Kelsey Folmar
"My goal for this Ecochallenge is to learn more about the impacts I have on my environment, community, and overall planet."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,116 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO1.0Carbon FootprintCalculated
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UP TO99plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO24pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO1.0water footprintcalculated
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UP TO10minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO410minutesspent learning
Kelsey's actions
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
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
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
It'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.
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.
Action Track: Community
Raise Awareness for the Conservation of Freshwater and Oceans
I will spend 10 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.
Land + Forests
Explore My Area
When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 20 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood, office, or campus (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).
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.
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.
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
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 1 hours in my community.
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 1 native trees in my community, public parks, office location, campus or backyard.
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 10 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.
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
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.
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 QUESTIONClimate + Air Online Energy AuditWhere did you do an energy audit (work, home, school, other) and what did you learn?
Kelsey Folmar 4/05/2024 6:34 AMThere are certainly more ways we can improve our home, but we have LED lightbulbs, energy-efficient, double-paned windows, added insulation last summer, and we installed a new HVAC system with zoning to optimize our on-demand heating and cooling in the areas we need it most. However, our home was built in 1966, so there is always an opportunity to find a new way to improve! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Borrow Before I BuyHow did you participate in the sharing economy? (Consider posting a photo!) What are the benefits of a sharing economy? How could a sharing economy change the dynamics you have with friends, family and/or neighbors?
Kelsey Folmar 4/05/2024 6:32 AMOne of the benefits of living within a five-mile radius of 50+ family members is that I have a huge built-in network of people to call if we need to borrow an item! -
Kelsey Folmar 4/05/2024 6:24 AMDECLUTTER MY HOME WITHOUT THE LANDFILL
My daughter and I selected about 15 books from her own library shelf to donate to her elementary school this morning. She was excited, as they usually add a sticker on the inside of the books that list the name of the donor, which will be her name. She recently came home with a book in her backpack donated by a girl who is now 22 years old and I used to "teach" during my senior year of high school! Small world (and small town), but it's a fun way to give back to our community and all the students at her elementary school. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Explore My AreaWhere did you go for your walk or hike in nature? What were the benefits of doing so?
Kelsey Folmar 4/04/2024 11:09 AMMy dad, daughter, and I went for a walk around our neighborhood last night—something we've not yet done as a family since he moved in with us last year! My dad is committed to walking around the neighborhood each day, so we'll likely continue this trend and start enjoying this light exercise as a family. -
Kelsey Folmar 4/04/2024 11:08 AMDECLUTTER MY HOME WITHOUT THE LANDFILLMy daughter and I went through some of her old toys last night and added them to the donation box, which we will drop off at the thrift store this weekend. We'll keep decluttering and ensure that we're giving our things that we no longer need to a second home or family that will enjoy them! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate + Air Calculate My Carbon ImpactWhere in your life do you emit the most carbon? What change are you willing to make in your daily life to reduce this output?
Kelsey Folmar 4/03/2024 9:51 AMThis was a bit of a surprise!
If everyone lived like you, we would need 2.8 Earths. 😭- 4.6—Your Ecological Footprint (global hectares or gha)
- 6.5—Your Carbon Footprint (CO2 emissions in tonnes per year)
- 49—Your Carbon Footprint (% of your total Ecological Footprint)
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REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Community Raise Awareness for the Conservation of Freshwater and OceansWhat did you learn about freshwater and oceans you did not already know? In sharing this information with people in your life, which conversation was impactful to you?
Kelsey Folmar 4/03/2024 9:45 AMAs part of my efforts to keep our freshwater and oceans cleaner, I enjoy recycling as much as we can within our household. We have reduced our trash by more than 50% on our regular trash days and I take our recycling to our community's recycling bins every 10 or so days! We also compost, which my husband uses for his gardening. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBiodiversity + Wildlife Save the BeesWhat did you plant for bees in your area? Please consider uploading a photo!
Kelsey Folmar 4/03/2024 9:37 AMHere are the top 10 flowers that bees 💗 in Texas!- Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis): These vibrant blue flowers are a favorite among bees and are the state flower of Texas.
- Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella): With their striking red and yellow petals, Indian Blankets attract bees with their nectar-rich blooms.
- Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides): This shrubby perennial produces clusters of colorful flowers that bees find irresistible.
- Gregg's Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii): Also known as Gregg's Ageratum, this Texas native plant features clusters of lavender-blue flowers that bees love.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): These perennial flowers with their vibrant purple petals are not only loved by bees but also attract butterflies.
- Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani): With their bright yellow blooms, Maximilian Sunflowers provide a bountiful source of nectar for bees.
- Mexican Hats (Ratibida columnaris): These unique flowers with their drooping petals and cone-shaped centers are a bee favorite due to their nectar-rich blooms.
- Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.): Asters, available in various colors, provide late-season nectar for bees, making them a valuable food source in Texas.
- Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea): These vibrant red flowers are a magnet for bees and other pollinators due to their rich nectar content.
- Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens): The fragrant, showy blooms of Texas Sage are highly attractive to bees, making it a popular choice in Texas gardens.
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Kelsey Folmar 4/03/2024 9:31 AMDECLUTTER MY HOME WITHOUT THE LANDFILLMy daughter has recently had a growth spurt, so her and I cleaned out a few items today to pass along to her cousin! I know that her cousin will appreciate the "new-to-her" clothing and it helps to teach my daughter about kindness, decluttering, and reducing our impact on the environment. -
Kelsey Folmar 4/02/2024 6:36 AMToday, I've selected a few additional items to add to my donation box as part of my decluttering commitment without the landfill. I enjoy donating to a local thrift store, which sells the items for a very small price to members of our local community. Shirts or jeans can be purchased for less than $1, so it's a nice way to give back to the community and also clear out my closet of unwanted clothing or items around the house.