Erin Graham
"Taking steps every day to become more environmentally conscious "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 956 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO16meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO1,320minutesspent exercising
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UP TO110minutesspent learning
Erin's 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.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 15 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Buildings
Learn about 'Green Gentrification'
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.
Buildings
Learn about the Legacy of Redlining
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.
Land Sinks
Research Peatlands
Peatland Protection and Rewetting
I will spend 15 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.
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.
Transportation
Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail
High-Speed Rail
I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Switch your Search Engine
Ecosia is a search engine with servers that run on 200% renewable energy, plants a tree for every ~45 searches made, and does not sell your data to 3rd parties. See ecosia.org for more information and how to set your search engine default to Ecosia
Land Sinks
Buy Bamboo
Bamboo Production
When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.
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.
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.
Transportation
Make it a Habit to Drive for better MPG
By far, the best recommendation to reduce your fuel consumption is to NOT drive your car. Opt to walk or bike when you can. When you have to drive, there are a few habits to be mindful of to reduce your fuel consumption. Avoiding bad driving habits like accelerating too quickly or late braking and using your cruise control more frequently can all improve MPG. To make things more interesting, keep track of your MPG with each tank fill-up and challenge yourself or compete with a friend to improve the results each time. Click below to LEARN more driving habits to reduce your fuel consumption.
Transportation
Improve the MPG on my existing car.
Not everyone has the pocket book to purchase a new electric, hybrid or 40+ MPG vehicle. But you can still do your part to improve your current vehicle's MPG. Regular maintenance and replacement of a few key items will go a long way toward that goal. Click the LEARN button below to explore what you can do to get the most out of your tank of gas:
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Composting
Composting, Reduced Food Waste
I will start a compost bin where I live.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Reduce Animal Products
Plant-Rich Diets
I will enjoy 6 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
Industry
Learn about Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Spend 15 minutes and learn about WSP as a leader in helping clients respond to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Electricity
Watch a Video about Methane Digesters
Methane Digesters
I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).
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.
Transportation
Advocate For Greener Vehicles
Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars, Efficient Trucks
I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles
Transportation
Go for a Daily Walk
Walkable Cities
I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
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 QUESTIONLand Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 1How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Erin Graham 4/30/2021 11:13 AMCoffee, dairy, and eggs are a big part of my everyday diet. Palm oil may be hidden in ingredients of various foods/condiments I buy, so I will take a closer look when shopping moving forward. We get our coffee through a Trade Coffee subscription where we can choose certified Rainforest Alliance and/or Organic roasters. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBuildings Learn about 'Green Gentrification'Cities and towns need to plan for climate change. How can your city or town make its climate action plans equitable and socially just?
Erin Graham 4/30/2021 6:55 AMEnsure the project will benefit all communities and not lead to disproportionate adverse effects on low-income, minority, or disabled populations. Ideally avoid displacements altogether where possible. -
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?
Erin Graham 4/29/2021 2:47 PMI was surprised living in an apartment complex still led to shelter being my worst category. I answered the questions based on my habits post-shutdown and I am grateful my footprint is lower now that we are working from home. I shudder to think how much worse my footprint was when I used to commute 45 min each way to work in near standstill traffic! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use CompostingProducing food that goes uneaten squanders many resources—seeds, water, energy, land, fertilizer, hours of labor, financial capital. Which of these kinds of waste most motivates you to change your behavior regarding food waste? Why?
Erin Graham 4/29/2021 12:43 PMAll of the above! We do our best to only buy ingredients for planned meals to cut back on food waste. However, sometimes we forget about fruit or other snack foods which go bad before we eat them. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Research and Advocate for High-Speed RailWhat are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety. What would need to change for you to regularly choose more climate-friendly options?
Erin Graham 4/29/2021 9:15 AMPrimarily time and convenience. Public transportation is not feasible in Austin (yet, hopefully!) and it would take way too long to get where I want to go. Most likely, I would not be able to live near a pickup spot or find a dropoff spot near the places I would go. I can't imagine getting my weekly groceries via public transportation and juggling all of the paper bags. I typically use services like Lyft during non-pandemic times, especially when traffic is heavy during special events in town where parking would not be found easily. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Advocate For Greener VehiclesHow does advocating for green vehicles in your community connect to your values? How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to fuel-efficient vehicles?
Erin Graham 4/29/2021 8:47 AMI have always been hopeful for a future where green vehicles are the norm rather than the exception. I believe the Austin office has one or two company trucks and I'd like to see those traded in for hybrid or electric trucks in the future. I would be hesitant to purchase a hybrid or electric car for myself since I am not confident in the current charging stations and would not want to drive a nice, new car along roadways for site visits. I currently don't mind driving my gas car along roadways though some project locations are less accessible by car.-
Krista Pritchett 4/29/2021 9:19 AMMy thoughts exactly Erin! Being introduced to an electric vehicle via a company pool vehicle might open up employees to the idea of purchasing green vehicles for themselves!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Reduce Animal ProductsWhy 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?
Erin Graham 4/27/2021 9:55 AMthe amount of land and water required to raise cattle is a lot higher than pork, chicken, and of course vegetables and fruits. I have more energy overall and have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight since giving up beef and pork ~13 years ago. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric VehicleReducing (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?
Erin Graham 4/27/2021 8:48 AMTo practice what I preach by one day owning a hybrid or electric vehicle. I am hopeful for infrastructure improvements in the near future so an electric vehicle is more feasible. I am apprehensive to own an electric car when I do not own a home and move apartments every 1-1.5 years. Hopefully more apartment complexes will start including charging stations soon -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Watch a Video about Methane DigestersWhat does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Erin Graham 4/27/2021 8:40 AMA sustainable community would be one that reduces all GHG while capturing and reusing what emissions cannot be reduced. A podcast I listened to recently discussed research on adding kelp to cow feed which would greatly reduce methane emissions. This would be one simple step to allow agriculture to continue as it is today while reducing overall environmental impact. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Climate Resilience Switch your Search EngineWill you make this your default search engine?
Erin Graham 4/26/2021 12:07 PMI set Ecosia to be my default search engine after learning about it on the How 2 Save a Planet podcast.