I elected to fly to Detroit and drive to Grand Rapids rather than doing two flights. I enjoyed driving on a nice day! I typically try to drive when a trip is under a 5 hr drive and plan to continue!

I volunteered in my local community to help “spring clean” old folks yards. It was an amazing experience, and they were all so thankful. In the future, I would love to continue this or move to more animal-based volunteer opportunities.

The water habitat has always been important to me, as I frequently played in my neighborhood creeks in the summer. After the train derailment in Ohio, I have been especially cognizant of how water impacts every aspect of my life and how I can do a small part to improve it!

I watched two older films on food, Food Inc. and Super Size me. They both focused on how what we eat makes a huge impact on our energy, and our mental wellbeing. I thought it would be interesting to watch these two documentaries, as I am an avid listener of a podcast on how food can counterbalance hormones (including those that impact anxiety and depression). I thought they were both real, raw representations of choices that we shouldn't (and should) make when it came to fueling our body in the best way for ourselves and the earth.

I am traveling to Pittsburgh, PA for a friend's graduation and was thinking of flying but decided it would best to drive. My car is incredibly fuel efficient, and the drive isn't too long, so it just made the most sense. I took the environmental impact into my decision as well, and I am hoping it pays off (even if it is in a small way).

Pollinators are the base of our society -- they support the growth of everything around us. My favorite pollinator is a bumble bee, which I actively support. I have a large, wooded backyard, and I have chosen to plant wildflower seeds in the sunny spots. I have already seen a lot of growth and an influx of pollinators in my backyard :)

Vast amounts of lower income communities in Ohio are affected by water insecurities. Many communities in surrounding areas have unsafe water and decrepit infrastructure. This is exaugurated by large industry in the east of Ohio in Appalachia that can be producing pollutants that then go into our water sources. Personally, I use a zero 5 stage carbon filter for my water in order to avoid larger water insecurity issues in the city.