Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Nick Silaski

Team ESR!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
698 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

245

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

34

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

225

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

4.0

zero-waste meals

consumed

Nick's actions

Land Sinks

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

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 22
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

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 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Tend A Garden

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

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 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?

Nick Silaski 4/30/2021 8:57 PM

I haven't heard of the term "silvopasture" before, but from what I've read, it can be used to not only improve the quality of life for farm animals, but it can also improve the overall quality of the area.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Reducing (or eliminating) exhaust emissions and improving public health are two benefits of green vehicles. What other motivators inspire you to consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle?

Nick Silaski 4/30/2021 8:41 PM

Switching to a hybrid vehicle makes sense for me because I would be saving money on gas. This, in turn, allows me to use up less gas as I drive it around. As for electric vehicles, I may be able to save a considerable amount of money as opposed to gas.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Zero-waste Cooking

In North America, up to 65% of food waste happens at the consumer level. Chef Steven Satterfield advocates for utilizing every part of a vegetable. How can you incorporate using an entire vegetable, including the skins, tops, and stalks during your next meal prep?

Nick Silaski 4/30/2021 8:38 PM

Using every part of a vegetable can be tricky due to some parts being bitter. However, the skins of some vegetables, such as cucumbers, can be left intact. This same vegetable can be eaten without cutting off the tops. As for stalks, it depends on the type of vegetable. For pumpkins, the stalk is very tough to work with. For others, they can be incorporated into salads or stir fries.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?

Nick Silaski 4/11/2021 1:06 PM

When eating without distractions, I'm more likely to focus on eating my food rather than a video or otherwise. When doing so, I become more aware of the properties of what I'm eating, including taste, texture, and even the amount.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Calculate My Carbon Footprint

What stood out to you most about your carbon footprint? What surprised you or sparked curiosity? Where can you take most immediate action?

Nick Silaski 4/09/2021 4:59 PM

One of the things that stood out about my carbon footprint is the amount of global hectares it takes up to account for my food consumption. Even though my family does try to reduce the amount of food waste, I wonder if I could reduce it even further. If I go to a grocery store and I'm about to buy a food product, I can consider whether I'll actually eat it or if it'll be used up in a few days. By doing that, I can reduce the amount of food waste by prevent it from happening in the first place.

Read More