"My goal is to learn what more I can do to be eco-conscious and engage in more sustainable practices in my everyday life."
POINTS TOTAL
0
TODAY
0
THIS WEEK
1,323
TOTAL
participant impact
UP TO
30
conversations
with people
UP TO
1.0
energy audit
conducted
UP TO
20
meatless or vegan meals
consumed
UP TO
280
minutes
spent learning
UP TO
1.0
person
helped
Dr Cassandra's 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
Fund Family Planning
Health and Education
I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health and Education
Learn about the Need for Family Planning
Health and Education
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Plant Trees
Temperate Forest Restoration
I will plant 2 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.
UNCOMPLETED
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.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Transportation
Explore Other Transportation Solutions
All Transportation Solutions
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching other Drawdown Transportation Solutions.
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS
Transportation
Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle
Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Electricity
Explore Other Electricity Solutions
All Electricity Solutions
I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.
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
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Reduce Animal Products
Plant-Rich Diets
I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS
Industry
Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips
Bioplastics
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 15 friends, family and/or colleagues.
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS
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 15
DAILY ACTIONS
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks
Learn about Biochar
Biochar Production
I will spend 20 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.
UNCOMPLETED
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
Land Sinks
Buy Bamboo
Bamboo Production
When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Buildings
Learn about 'Green Gentrification'
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Buildings
Research Heat Pumps
High-Efficiency Heat Pumps
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Industry
No Fast Fashion, Buy Organic
Commit to cutting back on clothing purchases and only buying clothing that uses certified Organic Cotton and is produced in Fair Trade Certified™ factories. I want to stop buying clothing I don't need that is cheap, made of materials which are not sustainable and are made in factories that pollute and don't provide fair wages to their workers or support the communities they are based in.
COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 2
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will replace or remove from my current diet the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products that are known to contribute to deforestation.
COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS
Electricity
Eliminate Vampire Energy
Research, identify and manage vampire power in my home.
https://paylesspower.com/blog/vampire-energy/
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks
Local Beach Clean Up
Bring a collecting bag when going for bi-weekly walks on local beach and pick up/remove trash as it is found.
COMPLETED 2
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
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Buildings
Online Energy Audit
Multiple Solutions
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Transportation
Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail
High-Speed Rail
I will spend at least 25 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Give a Microloan
Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders
I will give 2 microloan(s) to women who need help starting a business.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health and Education
Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
Health and Education
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health and Education
Start a Social Media Campaign
Health and Education
Through social media, I will raise awareness about gender inequity in education by sharing the information found in the links below.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Health and Education
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.
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
IndustryRecycle Everything I Can
How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "R's" make you feel?
I try to reduce my consumption of plastics by switching to products that are minimally packaged in non-recyclable plastics. I love to repair things and especially cringe at throwing away plastics. I repurpose plastic containers often in my kitchen, garden and use lids as plant draining coasters rather than purchasing them. I always feel like I can do more - at the risk of my husband feeling like he lives with a hoarder (LOL) - so really what it comes down to is more reduction in the first place.
I recently interviewed a friend of mine for a guest speaker recording to be presented in my LIBS 4960 course. They are a trans, non-binary, neurodivergent, Black person who works toward advocacy and support of queer and trans youth in the San Diego region. They started a community service organization called thetransistancenetwork. I have learned from them that trans/nonbinary people struggle with, homelessness, lack of access to affirming healthcare, mental healthcare, lack of disability support as well as the threat of violence and death. Trans/nonbinary people need folks to protect them, advocate for them and support them in a society that continues to deny their existence.
Reading about plastics and micro/nanoplstics in the ocean is quite worrisome. I read about the five subtropical ocean gyres and their impact on marine life.
The damage and suffering this causes for ocean life is severe. Plastics can be found in the stomachs of whales, fish and many other marine animals. Turtles suffocate when they confuse shopping bags with jellyfish, or drown when they get entangled in discarded nets. Seals get stuck in plastic rings from six-packs that slowly cut through their necks. In the middle of the Pacific, albatross chicks die, weakened from overconsumption of bottle caps and toys. The Convention on Biological Diversity counts 663 species affected by ocean plastics.
Of course humans are responsible for this problem and it directly affects us. In 2015, researchers sampled fish and shellfish being sold for human consumption in Indonesian and Californian markets. They found plastic and textile fibers in a quarter of the animals.Much of the clothing produced today is made out of synthetic materials. Each time these clothes are washed, thousands of tiny plastic fibers can leak from the machine into the wastewater. “The real problem is that the textiles are not environmentally friendly.”
Ocean activist Charles Moore estimates that to clean all five garbage patches, 1,000 boats would need to filter the water 24 hours a day for 79 years, and that’s only if the technology existed. Innovative thinkers have suggested various cleanup solutions that have yet to get off the ground or make a notable impact but in reality, starting cleanup efforts when trash has already made it into the ocean diverts attention from the real solutions: reducing, reusing and recycling.
In the end, it will come down to people in Europe and North America consuming less plastic and those in fast growing Asian counties having the infrastructure to properly dispose of their waste. The plastic problem is a global issue that will require solutions and actions from everyone.
