Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Madeline Tate

Asheville High School Spring 2021!

"I want to learn about how I can be more environmentally conscious. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
525 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

443

minutes

spent learning

Madeline'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

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

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

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 16 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 37 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 16 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 95 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 57 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 75 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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

Madeline Tate 4/30/2021 8:16 AM

Our city can make its climate plans more socially just by taking into account the effect of switching to renewable solutions on everyone, especially the people who live in areas where climate change is increasingly prevalent.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/29/2021 9:19 AM

You can advocate for geothermal energy in your community, as well as making sure that people know the advantages of switching over to geothermal. If you have the means, you can also invest in companies that specialize in geothermal production.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/28/2021 9:05 AM

My vision of a sustainable community is a community that uses renewable and clean energy sources, as well as supporting local businesses rather than big corporations. In order for this to become a reality, people in power need to put the needs of civilians in front of the needs of themselves, their cooperations, and their economic stability.

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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!

Madeline Tate 4/27/2021 2:20 PM

I had not heard of biomass technology before. I learned that biomass is the largest supply of carbon on Earth, so it is a bit surprising that we aren't using it as much as we could as an energy source.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/26/2021 9:14 AM

You could look for foods that don't include palm oil and try to stay away from packaged/processed foods altogether.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/20/2021 9:01 AM

This makes me think a lot about the forests around Asheville and around where I live. We live in the forest, and I feel a certain special connection to the trees on our property, so I feel like if we all thought about trees and that way, we would be more hesitant to cut them down. Climate change and the large number of recent forest fires feel irreversible somehow. I feel hopeful knowing that forests are resilient and that we can still mostly undo the damage that has been done.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/19/2021 9:27 AM

I eat meat regularly, but mainly chicken and fish. I probably eat red meat 1-2 times per week. I try to buy from local/sustainable farmers, but I am trying to cut back on meat and turn to more plant-based options.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/16/2021 8:28 AM

I had not heard of the term silvopasture before, but I definitely do think that the advantages are immense and should be taken into consideration by farmers. I believe that the biggest benefit is climate control; not only does raising livestock in a forest absorb more methane emissions than in a field but it is proven that cows produce more milk and grow bigger when they are raised in an area with at least some shade, meaning that fewer cows would be needed to produce the same amount of food.

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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?

Madeline Tate 4/12/2021 12:58 PM

A lot of women around the world are denied access to healthcare and education, specifically when it comes to sexual health. Many women are not in control over their own sexual decisions, such as when or if they want kids and when or if they want to get married. Globally, 750 million girls are married before the age of eighteen, meaning that they don't get the full education they are entitled to and are often forced into early motherhood and sexual maturity.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education Learn about the Need for Family Planning

What did you learn about the need for family planning? How do the needs of different people in different places compare to each other?

Madeline Tate 4/01/2021 9:53 AM

I learned that family planning not only empowers women and girls but also helps reduce the effects of global warming. Women in developing countries tend to have less of a say in their family plan and sexual health, simply because they lack access to education and effective birth control. This means that we need to focus resources on women in developing countries and empower them to make their own decisions regarding sexual health.

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