Earth Month Ecochallenge 2025: Conservation

April 1 - April 30, 2025

Scott Grimes

""To explore and protect the rugged beauty of mountains, rock escarpments, and crags in remote places. My mission is to foster a deep connection with nature, inspiring others to appreciate and preserve these wild landscapes. Through my adventures, I aim to promote environmental stewardship and ensure that the serenity and majesty of these natural wonders endure for future generations.""

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
384 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

carbon footprint

calculated
UP TO

1.0

water collection system

installed
UP TO

80

donations

made
UP TO

120

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

120

minutes

spent learning

Scott's actions

Health and Well-Being

Go Get a Check Up

Regular health check-ups help prevent problems before they start. I will schedule or attend a medical, dental, or mental health check-up to take care of my well-being.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Reduce Food Waste

Wasting food also wastes water, energy, and resources. I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Land, Water, and Air

Collect Rain Water

Rainwater collection reduces water waste and supports gardens. I will install a rain barrel or collect rainwater to use for 2 outdoor tasks, such as watering plants or cleaning.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Calculate My Carbon Impact

Knowing our carbon footprint is the first step to reducing it. I will calculate my carbon impact and identify lifestyle changes that could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment. I will share my commitments to lowering my impact on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Learn About Water Justice

Access to clean water is a basic right, yet not everyone has it. I will spend 60 minutes learning about water justice issues and who is affected.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Well-Being

Audit Toxic Products in my Home

Many common products contain harmful chemicals. I will spend 30 minutes researching chemicals found in products I use, and I will make a list of products I'd like to replace with safer options.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Learn how Businesses measure their Carbon footprint

Businesses can play a big role in reducing carbon emissions and it starts with measuring them. I will review the video and infographic provided to learn about the three Scopes of corporate greenhouse gas emissions, and how Donaldson is managing and reducing operational emissions at all our sites. I will think about and share my reduction ideas in the link provided.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Well-Being

Declutter and Donate

Decluttering can reduce stress and benefit others. I will declutter my home and donate items I no longer need to support others in my community.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Well-Being

Enjoy the Outdoors for 30 Minutes

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, then share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the feed.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Sustainable Innovation

Learn about climate action specific to your job function

As engines that keep all businesses running, employees can be catalysts for more sustainable outcomes at scale. I will spend at least 20 minutes reviewing the action guide specific to my job function (scroll down to the circles in the linked page below) and think about one way I could drive more positive impact in my current job

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Empowering the Next Generation

Learn About Indigenous Conservation Practices

Indigenous communities have stewarded ecosystems for generations through deep-rooted knowledge and connection to nature. I will spend 60 minutes exploring Indigenous conservation methods and reflecting on their role in fostering balance and equity with nature.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Health and Well-Being

Share a Health or Well-being Resource

Sharing knowledge helps others nurture their well-being. Through social media, in the Ecochallenge feed, or in conversations, I will share 5 health or well-being resources with friends, family, or my community to promote a healthier, more resilient world.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Community and Connection

Attend a Local Event

Local events such as farmers' markets, festivals, or community meetings like town halls are great ways to feel part of a community. I will attend 1 community events to connect with others and learn more about my area.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Offer a Skill or Service

Sharing our talents can benefit those around us. I will offer my skills or services to support my community, such as helping someone with a task, tutoring, repairing something, or volunteering my expertise.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Well-Being

What did you observe or experience while spending time outside, and how did it affect you? How does connecting with nature enhance your physical and mental well-being?
Scott Grimes 4/17/2025 7:39 AM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
Enjoying the outdoors - even when it doesn't seem hospitable - still offers an opportunity to connect in a way that feels more real, which, at least for me, always brings a deeper sense of well-being.

Taken May 16th 2024 while on a bike ride through local farm land in South Eastern PA.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Empowering the Next Generation

What lessons did you learn from Indigenous conservation practices, and how can these inspire the next generation to create a more sustainable and equitable future?
Scott Grimes 4/15/2025 6:15 PM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
I have had the distinct privilege of having an uncle who is Navajo. Over the years I have learned about his respect for nature which has only been reinforced by his three daughters (my cousins) years of advocacy not only for native people but for Mother Earth. Pictured here at a recent family gathering this past June I had the opportunity to learn more about his unique viewpoints not just on sociopolitical topics but also on larger issues on how their approach to conservation has historically been holistic, spiritual, and reciprocal rather than purely utilitarian or scientific. "Stewardship not Ownership"

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Well-Being

How did decluttering and donating items make you feel, both emotionally and physically?
Scott Grimes 4/14/2025 5:26 PM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
The importance of repurposing physical items we often view as disposable is paramount to the core principles of conservation—principles that form the very foundation of a sustainable future. While modern dialogue is saturated with talk of sustainability, the word conservation is increasingly absent, as if it no longer fits the narrative of our consumption-driven culture.

