I really had a great time participating in this challenge. I learned a lot about the how small things can have a great impact on the environment. I can't wait to share the things I learned with my family and friends.

I joined the Eco-Challenge this year to document and become inspired, to perform small tasks that might make a difference in our environment (natural or manmade). Taking small steps in the right direction might lead to larger leaps of growth and change, that in turn hopefully inspires others. Since I was hosting Ground Green this year for FedEx Ground at our location, it seemed like a great platform to log the events, and encourage others to become involved, even if in a small capacity (plant a tree, grow a small garden, plant seeds for flowers, etc.).

On Earth Day I planted at least 5 trees. However, on Arbor Day, I was able to secure 6 native tree species from a local vendor and in turn, gave these out to folks that would plant them on their property. We obtained Vine Maple and Western Red Cedar. Western Red Cedar trees are dying off in Oregon, Washington, and California. Because these trees transpire more than a typical evergreen with needles, the hotter and dryer summers are taking a toll. The tops become desiccated, then beetles can move in. Replanting now might help sustain the population of these trees.

For our Ground Green display this year, we featured a planted garden. The purpose was multi-fold; to demonstrate how a simple planted garden bed could replace a weekly trip-to-the-store for plastic bagged salad, how to be self-reliant and sustainable, and how to conserve water at home by using drip irrigation for plantings. We installed a drip irrigation system (mini-sprinklers) that can be easily tuned to direct water where needed with very little waste. We also explained how using a simple battery-operated timer allowed the garden to be watered automatically in the morning (allowing water to soak into the soil/leaves.. less to evaporation). This also precisely waters what is needed w/out overspray, and is timed for regular application.

We put on a display of quite a few items during our Ground Green Week here at FedEx that showcased a number sustainable, recyclable, compostable, or reusable items. More sustainable alternates to plastic, wood, and cotton products (items made from sustainable bamboo or plant derivatives for example). Although I haven't completed the exact calculations in terms of reduced carbon footprint (although much of the packaging has those values), the surprising fact is that many of the items were CHEAPER than there less sustainable counterparts!

Created a LIVE garden within the FedEx Hub center area. The Garden Bed is being given away in a drawing as part of our Ground Green week celebration. The purpose of the "Salad" Garden was to demonstrate how much food could be grown in a small area using the Square Foot Method of planting. Additionally, how to conserve water by using an automatic drip irrigation system.