Meagan Evans

GSU's GeoWarriors

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,105 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

25

hours

volunteered
UP TO

51

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

80

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

22

pounds

waste composted

Meagan's actions

Action Track: Earth Day Together!

Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations

I will spend 15 minutes researching local organizations and businesses in my community, then support one of them by writing a testimonial or positive review, ordering curbside, making a donation to my favorite nonprofit, or supporting them in another way.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

Research a Wild Animal

I will spend at least 10 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

Wildlife

Leave No Trace

I will respect and protect biotic communities by practicing the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Wildlife

Support Pollinators

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators, including monarch butterflies, to produce fruit. I will spend 15 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

Seek Alternative Gifts and Souvenirs

Bringing home unique souvenirs from trips you’ve enjoyed is meaningful, and giving people unique gifts from other places is fun. Seek souvenirs and gifts that support local communities and do not cause harm to the environment or wildlife.

COMPLETED
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

Action Track: Building Resilience

Volunteer in my Community

I will volunteer 15 hour(s) in my community helping people who are most at need right now, including elderly and immunocompromised people, people without childcare, and people whose jobs have been affected by social distancing measures.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Fresh Water

Water-Friendly Beauty Products

Avoid beauty products with micro beads or harsh chemicals that will feed into the ground and your water supply.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Fresh Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

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?

Meagan Evans 4/30/2020 6:48 AM

The compositing has been going very well! Our herb garden is growing like crazy and we have baby tomatoes on all of our plants!

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Meagan Evans 4/30/2020 6:41 AM

Thinking about centering my eating on a more vegan basis has been fun for me. I realized that I eat vegetarian on most days regularly so it really wasn't too big of a change.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations

Why is it important to support local organizations and businesses? How does it help to build a more resilient community?

Meagan Evans 4/30/2020 6:08 AM

Local organizations and businesses are the foundation of our community. They are the first ones to get the call to sponsor the cheerleading team or the soccer team or to donate to the local food banks or outreach ministries. These organizations run on tighter profit margins most of the time. By helping to support these people you keep your money in the local economy. Your dollars help pay the salaries of the people working in these places and they are generally also living in your community. I researched a local "responsibly grown certified" farm that has a bed and breakfast and café. I have ordered take out lunch from the café today which serves the foods grown and harvested on the farm.

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Meagan Evans 4/28/2020 9:16 AM

I have really enjoyed my participation in this challenge! I found that it's made me really consider how I can change my daily habits to have a bigger impact on the world around me. I will continue these actions past the end of the challenge.

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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?

Meagan Evans 4/23/2020 6:23 AM

My family owns a cabin on the Flint River and I have grown up spending hours along the riverbank. One of my favorite creatures to see is the North American River Otter. Based on my research this highly playful and social creature averages 11 to 30 pounds and is covered in water repellant fur. They live in burrows that are dens with multiple tunnels at the water's edge. Typical otter diets include fish, fresh water clams and mussels, crayfish, amphibians, and even small turtles. Their position at the top of the food chain in the aquatic ecosystem lands them a berth as a bioindicator species. The high sensitivity to environmental pollution, especially their tendency to build mercury levels, help to show the overall wellness of their living zones.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Support Pollinators

Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

Meagan Evans 4/21/2020 5:15 AM

Pollinators are necessary to fertilize plants. Humans depend on pollinators to the assist the majority of flowering plant species in the world to make seeds and fruits that propagate the next generation of plants and feed people and animals. Without the pollinators the plants don't reproduce and we don't eat.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Leave No Trace

Educator Stephanie Kaza advises her students to focus on what they care about most when addressing the enormity of ecological problems. Is there a specific area you feel particularly called to work on?

Meagan Evans 4/20/2020 6:19 AM

My family is definitely a group of ocean lovers. My parents and my brother are all scuba certified. While diving is not on my hobby list, I am very concerned about the health of our oceans. In our global travels we have seen both healthy and sick ocean areas. One sick area that I will never forget is in St. Lucia. Pollutants from farming run off has killed a section of the coast. The smell was horrible and the color broke my heart. Locals said that the area no longer supported fish or other sea creatures. A healthy ocean is critical to our global well-being.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Fresh Water Water-Friendly Beauty Products

Beyond what does or doesn't come out of the tap at home, how do your choices affect freshwater locally and globally?

Meagan Evans 4/19/2020 2:12 PM

Livestock are the largest consumers of fresh water in the US according to research. By eating less meat, I reduce the amount of freshwater necessary to support my consumption. By not using bottled water or plastic straws I reduce the amounts of waste that go into the world's oceans and damage ecosystems there.

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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?

Meagan Evans 4/19/2020 2:08 PM

I have found that using my food waste to compost has made me really pay attention to how things are packaged. This was an unexpected benefit. We are using the compost to feed the tomatoes, herbs, and bell peppers that we are growing in our backyard. It's fun to have fresh veggies and my family is totally behind organic growing!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Seek Alternative Gifts and Souvenirs

How do your consumption choices affect the health of wildlife and other communities?

Meagan Evans 4/18/2020 9:04 AM

My family, in more normal times, travels frequently. We always try to support local artisans when we buy gifts or trinkets to bring home. For example, in Mexico we purchased local hand made pottery. In Jamaica we bought carved wooden figures rather than the sea shells that the local vendors were selling in both countries. Buying shells can lead to over fishing a location. Buying an artisan created item adds income to that person's family.

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