Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Emma Silverman

Asheville High School Spring 2021!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
621 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

392

minutes

spent learning

Emma's actions

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 35 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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

Electricity

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 25 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

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

Industry

Bioplastics

Bioplastics are a promising solution to plastic waste and climate change… but they aren’t necessarily sustainable. Find out why!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 40 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 23 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

I will spend at least 35 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 34 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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
Buildings Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Cities and towns need to plan for climate change. How can your city or town make its climate action plans equitable and socially just?

Emma Silverman 4/30/2021 10:29 AM

Asheville already has outdoor places for people to go, they could just be fixed up some. For example, there are some paths by New Belgium Brewery that would be really nice if they were cleaned up and made more accessible.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. In what ways (i.e. with money, time, advocacy) can you invest in geothermal energy?

Emma Silverman 4/29/2021 9:18 AM

I can invest advocacy, and education into geothermal energy. I don’t know if my family can afford to buy a geothermal energy system, but I can educate others about it and advocate for it.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Emma Silverman 4/28/2021 9:01 AM

A sustainable community would have lots of local and locally sourced stores, bike lanes, areas for people to be outside, and access to methane digesters.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass technology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share your new knowledge with your friends!

Emma Silverman 4/27/2021 9:02 AM

I had never heard of biomass technology before, so this was really cool to learn about. I was really surprised that biogas could be made into cans and bottles, and that biomass could be made into gas or oil for cars or planes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Research Peatlands

Much 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?

Emma Silverman 4/25/2021 3:08 PM

Something I can do is buy products without palm oil in them, and spread awareness about peatlands.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

What did you learn about the climate impact of refrigerants? How do supermarkets contribute to this impact?

Emma Silverman 4/23/2021 7:05 AM

I learned that refrigerants are made of CFCs, and that CFC deteriorates the stratospheric ozone layer. Supermarkets contribute to this because they need lots of refrigerators to keep the food cool and fresh.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Bioplastics

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Emma Silverman 4/22/2021 8:40 AM

What concerns me most is that we have many solutions to stop climate change, have healthier and more sustainable ways of farming, and we are purposefully not using them.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn about Temperate Forests

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?

Emma Silverman 4/20/2021 9:02 AM

Learning about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges makes me think about the choices I’m going to have to make in the future. Like where I’m getting my food from, and what companies I buy from. I feel a little overwhelmed because there is a lot to do, but I know there are solutions to these problems we just need to put them into motion. I feel hopeful that because our generation is becoming more educated we will make more environmentally conscious choices.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Emma Silverman 4/19/2021 9:20 AM

I eat some foods that have palm oil in them, but I do buy and consume locally sourced meat and try to buy mostly organic fruits and vegetables.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn More about Silvopasture

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?

Emma Silverman 4/16/2021 6:35 AM

I had heard of silvopasture before, but I didn’t know much about it. Now knowing what it means, I think the biggest advantage is that it gives a lot of revenue streams for farmers and how it makes the forests more resilient.

Read More