Ecochallenge.org

Earth Day Ecochallenge

April 1 - April 30, 2020

Glenn Phillips

Chikara

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
371 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

280

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

10

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

22

conversations

with people
UP TO

2.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

11

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

3.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

8.0

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill

Glenn's actions

Wildlife

Research a Wild Animal

I will spend at least 10 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

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Climate

Creation for Enviornment

Create something: a poster, song, lyric, poem, drawing, dedicated to the environment, climate change, or a specific topic related to climate change.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

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

Fresh Water

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Fresh Water

Dishwasher Efficiency

I will scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher and only run the dishwasher when it’s full.

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

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

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

Action Track: Earth Day Together!

Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations

I will spend 10 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 1 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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
Fresh Water Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Using the links provided, investigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed - both humans and wildlife - by this bottling process?

Glenn Phillips 4/19/2020 10:38 AM

During the summer, I spend time near Fryeburg, Maine, a small town on the edge of the White Mountains. Poland Spring, a subsidiary of Nestle, currently sources water from local wells, and recently began construction on a new bottling facility in the town. The community is torn about this development, grateful for the jobs, but worried about the environmental impact of the water extraction.

The community has pushed back and made it more difficult for Nestle to open the new plant. Although Nestle will open the plant in the end, the process of the community organizing against it, forced the company to make a number of important concessions and to engage with the community in ways that are producing some local environmental benefits, including an expansion of conservation lands to protect the watershed.

I think that it is important for people to share the stories and struggles of water activitists, so that other people can learn that it is possible to prevent the expansion of the bottled water industry and to mitigate some of the damages. The more people know that they don't have to accept this industry and that they can demand help to prevent or reduce damage, the more likely they will be successful.

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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?

Glenn Phillips 4/19/2020 10:18 AM

Oceans are a critical buffer for greenhouse gasses and a major source of oxygen from algae. Among the many threats, plastic pollution may be the most insidious, disrupting food webs in ways that are still not understood. Coral reefs with more plastic pollution, for example, are significantly more susceptible to bleaching events that kill coral and destroy reef communities.

Reducing the use of single-use plastics and eliminating plastic fibers from our clothing can significantly reduce the amount of plastic pollution that enters the ocean.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Support Pollinators

Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

Glenn Phillips 4/08/2020 8:53 AM

Our lives, our climate, and our planet depend on plants, especially flowering plants. Plants depend on pollinators. Even in a tiny urban backyard, my planting choices can have a big impact. Last summer, I noticed a hawkmoth, foraging for nectar in a neighbor's garden. This year, I want to be sure to have food available for them in my garden.

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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?

Glenn Phillips 4/08/2020 7:40 AM

Part of the challenge of avoiding single-use coffee cups is actually having a travel mug with you when you need it. I started by keeping an extra mug in my backpack just in case I forgot to bring one with. After a while, it became a habit. Mostly I would bring from home, to save the extra cost, but on Wednesdays, especially, I would stop at a favorite local coffee bar.

Of course, during this time of social-distancing, we are more likely to be consuming coffee at home, which is both environmentally and economically more sustainable. I wonder if, as we return to more socially connected habits, we will trade the environmentally more friendly reusable mug for more single-use out of fear of spreading pathogens.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

How does food sovereignty address the complex agrarian transition to modern food systems?

Glenn Phillips 4/08/2020 7:32 AM

Learning about the conflict between traditional wild rice foraging and modern "wild" rice cultivation reminds me that food is so much more than just sustenance. Foodways can support the culture, community, and the agency of individuals and communities. In light of the current global crisis, local food production and the ability to manage the often complex systems take on a new urgency.

I also learned about efforts in Jamaica to establish sovereignty over important food crops and potential and historic food crops that can do well in the local climate. To be dependant on wheat as a foodstuff, which can't be grown locally, doesn't make sense. At the same time, crops that can be grown locally including potential exports, need to be managed in ways that ensure future sustainability. Are the varieties adapted for local conditions? Is the growing stock free from disease? Have varieties been selected that meet market, health, and sustainability needs? Does the community have the capacity (human capital included) to manage the agricultural system?

Do modern food systems actually meet societal needs in a sustainable way? I'm beginning to think not.

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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?

Glenn Phillips 4/08/2020 7:17 AM

I've already changed most of my bulbs, but I discovered two fixtures in my basement that still had incandescent bulbs, and replaced them. I've also recently replaced a water heater with a newer, more efficient model. It seems a little counterintuitive that purchasing something new can reduce emissions... But if it is something you use a lot, lasts a long time and saves significant energy with a newer, more efficient model, it can be better to replace.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Connect While Social Distancing

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

Glenn Phillips 4/01/2020 3:24 PM

It felt good to have a more casual experience... not a meeting, not a class, just talking and laughing with people beyond my immediate family.

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