Earth Month Ecochallenge: Drawdown

April 1 - April 30, 2021

Carolyn Vallejo

ecoCaledon

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
961 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

140

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

48

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

1,025

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

295

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

mile

traveled by bike
UP TO

0.0

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

730

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched

Carolyn's 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

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

Land Sinks

plawking for a greener outside space

"plawking" is the trend that brings together walking and litter picking.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Transportation

Go by Bike

Bicycle Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 2 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Transportation

Use Muscle Power

Multiple Transportation Solutions

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 28
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 29
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

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 40 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Sinks

Advocate for Forest Protection

Forest Protection

I will contact 3 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws, as well as the rights of local people to protect and restore the land in their communities.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 60 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Calculate My Carbon Footprint

All Drawdown Solutions

I will calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce my negative impact on the environment.

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

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?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/25/2021 7:57 AM
I stopped eating fish when I became totally plant-based 4 months ago. I don't even miss it. Now that I am wise to over-fishing and the inhumane catching methods used by some fishers, I cannot support this industry.

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- Solveig Christina Voss 4/26/2021 12:42 PM
  I really like this action item and will add it to my list to learn more about Canada's advisories on fish-eating. We watched Seaspiracy on Netflix yesterday. I am still grappling with the claims and contents of this documentary. For us in first world countries, making the decision to cut industrially sourced seafood from the menu sounds reasonable. However, we are both from a coast-based community and completely cutting fish is a revolutionary thought. Hence I assume getting educated will help to move forward. Thanks for answering this reflection question!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/22/2021 10:26 AM
My favorite method of transportation is definitely walking as I can connect with nature and go at my own pace. It's also more social than driving as I may sometimes pass a neighbour or two and have a physically-distanced visit.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

How does using human-powered transportation make you feel compared to using other methods of transportation?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/22/2021 10:24 AM
When I use human powered transportation I feel invigorated from the exercise and a sense of satisfaction of having chosen a greener method of travel!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/21/2021 6:54 AM
I try to be as present as possible on my walks to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of my outdoor surroundings. I have loved hearing the birds now that they are back and busy with nesting. I have been bothered, however, by all the litter I see on our trail ways. It's disturbing to think that there are people who have little regard for the conservation of our outdoor spaces and carelessly throw their plastic bottles and food packaging on the ground. I have been plalking as much as I can. We at ecoCaledon are encouraging others to plalk as well as a way to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise and get some of this plastic out of our natural environment.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.
Carolyn Vallejo 4/21/2021 6:49 AM
I cannot think of one single experience that has altered my perspective, however I strongly believe that daily exposure to nature has a significant impact on mood and consequently, over time, a positive effect on both mental and physical health. Spending time outside also reminds us of the beauty and fragility of our earth and the urgent need to preserve it.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Climate Resilience

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?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/20/2021 6:22 AM
I always try to shop at women owned, local businesses whenever I can. I also own two businesses so I know the challenges we face as women in balancing the commitment to family with our need and desire to do the paid work we feel passionate about. I am always on the lookout for new women-owned businesses to support, especially if they are businesses that promote the health of people and the planet.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/13/2021 6:25 AM
Spending time outdoors brings me into the present moment. I find that it's where I go to reconnect with the physical world and take a break from the constant loop of thought that streams through my head. I breathe and notice the physical beauty around me, including the smells and sounds of life. Outside time is critical to our well-being. It keeps us conscious of our connectedness to the earth and the need to preserve that connectedness.

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- Solveig Christina Voss 4/14/2021 11:53 AM
  Every time I spot a new bird, an animal I haven't seen (outside of a zoo) before or identify a plant, I realize anew how rich wildlife is and how much there is to discover. I think this is an important part of childhood education. You can only love and protect what you know.
  
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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?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/11/2021 2:06 PM
During our Just Eat It, Caledon Food Waste Challenge in February this year, we at ecoCaledon learned creative ways to use up veggie scraps. The easiest way is to store them away in a bag during the week and use them to make stock. You never get the same stock twice and it usually turns out to be delicious!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What stood out to you most about your carbon footprint? What surprised you or sparked curiosity? Where can you take most immediate action?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/11/2021 2:03 PM
I was most surprised that is was as high as it was. I think we need to improve most in the areas of energy consumption. We have a relatively large home and a pool heated with gas. I now want to look into ways to convert our pool to solar heat if possible, and find ways to use less energy in terms of heating and cooling. We also hope to replace one of our cars with an EV next year, which will help a lot.

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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?
Carolyn Vallejo 4/11/2021 2:00 PM
My vision for a sustainable community would include easily accessible public transit and safe bike paths, I would love to see more healthy food that is locally grown using regenerative practices and available to all. We also need alternatives when it comes to our energy use - more access to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal energy! We need to get our local, provincial and federal governments to support projects that will help us work towards sustainable communities.

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- Solveig Christina Voss 4/14/2021 11:59 AM
  Safe bicycle lanes, a public transportation network, smaller housing projects with fewer empty lawns but more native plants!
  
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