Change is Hard, and Buying Stuff is Easy
Saloni Dhruve
"Leave the world a better place, far better than you found it ! "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,306 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO503milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO503milestraveled by bus
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UP TO6.6pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO15pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO48single-use bagsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.0water footprintcalculated
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UP TO0.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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UP TO2.0community eventshosted or attended
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UP TO1.0advocacy actioncompleted
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UP TO30minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO2.0treesplanted
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UP TO221minutesspent learning
Saloni's actions
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.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Invest in Nature
A healthy world needs both our daily actions and support from larger systems. I will spend 5 minutes learning about how I can use my investments and savings to advance environmental sustainability.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Plastic in Clothing and Water
Synthetic clothing can contain plastic and shed harmful microplastics into our water. I will use a microplastics catcher in my laundry, or install a microplastics filter for my washing machine.
Land + Forests
Regenerative Agriculture and Me
Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming and ranching in a way that supports life and restores the soil. I will spend 1 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.
Land + Forests
Advocate for Forest Protection
Using my voice can help create a more sustainable and just world. I will contact 1 local, regional, or national decision makers to advocate for public policy that protects forests and improves their ability to sequester carbon and nourish biodiversity.
Land + Forests
Zero Waste Day
The impacts of our waste are far reaching. I will create zero waste for an entire day and share my reflections and learnings on the feed.
Land + Forests
Explore My Area
When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 15 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.
Freshwater + Oceans
Reduce Pollutants in Cleaning
Understanding cleaning product ingredients and their effect on water and biodiversity is helpful to our consumer choices. I will spend 10 minutes learning about how cleaning products affect our water and try making my own cleaning products to reduce pollutants.
Freshwater + Oceans
Understand My Water Footprint
Each of us has a water footprint, directly linked to our daily activities as well as the water required in the production of things we use each day. Understanding our water use is important for a healthy planet. I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste, then share what I learned on the feed.
Freshwater + Oceans
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will organize or participate in a trash pickup at a local river, beach, or natural body of water.
Action Track: Community
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.
Action Track: Community
Sustainability Lunch and Learn
Learning in a social setting can inspire connection and change. I will work with a friend or colleague to plan and host a lunch and learn at work, school, in my neighborhood or other location to learn more about an environmental topic important to me. After the lunch and learn, I will share more about it on the feed.
Action Track: Community
Share My "Why"
I will record a video to share why I am taking action this Earth Month, a sustainable swap I've made, and/or a local conservation effort in my area.
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.
Land + Forests
Personal Waste Audit
The waste we create daily can go unnoticed. I will track the waste I create in a day and post a photo log on the feed to see how much I create and where I can make different choices to reduce my waste going forward.
Climate + Air
Consume only Needs vs Wants
The more stuff we consume, the more greenhouse gasses we put into the atmosphere. I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach this month and only buy things I need.
Climate + Air
Choose Renewable Energy
Renewable energy options are becoming more widespread and accessible. Not only are they good for the planet, they can help save money as well. I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will contact them to advocate for this option in the future.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Use Reusable Bags
Plastic bags can be mistaken for food by many wild animals and can end up in habitats that harm wildlife. I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Beauty and Personal Products
Beauty and personal products can create a lot of waste. I will spend 10 minutes learning about the beauty and body products I use to see if they are refillable or recyclable. If not, I will reach out to the manufacturer to advocate for those options.
Climate + Air
Use Public Transit
Public transportation reduces pollution, improves community, and creates safe streets. I will use public transit 60 miles per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Climate + Air
Declutter My Home Without the Landfill
Each day, I will learn about responsible ways to dispose of items and de-clutter, clean, donate, repurpose or recycle unneeded items in my home to make sure that what I get rid of doesn't go into the landfill.
Action Track: Community
Plant Trees
Trees capture carbon and produce oxygen that is essential to life on earth. I will support this important piece of nature by organizing or joining a community group to plant 2 native trees in my community, public parks, office location, campus or backyard.
Action Track: Community
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY AT EMERSON
I will sign up to the Sustainability Aficionados distribution list to receive global news on sustainability at Emerson, including world news and Greening OF, BY, and WITH news.
