Skip to main content
April 1 - April 30, 2021
Gulshan Banaji's avatar

Gulshan Banaji

ZAKOI

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 156 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    20
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Gulshan'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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Conduct Virtual Meetings

Telepresence

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

UNCOMPLETED
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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 10 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

UNCOMPLETED
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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Smaller Portions

Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 5 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

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

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Launch a Recycling Program

Recycling

I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Replace Manual Thermostats

Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

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
    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?

    Gulshan Banaji's avatar
    Gulshan Banaji 4/21/2021 6:45 PM
    I am trying to use an entire vegetable during some of my meals. For instance, I try to use a  whole cucumber instead of peeling it. I also am doing research on how I can use the peels of vegetables and make it to good use. For instance, one great way is by using the peels to make your own garden compost. 

    • Fred Desai's avatar
      Fred Desai 4/21/2021 9:26 PM
      Gulshan

      Bakhtavar and I are starting composting as well. Susan our friend is guiding us. 

      Let us know if u r planning to do the same. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Choose LED Bulbs
    Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?

    Gulshan Banaji's avatar
    Gulshan Banaji 4/21/2021 6:19 PM
    Some ways that I have become energy efficient are by turning off lights and appliances when I don't use them.  Turning off water when washing hands and brushing teeth and also trying to take shorter showers. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Smaller Portions
    While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come from eating/serving smaller portions?

    Gulshan Banaji's avatar
    Gulshan Banaji 4/17/2021 10:02 AM
    Some benefits that come from eating/serving smaller portions are:
    1. Help eliminate the risk of over portioning which usually happens while serving larger plates. 
    2.  Another benefit is that it helps with weight control.
    3. Eating smaller portions also helps with improved digestion.

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings Replace Manual Thermostats
    How do you anticipate replacing your thermostats for smart ones will positively impact your life?

    Gulshan Banaji's avatar
    Gulshan Banaji 4/03/2021 8:12 AM
    Positive impact - Schedule the thermostat temperatures during different times of day, be able to turn on or off the thermostat when I am away.  Smart thermostat using my phone location also goes into eco mode when it detects I am not at home