April 1 - April 30, 2020

Mary Dobrzynski

"Since joining the EcoChallenge several years ago my viewpoint on all facets of sustainability has been expanded. In 2020 I commit to focusing on less challenges but delving deeper into the ones I've selected. Sustainability is fascinating and a Challenge in itself. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,485 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

595

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

360

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

198

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

92

conversations

with people
UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced

Mary's actions

Action Track: Building Resilience

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 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Wildlife

Research a Wild Animal

I will spend at least 120 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

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

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

Wildlife

Use Reusable Bags

Plastic bags can be mistaken for food by many wild animals. If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.

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

Climate

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Forests

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 7 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 60 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Research Benefits of Biodiversity

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching how biodiversity positively impacts our world and how the loss of biodiversity harms it.

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

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

Oceans

Learn about Our Oceans

I will spend at least 60 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

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?

Mary Dobrzynski 4/30/2020 4:55 AM

Day 30 ...... We made it !!!! 30 days of learning about our Earth. 30 days of developing habit which will stay with us for many days, weeks, months and years to come. Info to share with friends, family, neighbors and people we meet along the way. I am grateful for "these challenge" because it's an opportunity to learn and develop habit which would never otherwise cross my life's path. Thank you, thank you very much🤗

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/29/2020 1:22 PM

Forests: explore my area"Chanel's Discovery in Her Concrete Jungle" ..... Since the beginning of the #StayAtHome order in mid-March, I have been helping out a friend by walking her dog, Chanel, every day of the week. We live in the center of Baltimore City Maryland, the urban concrete jungle. While "my walks" take me to the city's nature trails, my walks with Chanel take us around our neighborhood. Its more about her "exploring" new green spaces and hidden alleys. There are many building murals in our "concrete jungle." One day Chanel had the cutest reaction to a black cat which was painted at the sidewalk level of a building in an alley which we use to return home. She "noticed" the black cat painted on a bright yellow background, she froze not sure of what to make of the cat and instantly took off running pretty much the 3 blocks back to our apt building.

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/28/2020 7:35 AM

Ah, this is a great question. Actually this Eco Challenge has been a blessing in disguise during #StayAtHome; Day 43 of 45 plus some more to come.
Social Distancing while maintaining a connection with friends who live miles from me. I'm not a chatty person especially during stressful times. So, some days I Zoom Chat, or use Messenger and others times tele-chat. Keeping connected while social distancing has become a Positive "new" habit. Thank you to the organizers of the Earth Day EcoChallenge.

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/26/2020 11:08 AM

Forest - reusable mugs ..... Every holiday season Starbucks gives away a limited number of reusable "red" commute cups. One year I was lucky to snag one. BUT within two weeks I accidentally recycled it into a municipal trash can on a hike. Oops! I'm a regular at the neighborhood Sbux store. After After sharing my story, the manager gave me a free replacement. A friend who works at the store suggested I purchase the 8 pack of tumblers. I did. Oops! During that holiday season I recycled two more into the trash. I am a stickler for bringing my own cup, love the discount but LOL it costs me $$ because I inadvertently recycle them in the trash. I love the Cold Brew at Whole Foods and their program to recycle the "growlers" - discount refills. Al! Great Habit to save the Landfills from overflowing the capacity

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/25/2020 10:03 AM

Another COVID-19 related consideration within the Challenge - Wild Life and Reusable Bags. Reusable bags do help to reduce the harm on wild life especially in our water ways. BUT, consider the potential fears which the Corona virus might have on our Zero Trash Waste Efforts. The following was pulled from a "Wired" article .... Are there germs on reusable bags and mugs? Are disposable packages sterile? The answer to both is a resounding NO. Depending on temperature and humidity, corona viruses can survive on hard surfaces or plastics for 2-9 days; if you do not do anything to stop them. BUT, the good news is that soap and water does the trick. Clorox wipes on reusable plastic shopping bags work as well. We should be more worries about all germs and currently corona virus germs on the touch screens/plastic buttons at ATMS and the plastic buttons on the checkout machine at stores. So, carry hand sanitizers with you at all times, do not touch your face or mask, and wash once home, wash your hands with soap and water, sanitize your bankcard and wipe down your shopping bags (wash cloth bags). Face masks (scarves) should be wash daily and single use surgical masks should be thrown out (fold so that the outer side is inside and place in a plastic or paper bag). My, my how are lives have changed .... should we be following the same processes during "regular flu" season? Good question, right?

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/24/2020 4:43 PM

i am truly enjoying this challenge. i am learning so much about the earth and the ways I impact its health every minute, of every day.

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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!

Mary Dobrzynski 4/24/2020 4:40 PM

Love and gratitude for our planet ..... its not so difficult to imagine what we feel. but to express these feelings might be quite the challenge. Where does one begin ..... probably at the beginning, our first breath of life.
My dearest loving planet, how do I love thee and what am I grateful for? No, not My first breath but the First Breath that Created Your Life. My breath came at the right time and the right time was when my role in being grateful for You was most needed. My role? Through my special God-given gifts I will always strive to share my love for you in all I do, think and say; as a role model for all those that pass through my life. I am your ambassador .....

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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?

Mary Dobrzynski 4/23/2020 9:58 AM

Oceans are the foundation of human life; climate, weather, air quality, food, trade and commerce, and adventure and discovery. Probably the one element we equate our lives to the ocean is for food. A surprising fact is that we spend over $55 billion a year for fishery products. But, did you know that our oceans also provide marine-based drugs for cancer, antibiotics, resistant staph infections, pain, asthma and inflammation?
The oceans can exist without humans but humans cannot exist without the ocean.
One way that the oceans support my life is from through a species of purple and red algae (seaweed). How you might wonder? I was amazed that through some digging around on the internet, this compound, carrageenan, a thickening and empulsifying agent is found in toothpaste and nut butters!!!! Wow ..... it adds to the consistency and the degree of spreadability. I need my toothpaste and love nut butters.
So, what can I do to aid in the health of our oceans? Go Plastics Free. Pickup trash in my neighborhood especially cigarette butts (they eventually make their way into the oceans), Reuse food scraps for making soups/broth. Definitely share "things you can do to help keep our oceans healthy" with friends and family.

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Mary Dobrzynski 4/21/2020 6:57 PM

I love this Challenge because of all the information I've learned about our global ecosystem. It's been most fascinating to discover the small contributions that I make and the resultant global impact.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Support Pollinators

Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

Mary Dobrzynski 4/19/2020 9:20 AM

Whew!!! According to the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State U, pollinators are vital to the diversity of the Ecosystem. Pollinators directly impact 3/4 of major food crops including fruits, vegetables and nuts. There are approx 300,000 flowering plants world wide. They are pollinated by honeybees, butterflies, beetles, flies, and some birds and bats. Did you know? There are 16,000 species of bees and 1,000 vertebrae pollinators? Pollinators maintain our Ecoystem to ensure its natural diversity and the next generation of plants. Outside of their impact on Agricultural, 80-95% of the plant species in nature requires pollination. Why? The plants provide shelter and nesting for habitats.
So, our pollinators are "workers" for many facets of our world. Taking care of them, takes care of use ...... The Cycle of the Ecosystem.

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