Claire Windsor

University of South Carolina

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
656 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

33

conversations

with people
UP TO

170

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

140

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1,455

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

1,440

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

20

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

3.4

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

7.0

pounds

waste composted
UP TO

7.1

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Claire's actions

People

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

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by prepping for 7 meal(s) each day, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY 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 60 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

People

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 15 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

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

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

Oceans

Learn about Our Oceans

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about how our oceans support life on Earth by producing oxygen, regulating climate, and providing habitat, food, and jobs.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Oceans

Say No to Plastic Straws

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When marine wildlife ingest plastic, they have a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Forests

Forest-Friendly Foods

I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

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

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
Forests Explore My Area

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

Claire Windsor 4/16/2020 2:56 PM

By spending so much time outside exploring new and everyday spaces, I attach parts of my identity and sense of belonging with my geographical and cultural sense of place. When I am outside, I am more keenly aware of myself and the spaces around me in a way that the natural and social environment become unified. Thus, I feel most unified and familiar with any given place when I have found that connection that becomes better instilled in my memories.

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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?

Claire Windsor 4/13/2020 9:27 AM

Because I now know more about the labeling codes of food products, I can reduce my own food waste by knowing that food products are still safe and also look out for food products in grocery stores that will soon be taken off the shelf. My knowledge empowers me as a consumer of food in my home and food in the grocery store. I can now help others by educating and spreading this knowledge.

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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?

Claire Windsor 4/13/2020 9:24 AM

My family has almost always composted as much as we can when we cannot use that organic material otherwise. It has always made me realize how much we would be throwing away if we did not compost because of the number of bits of produce we go through when cooking. We collect our compost in our kitchen and then dump it in a larger compost bin for it to break down. Our garden receives so many nutrients because of our compost that goes back into our soil to enrich the growth of our garden fruit and vegetables. In this way, we create a full cycle of the produce we consume and produce and keep any food waste out of the landfill.

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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?

Claire Windsor 4/13/2020 9:08 AM

It is so devastating to know that there is so much food and economic loss on an individual basis. Consumers are the last point along the food supply chain and if individuals waste, there are economic and environmental costs not only felt by the consumer, but also to the whole network of individuals involved in producing that food. All of the economic loss could be directed towards supporting sustainable food practices, alleviating other financial burdens and needs, and supporting other people who are more food insecure and disadvantaged.

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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?

Claire Windsor 4/03/2020 10:44 AM

Connection at this time is very important in supporting my own and others mental health. In order to maintain social relations and express our emotions and share our stories, I think it is important to find a way to communicate with others while remaining physically distanced. Mutual support through active and engaged conversations or interactions online can create a more positive outlook on the day and for the future in general. Positivity and comfort is greatly needed during these worrisome and uncertain times, so simple interactions with other can have short and long term effects on other people's mental health.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
People 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?

Claire Windsor 4/02/2020 8:37 AM

As an avid cyclist, I am fortunate to be a part of a sport that allows me to enjoy hours at end outside. While riding around the rural roads from my home, I am able to take in a new perspective of nature that helps me emotionally and mentally reflect on my day's activities and my own state of mind and well-being. Every time I go for a ride, I release such cathartic energy and have such an endorphin boost because I am able to free myself of my worries and get to a closer state of optimism and happiness than before. If I was to stay indoors all day, I think I would eventually loose or it would be a lot hard to maintain my sense of positivity that I get from being reconnected outside.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Oceans Learn about Our Oceans

What is one way in which oceans support your life on Earth? What is one way you can help take care of ocean health with your actions?

Claire Windsor 4/02/2020 8:23 AM

In my marine science class, we have been discussing the vital ocean systems that support life on Earth. Our most recent topic was atmospheric circulation and how the wind currents are distributed around the world. Climate change that leads to warming waters poses changes to our wind and current systems making certain waters warmer and leaded to hurricane formations that are more intense than in the past. I also learned in our lab about how there are increasing concerns about endangered sea turtle species. One way that we can take care of these creatures is minimizing or eliminating our plastic consumption, staying away from nesting sites on beaches, advocating for stricter fishing and marine polices, and supporting agencies that protect these animals and many more in our ocean.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Forests Forest-Friendly Foods

How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?

Claire Windsor 4/02/2020 8:19 AM

I had to look closer at the labels and ingredient lists for these products, but once you know which products are more sustainably sourced, it is not a difficult change at all! I purchase as local as possible, so that I can ensure that my purchases support my community.

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