Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Phoebe Knisley

Asheville High School Spring 2021

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
526 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

222

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people

Phoebe's actions

Buildings

Research Heat Pumps

High-Efficiency Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 15 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

Bioplastics

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 3 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 23 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Learn about Biochar

Biochar Production

I will spend 10 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Learn about Carbon Offsets

I will visit Tradewater’s website to learn more about carbon offsets, and why they are a necessary solution in combating a climate crisis.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 10 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Micro Wind

Micro Wind Turbines

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of micro wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?
Phoebe Knisley 12/04/2020 6:18 PM
i can choose to buy products that don't contain palm oil, lessening the demand. just me doing it may not do much, but i can encourage other to do the same.
i can also donate or join movements.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Phoebe Knisley 12/04/2020 5:56 PM
to me, a sustainable community includes having systems put in place that are well thought-out, with respect to all aspects of the environment as well as the welfare of the citizens. all facets of the community are able to grow and change, and are not immune to becoming better and more sustainable. good people are in charge who are intelligent, kind, hardworking and good problem-solvers.
i think in order for this to happen we need to make a plan. there have been some plans, like the Green New Deal, but i feel like we as a nation need to really fight for it if we're going to get anywhere. nothing can be half-hearted and we should try to actually care about our future,

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 4:22 PM
I am really concerned about how humans have this manufacturing process that affects the environment in so many ways. What disturbs me most about this is the fact that our economy would suffer if we stopped. So it just seems that we’re going to keep mass-producing products and killing billions of animals who live in little cages and emitting copious amounts of greenhouse gases and soon it’ll just get so bad that we’ll all die and there’s no way to stop it. So there’s your run-on sentence of the year.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? How do they compare to other energy sources?
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 3:56 PM
Wave and Tidal energy involves using energy created by waves as they are created by the moon's gravity. the idea developed in the 1800's, however modern wave technology began in the 1940's with the experiments of scientist Yoshio Masuda. this energy source does tend to cost more than others such as wind turbines.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Can biochar provide additional benefits besides sequestering carbon?
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 3:49 PM
they bring down greenhouse gas emissions in general

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What are some attributes of an offset that you should consider before purchasing them?
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 3:01 PM
that they cost money and that its not an excuse to create emmisions

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education

What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 1:58 PM
I feel like I hear less about all-girls schools than I do about prestigious all-boys schools, or schools that have been for boys in the past but are now co-ed. I went to an all-girls middle school which was really amazing. It was a super supportive environment which I am grateful for. I think that it would be amazing to have more of these all-girls schools in all communities. Girls need them even more than boys who have been empowered and convinced of their power their whole lives.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education

What did you learn about the need for family planning? How do the needs of different people in different places compare to each other?
Phoebe Knisley 12/03/2020 1:39 PM
Family planning is very needed all over the world. On one of the sites, I did read that some contraceptives can cause issues within many aspects of life, including health. This increases the criticality of family planning, especially in developing countries where planning when you’re going to have a child is less common.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?
Phoebe Knisley 12/02/2020 1:42 PM
This issue is now more often in the back of my mind and I am more aware of how my actions impact the environment in many ways.
I feel like I have to buy the right things and wear the right things and do the right things or else I’m a bad person because I’m hurting the environment.
I am really glad that action is being taken, in the form of EcoChallenges and movements and the like. It makes me feel hopeful to know that people are taking steps to heal our planet.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Phoebe Knisley 11/24/2020 2:02 PM
I could definitely eat less food with palm oil in it. I eat a lot of unhealthy foods like cheeze-its and chips but I can choose better, healthier and more sustainable snack options.

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