Daisy Reguero

Looking back on my experience with the EcoChallenge, I found reducing animal products the easiest challenge among the five I had selected. However, during this challenge, I significantly changed my dietary habits by eating meat again after being a pescatarian for nearly six years. This decision was due to being diagnosed twice with anemia, which made me realize I needed a more balanced diet to provide my body with adequate nutrition. This change can work for most people if they plan their diet accordingly. Although I now eat meat, I only have it once daily.
The most challenging aspect of the challenge was keeping track of wasted food and eating mindfully. I am used to multitasking during meals, such as watching court shows or studying. While cooking more has helped me connect with food, I still need to master taking the time to enjoy it fully. Furthermore, while I attempted to keep track of wasted food, I found it more difficult than anticipated due to my busy schedule. Nevertheless, I tend to have small portions, and I have been incorporating more fruits and salads into my diet lately, which was not a problem for me.
In the future, I would like to reduce my waste and track food better. Although I am already conscious of not wasting food (e.g., I keep leftover vegetables for broth and use what's about to go bad in the fridge), writing it down on paper can help me realize how much I need to reduce. This can help me spend less on groceries in the future.

I have calculated my household's carbon footprint to be 5,689 lbs of CO2 emissions for two people. To reduce my impact on the environment, I have adopted various sustainable practices. During the summer, I use cold water to dry my clothes and hang them to dry 10% of the time. I also regularly maintain my transportation to lower my CO2 emissions. Moreover, I must replace all my traditional light bulbs with ENERGY STAR lights to reduce my CO2 emissions by 1386 lbs. Since I reside in an apartment, recycling is managed by the building, and I appreciate this effort toward sustainable living. Additionally, I have planned to take further action that can make a considerable impact in the long run. I can save 65 gallons of gas, plant 15 trees, or recycle 415 tons of waste by reducing my usage. Though these may seem like small numbers, they can add up to make a meaningful difference. I was astonished to discover that the average American household emits almost 29,000 lbs of CO2 annually. This experience has taught me that sustainability starts with each individual, and we mMy Caust all take responsibility for reducing our carbon footprint. By working together and implementing small changes, we can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

The sustainability challenges I chose include reducing animal products, keeping track of wasted food, more fruits and veggies, mindful eating, and smaller portions. I believe that some of these challenges are simple, but most of them I tend to miss the mark. I don't eat enough fruits in my diet and mindful eating is surprisingly difficult for me. I eat when I am studying or watching a show so it's not an activity I think about. I tend to eat vegan meals at least three times a week and I don't keep track of what I didn't eat so these will definitely be a challenge.

Hello everyone,
My name is Daisy R., and I am a Hispanic woman born and raised in New York. I should graduate with a BS in Business Spring semester of 2023. My background is in retail and sales, working as a bilingual consultant and operations manager. In living a sustainable lifestyle, I have stopped eating red meats and poultry since 2017 and consider myself an ovo-pescatarian. Some of my favorite meals are vegetarian or vegan-friendly. I use energy-efficient light bulbs and have reduced my plastic use by using tote bags and purchasing open-air foods. I like to buy second-hand from flea markets and thrift stores. In my spare time, I sew and upcycle clothes. I have to use the subway for public transportation, but I like to use Citi Bike when I can avoid the trains. I work for a B-Corp that reuses and recycles its products. Through the Eco Challenge, I hope to understand who I am and how I can contribute less waste and live a more sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle.