Arti Desai
Deloitte SoCal Team - Los Angeles/ San Diego/ Costa Mesa/ Inglewood
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 717 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0Carbon FootprintCalculated
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UP TO64plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO63pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO14plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO10advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO8.0hoursvolunteered
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UP TO60minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO135minutesspent learning
Arti 's actions
Freshwater + Oceans
Dishwasher Efficiency
Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than a dishwasher. To save water, I will use a dishwasher and scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Seek Alternative Gifts and Souvenirs
When traveling, I will seek souvenirs that support local communities and do not cause harm to the environment or wildlife.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 5 hours in my community.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Invest in Nature
A healthy world needs both our daily actions and support from larger systems. I will spend 30 minutes learning about how I can use my investments and savings to advance environmental sustainability.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Save the Bees
Bees are vital to ecosystems. To help save the bees, I will learn which local flowers provide nectar and plant them in my backyard or in a pot on my balcony.
Climate + Air
Calculate My Carbon Impact
Carbon emissions can show up in many surprising ways in our life. I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how lifestyle changes could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment.
Land + Forests
Explore My Area
When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 30 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood, office, or campus (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).
Land + Forests
Choose Eco-Friendly Wood and Paper
Trees provide food and habitat for local wildlife species, shade our streets and homes, and help keep our air and water clean by capturing pollutants. Buying products that help protect forests makes a difference. I will only purchase wood, furniture, and paper products from ecologically certified sources such as Forest Stewardship Council.
Land + Forests
Borrow Before I Buy
Why buy something I will only use once or a few times if someone nearby has it for me to borrow, and why not share something I have that someone may only need a few times a year? To reduce my consumption and waste, I will create or support the sharing economy with friends, family, colleagues or neighbors.
Land + Forests
Keep My Community Clean
At times it may not feel like it's up to us to keep our community clean and healthy, but we all have a role to play. Each day I am outside, I will pick up any litter I see.
Freshwater + Oceans
Say No to Plastic Straws
An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When marine wildlife ingest plastic, they have a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.
Freshwater + Oceans
Low Water Gardening
Grass lawns are water-intensive and on average require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. Native plants are water-efficient and help maintain the balance and diversity of local ecosystems. I will plant native species with water-efficient plants to conserve water and improve the habitat, then post a photo on the feed to share.
Freshwater + Oceans
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Itr's estimated over a billion water bottles are thrown away each year. Even if they were recycled, that still uses energy and resources from the earth. I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
Freshwater + Oceans
Go Plastic-Free
Millions of tons of plastic is produced each year worldwide. Each day, I will conduct a plastics audit of what I buy and use throughout the challenge (kitchen, bathroom, personal care products, etc.), to see how single-use plastic shows up in my life. I will find plastic-free alternatives to these products and advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, product manufacturers, at work, or on campus.
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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Arti Desai 4/30/2024 6:46 PMCan't believe it is already April 30th! The earth month ecochallenge went by so fast but I am glad I learned some new things that I will keep doing like keep reusable bags handy and using a reusable/glass water bottle. I also will be more mindful to consider public transportation when I can use it -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Use a Reusable Water BottleWhat did you learn about the amount of plastic we consume and what actions will you take to reduce your use of plastic?
Arti Desai 4/30/2024 6:40 PMI came across this article https://time.com/6968550/plastic-test-bisphenol-phthalates/ " A Test Told Me I’m Basically Made of Plastic. You Probably Are Too" so I am making sure that I am not only using a reusable water bottle but that it is made of glass or even metal. -
Arti Desai 4/29/2024 1:30 PMInstead of driving I took public transportation to meet friends for lunch (which is a pretty big deal in Southern California!). I loved it- not only is it ecofriendly but I didn't have to worry or pay for parking, the bus was on time, clean and a great way to utilize public services. Does Deloitte offer Metro passes/discounts for employees? That could be a good way to get more people out and in the office without all the cars, parking, and pollution. -
Arti Desai 4/29/2024 1:25 PMDuring COVID, I picked up gardening as a hobby. I have now started planning succulents as a way to be water wise and reduce water waste (especially important in CA). These plants are also pretty easy to maintain and beautiful!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Say No to Plastic StrawsWhat single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Arti Desai 4/25/2024 2:04 PMWas at dinner with a friend and when we were getting our water and other beverages we both asked for no straws. A lot of places now use paper straws, which is a good alternative but I think no straw in this case is even better-
Lisa Dowland 4/25/2024 3:41 PMI completely agree with you - I would rather have no straw than paper.
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Arti Desai 4/25/2024 2:01 PMCame across this article and wanted to share- great read with some very helpful tips. Earth Day: How to grocery shop to avoid 'pointless plastic' | AP News
Here's a few highlights from the article:
While plastic is everywhere, there are things shopper can do to use less plastic:
- Keep reusable shopping bags in the car
- Ask for your items to be wrapped in paper and not placed in a plastic bag when possible
- Bring reusable cloth produce bags for fruits and veggies-
Lisa Dowland 4/25/2024 4:00 PMAgree with your comment, Claudia. I think we can set an example for others to follow by choosing reusable items in public settings. -
Claudia Zimmermann 4/25/2024 2:13 PMThanks for sharing the article. I also think that everyone can change some habits and that you can reduce the plastic consumption. We do not need to be perfect, we only need to start with something which is easy and then it is a domino effect. Awareness while shopping has helped me to reduce my plastic consumption.
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Arti Desai 4/22/2024 10:51 AMHappy Earth Day!! While I have been extra mindful to find opportunities to be more sustainable this whole Earth Month, my goal is to continue learning and challenging myself to keep up with these activities and share practices with others. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Go Plastic-FreeWhere did plastic show up on your life that surprised you the most? What plastic alternative products did you discover you may switch to?
Arti Desai 4/17/2024 2:16 PMWhen I started actively thinking about it- plastic shows up EVERYWHERE! My mail and Amazon orders, household cleaning containers, etc, but the more I looked for what is made of plastic, the more alternatives I was also now able to find in stores. I came across a bamboo toothbrush and also reusable make-up remover wipes that I am excited to try out!-
Lisa Dowland 4/17/2024 3:44 PMI love my reusable makeup remover cloths too!
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