Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Sierra Black

Students of Sheridan's Sustainability Class

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
278 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

270

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

5.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

10

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

6.0

zero-waste meals

consumed

Sierra's actions

Electricity

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Onshore Wind Turbines, Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics

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

Electricity

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in creating or purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

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

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Keep Track of Wasted Food

Reduced Food Waste

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Women-Owned Businesses

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will shop from women-owned business(es) today.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Zero-waste Cooking

Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings

Fix Leaky Faucets

Low-Flow Fixtures

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Telepresence, High-Speed Rail

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Advocate For Greener Vehicles

Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars, Efficient Trucks

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Purchase a Carbon Offset

Efficient Aviation

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

UNCOMPLETED
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
Electricity

Your 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?
Sierra Black 5/01/2022 7:17 PM
Making sure to unplug any electric devices that I am no longer using in the household to better conserve energy.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?
Sierra Black 4/15/2022 2:16 PM
Instead of taking a flight to Boston for my sisters graduation, my family and I decided that we were going to drive to Boston in order to avoid air travel. In terms of avoiding air travel in the future I think it would be most important to carpool if the location is somewhere that can be driven too and try to save flights for international trips only.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

Every dollar you put into solar or wind is a dollar not put into traditional financial institutions. You'll also be bolstering the fossil fuel divestment movement, too. Name some companies you know that invest in green energy. How can you support them?
Sierra Black 4/15/2022 2:14 PM
Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell (all of which have intensity-based emission reduction targets) support green energy. They are incorporating renewable electricity to power their oil and gas operations by signing long-term PPAs with renewable energy companies. I can support these companies by telling my friends who have cars to go to these gas companies to get what they need for their cars.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings

What are other easy and low-cost ways to reduce your water usage at home?
Sierra Black 3/31/2022 7:48 PM
Some easy and low-cost ways to reduce my water usage at home would be to make sure that I don't leave the water running when I am brushing my teeth or when getting ready to use the shower.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings

Cities and towns need to plan for climate change. How can your city or town make its climate action plans equitable and socially just?
Sierra Black 3/31/2022 7:47 PM
My city can plan for climate change by changing the types of materials that our buildings in NYC are being constructed out of. In this way, we can weather any storm and be prepared for any extreme weather conditions/ changes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?
Sierra Black 3/09/2022 12:46 PM
Eating more meat can effect our bodies because our body does not necessarily need meet in order to be healthy. Also it can effect our planet because we are causing certain populations of animals to become extinct because of over consumption.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?
Sierra Black 3/09/2022 12:43 PM
I could use the money that is being wasted on food and actually donate it back into companies that are working towards a mire sustainable planet. Or I would invest that money into making my home a more sustainable place to live by investing into better energy companies for example.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. What have you done in the past to support women-owned businesses? How can you better support communities by supporting women?
Sierra Black 3/09/2022 12:41 PM
In the past, I have gone to some of my friends business pop up shops and brought my friends along with me to help support their brands and make purchases towards their companies as well. I can continue to support women owned businesses by telling all my friends to tell their friends about these businesses and also spreading the word that more businesses owned by women need to be supported in general.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

In North America, up to 65% of food waste happens at the consumer level. Chef Steven Satterfield advocates for utilizing every part of a vegetable. How can you incorporate using an entire vegetable, including the skins, tops, and stalks during your next meal prep?
Sierra Black 3/09/2022 12:39 PM
During my next meal prep, I can incorporate using every part of the vegetable by possible making more stews where all of the vegetables can be cooked properly and eaten in a meal where they taste good, while also being sustainable to the planet.

Read More