Grace Chang

Blue and Gold Greenies

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
96 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

mile

not traveled by car
UP TO

0.0

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

mile

traveled by bus

Grace's actions

Transportation

Use Public Transit

Public Transit

I will use public transit 2 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Industry

Practice the 5 R's

Recycling

I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Recycle Everything I Can

Recycling

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, making sure to not contaminate recyclables with non-recyclables.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

Grace Chang 6/06/2023 2:05 AM

I recently purchased a succulent from the UCLA Store outdoor "farmers market," and it's been sitting by my window for the past few days. I don't have a lot of greenery decorating my room (either here or back at home), and it's something I've been looking to do in order to refresh my aesthetic. However, increasing the greenery in my living spaces can also be an environmentally-friendly action, as these species are important for absorbing CO2 in the atmosphere (although, certainly, a very small amount when we look at individual plants like my succulent). At home, I look forward to decorating my home with even more. Additionally, with access to a garden at home, I look forward to planting a variety of vegetables and fruits that can serve a dual purpose to feeding my family!

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- MOLLY MCANDREW 6/07/2023 7:07 PM
  
  Hi Grace! I think it's amazing that you're planting a garden at home. I'm from the East Coast so I've never really thought about planting any fruits or vegetables because I always assumed they'd never survive the harsh temperatures. However, for Christmas, I bought my mom some herb plants that she could grow inside our house. Now, we have a mini-garden full of cilantro, parsley, thyme, mint, and more! It was so much fun to grow these plants and to use these fresh herbs for our cooking. Recently, my mom bought a lemon tree, which is a little slow-growing but will definitely be worth it if we have fresh lemons. I can't believe I never tried growing anything before out of fear of the temperatures. I want to start keeping plants in my room at school, just like you did with the succulent, and maybe even try to start my own garden at my apartment next year. It's definitely a cute added touch for aesthetics, but like you pointed out, no matter how tiny the plant is, it has a role in absorbing CO2. I'd love to see pictures of your new succulent!
  
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Grace Chang 6/05/2023 11:12 AM

I feel many of us on campus are required to make a conscious effort to sort our trash into the different colored bins—green for compost, blue for recycling, and orange for the rest. However, I noticed recently that many of these "sortable" trash cans don't even have a divider, meaning they all go to the same container in the end. It ultimately defeats the entire purpose, and I've been making an extra effort to avoid disposing my trash into these bins. I haven't done too extensive of research into how UCLA deals with the compost/recyclable materials, but from an individual standpoint, I think it's important that I try my best to do what I can do. From here, I think the next steps I should be taking are looking into current compost and recycling programs that UCLA partakes in—in order to understand the impact of the actions I'm implementing.

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Grace Chang 6/03/2023 8:35 PM

This past week, I painted tote bags with my club, and it was such a fun experience! I constantly forget to bring bags when I grocery shop (although I don't do a lot of grocery shopping currently because I live in the dorms), so I end up opting in for the plastic bags. When I purchase a lot of items at the UCLA Store, I usually end up getting a plastic bag as well when they offer. But now, I'll be trying to carry around my tote bag more often as a reusable/eco-friendly alternative to the plastic bags! I have a huge backpack, so I'll be able to fold it up and keep it with me at all times. Decorating our bags was also extremely relaxing, and it was a great time de-stressing and taking a step back from all our academic commitments. We all sat around a table, had small conversation, and enjoyed painting for about an hour. It was also a time where we were all off our electronics and were truly mindful of our presence; this was very therapeutic, as we spend a lot (too much, one could say) time on our devices—even during interactions with other people.

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- Venice Lupus 6/04/2023 5:20 PM
  
  Hi Grace, this is awesome and sounds like such a cute idea. I actually keep a tote bag in my backpack with me everyday because you never know when you'll need to use it and I find myself using it a lot so I think this is a great idea! I really enjoy painting and how much stress it helps me get rid of which is especially needed around finals. Reading this gave me the idea to paint with my roommates!
  
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Grace Chang 5/21/2023 11:16 PM

I've been a lot more mindful of opting for public transportation over Ubers over the last few day trips I've taken. Last week, I used Big Blue Bus (Line 18) to visit two places, both along the exact route—La La Land, an artsy cafe known for their matcha lattes, and the Santa Monica Pier/Third Street. It took about 20 minutes to reach La La Land, and another 20 minutes afterwards to reach the pier. Honestly, it didn't feel time consuming at all, and it easily saved me $15—which has benefited me tremendously since I've had to drop a lot of money recently on a water-damaged laptop. On the way back, it took about 45 minutes, and I was able to use that time to take a nap, especially because the bus was pretty empty. From here on out, considering how accessible Santa Monica is by bus, I'm no longer opting for rideshares. I'd like to try this too to other destinations, but I feel the commute can be lengthy (for example, taking the bus to Koreatown). However, despite the commute time, there is one thing I'm certain of if I ride the bus: I won't have to worry about parking. And parking fees, especially in a city like LA, will add up.

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- ANNA YAKURA 5/24/2023 10:26 AM
  
  Hello Grace, I'm so glad you've been opting for more public transportation! Your post was very relatable. As someone who lives/comes from Santa Monica/West LA, I'm very grateful of the walkability and sufficient public transport in the area. My parents have always been very fond of the bus and metro (especially with the senior tap card/discount) so I've come to see it as my main mode of transportation for nearby locations. Even at school, I was surprised to see how many places were accessible by bus, such as the Grove, Koreatown, Santa Monica Beach, Will Rogers State Park, Century City, etc.
  
