Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Jessie Liliedahl

Team Wyld

"Learning how to be a better human everyday, especially with the help of ecochallenge!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
565 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

460

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

14

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

14

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1,030

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

5.0

trees

planted
UP TO

222

minutes

being mindful

Jessie's 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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 90 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 14
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 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 45 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Explore Other Electricity Solutions

All Electricity Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 60 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

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

Farm Irrigation Efficiency

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 3 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Jessie Liliedahl 4/09/2021 3:45 PM
Once I became a homeowner, I found it was very important to make small changes that worked towards my bigger goal of becoming more environmentally responsible! One of the changes I made was to use dryer balls instead of single-use dryer sheets! I purchased Friendsheep Wool dryer balls (https://www.friendsheepwool.com/) that are made of organic, chemical free, hypoallergenic wool and are handmade for fair wages by women and disabled artisans in Nepal. They are also organic, cruelty free certified, carbon neutral and compostable at the end of their life. Their founder is a Zero Waste Entrepreneur, disability advocate, mother/wife, and former biologist! Not to mention they plant one tree towards permanent reforestation for every item sold- so far they have reforested over 765 acres of land!! Oh yeah, did I mention dryer balls help reduce drying time by 20-40%?! How awesome!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Jessie Liliedahl 4/08/2021 4:04 PM
My mom has always purchased in bulk from our favorite place... Costco! As such, it was always important for us to understand when we should or need to use certain products by. "Use by" indicates safety and "Best/Sell by" indicate quality!
Always take the "Use by" date seriously when you see them on meat, poultry, eggs, etc as this is the last date recommend for use and could cause a bad reaction. Read yo label folx!

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- Chris LoConti 4/08/2021 5:42 PM
  Thanks for looking into this! Great tip
  
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Jessie Liliedahl 4/07/2021 9:42 AM
Yesterday, I had my dryer vent serviced and holy smokes there was a lot of lint! Did you know that a clogged vent or dirty filter could force the machine to use as much as 30% more energy and poisoning by carbon monoxide becomes a risk (not to mention fire safety)?

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- Nathan Hungate 4/07/2021 3:51 PM
  fireeee safety! this post made me smile. grills, people smoking at night, Christmas trees, and dryers are a few of the biggest safety risks for home fires. thanks for sharing Jessie :)
  
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- Chris LoConti 4/07/2021 9:55 AM
  Thanks for bringing this up! Pretty significant hazards in such a commonly used appliance. Good reminder to keep the dryer vents/filters as clear as possible.
  
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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?
Jessie Liliedahl 4/02/2021 6:43 PM
On my 2x daily walks with Scout, I am very lucky to see the sun rise and set every day! However, sometimes I get distracted by the beauty and trip over uneven sidewalks and streets. It would benefit the whole community, and commuters, if roads could be maintained with a more eco-conscious filler(?-plan on researching this!)

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- Chris LoConti 4/03/2021 3:42 PM
  Great thought! There are quite a few companies working on solutions for more eco-friendly roads, here is an example of one: https://ecoroads.com/#advantages
  
  Let me know if you find anything cool while researching!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.
Jessie Liliedahl 4/02/2021 10:18 AM
Growing up in a mountain (literally), I have always felt a connection to the earth around me, spent all my time outdoors, camped and kayaked all the time and was always going out for walks. After moving to a more urban area, I have found its hard for me to find the same connection. That loss of connection feels equivalent to losing a part of myself. As such, creating a garden in my yard, walking my dog for 1.5+ hours each day, generally spending less time indoors, and going for a hike every weekend, as helped me begin to connect with that part I have lost.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?
Jessie Liliedahl 4/02/2021 10:11 AM
Its difficult to break a habit- eating dinner while watching your favorite tv show is a week-night pattern that many folks enjoy. However, once you are able to remove the distraction it becomes much easier to hear and understand signs from your body- ie. when I am full and should stop eating that burrito. Removing this distraction also allows the opportunity for you to check in with the people around you and reflect on if the food you are putting into your body is fueling it or not providing any benefit.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?
Jessie Liliedahl 4/02/2021 10:03 AM
PGE has a Peak Time Rebate where they notify you of a specific period of upcoming time when energy is most consumed. By waiting to wash your dishes, do laundry or adjusting your thermostat 1-2 degrees during this time, you can reduce your energy use and are rewarded with a rebate on your next bill!

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