Susan Olshuff

Cooler Communities

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
309 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

21

conversations

with people
UP TO

82

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

260

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

260

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

0.7

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

1.4

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Susan's actions

Action Track: Earth Day Together!

Earth Day Action: Write a Love Letter, Poem, or Song to Earth

I will express my love and gratitude for our Earth by writing a love letter, poem, or song to Earth.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Earth Day Together!

Earth Day Action: Share Eco Tips

Through social media or on the Earth Day Ecochallenge feed, I will share my favorite environmentally friendly habit with my friends, even if it’s not an Earth Day action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Fresh Water

Write to my rep to advocate for New Green Deal

bla bla

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 30 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside that follows CDC guidelines for preventing disease spread.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Connect While Social Distancing

I will connect with at least 3 person/people a day through phone call or video chat to support mine and other’s mental and emotional health during this challenging time.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Fresh Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Fresh Water

Conserve Toilet Water

I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Drive less

Will do as many meetings as possible online, avoiding using my car as much as possible.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by prepping for 2 meal(s) each day, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

UNCOMPLETED
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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Write a Love Letter, Poem, or Song to Earth

What are you grateful for about our planet? Share what you created or your general thoughts of love and gratitude with everyone else!

Susan Olshuff 4/22/2020 12:12 PM

Letter to the Eagle Editor and Berkshire Community,

Seems strange to celebrate anything these days, but the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is not something to ignore. Way back in 1970, 20 million of us took to the streets demanding that we address our planetary needs. It was the beginning of a movement calling us to change our ways and our policies.

Fast forward 50 years. In recent years, more than a billion people globally use April 22 as a day to embolden our efforts on behalf of our planet and ourselves.

But alas, look at us now. Home-bound and frightened and working together to stop a virus that has brought us to our knees. It is right that our focus today is on what is before us, honoring our helpers, finding cures, supporting those struggling economically and physically and mentally.

As we sit in our homes, let us also pause to remember the challenges still ahead of us that also threaten our health and security. We need to hold tight to the lessons of today: The realization that truly we are ONE world, connected in more ways than we could have imagined. The recognition that the best of our humanity can meet the unexpected, and that we can stay the course, bearing the unbearable unknown. These lessons will be essential as we meet climate change in the years ahead.

So celebrate Earth Day. Put your toes in the earth. Hug a tree. Look at the stars. And do something that will help. (Suggestion: Mass Save is offering virtual free home energy audits. If you sign up before April 30, you will be eligible for 100% off for any recommended insulation you need. Check it out by calling Mass Save at 1-866-527-7283.)

Happy Earth Day, friends. Stay home, stay well, and hold in your heart a bright future for ourselves and for our Earth.

Warmly,

Susan Olshuff

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Share Eco Tips

What environmentally friendly habit have you most recently implemented? How do you ensure that you are successful in creating or changing a habit?

Susan Olshuff 4/22/2020 12:11 PM

It's really hard to change habits! It takes picking oneself up again and again and again and starting anew. I find it helps to keep my eye on the biggest picture I can, why is this action important?

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Connect While Social Distancing

How does connecting with others help your own mental and emotional health? How can it help support others?

Susan Olshuff 4/21/2020 12:59 PM

I'm a long time meditator so I'm pretty happy being on my own. But amidst the virus time, it sure helps to connect, both for myself and to see (if virtually) the smiles of others too.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Weekly Meal Planning

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money?

Susan Olshuff 4/21/2020 12:58 PM

I'd rather use this money on almost ANYTHING else than waste!!! Imagine how many others we could help feed if we didn't waste our own money on food. Especially amidst the coronavirus time, I'm thinking of those with little to eat... giving as much as I can to those who are providing food banks.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Spend Time Outside

Rachel Carson said that we need the beauty and mysteries of the natural world for our spiritual and emotional development. Does that ring true for you? What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors?

Susan Olshuff 4/04/2020 6:59 PM

During these times of COVID-19, nature is a profound help. Fear is in our collective space, and I find walking every day in the woods connects me to a deeper place within. Anyone else find this?

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- Mary Jane Eustace 4/09/2020 12:11 PM
  
  Beautiful pics. I don't get into the woods every day even though there is a large park a block away. However, I do try to get out every day - whether walking the dog in the neighborhood, walking through the park with family or alone, even walking to local stores. I always enjoy noticing little things - robins, trees beginning to bud, flowers, a rocking chair on a front porch, lawn ornaments, and friendly waves.
  
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