Jacqui McGrath

ACHS Eco Ambassadors

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
588 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

donations

made
UP TO

1.0

hour

volunteered
UP TO

2.0

schools

supported
UP TO

2.0

community events

hosted or attended
UP TO

1.0

new places

explored
UP TO

355

minutes

spent learning

Jacqui's actions

Community and Connection

Host a Gathering

Bringing people together helps strengthen bonds. I will organize and host a gathering, such as a potluck, coffee meet up, or shared meal, for friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors to foster connection and community spirit.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Explore My Area

Discovering what’s nearby fosters a deeper connection to my community. I will explore 1 new places in my area, such as parks, historical sites, or local businesses.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Offer a Skill or Service

Sharing our talents can benefit those around us. I will offer my skills or services to support my community, such as helping someone with a task, tutoring, repairing something, or volunteering my expertise.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

Learn How to Save the Bees

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. I will spending 30 minutes learning about local pollinators and why they are so important.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Empowering the Next Generation

Support a School

Schools play a crucial role in youth development and be hubs for sustainability. I will donate funds, time, or supplies to 1 local schools to support environmental education, field trips, sustainability projects, and youth empowerment. I will share how I supported schools on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Empowering the Next Generation

Host a Bio-blitz

A bio-blitz helps youth engage with local biodiversity. I will organize or participate in a bio-blitz with young people to identify and document the plants, animals, and insects in our area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Empowering the Next Generation

Listen to Youth

Youth voices matter and deserve to be heard. I will spend 5 minutes actively listening to and learning from young people about concerns, ideas, or experiences about environmental issues, either through conversations, speeches, or media.

COMPLETED 30
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
Empowering the Next Generation

How did participating in a bio-blitz with young people enhance their understanding of local biodiversity? What impact do you think activities like a bio-blitz have on inspiring youth to protect nature?
Jacqui McGrath 4/29/2025 12:43 PM
The bio-blitz gets kids like my son excited about biodiversity and stimulates interest in the names of species. It provides a fun and easy way to introduce citizen science (and eco activism)!!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community and Connection

What was the most rewarding part of bringing people together for a gathering? Did you experience any challenges in hosting, and if so, how did you overcome them?
Jacqui McGrath 4/22/2025 11:23 AM
I think the most rewarding part of hosting herbal medicine making classes is the fun of getting together in the kitchen! It can be a little challenging to get the materials together, but I've learned that people are willing and even grateful to bring their own jars, etc, which makes for sustainable collaborations!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Empowering the Next Generation

How can schools play a bigger role in shaping future environmental leaders, and how can you support them?
Jacqui McGrath 4/20/2025 2:13 PM
Schools can be an excellent place to integrate environmental science and inspire innovative problem-solving among young people. I'd love to see all schools include curricula that challenges kids to create projects that help address local environmental challenges. Equally important is creating opportunities for kids to get to know the local flora and fauna, enjoy time in nature, and learn homesteading skills.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community and Connection

What skill or service did you offer, and how did it impact someone in your community? How did sharing your expertise or time help you feel more connected to others?
Jacqui McGrath 4/15/2025 3:27 PM
I reached out to the ecologia office in my small [Mexican] town and offered support for recycling efforts they're promoting. In particular, I'll be volunteering to help vacation rental hosts in participating in the local recycling program. It feels like a win!

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- Lisa Brenskelle 4/15/2025 3:50 PM
  
  TEAM CAPTAIN
  
  15-DAY STREAK
  Terrific!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Empowering the Next Generation

What perspectives or ideas did you hear from young people, and how did they challenge or expand your understanding of environmental issues? Did anything surprise you that they had to say?
Jacqui McGrath 4/09/2025 8:41 AM
The environmental education at schools in my area are akin to doom scrolling. I empathize with those who develop ecophobia and prefer to stay indoors with virtual reality. That said, I'm heartened by the 4th graders in my son's class who miraculously still have hope and want to connect with nature. They're not eager to clean up trash (and I can't blame them) nor play in the compost pile with me (darn), but they're super excited at the prospect of going camping and learning skills that will help them survive in the wild. This fills me with hope and a burning desire to brush off my backpacker/scout knowledge and get out there!

