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Joshua Samaniego's avatar

Joshua Samaniego

Low Energy Enthusiasts

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 251 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    2.0
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    866
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    180
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    10
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    5.0
    trees
    planted
  • UP TO
    6.0
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made

Joshua'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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Composting

Composting, Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Purchase a Carbon Offset

Efficient Aviation

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Plant Trees

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Make School More Affordable

Health and Education

I will raise funds to help make school affordable for girls around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Telepresence, High-Speed Rail

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

Bioplastics

I will spend at least 180 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 10 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Replace Manual Thermostats

Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

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?


  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/25/2021 3:31 AM
    Week 1: For some time now, I eat while using my phone or tablet which I would admit does suck. This is a habit that I would have liked to break for some time now, but it is so hard to break temptation sometimes. Project Drawdown EcoChallenge has given me the opportunity to only eat with a peace of mind without using any technology, which I would accept since I believe that this would greatly help my mental state. I think that beginning that it would be a hard habit to do since I am used to it now. However, I believe that with determination that I will be eating without any technology during all my meals by the end of the quarter. I hope that I can inspire others to start eating without their devices so they can improve their mental well-being, relax, and self-reflect on themselves. 
    Week 2: It has been a week since I started doing this and so far, I am a bit disappointed on myself to be honest. There were some meals which I did eat without my phone or tablet. But at the same time, I failed to commit to the challenge as I was tempted to watch some YouTube videos. What I need to do is come up with new ways as to how I can stop using technology while eating.
    Week 3: Another week has gone by for this challenge. I have improved from last week, but there are still some meals which I do still use technology. What I decided to do is to start using “Do Not Disturb” more often on my phone and tablet so I won’t be distracted by my devices. I will try this method and see I improve throughout the week.
    Week 4: Another week has gone by, and I have to say, I am now actually doing way better than I did in the first weeks of the challenge. Although, there is still some work that needs to be done. Instead of only focusing on avoiding the devices, what I should be doing also is that what else can I do while I eat besides only focusing on noy using my phone or tablet. What I have decided to try is to pray more while eat so I can further clear my mind and self-reflect on my life and goals. Hopefully, I can make great progress next week.
    Week 5: It is halfway through the quarter, and I have almost never used my devices while I ate during my meals. The prayer I do before I eat, and self-reflection really does inspire me to eat in a good mindset. As I get busier with midterms throughout the next couple of weeks, I think that the new way I eat will really help me guide through these midterms
    Weeks 6 and 7: Throughout the past couple of weeks, I have been doing good in midterm and essays for this class, thanks partially to the new way I eat. I look forward to eating my meals way more often than usual due to my prayers and self-reflection. Another thing I have to thank is the other challenge I have been doing which is eating less animal related products and more plant-based diets. These meals have also helped me be relaxed while I eat, and I hope the progress continues to go upwards. 
    Week 8: I can’t believe that the quarter is about to end, and I was able to make changes to my eating habits. I am able to be in a state of relaxation while I eat, and it has given me the opportunity to self-reflect on whether I am doing the part of premed right. Through this challenge, I plan to spread what I learned to others, and with it, I hope to promote more awareness of maintaining a healthy state of mind as not many people prioritize their mental health. 


