I will take a walk for 45 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS
Action Track: Healing & Renewal
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS
Health and Education
Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
Health and Education
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks
Smart Seafood Choices
Ocean Farming
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Tend A Garden
I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.
COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered SinksSmart Seafood Choices
Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?
I would say that fish is a large part of my diet and a big source of protein for me. I was not aware of the impact fish had on the climate and I thought it was a good alternative source of protein. A kilogram (kg) of fish produces 1-5 kilograms (kgs) of carbon. This is better than meat, but it still is adding carbon emissions to our climate and is leaving a negative impact. This is new information to me and I will keep this in mind when consuming seafood. Normally, I go for salmon and shrimp, but now I will be more aware of my fish choices. Salmon does not have a high impact on the environment, so I will continue to use this as a source of protein. However, taking fish from their environment in the ocean is harmful towards the reefs and our ecosystems, so I will aim for more plant-based proteins. Below is my go-to salmon poke bowl:
Wow that poke looks so good! I am similar to you in that I love fish and did not know just a couple of weeks ago how harmful fishing can be to our environment if not done properly. I know that albacore is usually a safe tuna to get, so when I got poke LAST NIGHT, I chose albacore instead of the other tuna option. The other tuna option did not have information about what type of tuna it was and where/how it was caught, so I thought the albacore was a safer option.
I also now have the Seafood Watch website on my home screen on my phone, so I can consult it whenever I am unsure about my fish choices. I feel like I am making much more informed choices on the seafood I buy now that I have it on my phone.
I moved into a new neighborhood a few years ago, and they have a community garden within it. Before this, I did not have much experience with gardening but was always interested in it. My family and I started a garden, and we planted fruits, vegetables, and flowers. At first, I had little to no impact with the garden, but as the plants started to grow, I found a new joy in planting and taking care of the plants. I am someone who enjoys cooking, so I had a lot of fun cooking with the vegetables from our garden. Honestly, the vegetables taste better and are better for our environment. One night, I made zucchini fritters (which were shredded zucchini with an egg and flour) and they were delicious and nutritious!! This gave me more of a perspective on where my food comes from and what it takes to create that food. It also showed me how simple it is to grow it yourself!!
Nice job Greta! It is so great to hear that you have a community garden, I wish there was a community garden in my neighborhood! It is also so great to hear that you found a passion for gardening through the years of working in the garden. I personally do not find much interest in gardening, but through this class have been inspired to help my mom plant vegetables in our garden in our backyard this summer, which I have never helped with in past summers. Zucchini fritters sound so good! There is something about making dinner/ snacks with food from your own garden that just feels better and more special. In the past my family has made many meals using vegetables from our own garden. I find it very fun to be able to just got to my backyard, pick the veggies, and cook with them right there! To me, they also just seem fresher. I personally love to make caprese salads with tomatoes and bail from our garden in the summers, it is such a light and fresh snack.
I have been someone who is passionate about gender equality, and there are many barriers that exist throughout my daily life. The structure of society has led more and more women to not consider pursuing education as women are expected to focus on raising their family. In one of my earlier posts, I was describing a way that could make women feel more safe when walking, and this is having better lit streets more accessible and exposed to the public. Having more women in urban planning can help with this and would give our perspective.
Recently, Women's NCAA March Madness occurred, and the women's teams were not given nearly as good of resources as the men's teams. Even though both teams were at the highest collegiate level, the men's teams were given more resources to thrive. This is not uncommon in sports, and as an athlete, it is disappointing and discouraging to see this. In high school, similar scenarios like this would occur, but the team I am on now is an all women's staff and gives us the support needed. Even with this, there are barriers our team faces, but a simple way to help break these barriers is by having open conversations about them and helping to find solutions. Below is a picture of my team:
When I am practicing mindfulness when I eat, I prefer to be outside and in the sun. Usually, I eat surrounded with distractions, whether that is my family, friends, or electronics/schoolwork, but this made me take a step back from my busy day and appreciate where I was. I made my food, so I was grateful that I was able to do so (I am usually not able to because of my dorm). I made an egg sandwich, and it felt very beneficial to properly fuel my body. I also had a coffee, which as the meal went on, made me feel energized. I was eating in the sun, and this put me at a calm and relaxed state. In the beginning go the meal, I was stressed about my schedule for the day, but after eating for a few more minutes, I slowly transitioned to a mindful state. I began to feel thankful for my surroundings and for the fact that I was home with my family. I was thankful to be surrounded by nature and was more aware of the noises around me, like birds. This was a great way to start my morning and made my day more productive and approachable. Below is a picture of my breakfast!!
I have always been someone to enjoy walks, especially when I am home. San Diego has its walkable moments, but it is difficult to get from Carlsbad to Del Mar without driving on the high way. My favorite area to walk around is Encinitas because I am able to walk there from my house and love the atmosphere of the 101. There is lots of stimulus and is a great place to hang out due to it being so close to the beach. Now that I am back in Los Angeles, it has been difficult to walk from place to place, but I do walk about an hour each day, whether that is going to practice or heading into Westwood. Westwood is fairly walkable (minus a few hills), but outside of that, it is hard to walk. I am not sure what solution there is for this, but one thing that would encourage me to walk more is more public streets. To expand on this, streets with more lighting may make people feel safer to walk, because this is something that stops me from walking, especially at night. I love walking with a podcast, friends, family, and especially my dogs:) Below is a picture of me, my mom, and my dog (mr. pax).
My motivation for completing eco challenge posts is to take small actions into helping our Earth. I live in San Diego, and it is somewhere I would like to live at when I am older and raise a family there. Hearing about the detrimental effects of climate change is hard to hear, especially when considering the future generations. These future generations will consist of my children, my grandchildren, and beyond. Other generations continue to push this climate issue onto the next generations, and this is something that I do not want to put onto them. At this point, it is indeed our problem and we have a small window of action. Overall, I try to be more eco-friendly, whether that is using a reusable water bottle or eating less meat, but I feel as if I fall short at times. I am using these eco challenge posts as a way to hold myself accountable for my actions and to be inspired by my other teammates. Below is a picture of San Diego (more specifically Carlsbad) and shows the beauty of the San Diego beaches. With climate change, they may not pertain their natural beauty and may not as approachable as they are now. With these small actions, I hope to make a small difference in the future of our climate and make it a safer and healthier place to live.
