April 1 - April 30, 2021

Andrea Stephens

"In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” - Baba Dioum "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,444 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

450

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

47

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1,649

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

535

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1,051

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

272

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

2.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

50

zero-waste meals

consumed

Andrea's actions

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).

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

Buildings

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

Low-Flow Fixtures

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day or 450 gallons (1,680 L) a month by installing a low-flow showerhead.

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 60 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 200 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Use Muscle Power

Multiple Transportation Solutions

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

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.

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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 60 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

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 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Industry

Research Cement Alternatives

Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 90 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Express My Support For Equitable Biking Infrastructure

Bicycle Infrastructure

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

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.

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

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Composting

Composting, Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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?

Andrea Stephens 4/30/2021 8:25 PM

Well we did it - great job team DrawdownTO! We’ve made it to the end of our Earth Month Eco Challenge with over 9000 points, in 36th place out of hundreds of teams, and having saved almost 2,500 pounds of CO2 from going up into the atmosphere! Amazing! 🤗

Hopefully you’ve found actions over this past month that speak to your passions, priorities, and that you’ll continue to explore going forward! I’m thankful to have been in collaboration with you all! Together Possible!
Andrea
❤️🌎🌱

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Smart Seafood Choices

Many 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?

Andrea Stephens 4/30/2021 8:09 PM

Even though I’ve taken the time to learn more about this topic, I still find it hard to know what truly is the most sustainable type of fish to buy and am conflicted between wild and farmed - both are labeled sustainable depending on where the fish or seafood is sourced. This has always led me to purchase less fish then I would if I truly believed I was making the most “sustainable” choice!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Reduce Animal Products

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?

Andrea Stephens 4/30/2021 2:52 PM

The higher average income of citizens of developed countries, allows extra money to pay for more expensive foods like meat. Unfortunately, the average North American eats far too much meat, which contributes to poorer human health, and also contributes to climate change as ruminating animals produce a huge amount of methane - causing much more potent emissions than regular CO2.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Research Cement Alternatives

Concrete 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?

Andrea Stephens 4/29/2021 3:06 PM

I've always wondered about tar, and the asphalt used to pave all our roads & highways - add it to the next research to-do list! (;

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Climate Resilience Support a Community Garden

What are the multiple benefits of community gardens, including carbon sequestration? Why do these benefits matter to you?

Andrea Stephens 4/29/2021 2:59 PM

Yes, carbon sequestration is an important piece, that gardens offer in place of plots of grass or worse patches of cement, but the benefit I value just as much is the ability they have to connect city people to Nature in in what are often blocks and blocks of urban concrete jungles. Gardens not only enrich our air & health, but provide much needed habitat for our fellow species, like the birds, bees & butterflies!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Tend A Garden

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.

Andrea Stephens 4/26/2021 8:07 PM

In my own backyard as a child growing up in midtown Toronto. My father had convinced the neighbours on both sides of us, including several houses on each side to all take down their fences, so we ended up having 7 backyards that all connected! It was a great place filled with a number of large trees, flowers and lots of room for playing tag and general running around. With time, my dad turned our yard from a large patch of grass into a mini oasis, with birch trees, a small woodland area and two small (very small ponds) connected by a little narrow stream and waterfall. It was amazing to see all the birds and critters that started to visit our yard and appreciate all my father’s creative labour of love for himself, our family, our community of neighbours and all the species that called our backyard home! 🤗💚🌱

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Andrea Stephens 4/25/2021 3:48 PM

Let’s go team - final week! Keep up with your actions, check-ins & answering your reflection questions! 🤗

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Andrea Stephens 4/25/2021 8:12 AM

I accidentally posted my last reflection question before finishing writing - it was in reply to further investigation of solutions within the Food, Agriculture & Land Use sector. I did a deep dive into Drawdown’s material by reading their most recent report “Farming Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis” - and the comments I posted were from the headline of that report. The opportunity is what is so encouraging and the exploration and adaptation of these solutions, and better understanding the opportunity of nature’s sinks - further adapting is so needed! I encourage anyone interested in this area to put the report on their Spring reading list! 🤗

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

Andrea Stephens 4/25/2021 8:05 AM

Changing Our Land Use, Agricultural Practices, and Food System Offers Numerous Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Sequester Atmospheric Carbon, and Help Address Climate Change

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Express My Support For Equitable Biking Infrastructure

What do you like most about biking in your city? What would you like to improve?

Andrea Stephens 4/24/2021 10:02 PM

I like the connection to Nature that biking in Toronto offers, and it’s convenience to just get up & go! Thankful to see the bike lane infrastructure going in across Eglinton alongside the new LRT 🚴🏻‍♀️💚🌳

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