Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally). As an example, a plane from New York to Los Angeles (~2,450 miles) generates about 65 tons of carbon dioxide.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate & Ecosystems
Support Local Pollinators
SDG 15
At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will plant pollinator-friendly plants in my area to support local pollinators.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Basic Needs & Security
Volunteer in My Community
SDG 1
I will volunteer 5 hours in my community.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Economy & Communities
Analyze Your Utility Bills
SDG 7
I spend 15 minutes analyzing my recent utility bills, which might include electricity, gas, or water to see what my current usage is and determine if I can reduce my energy and water use.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate & Ecosystems
Ecological & Xeriscape Gardening
SDG 14, 15
Studies show a grass lawn is water intensive and on average it require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. I will do one or more of the following actions in my yard or community to conserve water and improve habitat: plant indigenous plants, landscape with water-efficient plants, add mulching, replace a lawn, and/or use eco-friendly fertilizers.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Education & Livelihood
Research Impact Investing
SDG 8
Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing or my current investment portfolio to determine if they align with my values.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Education & Livelihood
Plan A Staycation in Your Community
SDG 11
For an upcoming vacation, I will spend 30 minutes planning out a staycation in my region. For reference, one several hour flight releases the equivalent of nearly 14% of the annual emissions from a car.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health & Equity
Track My Purchases
SDG 10
Each day, I will track my purchases to identify my spending habits. This will allow me to see what purchases can be reduced.
COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS
Health & Equity
Spend Time Outside
SDG 3
I will replace 30 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside exercising, enjoying the sunrise/sunset, gardening, journaling, or practicing gratitude for nature.
COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS
Basic Needs & Security
Calculate Your Water Footprint
SDG 6
I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate & Ecosystems
Watch a Documentary About Climate Change or Nature
SDG 13, 14, 15
I will watch 1 documentaries about climate change.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Basic Needs & Security
Take 5-Minute Or Less Showers
SDG 6
I will save up to 6 gallons (23 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers. Tip: Use a timer to practice or count to 60 a few times.
COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS
Basic Needs & Security
Know Your Produce
SDG 2
I will become a savvy produce shopper when buying organic and non-organic items.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Basic Needs & Security
Watch a Documentary About Food, Water, or Basic Needs
SDG 6
I will watch 1 documentaries about food, water, or basic needs.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Basic Needs & Security
Try a New Vegan or Vegetarian Recipe
I will try a new vegan or vegetarian recipe and share how it turns out on the Ecochallenge feed, or with family and friends.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Climate & Ecosystems
Explore My Area
SDG 14, 15
Each day, I will spend 30 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).
COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS
Education & Livelihood
Work-Life Balance
SDG 8
During the workday, I will schedule time for daily breaks during work days to practice work-life balance.
COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS
Education & Livelihood
Host or Join a Cleanup Event
SDG 11, 17
Within my community at home or work, I will organize or attend a local cleanup event.
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?
REFLECTION
QUESTION
Education & LivelihoodStay on the Ground
What was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?
There are many places to travel within driving distance so it's not really difficult to drive vs. flying. The time that would be spent waiting at an airport can be used to drive so it doesn't really increase the total travel time.
All of seeded plants need to be pollinated and pollination results in larger, more flavorful fruits and higher crop yields, which we all need to survive. Without pollinators, our ecosystems wouldn't survive.
I enjoyed the water clean up projects this month with Team ECOS. It gave us a chance to work together towards a common goal and also do something worthwhile to help the environment. I am looking forward to more volunteer opportunities in the future and would like to see us work at a food pantry.
The solar panels on my home save a great deal of energy, but we also focus on trying to use less than we generate. I also learned ways we can reduce water use as well.
Climate & EcosystemsWatch a Documentary About Climate Change or Nature
What did you watch, and what was the most important thing you learned in the documentary(ies) you watched? How does what you learned connect to your understanding of climate change and Earth Month?
I had the opportunity to do two water cleanups (riverbed and ocean) during Earth Month and it was eye opening to see the amount of microplastic that is harming our water and food supply. A Plastic Ocean shows how much plastic is affecting the environment and the need for immediate change.
Basic Needs & SecurityWatch a Documentary About Food, Water, or Basic Needs
What did you watch, and what was the most important thing you learned in the documentaries you watched? How does what you learned connect to your understanding of climate change and Earth Month?
I watched The Water Crisis. If we are smarter about water use, small changes we make can have a big impact. If everyone in the US reduces their water use by 30% per day, it would result in saving 8.5 Billion gallons of water per day!