Maya Zung
"Welcome to the WSP & Friends Ecochallengers team! We are excited to learn and grow with you this year!"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,259 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO4.0conversationswith people
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UP TO1,320gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO20locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO20meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO365minutesspent exercising
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UP TO340minutesspent learning
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UP TO310minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO210minutesbeing mindful
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UP TO10plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO3.3pounds of paperhave been saved
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UP TO2.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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UP TO13zero-waste mealsconsumed
Maya's actions
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.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Switch your Search Engine
Ecosia is a search engine with servers that run on 200% renewable energy, plants a tree for every ~45 searches made, and does not sell your data to 3rd parties. See ecosia.org for more information and how to set your search engine default to Ecosia
Health and Education
Learn about the Need for Family Planning
Health and Education
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions
All Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions
I will spend at least 20 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture
Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.
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.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Learn More about Biomass
Biomass Power
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.
Action Track: Climate Resilience
Learn about 'Green Gentrification'
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.
Transportation
Make it a Habit to Drive for better MPG
By far, the best recommendation to reduce your fuel consumption is to NOT drive your car. Opt to walk or bike when you can. When you have to drive, there are a few habits to be mindful of to reduce your fuel consumption. Avoiding bad driving habits like accelerating too quickly or late braking and using your cruise control more frequently can all improve MPG. To make things more interesting, keep track of your MPG with each tank fill-up and challenge yourself or compete with a friend to improve the results each time. Click below to LEARN more driving habits to reduce your fuel consumption.
Transportation
Improve the MPG on my existing car.
Not everyone has the pocket book to purchase a new electric, hybrid or 40+ MPG vehicle. But you can still do your part to improve your current vehicle's MPG. Regular maintenance and replacement of a few key items will go a long way toward that goal. Click the LEARN button below to explore what you can do to get the most out of your tank of gas:
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Composting
Composting, Reduced Food Waste
I will start a compost bin where I live.
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.
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.
Industry
Reduce Single-Use Disposables
Bioplastics
Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and BIPOC-majority neighborhoods. I will avoid buying and using 1 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
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.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Tend A Garden
I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.
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.
Action Track: Accelerating Solutions
Express My Support For Walkable Cities
Walkable Cities
I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.
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.
Action Track: Accelerating Solutions
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.
Transportation
Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail
High-Speed Rail
I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.
Transportation
Conduct Virtual Meetings
Telepresence
I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.
Transportation
Express My Support For Equitable Biking Infrastructure
Bicycle Infrastructure
I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.
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.
Transportation
Advocate For Greener Vehicles
Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars, Efficient Trucks
I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles
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.
Industry
Find a Local Climate-Friendly Supermarket
Refrigerant Management
I will explore the interactive map in the links below to find a supermarket that does not use HFC refrigerants near my home.
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.
Buildings
Install A Toilet Tank Bank
Low-Flow Fixtures
I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water a day or 330 gallons (1,230 L) a month by installing a toilet tank bank.
Buildings
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Low-Flow Fixtures
I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day or 450 gallons (1,680 L) a month by installing a low-flow showerhead.
Buildings
Fix Leaky Faucets
Low-Flow Fixtures
I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities. Fixing leaky faucets can save up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.
Land Sinks
Explore My Area
Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 30 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.
Land Sinks
Support a Community Garden
Multiple Solutions
I will support a community garden by volunteering, donating, or advocating for a new or existing one.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 2
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will replace or remove from my current diet the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products that are known to contribute to deforestation.
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.
Health and Education
Support Businesses Owned by Women, BIPOC, or Immigrants
Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders
I will spend 30 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.
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.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Zero-waste Cooking
Reduced Food Waste
I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Smaller Portions
Reduced Food Waste
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Support Local Food Systems
Plant-Rich Diets
I will source 50 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.
Industry
Learn about Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Spend 15 minutes and learn about WSP as a leader in helping clients respond to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Zero-waste CookingIn 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?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:23 AMI love to take my vegetable scraps to make soup stock! Also citrus peels make delicious additions to water and tea! I also have begun pickling a lot of the spare pieces of my veggies -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land Use Reduce Animal ProductsWhy do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:22 AMMeat is expensive to produce. Although eating meat is not evil, the amount of meat we consume, and how we are sourcing it is not good at all. The mass production and consumption is the problem -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCoastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks Smart Seafood ChoicesMany 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?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:20 AMI think that there are definite changes I can make to my diet to fall within guidelines for sustainable fish consumption. I will pay more attention to where my fish is sourced from! -
REFLECTION QUESTION
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REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Climate Resilience 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?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:19 AMObviously climate action plans need to consider the earth, but we need to remember the people on it. There are a lot of climate oriented actions that are not accessible to people with lower incomes. A Climate Action Plan needs to consider all people -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Accelerating Solutions Express My Support For Walkable CitiesHow could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:18 AMNYC is a beautiful city with so much to see. With more people walking there would be less cars and noise pollution! -
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:15 AMToday is the last day of the ecochallenge and it was such a pleasure participating with everyone! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Research and Advocate for High-Speed RailWhat are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety. What would need to change for you to regularly choose more climate-friendly options?
Maya Zung 4/30/2021 8:14 AMI think that money and convenience are the biggest factors in influencing my choices. I think by making climate-friendly options more accessible or cheaper more people will be willing to change their modes of transport -
Maya Zung 4/22/2021 7:14 AMHappy Earth Day Everyone! Keep up the great work! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Accelerating Solutions Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy CreditsYour 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?
Maya Zung 4/20/2021 9:00 AMAll of my lights and appliances are controlled by Alexa, and I have set it up so that when I leave my apt everything automatically shuts off!