Ecochallenge.org

Earth Month Ecochallenge 2025: Conservation

April 1 - April 30, 2025

Olivia A.

Emerson Global Pride

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
947 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

water footprint

calculated
UP TO

26

random acts of kindness

completed
UP TO

20

expressions of gratitude

shared
UP TO

13

donations

made
UP TO

1.0

community event

hosted or attended
UP TO

6.0

advocacy actions

completed
UP TO

29

conversations

with people
UP TO

351

minutes

spent learning

Olivia's actions

Share My Why

I will share my Ecochallenge story and why I'm taking action for the planet — and earn 15 points!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Share My Why

Take the Earth Month Ecochallenge Feedback Survey

I will take a short survey about my experience to help the Ecochallenge team improve future events, earn a chance to win a prize, and earn 15 points!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Become a Sustainability Aficionado or Invite a Colleague!

Become a Sustainability Aficionado or invite one of your colleagues to join if you're already tuned into the program.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Join your local Green Team or participate in an Earth Month activity organized by them

Get involved! Join your local Green Team to connect and work on local sustainability initiatives. Or, participate in one of the many Earth Month activities they've organized.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Begin a meeting with a “Sustainability Moment”

Kick off your meetings with a "Sustainability Moment" to keep environmental awareness top of mind. Even better, develop new "Sustainability Moments" tailored to your specific location and work, making the connection between sustainability and your daily activities even stronger!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Learn about our new Sustainability Pathways initiative

Learn about our new Sustainability Pathways initiative and implement 1 action under each of the pillars from the most appropriate persona.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Sustainable Innovation

Take the Green Pill Trainings on Emerson Learn

Learn about sustainability by taking two Green Pill modules on Emerson Learn. Choose the topics that appeal to you most!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Well-Being

Audit Toxic Products in my Home

Many common products contain harmful chemicals. I will spend 30 minutes researching chemicals found in products I use, and I will make a list of products I'd like to replace with safer options.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Express Gratitude and Random Acts of Kindness

Small acts of kindness and gratitude can brighten someone's day and create a positive ripple effect. I will express gratitude to 1 people or perform 1 random acts of kindness to spread joy and connection.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Well-Being

Explore Resources for Managing Anxiety

Anxiety can be overwhelming, but resources and strategies can help. I will spend 5 minutes exploring resources that help manage anxiety and stress to support my mental and psychological well being.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Well-Being

Declutter and Donate

Decluttering can reduce stress and benefit others. I will declutter my home and donate items I no longer need to support others in my community.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Land, Water, and Air

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Empowering the Next Generation

Learn about a Young Leader

Young people are making a big impact on the world. I will spend 5 minutes learning about a young leader working on environmental or social justice issues to get inspired and share their story on social media or the Ecochallenge feed.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Sustainable Innovation

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

When companies and governments make large-scale changes to their products and practices, it makes sustainability more accessible to the masses, in turn creating further demand for sustainable products, and the cycle continues. I will advocate for improved, sustainable food packaging through petitions, letters, or by supporting brands that prioritize eco-friendly packaging - and share my advocacy actions on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Check In with a Friend or Colleague

Staying connected strengthens relationships and boosts well-being. Each day, I will reach out to 1 friends or colleagues to check in, have a meaningful conversation, or offer support.

COMPLETED 20
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
Sustainable Innovation

What actions did you take to advocate for sustainable food packaging, and how were they received? How do you think widespread changes in food packaging could benefit the planet?
Olivia A. 4/30/2025 12:33 PM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
email to fair trade company gepa asking for more sustainable food packaging/less unnecessary packaging. Received a return email stating their current actions and how they are constantly reviewing their sustainability practices. I couldn't find anything else to ask them about and learned something new, so I'm happy!
Email to restaurant asking them to ask before they use a plastic bag for take out or wait for a request. No response yet.
Email to RAWBITE to ask for no more plastic type 7 and instead another type or cellulose packaging (plastic appears to be better than other types of packaging here except for cellulose). no response yet
Same email to potato chip company that my family likes that has the same problem.
Also signed two petitions.

Read More
- Mary Hanks 4/30/2025 1:05 PM
  
  TEAM CAPTAIN
  
  Book Lover 📚
  
  16-DAY STREAK
  Wow, I love that you told us details of your actions! You're clearly serious about sustainable living. Thank you for putting in all this effort!
  
