April 1 - April 30, 2020

Tara Chhabra

"Participating gives me the opportunity to learn more deeply about things I already care so much about, and to take concrete actions based on what I learn. I also love learning from my teammates, and sharing in their stories and discoveries!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
369 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

60

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

3.0

pounds

waste composted

Tara's actions

Food

Compost Food Waste

I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Oceans

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

People

Join a Cleanup Effort

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Wildlife

Research a Wild Animal

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about a wild animal I find interesting, including their life cycle, habitat, ecosystem functions, and interactions with humans (if any!).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?

Tara Chhabra 4/30/2020 6:05 AM

This was such a fun and informative challenge. I wish it were year-round. Thank you, Jennifer Ferriss, for organizing it and being such an awesome team captain!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Research a Wild Animal

What interesting facts did you learn about the animal you researched? What are some of your favorite things about this animal?

Tara Chhabra 4/30/2020 6:03 AM

I researched the red-tailed hawk after seeing an incredible one in my backyard on Tuesday. I used the Cornell All About Birds website to confirm the bird I had seen. It's unusual to see this bird in an urban backyard, but this mammal-eater was on the hunt for meat at our feeder, and picked off an unsuspecting squirrel! We saw it swoop in, grab the squirrel, drop it, wait, then pick it back up, fly with it to a maple in the back corner or our yard, and then feast. I couldn't get any great photos from a distance, but used the binoculars to spy. Other squirrels and even a bold blue jay kept pestering this imposing bird while it ate. It was really a sight to behold. These raptors, even though among the largest birds in North America, are surprisingly lightweight!

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- Fran Suarez 4/30/2020 10:11 AM
  
  Tara, I saw a bald eagle on Lake Avenue east of circular st intersection. It was incredible to see this bird in flight over lake avenue. Then landed in a tree where we watched it from the car.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Compost Food Waste

New to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? How will you use your compost once it is ready?

Tara Chhabra 4/24/2020 11:18 AM

I am learning from my teammates how to compost, and am finding good online resources, too. I am dabbling in countertop composting, starting small, to see how it goes. As for outdoor stuff, learning how I can take my used coffee grounds to make for happy worms! And that these grounds can also contribute to the "greens" to balance my compost: https://www.gardenista.com/posts/gardening-101-use-coffee-grounds-garden/

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- Denise Feltes 4/27/2020 9:40 AM
  
  I never realized that coffee grounds are a green material. This info makes it easier to aim for a 4-to-1 ratio of brown to green material.
  
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Tara Chhabra 4/23/2020 6:55 AM

Hi! I got an email yesterday from Sustainable Saratoga, and it included a link to this composting video!

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- Denise Feltes 4/27/2020 10:25 AM
  
  Awesome instructional video for composting! Wish I had seen this last year!
  
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Tara Chhabra 4/22/2020 5:13 AM

Happy Earth Day! History buffs: Here's how we were talking about this 50 years ago.

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Tara Chhabra 4/20/2020 7:18 AM

I have seen three bald eagles in the last two weeks! One here in my neighborhood on Saturday, flying overhead and then landing in a nearby tree, where I think it was eating something, and being constantly bothered by crows. Last Sunday, I actually saw two eagles doing a sort of "mating dance" midair above the Northway, in the vicinity of Exit 2. I called in to my favorite bird show and described it...you can hear it starting at about minute 15:35 here: https://www.capeandislands.org/post/bird-news-april

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?

Tara Chhabra 4/17/2020 11:49 AM

So, I get a monthly "report card" from National Grid, comparing our energy usage to nearby neighbors (not sure what radius they use). We seem to be doing pretty well, but I'd like to do better. I am trying to figure out if switching to a "clean energy" supplier would be a good move, and am a bit daunted by how many suppliers there are! Has anyone made this switch? I am looking at a mailing from CleanChoice Energy, but now see that there are *many* others to choose from. Want to do the right thing, but feeling a little hesitant...Check out this information on the National Grid website: https://www9.nationalgridus.com/niagaramohawk/business/energychoice/4_how.asp

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- Lisa Baltz 4/22/2020 11:15 AM
  
  Sustainable Saratoga is hosting a webinar next week about energy choice:
  Wednesday, April 29: Webinar on Community Choice Aggregation
  Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a new bulk electricity buying program for residents and small businesses. Fourteen municipalities, including Saratoga Springs, are joining together to negotiate an excellent rate/terms for electricity for their residents & small businesses, including a renewable energy option. Some of the benefits of CCA include:Better electric ratesPrice stability and budget certaintyAccess to 100% renewable "green" electricityProtection from predatory practices of energy companiesIt’s our hope that through the increased buying power made possible by joining the Capital District CCA program, the City of Saratoga Springs will be offered a 100% renewable energy supply option that is economically competitive with current default energy supply offered to National Grid customers.
  
  Please join us on April 29 via Zoom to learn about the electricity choices you have with CCA. Tina Carton, Admin of Parks, Open Lands, Historic Preservation, and Sustainability for the City of Saratoga Springs, will give an overview of CCA and answer your questions.
  
  We are offering the webinar at two times on April 29: 1 PM and 7 PM. The events are FREE but registration is required.
  Click here to register for the 1 PM webinar.
  Click here to register for the 7 PM webinar.
  
  Please note that the log-in info for Zoom will be emailed to all registrants prior to the event.
  
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- Jennifer Ferriss 4/17/2020 1:41 PM
  
  I made the switch to community solar after attending the sustainability fair. I was looking for a local-ish company that did not have ties to big oil. I think any move you make is the right move - you just need to find a company (by word of mouth) that has features that make sense to you and have a good reputation in the customer service department. I can't give you a recommendation yet because I just started with the company NexAmp. I have to pay two bills - one to Nat Grid and one to NexAmp. Bottom line is 10% off my energy bill - we only have electric out here in the woods. Good luck figuring it out.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?

Tara Chhabra 4/15/2020 5:59 AM

https://www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates-coronavirus.html
I just found this great NYT article online, that helped to demystify a lot of the dates confusion. In practice, I've found that I can use milk and cream--especially if unopened--way past the stamped date. Organic dairy seems to last longer, too. Eggs are another thing that keep for a really long time. I refrigerate mine.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Oceans Smart Seafood Choices

Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

Tara Chhabra 4/14/2020 7:10 AM

I love fresh fish, but don't eat enough of it. Mostly because I'm always a bit stymied by what's healthy vs not, what's sustainable vs not. I take my cues from the Hannaford fish monger. I trust that they are sourcing things sustainably. Even so, more often than not, I have been sticking to canned sardines. These turn a lot of people off, but I think they are delicious! And good for you, inexpensive, sustainable, and lower on the food chain. Mashed up with a bit of mayo, capers, and dill, spread on crackers or toast...yum!

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Tara Chhabra 4/13/2020 7:52 AM

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- Jennifer Ferriss 4/17/2020 1:42 PM
  
  Make that a Hive-Five
  
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- Tara Chhabra 4/13/2020 7:54 AM
  
  A few weeks ago, I saw this while hiking the trails at Mud Creek Environmental Learning Center outside Chatham NY. I am going to read up on this and see if we can bring more native bees into our backyard this summer!
  
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