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Samira Matos's avatar

Samira Matos

Students of Sheridan's Sustainability Class

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 161 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    15
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made

Samira's actions

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Tour a Green Roof

Green and Cool Roofs

I will set up a visit or a virtual tour of a green roof in my city, and ask about the codes and process for installing a green roof.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Smaller Portions

Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Host a Film Screening

Health and Education

I will host a virtual film screening and discussion about women's and gender equality issues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Connect With A Nonprofit

Health and Education

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, and/or trans/nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

Farm Irrigation Efficiency

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

More Fruits And Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 1 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

Low-Flow Fixtures

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day or 450 gallons (1,680 L) a month by installing a low-flow showerhead.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Tend A Garden

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure

I will donate to Native American Rights Fund, which protects tribal natural resources and environmental rights and promotes Native American Human Rights.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in creating or purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

All Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Calculate the carbon footprint of my household

I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Choose Better Wood Products

Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Go Paperless

Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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 1
DAILY ACTION

Industry

Offset for climate justice

Greenhouse gases found in old refrigerants are up to 10,900 times more potent than carbon dioxide. I will help eliminate these gases through the purchase of offset credits to ensure we all have a planet we can thrive on.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Buy Bamboo

Bamboo Production

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

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
    What did you learn on your green roof tour?

    Samira Matos's avatar
    Samira Matos 11/07/2021 11:39 AM
    A company that is engaged in reducing emissions can effectively invest in future savings by creating a green roof. The company needs a committee that perhaps includes leadership, legal, engineering, and facilities people to: 
    • Calculate how the green roof weight will impact the building roof: this will determine what can be built
    • Evaluate local laws and even incentives that a company should be aware as the planning of the project takes place and construction phase starts
    • What type of maintenance is needed, what is the overall investment, align the goals with the project plans
    Specifically for FIT, I was very surprised that the building management was able to save $3.5 million in energy that is now renewable for the building - how much they are not relying on the power grid and how that reduces other types of emissions in itself. 

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Building Resilience
    Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?

    Samira Matos's avatar
    Samira Matos 10/03/2021 8:44 PM
    Balance is the key word for sustainability - to continue to use resources in a balanced way by replenishing what is used, by using sensibly, and reduce pollution of current resources. The sustainability is not only environmental, but also social (to provide a safe environment for future generations) and economical (to finance solutions that benefit revenue and lower costs). Balance is needed to not over deplete, over step, over use Earth’s resources.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    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?

    Samira Matos's avatar
    Samira Matos 10/03/2021 8:13 PM
    As I read the article by the International Business Times, incomes have increased over three times in the past 50 years. The additional income allowed households to purchase more meat, while countries that do not have as much disposable income eat much less meat. A steak dinner is considered somewhat a status for someone who can afford such a meal. I believe that less developed countries tend to eat more items that are in season.
    In my personal experience, red meat does cost more, it takes longer for my body to process and it also creates skin conditions, such as rashes and dryness. 
    Also, large cattle fields destroy natural forests and reduce carbon entrapment, which contributes to global warming and the rise of temperatures around the globe.