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Ashleigh Horton's avatar

Ashleigh Horton

Heartland College EASC 111

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 321 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    15
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    220
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    water footprint
    calculated
  • UP TO
    67
    minutes
    spent learning

Ashleigh's actions

Wildlife

Learn How to Save the Bees

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. I will spending 20 minutes learning about local pollinators and why they are so important.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

Enjoy a Meatless Meal

Producing 1 kg of beef emits as much greenhouse gas as driving 150 miles, meanwhile, 1 kg of veggies or grains leaves a much lighter footprint! This week, I’ll shrink my climate impact by having 3 meatless meals and/or 3 vegan meals each day.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Wildlife

Plant (or Adopt) a Plant

Landscaping with native plants, gardening, and having plants inside can have benefits for nature and our health. I will plant or adopt a new plant or grow one from seeds and post a photo of it to the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Take Shorter Showers

Conserving water helps protect this precious resource. I will shorten my showers to 5 minutes to save water and reduce energy use - each time saving up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water!

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Wildlife

Learn about Native Species

The world is full of unique species that all play an important role in nature. I will spend 20 minutes learning what the native plants and wildlife are in my region.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

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 QUESTION
    Wildlife
    What native species did you learn about in your area, and how do they contribute to your local ecosystem or community? How might your community change if these native species disappeared?

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/11/2025 11:24 AM
    I learned about the white-tailed deer. They contribute to our local ecosystem by ensuring the food web stays stable. Without them, the food web would be disrupted. If these native species disappeared then the community plant life would be severely affected.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Wildlife
    How did it feel to plant something, and what kind of gardening did you do (indoors, hydroponic, outside in a garden, etc)? What did you plant and where? Feel free to share a photo to the feed!

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/11/2025 11:17 AM
    I did more indoor gardening this week, and my pants are growing so much! It is so exciting to see how quickly plants can grow and the many benefits of having indoor plants.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Wildlife
    How do pollinators impact your daily life, and what changes can you make to ensure they continue to thrive?

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/09/2025 1:39 PM
    Pollinators help with the production of crops for the food we eat. One change I can make to ensure they continue to thrive is to plant a pollinator garden.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    What surprised you most about your water footprint, and how did it influence your perspective on water use? What changes can you make to reduce your water consumption, and how will these impact your daily routine?

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/09/2025 1:36 PM
    It surprises me that I waste a lot of water flushing the toilet. Instead of flushing every time I pee, I can wait to flush to save more water.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Wildlife
    How was your experience intentionally trying to eat less meat?

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/02/2025 5:40 PM
    I actually enjoyed this experience more than I thought I would. My mom even made a few vegan meals for me and I mostly liked that the food I was eating tasted like the regular food I eat from day to day. I enjoy lots of fruit and veggies as well as other forms of protein other than meat. Overall, feel as though I could add some meals into my week that are vegan/meat-free.

    • Janet  Beach Davis's avatar
      Janet Beach Davis 4/02/2025 8:09 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Educator 🧠
      • 17-DAY STREAK
      Who doesn’t love a good homemade Mac and cheese?
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    How did shortening your showers affect your awareness of water conservation? What other water-saving practices can you adopt in your daily routine?

    Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/02/2025 5:30 PM
    Shortening my showers affected my awareness of water conservation as I realized that I don't need to take long showers. Though I do enjoy a long shower it isn't always worth wasting a lot of water. I think I can start to add this into my routine and I learned I can start to use less water when doing the dishes and laundry as another water-saving practice I can add to my routine.

    • Janet  Beach Davis's avatar
      Janet Beach Davis 4/02/2025 8:11 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Educator 🧠
      • 17-DAY STREAK
      And maybe you can still indulge in a long hot shower one the weekend as part of a relaxing self care day. Six short showers makes such a huge difference!

    • Khadija Khadija's avatar
      Khadija Khadija 4/02/2025 5:34 PM
      • Foodie 🍱
      • 3-DAY STREAK
      I agree! Taking shorter showers every day is better than taking long showers every day. Not only is it easier than we think to shorten and speed up our showers, but most long showers are for the comfort rather than on using the products.

  • Ashleigh Horton's avatar
    Ashleigh Horton 4/02/2025 5:26 PM
    I started growing these spider plants. Hopefully one day they can be planted and turn into big houseplants!

    • Gianna Marko's avatar
      Gianna Marko 4/03/2025 3:36 PM
      • Book Lover 📚
      • 14-DAY STREAK
      How lovely! I absolutely love house plants, and I agree with Professor Davis; they need names. Let us know what you decide to call them!

    • Janet  Beach Davis's avatar
      Janet Beach Davis 4/02/2025 8:13 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Educator 🧠
      • 17-DAY STREAK
      They need names! How about Tom (Holland) and Toby (McGuire)?

    • Hu eileen's avatar
      Hu eileen 4/02/2025 5:42 PM
      Great,It's going to be lush.

    • Khadija Khadija's avatar
      Khadija Khadija 4/02/2025 5:37 PM
      • Foodie 🍱
      • 3-DAY STREAK
      Love! It warms my heart seeing others become plant caretakers. It helps grow responsibility within yourself, and keeps the air fresh and clean. Spider plants are really good at releasing oxygen, keeping the house air clean.