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April 1 - April 30, 2021
Dawn Riziti's avatar

Dawn Riziti

Office Depot Women of Color

"The basic tenets of Buddhism: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,745 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    68
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    3.0
    donations
    made
  • UP TO
    8.0
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    32
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    62
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1,410
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    770
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1,129
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    2,310
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    2.0
    people
    helped
  • UP TO
    3.3
    pounds of paper
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    31
    public officials or leaders
    contacted
  • UP TO
    67
    zero-waste meals
    consumed

Dawn's actions

Land Sinks

Choose Better Wood Products

Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 2 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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Help Students Overcome Health Barriers

Health and Education

I will donate 50 Femme Kit(s) to help people who menstruate overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Multiple Industry Solutions

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 60 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Host a documentary film screening about food waste

Host a documentary film screening on how to reduce food waste with my teammates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Solutions

I will research and tell 1 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Choose Recycled Paper

Recycled Paper

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Advocate for Wetland Protection

Coastal Wetland Protection

I will write 1 letter(s) or email(s) per day to a public official or representative to advocate for policies that protect wetlands.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Fund Family Planning

Health and Education

I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.

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

Health and Education

Host a Film Screening

Health and Education

I will host a virtual film screening and discussion about women's and gender equality issues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 120 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Connect With A Nonprofit

Health and Education

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, and/or trans and nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Smart Seafood Choices

Ocean Farming

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 500 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Buy Bamboo

Bamboo Production

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research Cement Alternatives

Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Become A Master Recycler/Composter

Recycling

I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Launch a Recycling Program

Recycling

I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Advocate For More Packaging Options

Multiple Industry Solutions

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 120 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Give a Microloan

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will give 1 microloan(s) to women who need help starting a business.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 30
DAILY 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 29
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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

I will replace 20 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Conduct Virtual Meetings

Telepresence

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health and Education Connect With A Nonprofit
    What are the most pressing issues for women, girls, and trans/nonbinary people in your community?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/30/2021 5:10 AM
    The most pressing issue for women and girls in my community is poverty. Impoverished children with little-to-no access to critical resources keep them in a cycle of poverty, limiting their voices in our society.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Smart Seafood Choices
    Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/26/2021 5:40 AM
    I don't think my diet choices fall within the guidelines but I have found better sourced sea-food choices at Whole Foods and will commit to making the change.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Sinks Choose Better Wood Products
    Beyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/24/2021 1:15 PM
    They sustain the lives of local species, maintaining the harmony of their ecosystem, and provide us with natural beauty to enjoy.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health and Education Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
    What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/23/2021 6:22 AM
    In my community, the most common barriers are lack of resources, money, language, and visibility.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Tend A Garden
    Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/22/2021 2:20 PM
    I grew up in a city but we always had a garden. I enjoyed pruning our rose bush, watching the bees pollinate our sunflowers, and eating tomatoes right off the vine. The experiences gave me a special appreciation for nature.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Conduct Virtual Meetings
    How can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/22/2021 9:07 AM
     Just one hour of video-conferencing or streaming emits 150-1,000 grams of carbon dioxide (a gallon of gasoline burned from a car emits about 8,887 grams), requires 2-12 liters of water, and demands a land area adding up to about the size of an iPad Mini, an official release from Purdue University explains.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Industry Research Cement Alternatives
    Concrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but its carbon footprint may not be obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/21/2021 10:25 AM
    I am using tools to research everyday products with large carbon footprints. I've been able to cut down on the high-carbon products that I was using around the house. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Sinks Explore My Area
    How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/20/2021 11:24 AM
    "There is a growing body of research demonstrating that simple exposure to nature is good for our health and wellbeing. An emerging body of research also demonstrates that there are health benefits associated with feeling more connected to nature. Nature connectedness is an accepted psychological construct that describes a realization of our shared place within nature. Nature connectedness also incorporates our emotional response, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior towards nature." 

    Source: 

    Mindfulness and Nature

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Industry Advocate For More Packaging Options
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/20/2021 11:19 AM
    My top concern is how slow we are to adopt a sense of global stewardship.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health and Education Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants
    Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. What have you done in the past to support women-owned businesses? How can you better support communities by supporting women?

    Dawn Riziti's avatar
    Dawn Riziti 4/16/2021 10:33 AM

    Mentor a girl close to home.

    Many girls growing up in the United States are held back by poverty, poor-performing schools, and teen violence. Reach out and influence the life of a girl in your own community by volunteering as a tutor or mentor. One way to establish a mentorship is through Big Brothers, Big Sisters.