One of my favorite habits I picked up while living in Mexico is hanging out our laundry to dry. It is very common here BUT in middle class neighborhoods you'll still hear dryers humming and tossing clothes on a sunny day. We recently got an energy efficient washing machine but made the choice NOT to own a dryer anymore. 🙌🏻 This has greatly reduced our electricity and gas bills each month. The catch is I have to pay close attention to the weather patterns and do our laundry when I know there will be sun ☀️ (or at least NOT rain) so the clothes will have a chance to dry. The best part is the fresh smell and of course, no need for dryer sheets. 😜
I love city living but it is often hot (due to so much cement) and there is always a lack of green spaces. When I lived in downtown San Diego I was also struck by the inequities in lack of affordable housing. Interestingly, I used to live in a condo that was built on what was once a San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) power plant facility that dated back to 1911. I read about the development of Clichy-Batignolles, in Paris which a groundbreaking eco-village and a climate-sensitive redevelopment project.What used to be a train yard has been turned into an urban park surrounded by energy-efficient buildings that houses 7,500 residents and provides places of employment for more than 12,000 people. The project’s design team was charged with incorporating as many best practices in contemporary green design as possible including strict guidelines for building energy consumption, energy-efficient measures like green roofs, renewable sources of heat and electricity as well as a layout that encourages walking and use of mass transit while limiting space for cars. Roadways are restricted to 12% of the total surface area, and low speed limits prevail, privileging pedestrians over cars! The district encompasses a wide range of housing and services, including four schools, medical services, daycare facilities, gyms and an activity center for teens with performing arts spaces and a practice kitchen. I was wondering how equity is approached - The development’s residential units include housing for buyers with a range of incomes, as well as capped-rent units. Different sizes of apartments meet the needs of families, couples and those who live alone. Some buildings are designated for students, while another houses a nursing home. Finally, the buildings encircle the 10-hectare (25-acre) Martin Luther King Park, which provides a recreation area in a part of Paris especially lacking in green space. In addition to being a pleasant space to play, the park is a key element of the development’s climate adaptation strategy. Its trees, plants and water features help lower the air temperature on hot summer days. Permeable surfaces allow water to soak into the ground, and an underground tank collects rainwater for irrigation to minimize water use. A pond provides habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife, and also cools the surrounding area as water evaporates. When equity is centered, I think this type of redevelopment should be a model for the future.
TransportationResearch 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?
I used to think an electric vehicle was not an option for me because I have to drive so far from my work in Turlock to see my husband across the border in Baja California Mexico. I got tired of the drive and felt guilty about the emissions so I had started taking the Amtrak train south every other weekend. After doing my research for this action item I have realized that an electric vehicle is completely an option now - even for my long commute! The West Coast Electric Highway makes it possible for an intrepid zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) driver to drive from Baja California to British Columbia, charging as needed at stations spaced every 25-50 miles along the highway. The now completed corridor supports both ZEV commuters in metropolitan areas and long-distance road-trippers. Charging stations on the highway are all within a mile of the major roads, often at private businesses such as shopping malls or gas stations where drivers can access bathrooms, food and other amenities. On the road, signs and a smartphone app direct drivers to the nearest charging station. A driver pulls in, plugs in, and in about 30 minutes can be back on the road.Most charging stations in use now are 50-kilowatt systems, but the next wave of vehicles will be able to take advantage of 100-kilowatt to 150-kilowatt stations, reducing charging times to 15 minutes or less. As of July 1018, there are now about 52,000 public charging stations and outlets. To put it in perspective, that’s more than one-third the number of gasoline stations—about 150,000—in the entire country. I google 'West Coast Electric Highway' and found the webpage which also led me to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations Map. I guess I can start planning my next trip and seriously consider making my next car an electric-powered one. :)
The biggest thing we are going to do is put power strips with surge protectors at each of our main plugs. After learning about vampire energy, I realized things like the microwave and coffee maker will always be leeching energy (since I don't want to reset the time every morning). I will also start unplugging my computer screens and printer.
Green gentrification is when investments in sustainable infrastructure and initiatives in a city push out and price out lower-income residents. Climate change negatively affects poor communities, women, people with disabilities, indigenous groups and other marginalized populations the most. Thus when cities and communities make small or large-scale changes to address climate change, it is crucial that the interests of the most minoritized communities are centered. My city of Ensenada needs to prioritize keeping lower-income areas cleaner and providing better sanitation services. I will say Ensenada is MUCH cleaner and better maintained than other cities in the rgion like Rosarito and Tijuana where housing segregation and lack of services in low-income communities is more prevent. The Metrocable system in Medellín is vary inspiring - it could certainly work in a city like Ensenada which is similar to Medellín in that it's surrounded by mountains (but with a bay on one side. Unfortunately, the social barrier of classism as well as government corruption keep this and other types of clean public transit systems from being developed in cities in Mexico.
So cutting out coffee would normally have been difficult - again pregnant - so this has been pretty easy. I was told by my doctor I could have a LITTLE bit of coffee daily but I have gone without since April 1st. Next, I just had to review the products in my home for palm oil (none) and then commit to no chocolate until I can find a brand readily available here that is not sourced from a farm responsible for deforestation.
