Abby Marx
"My mission is to live in a way that does more good than harm to the planet. I want to be mindful of my choices and help empower myself and those around me to do what we can for the planet. "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 961 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO48pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO1.0Carbon FootprintCalculated
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UP TO273plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO1.0water footprintcalculated
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UP TO30advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO3.0hoursvolunteered
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UP TO1.0treeplanted
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UP TO1,785minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO300minutesspent learning
Abby's actions
Land + Forests
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 1 native trees in my community, public parks, office location, campus or backyard.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Endangered Species
Wildlife and biodiversity play an important role on our planet and are being threatened each year. I will spend 10 minutes each day learning about the current status of local or global wildlife and how I can align my actions to support their livelihood.
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
Invest in Nature
A healthy world needs both our daily actions and support from larger systems. I will spend 10 minutes learning about how I can use my investments and savings to advance environmental sustainability.
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.
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
Stay on the Ground
Carbon emissions from air travel is harmful to planetary and human health. Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).
Climate + Air
Online Energy Audit
Energy use and waste is often invisible. I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Land + Forests
Explore My Area
When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 60 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
Regenerative Agriculture and Me
Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming and ranching in a way that supports life and restores the soil. I will spend 20 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.
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
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.
Action Track: Community
Raise Awareness for the Conservation of Freshwater and Oceans
I will spend 30 minutes learning more about the importance of freshwater + ocean conservation, and how I can reduce my water use. I will share what I learn with people in person, on social media, and on the feed.
Freshwater + Oceans
Smart Seafood Choices
We need to support healthy seafood populations. I will spend 15 minutes learning about sustainable seafood choices, commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean, and share what I learned on the feed.
Action Track: Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 1 hours in my community.
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
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.
Land + Forests
30 for 30 in Nature
Studies have shown that when we spend consistent time in nature, our health improves, our creativity increases, and our connection to the planet gets stronger. Each day of the Ecochallenge, I will spend 30 minutes outside (in a large or small patch of nature), then share my observations, reflections, and learnings 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
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 10 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
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
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
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.
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 QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Invest in NatureWhat did you learn about how investing can support the environment and create a more sustainable world?
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:21 PMInvesting in our future is important not just for our own sake but for our communities. As humans, we need to take care of each other. We can't solve these problems alone and we need to all do our part to invest in a healthier planet so we can live longer, healthier lives and be good stewards so we are not passing down a larger problem to the next generation. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Plant TreesHow is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:19 PMPlanting trees connects us to the soil, and allows us to create something with our hands. This keeps us present in the moment and gives us the satisfaction of watching something grow and accomplishing something. This also gets us outside and working with our bodies which is good movement for a healthy body! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Seek Alternative Gifts and SouvenirsHow do your consumption choices affect the health of wildlife and other communities?
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:17 PMThis is a topic I haven't really thought about but when I look back at how many gift shops I've gone through and how many useless items there are in there I see how this can be a real problem. I think food is a really great souvenir because it is consumable and not creating more waste while allowing others to experience a small part of the culture that you visited. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Endangered SpeciesWhat endangered species did you learn about and what did you learn?
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:14 PMI learned about whales and birds. I learned that the main reason whales are endangered in the Puget sound is due to lack of food and pollution. Since my job is to support salmon passage, I hope my work will eventually help the whales by supporting salmon populations. I also learned that placing decals on home and office windows can be helpful for preventing endangered birds from running into buildings and becoming endangered. Also, visiting state and national parks helps support natural habitat and endangered species! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Beauty and Personal ProductsWhat new insights did you gain about the skincare products you use? Did you reach out to advocate for refillable or recyclable packaging?
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:09 PMI didn't even realize there were makeup options that were refillable. It is a bit more pricey at first to initially invest in the refillable package but the refills for the makeup are actually cheaper and you are preventing more waste. I reached out to Jonathan Van Ness on Instagram too about their makeup line to see if they might invest in sustainable packaging because I think they would be very receptive to changing. I am now going to look for refillable deodorant next time I need some. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Save the BeesWhat did you plant for bees in your area? Please consider uploading a photo!
Abby Marx 4/30/2024 10:06 PMI planted marigolds and a few other plants that pollinators love! The marigold will be a double bonus because they are also companion plants for my tomatoes! -
Abby Marx 4/29/2024 9:38 PMI have been sharing my Eco challenge with my friends and family, hoping to inspire them to make small changes in their daily lives as well!-
Janakiraman G 4/29/2024 9:42 PMNice
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Abby Marx 4/29/2024 9:37 PMThis month has helped me realize how much I can do as an individual and how important is it for each of us to take action everyday! It can be hard to change up your normal routine but most things are actually better after changing!-
Miroslav Považai 4/29/2024 9:45 PMYou´re absolutely right. For me personaly was not change mindset, but chance to improve myself. :-)
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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?
Abby Marx 4/29/2024 8:36 PMI learned that regenerative agriculture plants crops using no-till, uses cover crops, decreased use of pesticides, and allowing grazing land to rest. This all help improve soil health which increases carbon storage. I can support healthy farming practices by supporting companies who advocate for regenerative farming. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Zero Waste DayWhat was hard about having a Zero Waste Day? What did you learn about yourself and your habits?
Abby Marx 4/29/2024 3:09 PMIt wasn't hard since it was a weekend and I typically don't create much waste on the weekends anyway but I did have to think about a couple things and decide if I really needed it.