Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Dylan Reich

Solons

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
831 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

345

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

61

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

265

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

139

minutes

spent outdoors

Dylan's actions

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 6 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 16
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.

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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing & Renewal

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 30 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

COMPLETED
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Biomass

Biomass Power

I will spend at least 40 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Learn about Biochar

Biochar Production

I will spend 40 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

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
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.
Dylan Reich 5/25/2022 7:54 AM
I can only recall an earlier time somewhere around 3-5th grade when I had declared war on these patches of Burdocks, who I made out to be despicable with no reason for existing just to be despicable just like Flies. Somewhere during a school sponsored outdoor activity in 5th grade however, the true nature of the species was revealed to me: plants with a purpose, to nourish. From that experience I would come to respect more plants instead of antagonizing them, as despite their demeanor, they have a beneficial function (well except for the invasive ones that are just used for decorative purposes like knotweed, those can go piss off).

Read More
- Jay Geibel 6/01/2022 9:39 AM
  This post made me smile, so thanks for that. I actually had wars like this growing up with knotweed (not knowing it was invasive, but because it was satisfying to chop in half with a stick). I probably did more harm by spreading it farther.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Can biochar provide additional benefits besides sequestering carbon?
Dylan Reich 5/25/2022 7:34 AM
The benefits you say? Biochar works wonders for the soil it's amended into, strengthening the water systems and nutrient absorption ability. It can also be used as an additional energy source just like it's industrial predecessor.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
Dylan Reich 5/25/2022 7:28 AM
When i'm walking around a place like a school, it almost always ends up being devoid of human life, which leaves me to this solitude; which is enjoyable to an extent. In general, I like to know what to expect for wherever I go, to minimize fear (Although traversing the unknown is cool too), and to just be better prepared to confront a said environment.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Name some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?
Dylan Reich 5/24/2022 3:33 PM
Waste and chemical runoff are two big bads, making the positives as ways to prevent this runoff, to capture the runoff and to prevent the runoff from occuring completely. I can make my own improvements by minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Read More
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?
Dylan Reich 5/23/2022 9:06 AM
Through the consumption of products containing palm oil, Cocoa, and products that required livestock be fed to the producers, I have contributed to deforestation. Thus, I can increase my positive impact by looking into and using products that are substitutes to palm oil, Cocoa, and other products that require mass amounts of livestock production to it's producers.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Dylan Reich 5/22/2022 3:17 AM
Being amongst nature, seperated from distractions and left to being reflective, can have positive benefits on humans, thus increasing ones value of the outdoors surrounding them.

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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?
Dylan Reich 5/18/2022 9:50 AM
As I learn more about the environmental challenge being faced, I've become more conscious of certain actions that I take. It sort of justifies my minimalist mindset as well. It's lead to me being just a little more careful about certain choices and that. But sure, there's still that stress component always looming when you mix in the lack of control. But I do have faith in our current generation, and looming legislation, and everything happening to direct and indirectly combat climate crisises.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Dylan Reich 5/16/2022 9:40 AM
By knowing the difference between the three dates (the most important arguably being between the best by and use by dates), the fog of confusion that once loomed disappears, thus being able to make better decisions by having a better basis for what determines the decision.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal

How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?
Dylan Reich 5/14/2022 11:18 AM
It affects myself through improving my health, it affects others by them following through example, and it benefits the planet by reducing the animals slaughter to restock meat.

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