Sustainability today is often framed through the lens of innovation—new technologies, biodegradable materials, circular economies. But conservation is more grounded, more tactile. It invites us to reconsider not just how we use things, but how we value them. It demands a slower, more deliberate approach: one that asks what already exists, what can be repaired, reused, or repurposed, before we rush to replace.

Repurposing everyday items—a worn-out shirt into a rag, an old ladder into a bookshelf, glass jars into food containers—is more than a crafty pastime. It is a conscious act of conservation, a small rebellion against the disposable mindset. It reminds us that the life of a product doesn't end at its first use. There's a story to be continued, not discarded.

In a world that is quick to produce and quicker to toss, conservation requires intention. It reconnects us with the physical world and our responsibility to it. It calls for a shift—not just in how we consume, but in how we perceive worth and waste.

Let’s bring conservation back into the conversation. Not as a relic of a bygone era, but as a practical, personal, and powerful part of sustainable living.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land, Water, and Air

How can we, both individually and collectively, reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions in daily life or business practices? Since this is Donaldson-specific, please share your response HERE
Scott Grimes 4/10/2025 5:09 PM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
Use energy-efficient appliances and lighting, such as LED bulbs and ENERGY STAR-rated devices. Adopt habits like turning off lights and unplugging devices when not in use to lower electricity consumption. Choose locally sourced and plant-based foods to reduce emissions from food transportation and production. Practice recycling and composting to minimize waste-related emissions.

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Scott Grimes 4/08/2025 3:40 PM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
I just signed up for the action, "Audit toxic products in my home." This is a subject I've spent years researching—beginning with non-stick cookware. Why non-stick? Early in my industrial sales career, I became very familiar with fluorinated polymers, specifically PFA and PTFE. I gravitated toward building custom sub-assemblies using PFA 440 HP (Teflon) for the semiconductor industry. It allowed me to differentiate both myself and my product portfolio from every other pipe, tube, and fitting supplier out there.

Interestingly, those products were manufactured in Chaska, MN.

When I was trained to weld sub-assemblies, I was told that fumes from the welding process could cause flu-like symptoms if exposure was excessive. I later learned this condition is known as Fluoropolymer Fume Fever. Thankfully, my time as a welder was brief, and I moved on to a different company where I truly began to focus on filtration technologies. Still, the experience stuck with me and sparked a journey of self-education. When my wife and I started a family, I made it a priority to eliminate non-stick cookware from our kitchen. Improper use of non-stick cookware can result in the off-gassing of volatile compounds, the effects of which on human health are not yet fully understood.

My hope is that people will remove both the phrase non-stick cookware and the concept itself from their vocabulary and their kitchens. Learn how to cook with stainless steel or cast iron. Please don’t fall for executive chef gimmickry—at least not until there is validated, third-party testing on the toxicology of the materials used in manufacturing these products.

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Scott Grimes 4/04/2025 12:44 PM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
Just took the Carbon Foot Print Calculation Test. Ugh...I'm a climate villain! Biggest issue - travel. This going to be a hard one to fight. Whether its work related or pleasure I/we love to travel.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land, Water, and Air

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money? What patterns did you notice in the food you threw away, and how can you address them?
Scott Grimes 4/04/2025 5:29 AM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
Working in the food and beverage industry, I see firsthand what our customers do to cut down on food waste. Yet, there is still an astonishing amount of product that doesn't make it to grocery store shelves. Compounding this problem of waste and food loss are perishable products that exceed their date codes before being sold.

It is exciting to see companies like Danone prioritize the issue of food loss, placing it front and center on their list of key objectives.

Click here: Food Waste

As the impact of food production on the Earth's climate increases, it will continue to burden our world's food supply chain. Reducing food waste, even at home, can help in achieving a more sustainable future.

Prior to the holiday break, Xavi Escude and I exchanged recipes for paella. This inspired me to make a seafood-style paella for the entire family gathering. One dish—hardly any leftovers! Careful menu planning can help reduce what may eventually end up in the trash can.

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Scott Grimes 4/01/2025 5:57 AM
- Earth Advocate 📣
- 8-DAY STREAK
Why did I join the challenge? To share my experiences through a lens that is not always thought of. As a climber I am afforded a different vantage point of our landscape. A broader view not encumbered by the distractions that migrate into our periphery. The seemingly untouched landscape and the creeping signs of human impact are both visible from an elevated perspective. This unique viewpoint adds to my passion for conservation and drives me to participate in the eco-challenge. I hope to inspire others to see the world through a different lens, to appreciate the delicate balance of nature, and to take action in preserving it. Every climb reminds me of the interconnectedness of our actions and the environment, and I believe that together, we can make a difference.

Cascade PNW Snoqualmie Region: Mt. Baker Coleman Glacier Ice Field (2004)

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