Action Track: Community
TAKE PICTURES AND SHARE ON LINKEDIN
I will take at least one photograph that is connected with this year's theme of Nature Conservation & Biodiversity (for example an urban park, bee hives, birds and other animals...) and I will post it on LinkedIn with the hashtags #EarthMonthEcochallenge #EarthMonthAtEmerson.
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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Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 10:46 PM“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” —Bill Nye-
arun khanduri 4/29/2024 11:02 PMSo true
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Zero Waste DayWhat was hard about having a Zero Waste Day? What did you learn about yourself and your habits?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 2:07 AMThe hardest thing about going zero waste is stepping off the consumer treadmill. The hardest thing is not buying stuff. We forget that everything else we buy is also contributing to the “waste” issue.
Change is Hard, and Buying Stuff is Easy
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Regenerative Agriculture and MeWhat did you learn about the practice and benefits of regenerative agriculture? How can you support healthy farming practices for people and the planet?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 2:03 AMThis is how we can support healthy farming practices -
1. Buy from local farmers as much as possible.
2. Support organizations developing regenerative and indigenous agriculture systems.
3. Learn more about regenerative practices in your area and around the world
4. Plant your own regenerative garden.
5. Share knowledge about how and why regenerative agriculture is important.-
Edna Jaycinth 4/29/2024 3:05 AMInteresting!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Explore My AreaWhere did you go for your walk or hike in nature? What were the benefits of doing so?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 2:01 AMWalking in nature is a simple yet powerful way to improve your physical, emotional and mental health, having been shown to have wide-ranging health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and increasing overall well-being. It can also help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular fitness. Additionally, exposure to nature has been linked to improved cognitive function and creativity.-
Vijay Jawade 4/29/2024 2:03 AMYes and it is so easy for each one of us. Let us do it.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Personal Waste AuditWhat are the results of your waste audit and what did you learn? How can you reduce your waste going forward?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:51 AMIt shows us the different products that enter our lives and become trash that is generated by us. It shows us the way to find solutions for it.
Here are some ways to reduce your waste -
1. SEGREGATE AT COLLECTION
2. FINDING SOLUTIONS
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Vijay Jawade 4/29/2024 2:05 AMBe Minimalist!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Choose Eco-Friendly Wood and PaperBeyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:44 AMBeyond carbon sequestration, NBS contribute to improved air quality. The restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems result in cleaner air, reducing health-related costs as well.-
Shyamaladevi Samraj 4/29/2024 1:49 AMTrue
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Advocate for Forest ProtectionHigher standards of living are very often dependent on moving our environmental costs elsewhere. What are some specific ways in which the environmental impacts of your own lifestyle might be shifted elsewhere?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:42 AMNow’s the time to think about little changes that can be made to reduce our environmental impact.
Tip 1 – Watch your energy consumption
Tip 2 – Go vegetarian for a day
Tip 3 – Recycle old technology
Tip 4 – Conserve resources
Tip 5 – Buy in season and avoid packaging
Tip 6 – Travel smart
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Edna Jaycinth 4/29/2024 3:08 AMGood tips.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Low Water GardeningWhat are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:29 AMDesalination, in combination with climate change is one of the biggest concerns in the area. If no measures are taken, it will increase the gulf’s coastal water temperature by at least five degrees Fahrenheit across more than 50 percent of the area by 2050, -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Reduce Pollutants in CleaningWhat did you learn about ingredients in our cleaning products and how they impact water and biodiversity? Did you try making your own cleaning products? If so, how did it go?
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:18 AMPhosphates in laundry and dishwasher detergent have a fertilising effect, triggering the widespread growth of algae that saps away the water's oxygen, reducing biodiversity. By reducing water tension, surfactants allow other pollutants in water bodies to be absorbed more easily by plants and animals. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Join a Cleanup EffortHow does working with others to clean up your community make you feel? What results did you see? Please consider posting a photo of your cleanup!
Saloni Dhruve 4/29/2024 1:17 AMDoing good for the planet does not only have to involve big actions, like buying an electric vehicle or switching to solar. Small actions are also impactful, especially when people work together.Volunteering to pick up litter is not only impactful for the local community but can also be a fun group activity to get to know people, or in this case your colleagues.