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Jonathan Layne's avatar

Jonathan Layne

SUST 113 and Friends

"Our mission is to cultivate a sustainable, self-sufficient environment through mindful living and hands-on learning. From composting, recycling, to rainwater collection and growing our own food, we strive to live in harmony with the earth and pass on what we’ve learned to those ready to carry it forward."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 120 THIS WEEK
  • 441 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    18
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    180
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    2.0
    water collection systems
    installed

Jonathan's actions

Land, Water, and Air

Conduct a Home Energy Audit

Reducing energy use helps protect the air and climate. I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy and reduce pollution.

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Land, Water, and Air

Reduce Vehicle Idling

Idling cars wastes fuel, contributes to climate change, and pollutes the air in our communities. I will turn off my engine when waiting in my car to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions.

COMPLETED 9
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

Sustainable Innovation

Replace Old Bulbs with LED Bulbs

Energy-efficient lighting is a bright idea. I will replace 12 incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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 9
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?


  • Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/15/2025 4:06 AM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    We had some great rains here! The rainwater is really starting to add up and the new garden soaked up all the rain. So excited!

    • Sonam R's avatar
      Sonam R 4/15/2025 4:07 AM
      • Adventurer 🏔
      • 17-DAY STREAK
      Loving the rains! We are currently experiencing "Mango Showers" here in the southern part of India

  • Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/14/2025 4:06 AM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    We got the garden tilled and almost ready. We need to add fertilizer and a fence. We will be starting rows and planting here in the next few weeks. 😊

  • Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/12/2025 8:32 AM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Going great! We are getting the garden tilled and ready for planting today!!

  • Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/10/2025 1:55 PM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I feel like it is going well. We have things trending in the right direction and the little goals we have set are becoming a reality. I think the overall ripple effect is starting to happen as well. Pretty awesome to watch it grow and blossom!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Sustainable Innovation
    How did replacing old bulbs with LED bulbs make you feel about reducing your energy consumption? What other small energy-saving actions could you take to reduce your environmental impact?

    Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/10/2025 1:54 PM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I actually felt really accomplished! I enjoyed the whole process. I can see a major improvement on the light quality as well. I have been looking at putting in a solar panel system with some batteries for the house. Waiting for the company to get back to me with the details!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    What did you discover during your energy audit that you weren’t aware of before? What steps will you take to reduce energy use, and how will they benefit both the environment and your household?

    Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/07/2025 9:47 PM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    What i discovered on my energy audit was that there were quite a few light bulbs that needed to be changed over to LED. I also noticed quite few appliances that have been running for quite some time and have not been used in months. I have changed out all the old bulbs and unplugged the appliances that are not being used currently to save uneeded power consumption.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    How did collecting rainwater influence your understanding of sustainable water use? What tasks or activities could benefit most from rainwater collection in your household?

    Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/06/2025 6:22 AM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I thought it was really interesting to see how much water we actually collected. We had a rain/snow mix. This will be great for our garden this spring/summer.

  • Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/06/2025 6:20 AM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    The eco challenge is a fun and rewarding way to give back. I am finding my family and friends are really getting into it as well. We changed bulbs, cut our showers and our composte pile is working!! So awesome!
  • 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?

    Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/02/2025 7:09 PM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I will be starting that in the a.m. I am excited to find out.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    How did being mindful of vehicle idling change your perspective on fuel consumption and air quality? What other transportation habits can you adopt to reduce your environmental impact?

    Jonathan Layne's avatar
    Jonathan Layne 4/02/2025 7:01 PM
    • Foodie 🍱
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I think being aware of the fuel that is burned and what the exhaust does to the environment was a great eye opener. I think another thing we can look at is taking a direct route and not detouring.