  Read More
Olivia A. 4/30/2025 12:10 PM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Next time, I'll make sure my daily learning actions align with my one-time actions (advocacy or audits) because sometimes I feel really lost with these big single actions that are confusing if you have no prior knowledge.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Well-Being

What surprised you most about the products you use in your home?
Olivia A. 4/30/2025 12:09 PM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
I was really surprised that it's so hard to find products that don't contain toxic materials. I feel kind of discouraged, to be honest. Even the packaging on the protein bars my family member buys contain plastic type 7, which you should avoid.

Read More
- Jessica Ehrley 4/30/2025 12:48 PM
  
  TEAM CAPTAIN
  
  Pet Parent 🐾
  
  16-DAY STREAK
  It's so very hard to avoid :(
  
  Read More
Olivia A. 4/28/2025 11:29 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Another thing I learned about when researching anxiety management resources and strategies is to make a self care kit. It can include objects, photos, notes, etc. that help you when you're down.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Well-Being

How did decluttering and donating items make you feel, both emotionally and physically?
Olivia A. 4/28/2025 11:02 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Decluttering and donating makes me feel very productive! I feel like I'm helping someone who can't pay for everything. But at the same time, a cleaner house means a clearer mind. I feel much happier in my house.

Read More
- Diana Tomos 4/28/2025 11:03 AM
  
  TEAM CAPTAIN
  
  Earth Advocate 📣
  
  17-DAY STREAK
  I feel the same. Good job!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community and Connection

How did expressing gratitude or performing acts of kindness impact you and the recipient? Did anything surprise you about your experience?
Olivia A. 4/28/2025 11:01 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
I prefer secret random acts of kindness, like leaving a nice note on the train or some wildflowers hanging out of someone's mailbox. I hope the recipient had a brighter moment of their day, but I can't be sure. I know that every act of kindness made me feel happy and warm inside, but it was sometimes hard because I felt odd about it.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Well-Being

What resource or strategy stood out to you the most, and how might it help in managing anxiety?
Olivia A. 4/28/2025 10:59 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
I thought it was really comforting to know that panic attacks can be a part of life. When I have a panic attack, I feel pressure to feel better so that I don't have to worry about my mental health. But seeing the page about managing anxiety on mind.org.uk was super helpful! Here's a strategy I liked: ABC
Accept that you're having a panic attack. (Being accepting is more productive than worrying about something that's already happening. It's just going to get worse otherwise. Knowing what's going on, I can calm down better.)
Breathe slowly and deeply. (Your heartbeat is racing, but breathing can help with that! It calms me down, whatever the situation.)
Connect to your senses. (Keeping yourself in the moment helps you realize that it's not as bad as it seems.)
I learned that stamping your foot and breathing in time can help!
I can keep more panic attacks from happening if I can react to them correctly, and by reacting sooner to any anxiety, I can manage it better.

Read More
Olivia A. 4/25/2025 1:43 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Can someone help me understand what sustainable packaging can look like? I see a lot of plastic packaging and wanted to email companies about switching to paper, but it seems like that's not much better...

Read More
- Jessica Ehrley 4/28/2025 7:18 AM
  - TEAM CAPTAIN
  - Pet Parent 🐾
  - 16-DAY STREAK
  I think it depends on what angle you're looking at it from. Using packing paper instead of foam peanuts or plastic bubble wrap is more sustainable because the paper can be recycled or will break down much, much faster than the foam or bubble wrap. I've also seen some companies build in reusability messaging about reusing packaging or checking to see if it is recyclable.
  
  Compostable packaging is the best bet: https://tipa-corp.com/sustainable-packaging/
  
  Read More
Olivia A. 4/25/2025 1:41 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Today, I learned about the children's chorus Rivertown Kids. They sing about a sustainable future and speak out for positive change in their music. Before he passed away in 2014, the kids made an album with the iconic folk musician Pete Seeger, which won a Grammy. Get creative for positive change!

Read More
Olivia A. 4/24/2025 4:29 AM
- Community Builder 🤝
- 13-DAY STREAK
Today I learned about Alec Loorz, a former youth climate activist. At age 12, he put up Sea Level Awareness Posts (SLAP) in his hometown Ventura, California. He founded the nonprofit Kids vs Global Warming, presented his Declaration of Independence from Fossil Fuel to senator Barbara Boxer on Capital Hill at age 15, and has spoken at the United Nations and more. He was the lead federal plaintiff in a lawsuit against the US government for not protecting the atmosphere and our future. He organized an international “iMatter March” as a part of his “iMatterYouthMovement”. I’m inspired by Alec’s many actions for positive change! He reminds us that climate change will have real consequences, so let’s take a pledge for action!

Read More