Jess Vetrano

LHB, Inc.

"to win!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
583 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

91

conversations

with people
UP TO

38

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

276

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

2.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

106

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

106

miles

traveled by foot
UP TO

90

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

57

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Jess's actions

Climate

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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Forests

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Climate

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

People

Connect While Social Distancing

I will connect with at least 2 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

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

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

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.

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?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 2:00 PM

I do wish that biking were incorporated more. A lot of the "Muscle Power" or "explore" challenges only suggest walking when biking is also a very popular/sustainable alternative to cars.

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Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:58 PM

I'm not sure I was doing this right because none of my daily challenges are marked as complete even though I definitely did them and recorded most days! Grrr.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Forests Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:55 PM

I think it slows you down and gives you time to notice things you would normally zip past. When outside you have less to distract you from your surroundings, as well as the present. I know I learned a lot more about my neighborhood by engaging with it on foot/bike than before when I mostly drove.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate Choose LED Bulbs

Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! In what other ways can you exercise your civic duty to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:54 PM

So. Many. Ways. Composting/recycling. Commuting by foot or bike or even bus. Buying less new and more used. The list could go on and on and on.

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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?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:53 PM

I was able to replace all of my energy consumption with wind energy which is awesome! Now that summer is approaching, it is much easier to keep the lights off for most of the day, and I've been trying to be better about unplugging things that are not in use.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Forests Use a Reusable Mug

Maybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:52 PM

This was not a hard habit for me to adopt, particularly with the stay at home order! I don't have disposable cups so I couldn't use them if I wanted! It would be interesting to understand how water use compares between increased washing of the same cup vs. making disposable cups.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Fresh Water Conserve Toilet Water

What would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:51 PM

I think the social culture around water use needs to be addressed -- we saw what happened in South Africa when they neared a water shortage and should use that to inform our own behaviors here. Toilets don't need to be flushed for every small use, water doesn't need to be left on during teeth brushing/dishes, showers can be shortened drastically, and noone needs baths lets be honest. Unfortunately, for wide-spread behavioral change I think it will require policy/legislation, which never happens quickly.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
People Connect While Social Distancing

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

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:49 PM

It helps so much! I don't think I would be able to get through quarantine without my friends and family

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate 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?

Jess Vetrano 4/30/2020 1:49 PM

I've noticed that I understand how different places are connected much better now that I've been walking/biking across the city. I also have a better understanding of distance, and of how the neighborhoods change as you move through them.

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