Bert Rawert
4/30/2021 9:49 AM
Walking is good for the body, mind, ans spirit! It's also good for the environment as it eliminates car emissions.
Bert Rawert
"We want to avoid hearing, "It's not easy being green.""
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,286 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO2.0lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO29meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO610minutesspent exercising
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UP TO20minutesspent learning
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UP TO100minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO1.0public official or leadercontacted
Bert's 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.
Land Sinks
Explore My Area
Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 45 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.
Industry
Research Cement Alternatives
Alternative Cement
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.
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.
Electricity
Solar Water Consultation
Solar Hot Water
I will contact a local installer/distributor to see if a solar water heater makes sense for my house.
Action Track: Accelerating Solutions
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.
Action Track: Accelerating Solutions
Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits
Onshore Wind Turbines, Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.
Transportation
Go for a Daily Walk
Walkable Cities
I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
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 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
Electricity
Choose LED Bulbs
LED Lighting
I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
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.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Rooftop Solar Consultation
Distributed Solar Photovoltaics
After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.
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 QUESTIONAction Track: Accelerating Solutions Express My Support For Walkable CitiesHow could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONIndustry Research Cement AlternativesConcrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but its carbon footprint may not be obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?
Bert Rawert 4/30/2021 9:40 AMI suspect most metals have a high carbon footprint because of the amount of energy needed in the smelting process. I'd like to know which metals are better/worse from a carbon perspective. I'm also curious about the mining processes and which ones are more/less destructive. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONIndustry Practice the 5 R'sWhat are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?
Bert Rawert 4/30/2021 9:39 AMI recently found out greasy pizza boxes are accepted for recycling by my curbside waste/recycling company! My children also love to "reuse" some of our recycling for crafts, but we also reuse plastic tubs as food containers. -
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?
Bert Rawert 4/30/2021 9:32 AMGoing outdoors is essential for me - especially after a long stretch of videoconferencing meetings. It's good for my eyes to look at things far away, my lungs to breathe fresh air, my body to physically move, and my soul to know life is not limited to a rectangle of pixels! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Keep Track of Wasted FoodAn average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. How would you rather use this money?
Bert Rawert 4/20/2021 6:53 AMI'd rather use this money traveling! Alas, that emits CO2 and other pollutants. Maybe I'll use it to buy some nicer hiking shoes? Honestly, though, I'm pretty impressed with how little food we throw out. With 7 mouths in my house, there's nearly always someone who will eat the leftovers! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCoastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Smart Seafood ChoicesMany states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?
Bert Rawert 4/20/2021 6:51 AMAs a result of visiting seafoodwatch.org, I've learned about some of the certifications to watch for when buying salmon, tilapia, etc. Great information! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Accelerating Solutions Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy CreditsYour utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?
Bert Rawert 4/19/2021 11:54 AMI signed up for Arcadia with community solar. Rooftop solar is just too expensive for me. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Climate Resilience Rooftop Solar ConsultationIdentify some ways in which modern human societies have become unsustainable. What kind of roles do individuals have in creating and changing practices in society?
Bert Rawert 4/14/2021 9:06 AMI think our rate of consumption of natural resources and production of waste is unsustainable. Also, our use of fossil fuels is unsustainable. In the absence of miraculous advances in energy production and manufacturing of goods, our best hope is for individuals to make the many changes (large and small!) that add up to a big impact. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Choose LED BulbsChanging lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?
Bert Rawert 4/12/2021 5:25 PMI already work to reduce our energy use, but we may be researching more efficient air conditioners. The one cooling our house is over 30 years old! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Calculate My Carbon FootprintWhat stood out to you most about your carbon footprint? What surprised you or sparked curiosity? Where can you take most immediate action?
Bert Rawert 4/11/2021 5:41 PMI was surprised by the amount of CO2 emitted by driving. I knew flying was bad, but our household's largest source of CO2 by far was car fuel. It definitely makes me interested in replacing one of our two minivans with a plug-in hybrid or EV.