Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Ellen Keeley

Deloitte Charlotte

"I truly believe that we can all make small, simple changes to live more sustainably and make a difference!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,168 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

57

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

115

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

446

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

389

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

2.0

trees

planted

Ellen's actions

Health and Education

Attend the NPSI Intersections Panel on April 28th

On Wednesday, April 28th, Deloitte NPSI is hosting a panel with senior leaders at the firm to discuss the intersections between climate, health and justice. Invite to be added soon!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Online Energy Audit

Multiple Solutions

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Replace Manual Thermostats

Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Purchase a Carbon Offset

Efficient Aviation

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Nutrient Management

Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 10 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support a Community Garden

Multiple Solutions

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

UNCOMPLETED
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 28
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Explore the Deloitte WorldClimate Hub

Spend 15 minutes browsing the new World Climate Hub website, hosted by Deloitte US Sustainability!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Smart Seafood Choices

Ocean Farming

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 2 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

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

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

ATTEND EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Join our sustainability scavenger hunt on Thursday, April 22 at 4:00! We will have fun prizes and tips and tricks on how to work from home more sustainably.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Composting

Composting, Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Recycle Everything I Can

Recycling

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, making sure to not contaminate recyclables with non-recyclables.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 29
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Get your family involved in greening the dot!

If you have kids at home, encourage them to create a logo for Deloitte NPSI using scrap paper and any crayons, markers, or materials you have in your home. Email a photo of the final product to Emma Howe (emhowe@deloitte.com) for a chance to be featured in our Earth Month recap email and potential future internal communications!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Sign up for Plant Your Change

Sign up for Plant Your Change to round up your purchases and plant one tree for every transaction on your personal credit card. Link to sign up found below!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Explore the Deloitte World Climate Hub

Spend 15 minutes browsing the new World Climate Hub website, hosted by Deloitte US Sustainability! Link to be added soon.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Donate to the NPSI Earth Month Giving Campaign

NPSI will be hosting a month-long giving campaign during April. Donate via the NPSI philanthropy cloud website linked below!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Telepresence, High-Speed Rail

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

Public Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.

UNCOMPLETED
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 Replace Manual Thermostats

How do you anticipate replacing your thermostats for smart ones will positively impact your life?

Ellen Keeley 4/19/2021 6:58 PM

I'm hoping it will positively impact the cost of my heating/cooling as well as help me enjoy my space more by allowing me to control the device remotely via Alexa. I actually tend to not use the heat/air as much as would be comfortable, but this will allow me to use it in an environmentally conscious way and ensure it is not running unnecessarily when I am away or when conditions do not warrant it. I'm excited to see how this will affect my energy usage~

Read More
Ellen Keeley 4/19/2021 6:15 PM

I generally consider myself a very environmentally conscious person, but this challenge has definitely helped me to keep it in the forefront of my mind throughout this month. It has been great having a constant reminder to compost, do yard work, minimize food waste, and so much more. All of these are small decisions we have to make daily - they're not difficult but they are easy to forget or push to the side.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Practice the 5 R's

What are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?

Ellen Keeley 4/19/2021 5:38 PM

I am trying to Reduce the amount of plastic I use and waste I produce, but I know refusing a lot of that plastic/glass is not feasible, so I have started Rehoming the containers. I recently learned a vendor at the farmers market collects No. 5 plastic containers to make into PPE. I wash the rest of the plastic containers I accumulate from take out and other food and donate it to a friend and nearby church for food distribution. I've also started washing and saving all glass jars to give them second lives as honey containers for my dad who has a few bee hives!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Recycle Everything I Can

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "R's" make you feel?

Ellen Keeley 4/18/2021 5:41 PM

I think these five R's are better and more reflective of behaviors for which we should strive than the typical three we hear about: reduce, reuse, recycle. Even then, we often feel like recycling is enough even though refusing and reducing are significantly better. Reducing plastic in my meals - whether in takeout delivery or plastic jugs of juice - is the most difficult for me. I am trying to become more conscientious of how I use plastic daily, ways to eliminate some usage, and ways to reuse the products I can't eliminate. I recently learned that the local Farmers Market at Atherton Mill has a filling station for soaps and detergents which provides a great way to refill bottles I already have!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?

Ellen Keeley 4/18/2021 5:34 PM

So often I see an impending expiration date and am scared off by it even though I clearly shouldn't be! Knowing the differences between these dates as well as knowing which foods should be stored where and in what way can make a big difference in terms of reducing food waste.

Read More
Ellen Keeley 4/14/2021 12:51 PM

Spent a lot of time outside this week and weekend as I was motivated by this challenge! Officially started my vegetable garden, mulched around my two large oaks, and planted flowers for some added color!

Read More
Ellen Keeley 4/01/2021 8:19 AM

Happy Earth Month everyone! Today marks the start of the EcoChallenge, so please take a look at the actions on the Dashboard and spread the word! We have some fun prizes for the winners of the challenge if you need any added motivation!
· First Prize: Smart Planter Box | $45.00 ( +$100 gift card to an Environmentally friendly company/brand/store)
· Second Prize: $75 gift card to Patagonia
· Third Prize: $50 gift card to Blueland
· Most Inspiring Reflection Question Response: $25 gift card to Black and Green

Read More
Ellen Keeley 3/29/2021 6:28 AM

April is almost here! Everyone please invite as many of your engagement team members and coworkers as you can - it would be great to have more team members going into the challenge! Excited to get started!

Read More