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Jessica Muench's avatar

Jessica Muench

IU Health

Jessica's points

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 340 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    19
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    7.1
    pounds
    waste composted
  • UP TO
    6.0
    waste audits
    conducted
  • UP TO
    40
    minutes
    spent learning

Jessica's actions

Work and Organizations

Reduce Waste in My Organization

Waste reduction supports both ecological and organizational resilience. I will work with others to conduct a waste audit and reduce waste in my organization, such as paper, plastics, or energy use.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Soil and Food

Learn About Sustainable Farming Practices

Healthy soils and resilient food systems depend on how we grow food. I will spend 5 minutes learning about farming practices such as regenerative agriculture, agroecology, or permaculture, and reflect on how they support both people and the planet.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Soil and Food

Enjoy a Meatless Meal

Producing 1 kg of beef emits as much greenhouse gas as driving 150 miles, meanwhile, 1 kg of veggies or grains leaves a much lighter footprint! This week, I’ll shrink my climate impact by having 1 meatless meals meals each day.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Soil and Food

Learn About Indigenous Food Practices and Food Sovereignty

Indigenous communities around the world steward resilient food systems. I will spend 5 minutes learning about Indigenous food practices and food sovereignty, and reflect on lessons I can honor and apply.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Soil and Food

Grow Something to Eat

Growing food builds resilience by connecting us to the soil and reducing reliance on long supply chains. I will grow edible plants—such as herbs, vegetables, or grains—in my home, balcony, or community space, strengthening both my food security and local biodiversity.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Soil and Food

Compost My Food Waste

Composting turns waste into a resource, building soil health and cutting methane emissions from landfills. I will compost food scraps at home, school, or in my community, which avoids sending up to 0.42 lbs (0.19 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Soil and Food
    What did you notice about how much of your food waste could be composted? How does composting change the way you see “waste”?

    Jessica Muench's avatar
    Jessica Muench 4/16/2026 6:46 AM
    It just makes sense to return the nutrients back to the soil. We also compost our duck's wood chip bedding as well as grass clippings, on top of the food waste. We don't normally have a lot to contribute, but all of the cuttings left over from our fruits and veggies. It takes a little more care, but it is helpful towards our garden and the soil of our backyard.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Soil and Food
    What did you decide to grow, and how did it feel to start (or care for) your plants? What connections did it give you to soil or food resilience?

    Jessica Muench's avatar
    Jessica Muench 4/16/2026 6:40 AM
    Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, carrots, greens, strawberries, asparagus, and not sure what else we will add. It is so nice to see them grow and become stronger. We already got to eat our asparagus. We got ducks to help keep the soil watered by their duck pool water. They are excellent source of nutrition for the soil, plus adorable and make us happy. We are not letting the water go to waste. We are so happy to become a little more self-reliant in this growing culture of food insecurity.

    • Jessica Muench's avatar
      Jessica Muench 4/17/2026 10:14 AM
      our giant asparagus

    • Paul Goodenough's avatar
      Paul Goodenough 4/16/2026 9:53 AM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Adventurer 🏔
      I was able to munch a couple of lettuce sprouts yesterday that were volunteers from last year. So rewarding. Sounds like you could teach us a lot about gardening! Do you have any shots you'd like to share with the Green Team?

    • Cassandra Chang Fatt's avatar
      Cassandra Chang Fatt 4/16/2026 6:42 AM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      This sounds divine!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Soil and Food
    What meal did you enjoy the most, and what alternatives did you try? Did anything surprise you about how satisfying plant-based options can be?

    Jessica Muench's avatar
    Jessica Muench 4/14/2026 12:48 PM
    We enjoyed a bean dip type meal using cooked and mashed lima beans with other veggies on toast. It was very nutrient dense, with high fiber, and high protein and it turned out to be absolutely delicious and very filling. The whole family loved it.

    • Paul Goodenough's avatar
      Paul Goodenough 4/16/2026 5:24 AM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Adventurer 🏔
      heck yeah! Got my kid into refried beans w/ blue corn chips - proud parent moment!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Work and Organizations
    What did you learn from your audit, and what steps did you take to reduce waste? How can reducing waste create both environmental and organizational benefits?

    Jessica Muench's avatar
    Jessica Muench 4/14/2026 12:44 PM
    It is crazy how much our department can waste on plastic utensils. Switching to washable ones helps reduce waste impact

    • Shane Harris's avatar
      Shane Harris 4/14/2026 1:17 PM
      • Adventurer 🏔
      That's a really great way to reduce waste!

    • Parin Patel's avatar
      Parin Patel 4/14/2026 12:48 PM
      There was a great initiative that we had a few years back where all employees received reusable water bottle and silverware.