Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Sara Bohar

Community Team

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
230 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

120

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

6.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

5.0

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

2.0

donations

made
UP TO

2.0

people

helped
UP TO

90

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched

Sara's actions

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

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.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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

Electricity

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Onshore Wind Turbines, Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 10 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in creating or purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Microgeneration in Low Income Countries

Small Hydropower, Micro Wind Turbines, Microgrids

I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Help Students Overcome Health Barriers

Health and Education

I will donate 2 Femme Kit(s) to help people who menstruate overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend 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 2
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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Seaspiracy

I will watch the documentary about how the ocean is treated by industry and make marine friendly choices.

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

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?
Sara Bohar 4/16/2021 1:53 PM
ComEd is great about providing us this information on a monthly basis. We also signed up for an annual summer electricity usage program that has challenge days on the hottest days of the year to cut back on the use of electricity on those most used days. There are simple steps like running clothes washers and dishwashers at night time when power usage is lower that helps to balance the use of power. Also washing clothes in cold rather than hot water, line drying clothing rather than using the dryer, are other great ways to reduce electricity consumption.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education

In what other ways could you help girls overcome health barriers to being able to attend school?
Sara Bohar 4/16/2021 1:50 PM
There is a program that Lawrence O'Donnell supports to build desks for girls in Malawi. It's a UNICEF program called the K.I.N.D. program (Kids In Need of Desks). This program helps promote education for girls who don't have access to a desk or chair in school. It's a highly successful program that has already built over 938,000 desks for kids who otherwise would be forced to sit on the floor or stand during their lessons. This will help keep social distancing and promote more healthy ways for girls to learn in school.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Accelerating Solutions

Every dollar you put into solar or wind is a dollar not put into traditional financial institutions. You'll also be bolstering the fossil fuel divestment movement, too. Name some companies you know that invest in green energy. How can you support them?
Sara Bohar 4/16/2021 1:36 PM
Tesla has solar panels to produce energy for your home or EV. You can purchase a power wall.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Sara Bohar 4/16/2021 1:24 PM
I think a sustainable community is mostly self-sufficient as it relates to food, waste, energy, and transportation needs within the community. There are renewable systems for energy. EVs or low CO emissions mass transit options that meet the majority of travel needs in the community. The food is locally and organically produced and waste is mostly composted rather than headed for a landfill.

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