Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Andrea Andersen

St. Pete Earth Month Team

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
566 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.6

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

125

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

190

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

1.0

tree

planted

Andrea's actions

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 120 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 15 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Support a Community Garden

Multiple Solutions

I will support a community garden by volunteering, donating, or advocating for a new or existing one.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Local Perennial Biomass

Perennial Biomass Production

I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out if anyone is working on perennial biomass projects in my region and how I can get involved.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Contact your Elected Officials

Abandoned Farmland Restoration

I will contact 1 elected officials to voice my opinion on the importance of restoring farmland in my region, including both public and private land.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Advocate for Forest Protection

Forest Protection

I will contact 1 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws, as well as the rights of local people to protect and restore the land in their communities.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will replace or remove from my current diet the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Building With Carbon Storing Waste Products

Engineered Sinks

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how people can build with carbon-storing materials - including agricultural byproducts - and discuss it with my peers in person or by posting to social media.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Learn about Biochar

Biochar Production

I will spend 15 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 15 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 1 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Tend A Garden

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 10 percent of my food 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 2
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
Land Sinks Local Perennial Biomass

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe states that "The reason we care about climate change is because it affects the people and places that we care about." What is happening (or will happen) in your area that will affect the people and places you care about?

Andrea Andersen 4/20/2021 5:44 AM

The biggest impact to my area will be sea level rise and rising temperatures. It will lead to numerous negative impacts to humans and the environment. We will see residents migrate from the coastal areas to areas toward the center of the state that are currently undeveloped and used for agriculture and other industries. The habitat loss to coastal species will most likely be devastating though there will be some species that will be adapt to the new conditions. I'm particularly concerned about the biodiversity lost in our estuarine communities and shorebird populations. Eventually, it is forecast that the nature preserve where I work will be inundated and this threatens land species such as gopher tortoises due to habitat loss. All of these impacts emphasize the need to move to more sustainable practices.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn More about Silvopasture

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?

Andrea Andersen 4/20/2021 5:26 AM

I had not heard the term "silvopasture" before now. There are a lot of benefits to this technique but I was particularly interested in the fact that when silvopasture is implemented, the land becomes more resilient to drought. With superdroughts forecast to be more prevalent in the future due to climate change, this technique could mitigate some of those effects.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Research Peatlands

Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

Andrea Andersen 4/20/2021 5:16 AM

I was surprised to learn that peatlands take hundred to thousands of years to form and are second only to oceans in the amount of carbon they store. That is amazing! I started a vegetable garden at home and created my soil using a mixture of peat, vermiculite, and compost. I am going to switch to coconut coir going forward and will spread the word about the importance of keeping peatlands intact.

Read More
- Whitney Blair 4/20/2021 8:02 AM
  
  I just made the switch to coconut coir! It usually comes in a block that has to be wet in order to break it up but to me it works just as well!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Andrea Andersen 4/14/2021 8:56 AM

So far, I've transitioned to all-natural cleaning products in my home. They smell so much better and are much less toxic to the environment. I was an easy change. Now I'm looking to what products I can move to that meet rigorous environmental standards. I was happily surprised to see Charmin toilet paper listed as a rainforest friendly product! I also am going to look for products that have moved away from using palm oil since the consumption of palm oil is contributing to deforestation.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

Andrea Andersen 4/13/2021 1:34 PM

I spent a hour yesterday walking down at our city's new pier. I was so impressed with the thought and design that went into bringing together and highlight the various elements of the space: water, land, and sky. It was a really enjoyable time and was a beautiful space to explore. I also spent time outdoors today in a natural area. The experiences were very different but both were wonderful because my attention was drawn to different natural elements in each space. I noted the arrangement of plants in each space, the different species of plants present in each space, and the kinds of wildlife utilizing each area. Spending time outdoors helps me to learn about my local environment and deepens my appreciation for both man-made and natural spaces.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Building With Carbon Storing Waste Products

How feasible do you think it is for society to build with agricultural waste products?

Andrea Andersen 4/13/2021 1:24 PM

Innovation is happening all the time. I think it is very feasible that our society will begin to transition to using products derived from agricultural waste. It was interesting learning about the various materials and their impact on our environment. I'm getting ready to do some renovations on my home and learned a lot about the kind of insulation and flooring which would be less impactful to our environment. This was a really interesting topic. Thank you!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Learn about Biochar

Can biochar provide additional benefits besides sequestering carbon?

Andrea Andersen 4/13/2021 1:07 PM

Biochar is still being researched but it has many potential benefits. The uses that stood out to me were using biochar to help aerate dense soil such as clay and to hold water in sandy soil. I've heard gardeners in my area talk about biochar so now I have more of an understanding of the product and its uses.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Climate Resilience Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. What have you done in the past to support women-owned businesses? How can you better support communities by supporting women?

Andrea Andersen 4/12/2021 9:01 AM

One of my favorite local women-owned businesses just closed - The Refillery. I am really missing it. It was a store that promoted reducing waste by buying bulk and using reusable containers. I'm looking for another store to go to now that it has closed.
I hadn't really focused on whether or not a business was women-owned when deciding where to shop but I learned a lot from my reading on how supporting women-owned businesses can have a positive impact on the community so I will seek out these businesses more often.

Read More
- Whitney Blair 4/20/2021 6:06 AM
  
  I didn't know it had closed! :/
  
  Read More
Andrea Andersen 4/12/2021 8:50 AM

I'm learning a lot from the resources posted on this website. It is a fabulous program and I hope to share what I learn with others. Thank you!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Climate Resilience Support Local Food Systems

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?

Andrea Andersen 4/12/2021 8:49 AM

I'm working on learning how to grow vegetables in my yard. I've had some success with some plants and struggles with others. Each season, I learn more. I rely a lot on Facebook groups to get advice from more experienced gardeners. I like the idea of eating fresh, locally produced produce. It reduces my family's carbon footprint and is healthier overall. It is fun meeting new people, too, and helping one another learn about gardening in our area.

Read More