Ecochallenge.org

Earth Day Ecochallenge

April 1 - April 30, 2020

Austin Johnson

University of Minnesota

"Passionate about Sustainable Food Systems! "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
237 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

8.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

4.0

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

4.0

miles

traveled by foot
UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

105

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

105

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

5.1

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Austin's 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

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Sustainable Certifications

I will choose products with at least one third party verified, sustainable certification when grocery shopping whenever possible. Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, USDA Organic, etc.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Forests

Personal Waste Audit

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 3 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Wildlife

Research Benefits of Biodiversity

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how biodiversity positively impacts our world and how the loss of biodiversity harms it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Fresh Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

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

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 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

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?

Austin Johnson 4/24/2020 9:17 AM

Dark chocolate covered dried fruit makes for a tasty snack, and it's even better if it's Fair Trade certified! Fair Trade products ensure that workers are paid a fair wage and are provided an economic safety net in case of major market disruption.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our planet and other people?

Austin Johnson 4/07/2020 1:04 PM

In developing countries, animal proteins often come from animals that were raised and cared for by individual families. Once an animal is slaughtered for food, all parts of the animal are consumed/utilized before those individuals have access to more meat. Here in the United States, we go to the store and have immediate access to pork, beef, poultry, seafood, etc. all in one place, and we often buy more than we need to sustain ourselves for the next few days/week. This can contribute to over eating and to food waste, which has a negative impact on the environment. If we knew all of the resources and time that went into raising animals for food, we would eat it in moderation and be sure not to let it go to waste.

Read More
Austin Johnson 4/06/2020 2:13 PM

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app is a great resource for learning about and finding sustainably sourced seafood!

Read More
Austin Johnson 4/06/2020 2:09 PM

Going through a global health crisis like the one presented by Covid-19 really makes me reflect on the importance of the local economy. People are rallying behind local restaurants and small businesses, and rightfully so. I just hope people will realize that local farmers, diverse suppliers, independent businesses etc. make our supply chain stronger long term when this is over.

Read More