Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Ritu Rana

CompuCom Women in Technology ARG

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
979 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted
UP TO

585

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

28

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

34

conversations

with people
UP TO

19

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

29

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

150

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

3.0

trees

planted
UP TO

175

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched

Ritu's actions

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Conduct Virtual Meetings

Telepresence

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Contact your Elected Officials

Abandoned Farmland Restoration

I will contact 2 elected officials to voice my opinion on the importance of restoring farmland in my region, including both public and private land.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

ATTEND SUSTAINABILITY JUMP IN SERIES SPEAKER WITH DR. WALLACE J NICHOLS ON 4/13

Attend Dr. Wallace J Nichols, New York Times best-selling author of, “Blue Mind.” Dr. J will be addressing several topics including the impacts of waste reduction, climate change and the neuroscience behind why we simply feel better when we are in, on, or in view of water. The session takes place on Tuesday, April 13th from 12:00-1:00 PM ET via Microsoft Teams Live.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Attend Sustainability Jump in Series with Shelley Dearhart on 4/20

Attend the event with Shelley Dearhart. M.S. where she will discuss seafood sustainability – what is sustainable seafood, why is it important to our planet, and what you can do to eat sustainably! This session takes place on Tuesday, April 20th from 5:00-6:00 PM ET via Microsoft Teams Live

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

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

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 3 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 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Tend A Garden

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 20 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 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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

Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

All Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 4 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 7
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

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Learn about Biochar

Biochar Production

I will spend 10 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

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

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Make School More Affordable

Health and Education

I will raise funds to help make school affordable for girls around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Solutions

I will research and tell 3 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Why 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?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 12:03 PM
Richer countries can afford to eat meat. However, poor people cannot afford eating more meat as it increases their income. When land is used for breeding live stock instead of crops the water, soil is lost, the tress are cut down. Also, the animal waste are directed to rivers, streams which pollutes them.

Read More
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?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 11:51 AM
Knowing the use by, sell by, and best by dates helps in consuming the food before it loses its shelf life. This can also reduce food wastage.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Name some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 11:21 AM
Improvement on sanitization facilities in rural areas. Rainwater harvesting is one of the vital methods to store water and use. Making drinking water safe by low-cost water purifying solutions. Also, it is very important to promote hygiene habits in urban and rural areas to avoid any water-borne diseases.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

In 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?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 10:14 AM
Vegetables/Fruits stalks can be eaten by stir-frying or making a vegetable broth. Few vegetables can be cooked without peeling the skin off. Also, few skin tops could be used to grow vegetables which can be used later once fully grown.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are just three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons? How could/does regenerative agriculture positively impact you and your community?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 9:38 AM
Help in local economies, eliminate greenhouse emissions as well. Regenerative agriculture also helps in improving biodiversity, increases opportunities to create a civilization, fight hunger in the growing populations.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does environmental quality influence your sense of community?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 7:51 AM
As living beings, we strongly need safety and security for ourselves. We always look around from physical and psychological comforts. Like we feel safe and confident when around a known place compared to an unknown one.
Environment influence could be on many aspects like behavior, thoughts etc.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?
Ritu Rana 4/30/2021 7:31 AM
We have multiple techniques for agricultural land solutions. However, due to a lack of knowledge, tools, supplies, financial help, these do not get implemented. We need to find out a way to educate the farmers, landowners and empower them with the information that could be helpful for them as well as for the community.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Producing 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?
Ritu Rana 4/28/2021 8:31 AM
Wastage of food and water motivates me to an extreme extent to change this behavior. India stands 94th among 107 countries. Also, 14% of the population is undernourished. 14% is definitely not a less number. And these counts are considering human only, a Huge number of animals also die due to starvation. It is a point of concern and a sense of responsibility one has to take to change this around us.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Can biochar provide additional benefits besides sequestering carbon?
Ritu Rana 4/27/2021 8:31 AM
Yes, it helps in reducing soil density, hardening it. Reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Also, Help retain nitrogen and sulfurs in soil, which also reduces emission. Odor control etc.

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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?
Ritu Rana 4/26/2021 12:21 PM
Starting with small portions, ensuring to chew properly and thoroughly by taking a taste of each bite is fun in a way. This is also a good way of reducing food wasteage.

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