mercedes howarth

Climate Action Otters-MW

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
222 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

80

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

3.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

5.0

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

1.0

donation

made

mercedes's actions

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

More Fruits And Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Invite a friend to calculate the carbon footprint of their household

Individual actions are important, but people and organizations working together can make a real impact. I will share a carbon calculator with a friend and invite them to calculate the carbon footprint of their household.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Fund Family Planning

Health and Education

I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.

COMPLETED
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
Health and Education Fund Family Planning

When family planning focuses on healthcare provision and meeting the expressed needs of women, it results in empowerment, equality, and well-being, and the benefits to the planet are side effects. Why is family planning an important civil rights consideration?

mercedes howarth 11/09/2022 3:43 PM

Family planning, in my opinion, is a huge help in the cycle of breaking poverty. I use Planned Parenthood as an example, because I have experience with them. They provide free/cheap family planning options and discretion, which can help poorer people get out of the cycle and giving them more of an opportunity to climb the socioeconomic ladder.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Invite a friend to calculate the carbon footprint of their household

What kinds of discussions did you have, or are you hoping to have with friends about climate change?

mercedes howarth 11/09/2022 3:38 PM

My roommates and I all did this and found our carbon footprint higher than we'd like. Granted, there are 6 of us in the house, but we committed to using less water and investing in a compost bin!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal More Fruits And Veggies

How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?

mercedes howarth 11/02/2022 2:52 PM

I definitely feel better when I'm eating less meat. I feel more creative when it comes to cooking, it's more exciting, less mundane. The process of going to the farmers market to get fresh fruit and veggies is much more romantic than going to target for frozen meat.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Advocate For Greener Vehicles

How does advocating for green vehicles in your community connect to your values? How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to fuel-efficient vehicles?

mercedes howarth 10/26/2022 3:11 PM

My roommate is in the market for a new car because her's needs a $6,000 repair. I've had my Prius for a little over two years and recommended it to her, as there are used ones on the market, they're affordable, you save a lot on gas, and they're reliable. We're going to start looking in December.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Practice the 5 R's

What are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?

mercedes howarth 10/26/2022 3:08 PM

My main thing right now is thrifting, especially being on a college budget. It helps to reduce fast fashion and landfill. A lot of clothes contain plastic now a days, so the longer it's used and worn, the less likely it is to end up in the landfill. Further, while it does take more time than popping into the mall, it makes you pause and reflect on what you actually need vs. what you just want.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Reduce Animal Products

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?

mercedes howarth 10/26/2022 3:05 PM

Meat is expensive. It's subsidized in this country, but it's truly more expensive. Meat requires a lot of land, land requires a lot of preparation and maintenance and water. While some protein is necessary for us, we eat so much more meat than is proportional to our lifestyles.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal Go for a Daily Walk

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?

mercedes howarth 10/26/2022 2:55 PM

I feel like I'm more aware of my surroundings, I'm noticing more plants and animals, and I'm being able to recognize their importance in the carbon cycle. I've been meaning to practice more mindfulness and this definitely helps. I wish there wasn't so much construction going on, but other than that I wouldn't change much.

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