  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/25/2021 1:37 AM
    Week 1: I remember when I took a class back in high school that made us do an assignment to help us learn more about bioplastics. I was aware of the term, but I did not understand too much or really cared about what they were. I learned that bioplastics are better compared to plastics in general since plastics are not as environmentally friendly compared to bioplastics. However, it has been years since I focused on bioplastics and most of my knowledge on it was weak. When I saw that Project Drawdown EcoChallenge had a challenge on research bioplastics, I thought that it would be a good idea since it would be great to have a refresher on it. Another positive that I can do from the challenge is present my research to other people. I plan to share my research on bioplastics, especially disposing of them properly, with at least 10 other people in order to promote sustainability and better our disposal habits to help the planet.  
    Week 6: I dedicated myself to at least 180 minutes total of researching better ways to dispose of bioplastics, and so far, it really seems like I learned a lot about the subject. I was able to watch videos and read articles about the subject thanks to websites like bioplastics.guide. What I learned was that recycling, composting, and feedstock recovery were some ways that can properly dispose of bioplastics. It is nice to see that my composting challenge has some relevance to this challenge since I am also learning how to compost better through adding composting bins. The tips I learn about disposing of bioplastics, it can help me grow better plants for the community and contribute less waste in general. After I finished around my 180 minutes of research. I decided to share this information with 10 of my friends and relatives. At first, most of them did not seem interested in the topic as it seemed boring to them. However, with time, they were willing to learn about disposing of bioplastics better and they told me that it was very useful information. Most of my meetings with them were via zoom, but at least it gave me an opportunity to share what I learned. Hopefully, with time, I can continue to share what I learned along with those I have shared my knowledge to more people so my community can adapt better ways to dispose of bioplastics for the planet’s sake. 
     

  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/25/2021 1:22 AM
    Week 1: We have been using the same thermostat for years now, but it has started to show that it is not working properly. There would be some days in which the thermostat would not put the proper temperature and some rooms would be too hot. Luckily, there was a challenge from Project Drawdown EcoChallenge which gave me the option to replace my thermostat with one which is a smart thermostat. I was not sure about this challenge at first because I was not sure if my parents would be down to have the thermostat replaced. Fortunately, my parents decided that the thermostat would be replaced in a few weeks. I did not realize how important thermostats are in combatting climate change. There are many thermostats that contribute to using too much energy and add so much to the electric bill. I hope that the new thermostat that we would place into our home would teach my family about conserving energy and be more conscious about how it can contribute to the climate crisis. 
    Week 8: Last week, my parents were able to have our thermostat replaced with a smart thermostat. It was great to see that the thermostat had an option which was called “Eco-friendly” as indicated by a green leaf symbol. I thought that it was great to have this as it would make a great difference in help fighting the climate crisis. Throughout the week up to today, I see that my family has been using this eco-friendly option a lot. Another positive from this thermostat is that it did not alter too much the A/C itself, so the experience has been positive so far. Even though the new thermostat would still contribute to climate change but utilizing quite a bit of energy, this thermostat is still better than the alternative which was to keep the other thermostat. However, my family and I still open our windows a lot instead of the A/C. Opening the window has always been the best option compared to using the thermostat for A/C as it is environmentally friendly and price-efficient. Overall, I am glad that we got a new smart thermostat to further fight climate change one small step at a time. 
     

