Andrzej Lange
"The mission for this challenge is 1) to learn from Drawdown resources, Tips & Tricks as well as from other participants, and 2) generate a list of eco-friendly habits with a view to 3) implement them in own daily routine and 4) share on a wider forum."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,396 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO330gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO71meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO775minutesspent learning
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UP TO100minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO85minutesbeing mindful
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UP TO29zero-waste mealsconsumed
Andrzej's 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 75 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
Industry
Go Paperless
Recycled Paper
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Zero-waste Cooking
Reduced Food Waste
I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day
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.
Health and Education
Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
Health and Education
I will spend at least 75 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.
Health and Education
Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants
Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders
I will spend 75 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.
Land Sinks
Explore My Area
Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 75 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.
Land Sinks
Research Peatlands
Peatland Protection and Rewetting
I will spend 75 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.
Land Sinks
Learn More about Silvopasture
Silvopasture
I will spend at least 75 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.
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.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 75 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Buildings
Explore Other Buildings Solutions
All Buildings Solutions
I will spend at least 75 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings Solutions.
Buildings
Learn about 'Green Gentrification'
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 75 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.
Buildings
Install A Toilet Tank Bank
Low-Flow Fixtures
I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water a day or 330 gallons (1,230 L) a month by installing a toilet tank bank.
Industry
Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips
Bioplastics
I will spend at least 75 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 5 friends, family and/or colleagues.
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.
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.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
Reduced Food Waste
I will spend at least 75 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.
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.
Electricity
Explore Other Electricity Solutions
All Electricity Solutions
I will spend at least 75 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.
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 QUESTIONIndustry Recycle Everything I CanHow 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?
Andrzej Lange 4/30/2021 4:04 PMRepair is something I'm trying to do anyway, but repurpose is an interesting thing. Upcycling, alternative uses for "trash" is something I'll keep looking into. Considering things of this kind makes me feel... hmm.. purposeful? Conscious of choices I'm making, and yeah, there's a little bit of the warm inside feeling that fewer things from my household end up in landfill (or recyclables processing plant). -
REFLECTION QUESTIONIndustry Practice the 5 R'sWhat are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?
Andrzej Lange 4/30/2021 4:02 PMRefuse is the next step for me I think. One that I did start practicing during the challenge and am eager to do more! Explore options for homemade soap, refills, etc. The journey goes on! -
Andrzej Lange 4/30/2021 3:57 PMDay 30: What a ride! Plum! Water bottle goes into the toilet tank! Another challenge ticked! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 2How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:41 AMThis one is a little bit of a longer process, I'm afraid. And not that easy either, given how many names the palm oil can appear under. Throughout the month I did ensure that new products bought (coffee, chocolate, etc.) are palm oil free (or made with sustainable palm oil). But there are other products that I use that do have it as an ingredient. So first, will use up what I have, and second, will make a more informed choice going forward looking for more sustainable alternatives. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Zero-waste CookingIn 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?
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:37 AMOne things that comes to mind is: soup it! Need to experiment with blending too, guess it kind of all "looks" and "tastes" the same when it's blended? I'm wondering how much does the "visual appeal" and just the habit of not eating certain parts of the vegetables contributed to the amount of food waste I've been producing. Also, any tips for pressure cookers? Think that could be a solution too! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Keep Track of Wasted FoodAn 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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Eat MindfullyMindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:34 AMWhen I can afford the time to eat mindfully I do feel calmer. Or maybe I just feel calmer while I also make the time to eat mindfully? This is a tough one for me and something I'd like to revisit post challenge. I do feel I took more time to enjoy the food when completely unplugged and I did enjoy that, but recent workload made me feel like I'm losing out on precious catch-up time if I indulge in having my lunch in peace and quiet... -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBuildings Install A Toilet Tank BankHow can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:20 AMInstalling a "toilet tank bank" is one thing and we've started discussing installing low-flow showerheads and aerators/nozzles for the taps. Another thing that we're wanting to explore is to quantify water consumption when dishes are rinsed before being put away into the dishwasher vs. running the dishwasher more often. More extreme measures? Well, go full Wim Hof and use only cold water for showers. Sure that's gonna significantly cut the shower time!-
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:26 AMOh, and never forget the "if it's yellow let it mellow"!
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Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:10 AMDay 27: Oh how fabulous is it to "learn" while exercising or running errands! Wish I've figured out a way to get articles read aloud before! Now I can get them podcast-style :D -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Sinks Research PeatlandsMuch of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?
Andrzej Lange 4/27/2021 11:06 AMWould've been easier if I was a gardener! But if peatlands are dried so that oil palm can be planted, than going palm oil free in purchases would be a positive contribution. It was interesting to learn how big an area of Scotland is covered by peatlands! Now that's for "hot" discussion topic for future hikes!