Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Jennifer Russ

Asheville High School Spring 2021

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
922 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

307

minutes

spent learning

Jennifer's actions

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

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 28 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 38 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 21 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 17 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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

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

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 20 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 20 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 37 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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

Industry

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

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

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
Electricity Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? How do they compare to other energy sources?

Jennifer Russ 12/09/2020 9:34 AM

I learned that wave and tidal energy is the most expensive form of renewable energy but it has the potential to generate 25% of U.S energy.
The technology is still under development so there is lots of room for improvement.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn More about Silvopasture

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?

Jennifer Russ 12/08/2020 11:11 AM

I had not heard of silvopasture before. I think the best thing about silvopasture is that not only does it sequester carbon, but it also actually makes the livestock healthier and more productive.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

What did you learn about the climate impact of refrigerants? How do supermarkets contribute to this impact?

Jennifer Russ 12/05/2020 7:08 PM

Refrigerants like CFCs and HCFCs used to deplete the ozone layer. Luckily, we no longer use those as refrigerants, but the new refrigerants being used have up to 9,000 times the capacity to warm the atmosphere. A big contributor to releasing refrigerants that accelerate climate change is grocery stores. This is because there are at least 38,000 grocery stores in the U.S. alone and each one of them has aisles of refrigerators that are releasing greenhouse gases much worse than CO2 into the atmosphere.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Jennifer Russ 12/04/2020 3:17 PM

My vision of a sustainable community has houses with solar panels and people growing some of their own fruits and vegetables. It also includes people that understand the climate crisis and are making smart choices about products they buy. The way this can become a reality is mainly by having everyone educated about the current climate situation and how they can help.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education Learn about the Need for Family Planning

What did you learn about the need for family planning? How do the needs of different people in different places compare to each other?

Jennifer Russ 12/03/2020 3:58 PM

Family planning is very important for the health of many women. Women in poorer places need access to cheap contraception methods that are safe so that they don’t hurt themselves.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Learn about Temperate Forests

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?

Jennifer Russ 12/02/2020 9:36 AM

Because I have been learning about the environmental issues, I want talk to my family about buying things that are better for the environment. I feel kind of overwhelmed at all the problems that there are in the world but I am hopeful that if everyone does their part to reduce carbon emissions we can make a big difference.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Research Peatlands

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?

Jennifer Russ 12/01/2020 12:49 PM

You can choose to avoid buying foods and products with palm oil or other ingredients that cause destruction to peatlands.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?

Jennifer Russ 11/30/2020 12:52 PM

A barrier to women in my community is that women don’t get paid enough as men, even if they do the exact same work.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Smaller Portions

While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come from eating/serving smaller portions?

Jennifer Russ 11/25/2020 7:18 PM

There are less plates wasted so people don't need to wash the dishes as much and they can save money on water. People also may discover they don't need to buy as much food and they can save money.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Jennifer Russ 11/24/2020 8:24 AM

My diet includes multiple products with palm oil and especially dairy in them. I can decrease my negative impact by eating less dairy or when ordering hot chocolate (my favorite winter treat) I can ask for almond milk instead of normal milk.
I can increase my positive impact by informing members of my family about deforestation and encouraging them to buy products that have a rainforest alliance certification.

Read More