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Nora Brakman's avatar

Nora Brakman

eigthatsabot

"My mission is to learn more about our forests and how to protect them. I believe that the best way to do this is to spend time in nature itself."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 267 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    100
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    13
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    spent outdoors

Nora's actions

Electricity

Stop over chemical reacting!!: Intro to the Carbon Cycle

Climate change is occurring because of a phenomenon that is also a very basic chemical reaction. When fossil fuels burn, carbon dioxide is produced. Usually, this reaction balances out as carbon dioxide is then used during photosynthesis. However, the amount of carbon being produced currently, due to our overuse of fossil fuels, is tipping this delicate balance. We'll talk more about the effects later on...in the meantime let's learn about how to reduce the ways WE start chemical reactions that create carbon. Use the link below to measure your carbon footprint.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Intro to the Carbon Cycle

In Earth Science this year, we're going to be talking a lot about climate change and the carbon cycle. Take a minute to read the article/video linked below and answer the reflection question.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 120 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Climate Change Skepticism

Visit the link below and read about a common misconception about climate change and Earth's cycles. Answer the reflection question.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Explore Woods/Go Bone Hunting

For at least 30 minutes, go into a wooded area and explore your surroundings. It doesn't matter where the forest is, just as long as there are trees above your head and leaves below your feet. Bonus points if you find any bones/skulls!!

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 3 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 2 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Explore Other Buildings Solutions

All Buildings Solutions

I will spend at least 1 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings Solutions.

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
    Action Track: Building Resilience Climate Change Skepticism
    1. Summarize the argument people are making about global warming and it's causes 2. What is incorrect about this information/argument? 3. What would you say to someone who is skeptical?

    Nora Brakman's avatar
    Nora Brakman 1/28/2021 7:30 AM
    A lot of people are saying that our climate has changed before and we shouldn't be worried about what it's doing now. In reality, changes this quick and drastic have happened before, but they were all nature caused, and almost always caused mass extinctions. I would say that no, this is not natural, it IS human caused, and we have to do something about this rather than waiting for nature to run its course.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Intro to the Carbon Cycle
    1. Where does carbon originate? 2. How is carbon released? 3. Where does carbon go once it's released? 4. What is the connection between carbon change, fossil fuel use, and the carbon cycle?

    Nora Brakman's avatar
    Nora Brakman 1/07/2021 7:28 PM
    1. Carbon is stored in the soil, plants, and animals. 2. It is released by fire/burning of fossil fuels, and decomposition/destruction. 3. Once carbon is released it returns to the atmosphere/carbon cycle. 4. Fossil fuel usage creates more carbon than the carbon cycle can handle, resulting in more carbon in our atmosphere.