Mathew Lam
"Taking step one can be the most challenging. Start with a goal you know you'll be able to accomplish. Repeat. Then add a new goal or update old ones that you accomplished. Improve. "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 515 TOTAL
participant impact
-
UP TO229pieces of litterpicked up
-
UP TO145plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
-
UP TO1.0water footprintcalculated
-
UP TO30advocacy actionscompleted
-
UP TO2.0community eventshosted or attended
-
UP TO200minutesspent learning
Mathew's actions
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.
Freshwater + Oceans
Smart Seafood Choices
We need to support healthy seafood populations. I will spend 60 minutes learning about sustainable seafood choices, commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean, and share what I learned on the feed.
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
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.
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.
Freshwater + Oceans
Cooking Oil Disposal
Pouring cooking oil down the drain can cause damage to waterways and ecosystems. I will learn how to properly dispose of cooking oil to help support healthy ecosystems.
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
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.
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
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.
Action Track: Community
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
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.
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.
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 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?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:40 PMA little goes a long way. A little plastic a day accumulates and without realizing it, 1 person could easily go through a case of water! I realize that the main barrier for me was access to water I felt I was safe to drink. Learning about the source of tap water, boiled water, etc. helped me feel more comfortable drinking it and now I regularly use one of my Yeti products for only water and have other options for warm drinks. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Community 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!
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:37 PMWorking with friends to clean up an area gave me the chance to reconnect with friends and meet new community members. Being outside in nature helped feeling grounded physically, but mentally as well. Cognizant of the people around me, the nature that lives at the crack of dawn or the ones that come out as dusk approaches. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Community Keep My Community CleanHow does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:35 PMI am more aware of the variety of plants in my community. I go on daily walks with my dog and now, truly slow down and enjoy my environment. Has been helpful for other areas of health, like mental health! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Low Water GardeningWhat are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:32 PMMostly pollution and flooding as living in a hilly environment, there are times where plans will not last their entire season. Seems like the window of (especially) flowering plants are shortening for their seasons. -
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:29 PMMy check ins have been rough, but super happy that I got to learn more about how to better dispose of cooking oil! I started bringing eggrolls to parties/functions and always had a hard time not planning to learn about best practices, so I was glad this was one of the goals for 2024! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Save the BeesWhat did you plant for bees in your area? Please consider uploading a photo!
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:27 PMI have (not yet planted) clovers and other succulent style plants for my front garden area. That area hasn't been kept but has some nice shreubs and flowers, but due to the maintenance, can be difficult for upkeep. I wanted to pivot and use it for the natural PNW pollinators, this year hopefully they come! -
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?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:25 PMHow much energy and materials it can take to transport packages/deliveries. Trying to reuse more packaging for other projects and batch my orders/deliveries where I can. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Cooking Oil DisposalDid anything about this action surprise you? Do you use more or less oil than you thought?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:22 PMI learned a little more about how oil impacts our ecosystems almost regardless how we dispose. Trialing out different ways to store and dispose in batches. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Dishwasher EfficiencyHow can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:21 PMUsing our 50 gallon water collection tank more often. Need to learn how to clean and rely on for garden or in additional to using water during the summer/warmer weather. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Community Sustainability Lunch and LearnWho did you engage in your lunch and learn? What resources did you use? How did it go and what did you learn?
Mathew Lam 4/30/2024 12:19 PMGreen Team at Seattle Children's. Reviewed some of their past presentations on the campus and initiatives we have adopted.