Pauline Clark
4/30/2024 8:47 AM
we need less than we think, living in a consumer driven environment is not really a good way to use our resources,
The Funky Chickens Feed
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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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate + Air Declutter My Home Without the LandfillHow did it feel to intentionally declutter with putting things into the landfill? What did you learn along the way about yourself and our consumer and waste systems?
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Blake Helton 4/30/2024 6:23 AMI want to push myself to do better moving forward - reduce my overall waste output, continue to reuse/upcycle stuff, improve our composting habits, ride my bike to the grocery if I can carry items without riding into a ditch. -
Linda Miller 4/30/2024 6:13 AM1. Plant a Bee GardenOne of the largest threats to bees is a lack of safe habitat where they can build homes and find a variety of nutritious food sources. By planting a bee garden, you can create a safe haven for bees with pollen- and nectar-rich flowers by planting a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and bloom times. You don’t need a ton of space to grow bee-friendly plants — gardens can be established across yards and in window boxes, flower pots, and mixed into vegetable gardens. Seek out locally native plants as often as possible as many bee species have coevolved to feed exclusively on native flowers and need them to survive.
2. Go Chemical-Free for BeesRegardless of which flowers you plant, avoid using pesticides and herbicides. Synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees, wreaking havoc on their sensitive systems. A garden can thrive without these harmful chemicals — in fact, one goal of a bee-friendly garden is to build a sustainable ecosystem that keeps itself in check by fostering beneficial populations. If you must use a pesticide, choose a targeted organic product, and always avoid applying pesticides when flowers are blooming or directly to the soil.
3. Become a Community ScientistJoin a global movement to collect data on our favorite pollinators! Community science transforms the passion and interest of regular people into data-driven activities that support scientific research. By participating in a community science project, you can provide important insights and local knowledge, which can lead to more relevant and useful research outcomes. Join our “A Bee Or Not a Bee” iNaturalist project, which invites you to document and upload species on iNaturalist, collaborating with naturalists around the world to determine whether the insect buzzing by is a bee, wasp, fly, or other common bee doppelgänger.
4. Provide Trees for BeesDid you know that bees get most of their nectar from trees? When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds — if not thousands — of blossoms to feed from. Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but also an essential habitat. Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while natural wood cavities make excellent shelters. Native trees such as maples, redbuds, and black cherry all attract and support bees. You can help bolster bee food sources and habitat by caring for and planting trees. Trees are also great at sequestering carbon, managing our watersheds, and cooling air temperatures.
5. Create a Bee BathBees work up quite a thirst foraging and collecting nectar. Fill a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water, and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they break the water’s surface. Bees will land on the stones and pebbles to take a long, refreshing drink.
6. Protect Ground Nesting BeesDid you know that 70% of the world’s 20,000 bees — including bumblebees — live underground. There, they build nests and house their young, who overwinter and emerge each spring. Ground nesting bees need bare, mulch-free, well-drained, protected soil in a sunny area to create and access their nests. Leave an untouched section for ground nesting bees in your garden!
7. Leave Stems Behind30% of bees live: holes inside of trees, logs, or hollow plant stems. Don’t cut those hollow stems, which are valuable bee habitats. A hollow stem may not seem like prime real estate to us, but to mason and other bees, it’s a cozy home in which they may overwinter. Wait until the spring to cut back dead flower stalks, leaving stems 8 to 24 inches high to provide homes for cavity-nesting bees.
8. Teach Tomorrow’s Bee StewardsInspire the next generation of eco citizens with guides, lessons, and activities to get them buzzed about bees! Educators can use our collection of free resources to bring nature and ecology into the classroom — and the hearts of children everywhere.
9. Host a FundraiserPeer-to-Peer fundraising is a fantastic way to spread the mission of The Bee Conservancy and empower your community to help raise money for our impactful programs. With the help of tools from Fundraise Up, you can share your personal fundraising page on social media and with friends and family. It’s an easy, fun way to make a serious impact.
Start your own fundraiser today!
10. Support Local Beekeepers and OrganizationsLocal beekeepers work hard to nurture their bees and the local community. The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally-made honey and beeswax products. Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Plus, local honey is not only delicious — it is made from local flora and may help with seasonal allergies! You can also give time, resources, and monetary donations to local beekeeping societies and environmental groups to help their programs grow.-
Tai Chen 4/30/2024 6:49 AMThere's a shrub in my front yard that's a wasp magnet. While I do appreciate pollinators, I think the shrub needs to be trimmed down a little.
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Pauline Clark 4/29/2024 12:17 PMA high level meal plan helps with the weekly activities for after work -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand + Forests Plant TreesHow is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?
Stacey Whala 4/29/2024 6:04 AMI enjoyed researching native trees and will be planting a few more in my yard in May.
Thank you, Linda, for organizing and managing our Ecochallenge team!
Didn't know where to post this, so am posting here. General thoughts about our Ecochallenge this year: I wish the app had been easier to navigate, and a bit more intuitive, with less jumping around. I signed up with my usbank email, but the app seemed to prefer my elavon email. When I first signed up, I selected various personal goals, but those didn't appear the next few times I logged in, or possibly I didn't know how to display or find them lol.-
Stacey Whala 4/29/2024 6:08 AMI realize that I didn't actually answer the reflection question. Trees are extremely beneficial to my mental, physical, and spiritual health by providing beauty, comfortable shade, and helping me feel connected to the world around me. I also love the sound of the breeze or a gentle rain on the leaves.
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Staci Fischer 4/29/2024 5:57 AMThis month's ecochallenge was successful! I accomplished many things that help the environment and other humans. -
Linda Miller 4/26/2024 11:54 AMPlanting trees in honor of Arbor Day is a longstanding American tradition that dates back to 1872, and while climate and landscape factors have changed since the holiday's inception, the motivation remains crucial."There has never been a more important time to be planting trees than right now," Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, told ABC News ahead of the annual holiday.
This ancient Oak tree, a local natural landmark, is located on John's Island, just outside of Charleston, S.C.STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images"As we look at our changing climate and extreme heat, as we look at the challenges in our cities and towns, planting a tree on Arbor Day is one of the simple things people can do to be a part of a solution for their neighborhood, for their community and for the planet," Lambe said.
In one year, a mature tree can absorb half a Metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere, according to the National Forest Foundation.
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Tai Chen 4/26/2024 12:47 PMI think that tree needs grooming based on how many branches are touching the ground. I'm only joking. I think it's actually a really cool tree and would love to perch on one of the lower limbs.
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Linda Miller 4/26/2024 7:42 AMSupport Local Beekeepers and OrganizationsLocal beekeepers work hard to nurture their bees and the local community. The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally-made honey and beeswax products. Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Plus, local honey is not only delicious — it is made from local flora and may help with seasonal allergies! You can also give time, resources, and monetary donations to local beekeeping societies and environmental groups to help their programs grow. -
Pauline Clark 4/26/2024 4:38 AMThis has been a really fun challenge, one where it makes you think each day about how we live our lives, the impact that we have on the earth, and those that we share this planet with today, and in the future. -
Pauline Clark 4/26/2024 4:37 AMCleaning out items that are not required or out grown
