Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Roxane Beigel-Coryell

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
907 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

14

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

37

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

2,095

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

40

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

90

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

135

minutes

being mindful

Roxane's actions

Industry

Advocate For More Packaging Options

Multiple Industry Solutions

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Find a Local Climate-Friendly Supermarket

Refrigerant Management

I will explore the interactive map in the links below to find a supermarket that does not use HFC refrigerants near my home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 45 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

Express My Support For Walkable Cities

Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Microgeneration in Low Income Countries

Small Hydropower, Micro Wind Turbines, Microgrids

I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Conduct Virtual Meetings

Telepresence

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 60 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Advocate For Greener Vehicles

Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars, Efficient Trucks

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 90 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 40 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

Farm Irrigation Efficiency

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 25 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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Calculate My Carbon Footprint

All Drawdown Solutions

I will calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce my negative impact on the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 3 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 17
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
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use 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?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/26/2021 8:09 AM

I finally got to the farmers' market this weekend after several weeks of missing it. I find that I enjoy my food so much more when I know that it was grown locally by people in my own community, rather than coming from the sterile aisles of a grocery store. It also makes me feel better to know that the food is fresher and has traveled far less than produce in the grocery store.

Read More
Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/21/2021 3:41 PM

I haven't been doing well this month with my mindful meals action, but today I took 30 minutes at lunch to eat my food without working, without my phone, without music. I just sat outside with my dog, listened to the birds and the breeze. It was lovely. I'm glad I took the time out of a busy day to enjoy my food, listen to the sounds around me, and give my mind time to rest between meetings and projects.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Calculate My Carbon Footprint

What stood out to you most about your carbon footprint? What surprised you or sparked curiosity? Where can you take most immediate action?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/20/2021 8:09 AM

I took the quiz to measure my personal carbon footprint and frankly, it was shocking. Despite living very intentionally to reduce my impact, my Earth Overshoot Day is May 31st and we would need 2.4 planets if everyone lived as I do. At first it made me feel....hopeless in a way. But then I realized that it really points to how important it is for us to enact SYSTEMIC change and not rely on individual actions and lifestyles to repair the damage we have caused. We need to encourage individual accountability AND change the way we do business, the way we govern, the way we assign value.

Read More
Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/13/2021 10:25 AM

I like shopping at Trader Joe's because they have a lot of organic options and products that I like for reasonable prices, but their excessive packaging is challenging for me. Even the greeting cards come in a plastic sleeve! I finally took the step to look up the contact on their website and submit a request to stop selling cards in plastic sleeves and to consider enclosing all refrigerated cases instead of leaving them all open, which is a HUGE waste of energy. I do hope they read and consider my request.

Read More
- Armando Acevedo 4/14/2021 11:00 AM
  
  Refrigeration definitely has been a huge source of energy waste in the past! Recently I have been seeing more and more grocery stores installing doors for their refrigerated products and am glad they are doing so. I might contact the next store I see that still has no doors for these products about that.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Find a Local Climate-Friendly Supermarket

How close is the nearest climate-friendly supermarket to your home? How could you encourage local supermarket to reduce or phase out their use of HFC refrigerants?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/13/2021 10:21 AM

I was surprised to see that there are NO climate-friendly supermarkets in Ventura. I signed the petition to request climate-friendly markets in my area and plan to reach out to some of my favorite markets to encourage them to consider this program and how they can participate.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Go for a Daily Walk

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/11/2021 7:39 PM

A couple years ago I had a surgery that prevented me from walking for a few months. I relied on a knee scooter to get around. The experience made me much more aware of the importance of accessible spaces for people with mobility issues. On my walks this month, I've noticed a lot of people who park their cars blocking the sidewalk and areas of overgrown landscaping that results in a narrow space to move through, which could be challenging for people.

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?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/11/2021 7:33 PM

It has been a long time since I've explored a new area. I get so used to going to the places I know. Today I hiked in a new area and it reminded me how invigorating it is to explore new places and to experience different parts of the community. I've also been practicing being more present on my walks. Instead of listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while walking, I walk without headphones so I can listen to the sounds of nature around me. It has been a refreshing practice and helps me appreciate the experience more.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?

Roxane Beigel-Coryell 4/05/2021 6:10 AM

I often struggle with sitting in silence without noise or distraction. I so often will have music, a podcast, a video, or some other sound in the background to keep my company, especially when I'm eating. Eating a meal without distraction gave me time to think and also helped me enjoy my meal more. Instead of being distracted by watching or listening to something, I could really taste my food, think about what I was eating, where it came from, how it will nourish my body.

Read More
- Wendy Olmstead 4/06/2021 7:22 AM
  
  I often read a book while eating alone so I tried mindful eating too.
  
  Read More