Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Climate Action in Dufferin

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,060 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

60

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

55

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

530

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

360

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

donation

made

Climate 's actions

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.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

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 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 120 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 180 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research Cement Alternatives

Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars

I will spend at least 60 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

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 50 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 22
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

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Nutrient Management

Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure

I will donate to Native American Rights Fund, which protects tribal natural resources and environmental rights and promotes Native American Human Rights.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Local Perennial Biomass

Perennial Biomass Production

I will spend at least 60 minutes finding out if anyone is working on perennial biomass projects in my region and how I can get involved.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 22
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?

Climate Action in Dufferin 4/29/2021 6:58 AM
Tomorrow is the last day of Earth Month but, of course, not the last day that we will be taking action on climate change!

What habits are you planning to take forward with you after this Ecochallenge?

I'm going to keep up my compost (and take on the challenge of keeping the porcupine out of it!)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Climate Action in Dufferin 4/27/2021 7:53 AM
I love spending time watching the daily and seasonal routines of the critters around my home and the interactions between them.

By observing this, I am very aware of the fact that I am a part of a larger ecosystem. Reflecting on this, I can appreciate the relationships of reciprocity between the land and its non-human inhabitants, and strive to cultivate such relationships between myself and the environment when I make any changes (or decide against them) to the property.

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Climate Action in Dufferin 4/22/2021 8:51 AM
Happy Earth Day Team! 🌎

What are you doing today to celebrate today?

I'll be walking to the neighbourhood marsh to say hi to our local beaver family + a Netflix viewing of "Kiss the Earth" this evening.

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- Climate Action in Dufferin 4/22/2021 9:01 AM
  Oh! And don't forget to visit Join in Dufferin today to share what you are doing this Earth Day/Week (hint, hint, your eco-actions) for your chance to win a $50 gift card to In Our Nature, a local native plant nursery. https://joinindufferin.com/earth-day-in-dufferin-2021
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

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?
Climate Action in Dufferin 4/15/2021 10:40 AM
In researching the benefits of EVs, I discovered that not only does an electric motor mean better overall vehicle performance, but it also requires less maintenance and repair than a traditional gasoline vehicle. This is a great motivator for someone like me who despises bringing my car into the shop - and the $ tag associated with it!

For anyone on the team also thinking about the switch to electric, there are financial incentives between $2,500 - $5,000 available from the Federal Government. Plug'n Drive also has some great information about purchasing EVs in Canada.

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Climate Action in Dufferin 4/12/2021 1:11 PM
A quick check on the impacts feed shows that together we have completed 248 climate actions so far! Way to go team - amazing to see our individual actions adding up!

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Climate Action in Dufferin 4/09/2021 1:27 PM
What eco-actions are you planning to conquer this weekend?

I'm excited to start my first foray into composting and start a bin in my backyard!

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- Debra Kralka 4/09/2021 8:50 PM
  I walked by a bus stop tonight and it is littered with cigarettes butts. I will clean that up this weekend. Anyone have a grabber I can borrow?
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. How would you rather use this money?
Climate Action in Dufferin 4/07/2021 12:46 PM
An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. How would you rather use this money?

Reducing food waste = reducing greenhouse gas emissions + annual savings - a win, win!

I would love to reinvest this money to prepare a forest management strategy (and implement it!) for the woods on my property. This can support increased sequestration of carbon by the trees and support a climate-resilient ecosystem. Dreamin' big about how an everyday action can lead to such a big impact! 💭

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
Climate Action in Dufferin 4/02/2021 4:03 PM
One of the things I love most about living in Canada is rediscovering familiar places as the seasons change. Today I walked down by the beach and saw (and heard!) open water for the first time in months.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?
Climate Action in Dufferin 4/02/2021 4:01 PM
Today I enjoyed some beautiful blue azure eggs, locally grown mushrooms, and fresh soughdough from the local bakery. I love knowing where my food comes from and to support the local farmers who produce it. Particularly during the past year, eating local makes you feel more connected to my community!

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Climate Action in Dufferin 4/01/2021 7:01 AM
🌎 Day 1

Why did you join the Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown?

Comment below!

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- Grant Peters 4/02/2021 3:23 PM
  Awareness for the broader community. And to challenge my daily habits. Next.....
  
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