2018 9:36 AM
One thing that certainly concerns me is the fact that 90 percent of plastics that we use in today's modern world could be bio plastics, but are not. This concerns me on a global level about the minimal amount of effort that humans are putting into protecting our earth. Locally I think that Asheville does a very good job recycling plastics and minimizing plastic use and the plastic pollution.

Read More
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?
Ben Warren 4/23/2018 10:16 AM
Today I drink coffee in the mornings, I also eat a lot of meat and dairy which causes deforestation. Some things I could do to stop consuming so much of these foods is to try and get better sleep so I won't be so tired in the mornings, therefore I won't need coffee. I could also just try to generally decrease my dairy and meat consumption.

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?
Ben Warren 4/23/2018 10:06 AM
Both governmental investment and individual investment are both feasible for me. Together these investments can expand geothermal energy to the point where it is our main source of energy.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these advantages inspire you the most?
Ben Warren 4/23/2018 9:20 AM
Supporting local farmers helps inspire me because by doing that I am supporting and helping my local economy of the community that I live in.

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?
Ben Warren 4/23/2018 9:14 AM
Another use for this money could be to help the environment in other ways. One way could be to use that money for solar panels or donating it to foundations that help preserve the environment. The money could also be donated to charity for people who can not afford basic needs of life.

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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!
Ben Warren 4/17/2018 9:32 AM
I had heard of biomass technology before this but this research was a big learning moment for me. It really showed me how effectively biomass technology can be in real life if used correctly. It also taught me what different types of energy can be created through biomass technology.

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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?
Ben Warren 4/13/2018 9:22 AM
Increased health and welfare for cattle. Instead of being scorched by the hot sun in the summers they get nice shade. This improves health therefore giving better yield for both milk and meat because they still can gain weight in the hot summers. The silvopasture idea also counters the methane gas emitted by cattle and therefore decreasing climate change.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?
Ben Warren 4/11/2018 10:05 AM
I think that climate change is a very serious and modern crisis that we need to face. I often times talk to my dad about different ways that we can decrease our carbon footprint and reduce our own personal climate change.

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