Eric S.
"Being eco-friendly"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 546 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO16milestraveled by foot
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UP TO8.0poundswaste composted
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO13pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO60minutesspent learning
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UP TO16milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO3.0treesplanted
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UP TO15minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO4.0lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO47plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO96gallons of waterhave been saved
Eric's 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.
Fresh Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Fresh Water
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Forests
Plant Trees
I will plant 2 native tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.
Wildlife
Seek Alternative Gifts and Souvenirs
Bringing home unique souvenirs from trips you’ve enjoyed is meaningful, and giving people unique gifts from other places is fun. Seek souvenirs and gifts that support local communities and do not cause harm to the environment or wildlife.
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.
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.
Food
Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.
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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REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Use a Reusable Water BottleUsing 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?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 4:22 PMHumans are forcing wildlife to find other natural resources such as water. With documents showing where animals migrate , I suppose it will be easy to see where the possible next harm will be and mitigate the source by some methods. -
REFLECTION QUESTION
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Compost Food WasteNew 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?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 4:20 PMIf you happen to grow your own food, you can start your own compost bin and see the benefit of compost directly, creating a nutrient rich additive for your garden which can help build soil structure, promote aeration and drainage, provide vital nutrients and encourage microbial activity.Ready to get started? From learning exactly what you can compost (coffee grounds? eggshells?) to a troubleshooting guide for getting your compost just right, to learning about how to compost with worms (vermicomposting), we’ve got tons of tips and resources for you.So, if you want to reduce your food waste, save money and get the most out of home gardening while reducing your environmental impact, composting might be the thing for you! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Learn the Truth About Expiration DatesHow does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 4:19 PM"Sell by" is used by manufacturers to ensure proper turnover throughout the journey of the food product. This helps the food retain a long shelf life even after purchase.
"Use by" marks the last date recommended for the use of the product. This is often printed on meat, poultry or egg labels and should be taken seriously
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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?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:59 PMhttps://www.saveonenergy.com/learning-center/post/6-energy-efficiency-tips-to-help-cut-your-electricity-bills-in-half/
Natural light – or shade – can help
Use hot water only when you need it
Will using less power mean lower bills?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Share Eco TipsWhat environmentally friendly habit have you most recently implemented? How do you ensure that you are successful in creating or changing a habit?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:58 PMBring Your Workouts Home
Eat Less Meat
Reusable Water Bottles
Run Your Sneakers Into The Ground -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Conserve Toilet WaterWhat would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:54 PMAgriculture is by far the thirstiest consumer of water globally, accounting for 70% of water withdrawals worldwide, although this figure varies considerably across countries. Rainfed agriculture is the predominant agricultural production system around the world, and its current productivity is, on average, little more than half the potential obtainable under optimal agricultural management. By 2050, world agriculture will need to produce 60% more food globally, and 100% more in developing countries.Industry and energy together account for 20% of water demand. More-developed countries have a much larger proportion of freshwater withdrawals for industry than less-developed countries, where agriculture dominates. Balancing the requirements of sustainability against the conventional view of industrial mass production creates a number of conundrums for industry. One of the biggest is globalization and how to spread the benefits of industrialization worldwide and without unsustainable impacts on water and other natural resources. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Write a Love Letter, Poem, or Song to EarthWhat are you grateful for about our planet? Share what you created or your general thoughts of love and gratitude with everyone else!
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:51 PM- It gives us life.
- It gives us amazing nature.
- The Seas.
- The Mountains.
- The wast Prairies.
- The Snow.
- The Rain.
- The amazing Lightning Storms.
- The waves the wind create.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Dishwasher EfficiencyHow can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:45 PMEfficient use of water resources: ensure effective use and fair sharing of existing resources; develop new water sources and reservoirs; promote efficient use of water by consumers through education and tariff structures; develop water reuse and recycling; develop rainwater harvesting schemes.
Flexible management approaches: decision makers need to be able to adapt to the full range of climate scenarios and the demands they generate. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONOceans Join a Cleanup EffortHow does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?
Eric S. 4/29/2020 1:43 PMhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/opinion/ph-ct-scible-070815-20150708-column.html
Getting your community involved in a neighborhood cleanup can be a great way to create an awareness in your area, and can lay the groundwork for future waste-reducing efforts. A cleanup can also bring about a sense of community and responsibility to keep our homes and common areas safe and clean. Visible results might lead to a heightened interest and involvement among community members in reducing garbage and food waste, and preserving the environment.