Ashley Rodriguez
"“Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” -Abe"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 860 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO142minutesspent learning
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UP TO875minutesnot spent in front of a screen
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UP TO875minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO136conversationswith people
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO1.0lightbulbreplaced
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UP TO48gallons of waterhave been saved
Ashley's 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.
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.
Food
Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.
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.
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.
Action Track: Earth Day Together!
Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations
I will spend 2 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.
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.
Action Track: Earth Day Together!
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.
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.
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.
Fresh Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
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.
Oceans
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will host or participate in a trash pickup at a local river or beach that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.
Oceans
Learn about Our Oceans
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about how our oceans support life on Earth by producing oxygen, regulating climate, and providing habitat, food, and jobs.
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?
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Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:52 PMHi all! If you're interested in buying an indoor bike, check out this article I wrote for A Sweat Life in Chicago. I go through options that fit every budget and lifestyle :) https://asweatlife.com/2020/04/at-home-bike-comparison/ -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Watch a Documentary about Food SovereigntyHow does food sovereignty address the complex agrarian transition to modern food systems?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:51 PMFood sovereignty focuses on local food production rather than importing (transportation cost and eco-impact) and avoids choosing low cost (but ethically questionable) sources in favor of local sources that support sustainable lifestyles for the workers there. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONOceans Join a Cleanup EffortHow does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:48 PMCleaning up our community feels great. I live in a small area with a park and everybody does their part to keep things clean and wipes down benches and surfaces that have been sat on to protect others from potential contamination, which is great to see. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONOceans Learn about Our OceansWhat 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?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:47 PMPart of being vegan means cutting out seafood, which is tough for me! Over fishing is a real issue, however. I try to limit seafood to a couple of times a month to decrease my impact on the supply chain. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Conserve Toilet WaterWhat would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:46 PMIn Chicago, a sustainable water future would probably start with less pollution in Lake Michigan. 22 million lbs of plastic enters the lake each year! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy CreditsYour 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?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 5:43 PMDuring these times, it's tough to cut electricity costs when you're home all the time, but I only use one LED task light when I work and the ample windows we have in our apartment usually does enough to light our space.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Dishwasher EfficiencyHow can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 7:15 AMThis is a tough one when you have a very tidy partner. My boyfriend hates to leave things unfinished or not run the dishwasher multiple times a week, but I've been hand washing more dishes to cut back on use of the dishwasher, plus dishes are clean right away. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate Choose LED BulbsChanging 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?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/30/2020 7:14 AMA light bulb in my bedroom actually went out and I realized it was an incandescent. We have LED bulbs for all of our lights but this one was an older lamp that was never replaced. We're 100% LED now. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local OrganizationsWhy is it important to support local organizations and businesses? How does it help to build a more resilient community?
Ashley Rodriguez 4/24/2020 7:35 AMhttps://www.earthday.org/street-art-campaign-global-halt-launches-on-earth-day/
Link to some great local artists' work in Chicago and around the world that bring awareness to eco-friendliness! When you choose a local business you are taking one more consumer out of the large corporate supply chain-which sends a message to those corporations that investing in communities and empowering small businesses rather than purely extracting revenue from them is the path forward! -
Ashley Rodriguez 4/23/2020 9:43 AMhttps://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-restaurants/opinion-how-celebrate-earth-day-through-better-food-choices/NByEpaw1GX0AkbtCsmxNAK/
Another great article authored by a friend of mine in Atlanta focusing on making eco-friendly food choices and disrupting the supply chain to decrease packaging waste!