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Jacqui McGrath 4/06/2025 2:32 PM
In my focus on pollinators this week, one of the resources that have given me food for thought is this video made by a filmmaker friend of mine in Poland, Kamila🐝BEES ON MY WAY

https://youtu.be/yxtVDh3Dma0?si=3JrNgR3gD9nIEin0

I’d love to share with you my short, 8-minute video—a few personal reflections on wild bees and the world they live in. :)
🌸 When I ask people about bees, most of them immediately think of the honeybee. But it is just one species among nearly 500 found in Poland, and about 2,000 across Europe. Globally, over 20,000 bee species have been described, and their world is far more diverse, subtle, and surprising than we tend to imagine.
Most of these bees are solitary. They display a stunning variety of forms, colors, and behaviors. Some can be as small as a grain of rice, others are large and furry. Some shimmer in the sunlight, while others have characteristic facial markings or masks.
They nest in many different places—most often in the ground.
This short film is a small gesture of invitation—to tune into their presence in places we often overlook. It’s also a reflection on the challenges they face, and how small, mindful choices can help sustain their fragile world.
🎥 I created the concept, took the photos, did the narration, and edited the video.
🎼 Music by Piotr Wyrwaszewski
🎨 Animation by Arrina Sizova, Animation partly inspired by photos by Stéphane De Greef for the WildBnB.Brussels Project.
🚁 Drone shots by Marek Sałatowski
🙏 With warm thanks to Justyna Kierat and Noel Silló for their scientific insights and valuable conversations about bees.
📍The photos and bee species featured in the video were recorded in Poland.

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- Michele Wittig 4/09/2025 10:35 AM
  What a wonderful video, so interesting and informative! I had no idea there are so many bee species worldwide. Thank you for sharing, Jacqui; and thank you to your friend Kamila for producing this amazing piece!
  
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- Lisa Brenskelle 4/06/2025 5:06 PM
  - TEAM CAPTAIN
  - 15-DAY STREAK
  Thanks for posting the video.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife

How do pollinators impact your daily life, and what changes can you make to ensure they continue to thrive?
Jacqui McGrath 4/06/2025 12:20 PM
Bees and butterflies impact my daily life by providing sustenance for my family via their ecological services of pollination. I've been actively studying the plants that local pollinators prefer. I've planted banana trees and passionflower, for instance, species that provide food for native butterflies and also food/medicine for us. It's a win win! We visited a butterfly project yesterday and learned more.

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- Arulprakash Govindarajan 4/06/2025 12:49 PM
  
  Community Builder 🤝
  
  17-DAY STREAK
  Amazing !! Really appreciate your efforts !!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community and Connection

What new places or experiences did you discover in your local area? How has exploring your community changed your perspective or sense of connection?
Jacqui McGrath 4/03/2025 12:10 PM
I've been learning about the history of the Spanish fort in my little pueblo this week. It was built 300 years ago on the shores of Laguna Bacalar in southern Mexico to defend the town from pirates who were pillaging hardwood species. In the mid 1800s, the fort was taken by the Mayan Resistance in an attempt to hold off the Mexican army and stay independent from Mexico. They eventually lost, partly because they were so tied to the land that they abandoned the battle to tend to their crops. The swath of green space in front of the fort, at the water's edge, has just been cleared of trees and there's a development planned there. Community activists (including me!) are gathering signatures to say NO THANK YOU to a private hotel. We are asking the government to intervene and create a public space instead. I'll be super grateful if you'll take time to sign my petition!! https://chng.it/cqnzRBT8Nx

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Jacqui McGrath 4/01/2025 5:09 PM
I'm excited to be here! This year, instead of picking up trash (which has become a daily habit after all these years of ecochallenges), I've chosen more community actions and education opportunities, feeling inspired to listen and learn and connect & share with kids in my town. I'm an aspiring nature scout leader, would love to connect with others who are working with kids Last week we made oregano oil as a medicine project.

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