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April 1 - April 30, 2020
Elaine Simon's avatar

Elaine Simon

Ramblers Go Green

"Working toward a more socially, environmentally, and economically just future!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,131 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    44
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    9.0
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    9.0
    miles
    traveled by foot
  • UP TO
    240
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1,190
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    1,170
    minutes
    not spent in front of a screen
  • UP TO
    126
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    10
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

Elaine's actions

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

Action Track: Earth Day Together!

Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations

I will spend 30 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

Fresh Water

Shorter Showers

I will endeavor to limit my daily shower time to 5 minutes or less in an effort to conserve fresh water.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Research Benefits of Biodiversity

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how biodiversity positively impacts our world and how the loss of biodiversity harms it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Support Pollinators

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Forests

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area while following CDC guidelines for social distancing.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

People

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day while following the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 60 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

Use Muscle Power

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Connect While Social Distancing

I will connect with at least 1 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 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Building Resilience Support Pollinators
    Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/30/2020 6:08 PM
    Many plants rely on pollinators for survival. Pollinators are important for creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that many animals rely on for food and shelter. Pollinators also play an important role in crops grown for human consumption. And of course, most of the flowering plants that add beauty to our communities rely on pollinators!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Building Resilience Research Benefits of Biodiversity
    How can you encourage biodiversity by your own actions?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/29/2020 8:15 PM
    I read an article about the top ten ways to contribute to biodiversity in my neighborhood. Some of their suggestions include planting native species in my yard, reducing my carbon footprint, reducing my water use, reducing my waste generation and supporting local farmers. I will work on improving in all of these areas! 
  • 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?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/27/2020 10:36 AM
    Local organizations and businesses are generally run by local people and employ local people, so supporting them is a way to support my neighbors. Local organizations and businesses are also invested in the vibrancy and well-being of my community in a way that larger, multi-city companies are not. Local businesses also make my community more diverse and self-sufficient, which are both important factors in resiliency.

  • Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/24/2020 10:02 PM
    I unfortunately spent the entire day inside again today! As the semester comes to a close and final assignments are due, it is taking extra effort to step away from my screen and get outside. 
  • 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?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/24/2020 9:55 PM
    I have most recently implemented using shampoo and conditioner bars that come without packaging. This is helping me to minimize the amount of plastics that I am sending to landfill. For me, changing a habit is easiest when I have another person in it with me to hold me accountable. Committing to things like recycling, composting, vegetarianism and so on as a group or a household is much less daunting than going it alone. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Building Resilience Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
    How does food sovereignty address the complex agrarian transition to modern food systems?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/18/2020 9:44 PM
    Food sovereignty addresses both the environmental and social justice issues surrounding modern food systems. The idea that food producers, distributors, and consumers should decide how and where food is produced will allow for food systems to be more locally controlled by people who understand local climate patterns and cultural practice, rather than being dominated by large corporations that do not have this level of detailed insight into food systems.

  • Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/18/2020 9:20 PM
    Today I spent time outside with two of my fellow EcoChallengers - we did some geocaching and explored our neighborhood!

  • Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/16/2020 8:35 PM
    Today was not my best for EcoChallenge - I stayed inside and in front of a screen for most of the day. I am already looking forward to my walk tomorrow morning!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Building Resilience Use Muscle Power
    How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/16/2020 8:30 PM
    Limiting my transit to walking has made me explore more local options for shopping. I have discovered some new coffee shops and small grocery stores that I really like and that I will continue to go to beyond this challenge. Also just spending time walking around my neighborhood has made me feel more connected to it. I now have favorite houses that I walk by on my way to the store that I had never noticed before. I definitely find walking more enjoyable than driving!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    People Keep My Community Clean
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Elaine Simon's avatar
    Elaine Simon 4/12/2020 6:48 PM
    Picking up litter can serve as a reminder both about the impacts of human behavior on the environment and the impacts of pollution on human health. Working to beautify a public space also feels good - it is a small thing that I can do to improve my community and benefit my neighbors.