"As Howard Zinn, an American historian, once said: “We don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”"
POINTS TOTAL
0
TODAY
0
THIS WEEK
1,739
TOTAL
participant impact
UP TO
97
miles
not traveled by car
UP TO
97
miles
traveled by foot
UP TO
1
Carbon Footprint
Calculated
UP TO
38
pounds of CO2
have been saved
UP TO
34
advocacy actions
completed
UP TO
2
community events
hosted or attended
UP TO
3
public officials or leaders
contacted
UP TO
4
hours
volunteered
UP TO
5
trees
planted
UP TO
1,530
minutes
spent outdoors
UP TO
1,215
minutes
spent learning
Augusto Luis's actions
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Plastic in Clothing and Water
Synthetic clothing can contain plastic and shed harmful microplastics into our water. I will use a microplastics catcher in my laundry, or install a microplastics filter for my washing machine.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Community
Pick Up the Phone
I will gather a group of friends, family, neighbors or colleagues to make 2 phone calls to public officials or companies to advocate for planet-friendly policies.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate + Air
Choose Renewable Energy
Renewable energy options are becoming more widespread and accessible. Not only are they good for the planet, they can help save money as well. I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will contact them to advocate for this option in the future.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Invest in Nature
A healthy world needs both our daily actions and support from larger systems. I will spend 30 minutes learning about how I can use my investments and savings to advance environmental sustainability.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Community
JOIN OR CREATE A GREEN TEAM AT EMERSON
I will continue to contribute to Emerson's environmental sustainability goals beyond April by learning more about the Global Green Teams Network, joining a team near me, or maybe even creating a new team.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Community
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY AT EMERSON
I will sign up to the Sustainability Aficionados distribution list to receive global news on sustainability at Emerson, including world news and Greening OF, BY, and WITH news.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Community
TAKE PICTURES AND SHARE ON LINKEDIN
I will take at least one photograph that is connected with this year's theme of Nature Conservation & Biodiversity (for example an urban park, bee hives, birds and other animals...) and I will post it on LinkedIn with the hashtags #EarthMonthEcochallenge #EarthMonthAtEmerson.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Action Track: Community
ATTEND THE ECOCHALLENGE CONSERVATION WEBINAR
On Wed 24th April, I will attend the Earth Month Ecochallenge Webinar on Conservation to learn about what individuals, companies and other organizations can do to promote biodiversity and nature protection.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Land + Forests
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 1 hours in my community.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate + Air
Use Muscle Power
I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.
COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Land + Forests
Carry My Trash
I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me this month, to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill. I will post on the feed my reflections, conversations, and actions I will take moving forward.
COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS
Land + Forests
Advocate for Forest Protection
Using my voice can help create a more sustainable and just world. I will contact 3 local, regional, or national decision makers to advocate for public policy that protects forests and improves their ability to sequester carbon and nourish biodiversity.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED 30
DAILY 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.
COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS
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).
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS
Freshwater + Oceans
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will organize or participate in a trash pickup at a local river, beach, or natural body of water.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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?
Last Friday, for the second time, our team together with Waves For Water, came to make a real difference, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable.
Through our collective efforts, we successfully provided 88 water filters to the community, ensuring clean and safe drinking water for 2,185 individuals (The filter has a ratio of 1:5 households)
More than the smiles from the community, I enjoyed the company of the Emerson Sustainability team and the other volunteers. Looking forward for the next!
When people inquire about my choice to venture into the sustainability field, I often reflect on my upbringing. Growing up, I spent countless hours assisting my grandmother in her garden, nurturing plants and looking at her sketch visions of her dream retirement home in Bacolod, nestled amidst nature's embrace. See, my family's all about architecture, but I was more into playing with seeds and dreaming of being a farmer when I was knee-high. From early experiments with monggo seeds in elementary school, even though Mom joked about me being a big shot landowner, and Grandma suggested I should sketch landscapes, my heart wasn't in it.
High school came around, and I thought I'd be a hotshot lawyer 'cause I loved arguing my case, but when college rolled in, fate intervened, and I stumbled upon environmental and sanitary engineering during enrollment, and it redirected my trajectory.
Today, even when I hit those lows of passion fatigue and feel like change is at a snail's pace, I can't shake off the urgency of our planet's problems. It's like once you see the weight of it all, you can't unsee it, you know?
During the EcoChallenge webinar, the concept of "flipping the script" emerged as a powerful strategy to encourage participation while avoiding shaming. Recognizing that we are a social herd species, this strategy taps into our innate desire for belonging and community, fostering a sense of collective responsibility towards a more sustainable future. Also sustainability is for everyone! Everyone is needed to achieve our overall goal!
I learned how investments can be a strong force for the environment. By putting our money in companies that prioritize renewable energy, sustainable practices, or eco-friendly products, we can help them grow and create a more sustainable future for our country.
I had the pleasure of engaging with a passionate group of volunteers! We used a mix of resources to fuel our discussion. This included articles on the environmental impact of the fashion industry, along with some thought-provoking videos.
The lunch and learn was a fantastic exchange of ideas! Everyone came prepared to share their vision for this year's project. Ultimately, we decided to collectively focus on sustainable fashion – a topic that sparked lively conversation.
One of the biggest takeaways for me was just how significant the fashion industry's impact on the environment is. I learned about the high levels of emissions associated with clothing production, the massive water usage involved in textile dyeing, and the issue of textile waste ending up in landfills.
I'm eager to see what creative solutions we can develop together!
Great takeaway! Promoting here minimalist fashion as it is a lifestyle, not a trend. Fast fashion creates waste and minimalist fashion reduces clutter.
One week left! This year's #EarthMonthEcochallenge has been a whirlwind! In the heat of the moment, it's easy to get caught up in the race to win. But lately, I've been reflecting, and I realize something important: the true prize isn't the trophy, it's the habits we build.
Winning is great, but this competition is ultimately about learning. It's about discovering new and impactful ways to embrace sustainability in our everyday lives. Let's remember that honesty and integrity are key. Finishing strong means finishing true to ourselves and the spirit of the competition.
But this journey doesn't end with Earth Month. Let's carry the momentum forward! We can dive deeper by reading books on climate conservation, sparking conversations with like-minded people, and continuously broadening our understanding of environmental issues.
Greenwashing is a real concern, so let's be critical thinkers. We can become informed advocates for genuine sustainability practices.
Let's make a lasting impact, one sustainable choice at a time, together.
Well said. I look back at what I continue to do since last year's ecochallenge and I'm doing ok. This month is a reminder to step it up and keep it up and to continue to learn what we can do to help our planet.