Sometimes it is a simple as sitting on my porch or exploring a local park, beach, or trail.
Wendy Johnston
"Imperfectly, imperfect but aspiring to be a better steward of our environment. "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,175 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO34conversationswith people
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO27meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO30minutesspent exercising
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UP TO220minutesspent learning
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UP TO30minutesspent outdoors
Wendy's actions
Land Sinks
Explore My Area
Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 30 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Industry
Become A Master Recycler/Composter
Recycling
I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.
Industry
Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion
Multiple Industry Solutions
I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.
Industry
Properly Dispose of Refrigerants
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.
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.
Industry
Practice the 5 R's
Recycling
I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.
Health and Education
Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
Health and Education
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.
Health and Education
Start a Social Media Campaign
Health and Education
Through social media, I will raise awareness about gender inequity in education by sharing the information found in the links below.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions
All Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.
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.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Smaller Portions
Reduced Food Waste
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Keep Track of Wasted Food
Reduced Food Waste
I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Earth Month Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Reduce Animal Products
Plant-Rich Diets
I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
Transportation
Explore Other Transportation Solutions
All Transportation Solutions
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Transportation Solutions.
Transportation
Conduct Virtual Meetings
Telepresence
I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.
Transportation
Go for a Daily Walk
Walkable Cities
I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
Electricity
Watch a Video about Methane Digesters
Methane Digesters
I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Learn More about Silvopasture
Silvopasture
I will spend at least 30 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Local Perennial Biomass
Perennial Biomass Production
I will spend at least 30 minutes finding out if anyone is working on perennial biomass projects in my region and how I can get involved.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Learn More about Biomass
Biomass Power
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Sinks Explore My AreaHow can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Wendy Johnston 4/28/2021 2:40 PMSpending time outdoors, whether walking on a trail or just in my back yard, brings me a natural peace. The quiet punctuated only by the noise of the nearby farms and other sounds of nature allow me to forget, for a moment, the stresses of the day.
Sometimes it is a simple as sitting on my porch or exploring a local park, beach, or trail.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Climate Resilience Local Perennial BiomassClimate 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?
Wendy Johnston 4/27/2021 1:55 PMClimate research indicates that our area's (Adirondacks) climate will change and become more like the climate of Washington State, a much wetter climate.
This will significantly change agriculture in our area and impact tourism-a milder rainy climate would hurt the tourism (specifically ski) industry.
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Wendy Johnston 4/21/2021 12:44 PMHaving at least one meatless meal a week is proving to be a fairly easy goal to meet. Typically, breakfast is meatless. But, we have had a couple of meatless dinners. Using a plant-based "ground meat" substitute, I was able to make meatless nachos for dinner. Not dairy-free, but a step in a better direction.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Conduct Virtual MeetingsHow can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?
Wendy Johnston 4/21/2021 12:38 PMSurprisingly we have greater attendance at the virtual meetings than we did with our traditional in-person monthly meeting.
Part of our culture, in academia, is everyone has the opportunity to speak during our meetings. We use Robert's Rules of Order helps to ensure everyone has the opportunity to speak. It is what we use for in-person meetings and we continued to use it in the virtual setting. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Climate Resilience Learn More about BiomassHad 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!
Wendy Johnston 4/21/2021 12:09 PMI had not heard the term Biomass prior to this year's ECO Challenge, but I have heard (living in a rural agricultural area) the potential for the waste from cattle (dairy cows) to be used to generate heat or power. Trapping the methane as it escapes the waste is a possible fuel source.
It is interesting to read about the potential energy source of coffee grounds, chicken litter, so many things I had not really thought about as potential fuel.
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Wendy Johnston 4/21/2021 11:44 AMI just used the ecological footprint calculator https://www.footprintcalculator.org/.
April 19th is my Earth Overshoot Day (This means by this date, we would have used as much from nature as Earth can renew in the entire year). I am blown away by this calculation, as my spouse and I put in the effort to minimize waste, to eat more locally, etc.
5.7Your Ecological Footprint(global hectares or gha)7Your Carbon Footprint(CO2 emissions in tonnes per year)42Your Carbon Footprint(% of your total Ecological Footprint)
What's your footprint?-
Carrie Menard 4/21/2021 4:04 PMI'm feeling equally dismayed. We try very hard to live sustainably, but just owning a house and a car kill us. I made it to June 2 -- not much past your Overshoot Day. If my husband was still commuting to work, we would have been much worse, I'm sure.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth and Education Research Barriers to Participation and RepresentationWhat are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?
Wendy Johnston 4/19/2021 11:12 AMIn the United States, Women have gained traction in participation, especially in voting, surpassing the rate of men voting.
Despite the gains in voting, women, who make up half of our population, are not equally represented in governance. Women make up only 27.6 of State-Wide Elected Executives, 28.8% serve as State Legislators, and make up less than 30% of Congress (Colition: Reflect Us, Women by the Numbers)
Traditional gender roles, is a barrier. Women leaders are often questioned on their ability to serve two roles, mother and leader; while their male counterparts are seldom asked about their duality of father/leader.
Women of color participate differently than white women. The intersectionality of race or ethnicity and gender, place particilar barriers on women of color.
World wide, women still face discriminiation in education, work, the ability to be an active, participatory citizen. Women are abused, subject to human traffiking (sexual and labor).
We have come a long way, but still have a long way to go. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONIndustry Practice the 5 R'sWhat are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?
Wendy Johnston 4/19/2021 10:39 AMRegifting (Resharing), Renting, Rot, Rethink.
Related but not an "R" is upcycling.
All in all, it is about a conscious effort to be more mindful of waste. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Smaller PortionsWhile dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come from eating/serving smaller portions?
Wendy Johnston 4/19/2021 8:57 AMAside from the environmental benefits, eating/serving smaller portions has tremendous health benefits and lends easily to mindful eating. -
Wendy Johnston 4/19/2021 8:54 AMTraveling this weekend for a post covid vaccination visit with our son, meant having spotty service and a detachment from all things electronic. Still tried to work with in the spirit of the echo challenge.