April 1 - April 30, 2021

Lauren Kudronowicz

"To create the most sustainable life for myself. To help educate myself and others of the impacts that we make to our environment and our community! To set an example for others to be more conscientious of our actions and how they impact the world around us. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,252 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

275

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

45

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

285

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

19

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

5.0

public officials or leaders

contacted

Lauren's actions

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

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Contact your Elected Officials

Abandoned Farmland Restoration

I will contact 2 elected officials to voice my opinion on the importance of restoring farmland in my region, including both public and private land.

COMPLETED
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 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Connect With A Nonprofit

Health and Education

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, and/or trans and nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 10 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 60 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Learn about the Legacy of Redlining

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Transportation

Go by Bike

Bicycle Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 3 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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
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?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/28/2021 8:48 AM

To help protect peatlands, I can stop supporting the palm oil industry and other industries that lead to the damaging of peatlands. I can also work to help support and advocate for organizations that are working endlessly to protect and learn about the peatlands.

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?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/24/2021 7:12 AM

I feel as though this is a very impactful solution and it is relatively easy. Aside from the money, this would make a huge impact on the amount of carbon emissions in our atmosphere. There are so many natural ways that we can bring down our carbon footprint, they all involve using nature as it was intended! This makes me very hopeful in the sense that we do not have to come up with insane ideas as to how to reverse this, but we don't have enough people willing to put their time and effort and resources into making this happen. There are individuals who don't want to accept the fact that this needs to happen. And those individuals are the majority. That is the overwhelming part for me.

Read More
Lauren Kudronowicz 4/23/2021 12:09 PM

Yesterday was Earth day! How did you celebrate?? I rode my bike to work and I walked 1.5 miles while picking up trash along the way!

Read More
Lauren Kudronowicz 4/22/2021 4:41 AM

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Contact your Elected Officials

Do you have any personal connections to a farm or farmland? If so, what are they? What feelings are evoked for you when thinking about declining farmland?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/22/2021 4:41 AM

Currently, in Southeast MN, there is a Rookery, a nesting site for the Great Blue Heron. This nesting site is one of the largest in the area and one of the only rookeries in the area. This site is being threatened with a new development that is going to be built and will destroy much of the habitat that the herons call home. These herons are protected under the Migratory Bird Act but only if their nests are occupied. So far, the decision has been delayed to start the work on the development, due to the work that some passionate people are doing to save this rookery. I have contacted some officials in the area explaining how important this area is to these birds as well as our community. I understand that the city needs to expand, but at what cost?

Read More
Lauren Kudronowicz 4/21/2021 12:24 PM

We are doing such a great job, I took a look at our challenge against the other Mayo Clinic team and we are winning by a lot! Keep it up:)

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?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/21/2021 12:22 PM

Spending time outdoors allows me to connect with something bigger than myself. I am able to have a sense of calmness and belonging. Being outdoors allows me to truly appreciate this planet and how so many people, including myself, take this place for granted.

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?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/21/2021 12:17 PM

I can advocate for geothermal energy and even potentially consider it for my home as well. This is very interesting research that I could definitely plan to implement in my life.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are just three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons? How could/does regenerative agriculture positively impact you and your community?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/20/2021 5:00 PM

I've been doing more and more research on regenerative farming and making sure I know where my meat is from, so I am ordering a half cow from a local farmer. They feed their cows mostly grain, but some grass. This is my first time getting a cow this way, so it is a work in progress. Eventually I will be getting grass-fed, grass-finished beef and I will be getting my chicken from a local farmer and I hope to get produce from a local farmer as well.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Go by Bike

How does using human-powered transportation make you feel compared to using other methods of transportation?

Lauren Kudronowicz 4/20/2021 9:52 AM

I haven't been able to bike as much as I had hoped this month. The weather has been just too unpredictable; however, I believe I am just making an excuse and I definitely could bike to work. This mode of transportation gets me ready for the day. When I get to work, I feel energized and ready to go.

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