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- Aileen Castillo 5/22/2023 7:20 AM
  
  Hi Grace! I also did this recently I took the bus (pch bus) to meet up with a friend in Santa Monica. The bus ride only took about 20-25 minutes, during this time I was able to relax and study for a bit which is something I probably wouldn’t have been able to done if I drove there.
  
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Grace Chang 5/03/2023 12:06 AM

I've been trying to reduce my plastic usage over the past two weeks or so, which I realized primarily happens as I go to either the on-campus Peet's or Starbucks. Since I have a huge preference for iced drinks, my beverages always come in the plastic cups. I used to get these daily, so I can only imagine how much my plastic usage added up to. At first, I tried switching to hot drinks at these specific coffee shops (since they use compostable cups for those), but the weather has been slightly too warm for those. Thus, I tried a new coffee shop—Bruin Buzz—since they use the compostable cups for their iced drinks as well. As a result, I actually found one of my new favorite iced matcha latte locations on campus; I never would've tried Bruin Buzz otherwise, since I was too comfortable with Peet's and Starbucks. I feel a lot less guilty too now whenever I purchase these drinks.

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Grace Chang 4/25/2023 12:18 AM

Reusable water bottles! I'm honestly terrible at keeping my water bottles; I'm currently on my third Hydroflask, and I'm paying special attention to not lose it again. Reusable water bottles are not only eco-friendly, but also super cost-effective—and it really adds up if you calculate the price of all the water bottles I've purchased in the past!

The food trucks on The Hill always offer water bottles as a beverage, and I've been declining them to simply use my own bottle. While this hasn't been too difficult for the most part, at times, it can be inconvenient if you don't have your bottle with you. Additionally, having to refill with a public drinking fountain (that isn't restricted to that specific building's residents) can be discouraging at times. I'm fully comfortable with the automatic-refill stations, but I often avoid the manual ones where there can be accidental cross-contamination. Perhaps, a way that our campus could encourage the use of reusable water bottles is by implementing more of the automatic-refill machines. They certainly don't have to be to the extent of Anderson Hall's (those are ridiculously fancy), but it would definitely be an incentive.

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Grace Chang 4/23/2023 12:49 PM

Over the past week, every time I enter a dining hall, I've tried to be extra conscious over my selection of proteins—specifically, I've been doing my best to avoid red meats. At first, I was trying to go full-on vegetarian, but this was honestly really difficult for me to do at once; thus, I decided that I'll start by selecting proteins that are lower on the carbon emission scale. Thankfully, one of the dining halls, B-Plate, constantly offers a wide variety of foods that don't contain beef (although when they do, it's still really tempting to grab a piece of the steak). Overall, however, I haven't found it to be too difficult to eliminate beef from my diet. I've been adhering to chicken dishes, which are plenty delicious already. In fact, over the past few days, I've started to opt for vegetarian options instead even when presented with meat options. I got a box of mushroom tacos from a food truck, and they were very flavorful; in fact, if I were to return to this place, I would most likely just opt for these tacos over any of their other proteins. Although I do cave occasionally, participating in this challenge has truly helped me take a second look at the foods I'm eating and how it will impact our climate.

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- Bella Arnao 4/23/2023 11:24 PM
  
  Hi Grace! It seems like you have done a really great job starting the transition to less red meat and other carbon-heavy proteins! I too have always thought it difficult to make that change, but I am motivated to make it for myself too. When I lived on the hill, I always appreciated Rende's sign displaying the amount of water (I think) necessary to make each type of protein or dairy ingredient. It was always so shocking to me how much water it took to make beef (and also cheese!) and that sign has definitely been ingrained in my brain. Throughout the rest of the quarter, I'm definitely aiming to reduce my meat intake and hopefully feel better too!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Use Public Transit

How has your access to various kinds of transportation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?

Grace Chang 4/11/2023 12:41 PM

Growing up in a suburban city near Sacramento, CA, public transportation was rare; I only knew of one bus stop, and I never saw the bus that apparently stopped there. Almost everyone I knew drove personal vehicles (or were in the process of acquiring one). My nearest grocery store was at least 3 miles away. We only took walks for leisurely strolls. Thus, when I arrived in LA for school, it was a major shock, as buses flock the streets in abundance. I didn't make the most of public transportation initially. For example, even for the three-mile ride to Century City, I would utilize rideshare companies (as such a distance required driving a car back home). Now, I have made it a goal to use public transportation for any location that requires 15-20 min by car. I haven't used anything but the bus to go to Sawtelle over the past several months, and it truly is quite practical as well. Parking in Sawtelle is quite difficult, and the nearest parking garage is located slightly outside the cluster of restaurants. The bus stop, on the other hand, is conveniently located in front of one of my favorite boba spots (Yi Fang!). While I certainly won't be able to apply these habits when I return home, I'll do my best to be cognizant of the distances I drive to and recognize the convenience of an established public transportation system.

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- Miranda Chang 4/13/2023 3:58 PM
  
  Hi Grace! I also come from a city where public transportation is pretty rare (not that many buses, no subway, etc.). Even though LA's public transportation could definitely use improvement, it is still quite a step-up from where I come from. Funnily enough, although I am a fourth-year, I did not use LA's metro/bus system until last quarter. I actually thought it was not as bad as people make it out to be. Taking the bus/metro system made me want to explore LA more given how inexpensive it is. I for sure think I could live in LA using public transportation as I have heard plans for there to be future improvements. I think you will be able to do it!
  
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