Mariana Lazar
"Great change comes in daily increments"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,289 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO14poundsfood waste prevented
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UP TO59milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO59milestraveled by foot
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UP TO80pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO1.0Carbon FootprintCalculated
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO57plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO35single-use bagsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.0water footprintcalculated
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UP TO706gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO30advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO30minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO175minutesspent learning
Mariana's actions
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 20 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.
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.
Land + Forests
Explore My Area
When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 30 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood, office, or campus (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).
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 30 minutes learning about how cleaning products affect our water and try making my own cleaning products to reduce pollutants.
Freshwater + Oceans
Raise Awareness for the Conservation of Freshwater and Oceans
I will spend 30 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.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Use Reusable Bags
Plastic bags can be mistaken for food by many wild animals and can end up in habitats that harm wildlife. I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.
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.
Land + Forests
Personal Waste Audit
The waste we create daily can go unnoticed. I will track the waste I create in a day and post a photo log on the feed to see how much I create and where I can make different choices to reduce my waste going forward.
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.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Endangered Species
Wildlife and biodiversity play an important role on our planet and are being threatened each year. I will spend 30 minutes each day learning about the current status of local or global wildlife and how I can align my actions to support their livelihood.
Biodiversity + Wildlife
Beauty and Personal Products
Beauty and personal products can create a lot of waste. I will spend 30 minutes learning about the beauty and body products I use to see if they are refillable or recyclable. If not, I will reach out to the manufacturer to advocate for those options.
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.
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.
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.
Climate + Air
Weekly Meal Planning
One third of all food produced worldwide is wasted, and so is the energy it takes to produce and transport that food. I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need and eating what I planned each day.
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.
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.
Freshwater + Oceans
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Itr'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 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
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.
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.
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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Mariana Lazar 4/29/2024 10:18 AMAt our countryside house, we’ve decided to go against the general trend set by our neighbors by foregoing pavement in our front and back yards. Instead, we've chosen to let native grasses and flowers flourish. While it demands more effort to maintain, the rewards are immeasurable. Not only are we fostering biodiversity, but we're also reducing heat absorption and promoting water retention in the soil. It's a small step towards a greener, more sustainable future, and it feels truly gratifying.-
Anca Laslau 4/30/2024 10:29 AMThis is great, Mari! -
Ioana Blidarean 4/30/2024 3:49 AMLove your trend, Mari! I also vote for a greener yard, even if it needs additional maintenance work (which is good for our health, in the end).
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REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate + Air Use Muscle PowerHow do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?
Mariana Lazar 4/28/2024 10:02 AMTransportation choices can significantly impact engagement in the community. Walking and biking often allow for more interaction with surroundings and people, fostering a stronger sense of connection to the community. Riding transit can provide opportunities for observing and interacting with diverse groups of people. Driving may offer convenience but can sometimes limit interaction with the community due to being in a private space. However, often times I find myself in a hurry to solve something and therefore I choose the most convenient transportation mean - the car. Using alternative options require much more planning. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans 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?
Mariana Lazar 4/26/2024 10:34 AMI learned about the pivotal role of oceans in regulating climate and the detrimental effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, including ocean acidification and warming. The article highlighted the urgency of conservation efforts to protect marine biodiversity. Discussing this information with friends sparked a meaningful conversation about the interconnectedness of human activities and the health of our oceans, prompting us to reflect on the importance of collective action to safeguard marine environments for future generations. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFreshwater + Oceans Reduce Pollutants in CleaningWhat did you learn about ingredients in our cleaning products and how they impact water and biodiversity? Did you try making your own cleaning products? If so, how did it go?
Mariana Lazar 4/26/2024 10:21 AMFor years, I've embraced my mum's advice and opted for natural cleaning solutions like baking soda and vinegar, not only for their effectiveness but also for their eco-friendly benefits, contributing to a cleaner environment. Baking soda's gentle yet powerful scrubbing action is perfect for cleaning silverware to a sparkling shine, while the combination of baking soda and vinegar works wonders for unclogging drains, all while being gentle on the planet.-
Anne Coudrette 4/26/2024 10:26 AMYes! I love baking soda for cleaning. It's so effective! And vinegar is also a cleaning hidden gem. Why buy chemicals when natural products can do the job better?
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Mariana Lazar 4/26/2024 8:22 AM
These 2 are some well travelled environmentally friendly friends I took with me everywhere during the past weeks. During the month of ApriI had to travel a lot, but in order to stay true to my daily commitment of limiting waste and single-use containers I made sure these two came with me everywhere.-
Mariana Lazar 4/26/2024 2:18 PMI think I will keep this habit even after April 😊 -
Ina Scholz 4/26/2024 12:54 PMI noticed it during our meeting on Thursday!! Great habit!!🙌
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Mariana Lazar 4/22/2024 1:05 PM
After a busy day, there’s nothing more refreshing than a walk outside in the nature.
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Miroslav Považai 4/24/2024 10:45 PMHi,
you´re right Mariana, the older I get, the more I appreciate this type of relaxation, especially on these demanding working days. And you´re absolutely busy - so is needed clear head. :-) -
Raul Poias 4/24/2024 3:01 AMoMG OMG, Mariana those shades of GREEN are amazing and the sky! <3 In love -
Anna Selders 4/22/2024 9:26 PMThe best way to relax!
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Mariana Lazar 4/20/2024 9:54 AMAs I take some time daily to fill in the ecochallenge actions, I am reminded of my grandparents. They truly lived all the environmental-friendly behaviors every day, and really valued the nature and the land, as they were growing their own food. It never occurred to me that their respect and care for the nature might have enabled me to still enjoy it. It’s an inspiration for our generation to do the same for the generations to come.-
Daniela Embree 4/20/2024 2:34 PMSo very true! I was fortunate to grow up with a small garden behind our house, where we grew vegetables to help feed our family of 6 (at that time).
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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?
Mariana Lazar 4/19/2024 9:52 AMMy biggest carbon emission source is my travel. I have tried to optimize as much as possible the other sources but this one seems the hardest. I comute a lot and travel a lot, and sometimes the only reasonable option is non-environmentally friendly. One take away - my next car will be more environmental friendly.-
Melissa Szostak 4/19/2024 9:58 AMI live in a car dependent area too. Definitely will make any future car purchases from a more environmentally friendly viewpoint as well.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate + Air Weekly Meal PlanningHow did it feel to plan out your meals and stick to them in an effort to reduce food waste?
Mariana Lazar 4/15/2024 9:31 AMI find meal planning both practical and rewarding. I plan the meals 1-2 days ahead and it really helps with reducing both food waste and over-spending on food. It’s a simple and practical way not only to reduce food waste but also to be more mindful of the quality of the food we consume. -
Mariana Lazar 4/13/2024 5:38 AM
Turning old bananas into tasty muffins 😍
#nofoodwaste-
Raul Poias 4/16/2024 11:13 PMHope you brought some to the office Mariana! :) -
Ioana Bontas-Pop 4/14/2024 1:58 AMOld bananas? More like gold bananas, Mariana! 🍌✨ Transformed ripe bananas into scrumptious muffins, zero waste and 100% taste! 😍🧁#BananaMuffins #SustainableBaking -
Maheshwari Sangale 4/13/2024 5:52 AMGreat
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