Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Taylor Helgeson

Asheville High School Spring 2021!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
621 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

591

minutes

spent learning

Taylor's actions

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 120 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 20 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 50 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Bioplastics

Bioplastics are a promising solution to plastic waste and climate change… but they aren’t necessarily sustainable. Find out why!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 50 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 45 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

I will spend at least 132 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 39 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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
Buildings Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Cities and towns need to plan for climate change. How can your city or town make its climate action plans equitable and socially just?

Taylor Helgeson 4/30/2021 7:56 PM

My city/town can clean up every part of Asheville, not just the welther parts of town. Everyone can pitch in to help execute the climate actions.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. In what ways (i.e. with money, time, advocacy) can you invest in geothermal energy?

Taylor Helgeson 4/28/2021 10:46 PM

The investment that seems most feasible for me would be getting the word out about it. I don’t have money to give to things like this at the moment, but I can still invest my time into helping the cause and getting others to donate.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Taylor Helgeson 4/28/2021 10:53 AM

My vision of a sustainable community looks like a community sticking together and working to help the planet around them, but also help the people around them. I believe people would have to work together more to agree on choices they need to make for our planet.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass technology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share your new knowledge with your friends!

Taylor Helgeson 4/27/2021 9:11 AM

I feel like I have heard of biomass technology before, but I didn’t know what the official name was until now. When I was learning one thing that surprised me was that animal waste (poop) can be used as a source of electricity. I didn’t know that was one of the beginning steps.

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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?

Taylor Helgeson 4/26/2021 10:35 AM

I can make choices like using less palm oil and paper in my day to day life. I can also be more conscious if I have to use those products.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

What did you learn about the climate impact of refrigerants? How do supermarkets contribute to this impact?

Taylor Helgeson 4/23/2021 6:57 AM

I learned that the climate impact of refrigerants is really bad for our planet. I learned that it is so bad they are trying to phase out refrigerants completely and change them to an alternative. Supermarkets contribute to this impact because in supermarkets there are so many refrigerators. Everywhere you turn you see refrigerants being used. Supermarkets are really harming and not helping our earth in that way.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Bioplastics

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Taylor Helgeson 4/22/2021 8:39 AM

The thing that concerns me the most about how we are affecting the planet is that we are continuing at a pace where we are going to run out of the resources we need soon. Many people are trying to get the message out to the world about what we need to do for the planet, but what scares me is that many ain't listening.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn about Temperate Forests

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?

Taylor Helgeson 4/20/2021 9:29 AM

Though us learning about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face it has impacted me in many ways. It has made me think about how I will get the word out to others about the problems we are facing. It has also improved my actions. I talk about and think about the actions I do in my life more because I got more information. It feels overwhelming that we are killing our planet slowly all the time. There is habitat fragmentation and changing climate that brings increased droughts, wildfires, heat waves and outbreaks of insects and pathogens. Some of these things we can’t control, but they still feel overwhelming at times. I feel hopeful that there are still multiple different types of animals and plants on our planet, that our trees are able to regenerate their leaves every year, and that our trees can grow back even though it might take 80+ years.

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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?

Taylor Helgeson 4/19/2021 9:29 AM

My diet currently impacts deforestation because I eat foods and use things that have palm oil in them. I have noticed that I use vegetable oil in my day to day life. I can look for better options other than palm oil products and start using them.

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?

Taylor Helgeson 4/16/2021 7:06 AM

I had not heard of the term “silvopasture” before now, but I think I have seen one before on a field trip at my last school. After learning more about it, I think the biggest advantage of silvopasture is the trees and the natural grass for the animals. I believe this because it helps the animals in many ways. They gain more weight all year long, they have the true food they are naturally supposed to have, and they get the shade from the trees so they are not always burning up and losing weight.

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