  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/25/2021 1:08 AM
    Week 1: For several years now, I was involved in planting trees for my community and local park to improve green spaces in my city. I started to become more involved in restoring green spaces around late 2020 when I took a class about health disparities. We spent a week learning about green spaces and how there are many communities in Southern California and the US which many families lack the access to green spaces, which usually means little to no trees in their area. When I heard that I had the opportunity to plant more tress and share my experiences through Project Drawdown EcoChallenge, I was excited about it since this is something that I have been doing for a while now. Even though I do not enjoying planting in general, I was able to at least able to plant smaller plants in the backyard with my mother so help with the environment a bit. Hopefully with this challenge for my English Composition class, I can inspire others to plant trees in their local communities as more trees can clean our air quality and prevent people from getting diseases related to breathing. 
    Week 2: It has been over a week since it was announced about Project Drawdown EcoChallenge which I decided to plant at least 5 trees. We have made some progress on deciding where to plant the trees and what do I need to plant trees. The first thing I decided to do is buy the seeds and any necessary materials required to plant the trees. Next, I had to decide where to plant the trees. I chose to plant them in both my front and back yard since some of the trees outside of my house were starting to become old, so I figured it is time to add a new generation of trees to help with air quality. While I was looking where I can plant the trees, I noticed that some of my neighbors’ trees were either too old or just did not have any trees planted. I found that to be a bit concerning since they are preparing to add any new trees to their homes. Also, it sort of implies that they are not concerned with improving air quality and just promoting green spaces. Hopefully by planting more trees in my home, more of my neighbors and community can be inspired to plant more trees and start taking action to improve air quality. 
    Week 5: It has been several weeks now, and I am happy that the trees have started to grow a little bit. I must admit that it is not easy growing trees as gardening has never really been my forte. However, I am willing to continue to improve my gardening and planting skills in order to send a message that the planet is worth saving. To not just update on the new trees that I have planted, the other trees that I have planted months ago have also been able to grow with little major obstacles. Overall, I say that it is good to see these trees continuing to nourish, especially because the compost challenge has contributed to their success. 
    Week 8: The quarter is nearing the end, and it is unfortunate that the new trees will not be fully grown by finals week, which of course it is obvious as trees take forever to grow. The new trees are still small, but I am happy that they were able to live this long thanks to the help of my mother. The other trees we planted months ago continue to grow properly to update on that. I am glad that I was able to do the composting challenge since it is most likely that the soil was very nourished and provided the habitat to allow these trees to grow. I was able to share my tree planting experience with my neighbors and friends, which some might consider planting new trees now. Overall, I am content with the overall tree planting experience throughout the quarter as I am doing my part to grow more trees to improve air quality and save the planet. 


  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/25/2021 12:22 AM
    Week 1: Just like many things in my life, I do not focus on light bulbs that much only when it comes to changing them when burned out or science projects at school. However, I did not realize until a couple of years ago that they do play their roles in the climate crisis. There are so many bulbs used in our world which require the use of power plants to power them. As we know, power plants contribute to global warming in a big way. Even though light bulbs are important for our lives, I wanted to find a way to reduce the lighting of my home’s impact on the climate crisis. When I saw that choosing LED bulb was an option for Project Drawdown EcoChallenge, I decided to take it as I think that it will help make my home more sustainable. For some time now we have been using a couple of LED bulbs for lighting. However, most of my home does not use LED lights as these bulbs lasted a while and it has not been a major concern for my family. For this challenge, I plan to change several light bulbs at my home to LED light bulbs so we can do our part of helping the planet from increasing the negative impact of global warming. 
    Week 8: It has been several weeks since I have focused on the LED light bulbs. To update on where my progress is on the LED bulbs, we have decided to change the light bulbs of my room, my sisters’ rooms, my parents’ rooms, and the bathrooms’ lights to LED light bulbs. Even though it did cost some money to change these bulbs, I thought that it was worth it after all as saving the planet for future generations is worth it. I see no major difference in the lighting when we replaced the bulbs, which is good as my lifestyle and habits won’t be altered too much. I also decided to use more LED lights which are the light strips to hang in my ceiling as I want to promote more sustainability and LED light bulb usage in my zoom meetings for example. Hopefully, as my family and I continue to adapt to using LED bulbs more often, we can do our part of being more efficient with electricity and power in order to reduce carbon emissions on our planet. 


  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/24/2021 10:49 PM
    Week 1: It is fortunate that many children across the United States have the ability and privilege to attend school and obtain an education without spending a single dime on tuition. However, there are millions of children worldwide who do not have the same education opportunities as us, which is unfortunate. I believe that education is critical for my generation and future generations to help combat climate change. If we are unable to get many people the knowledge and resources to help contribute to the fight against the crisis, the job will be more difficult as each day passes. Fortunately, the church that I have attended for many years has decided to raise money to build their 5th orphanage in Mexico which would help many children, especially the vulnerable. I figured that this would be a great opportunity for Project Drawdown EcoChallenge as I hope to give whatever I can through my money and donations from other people to educate young boys and girls to improve our future. 
    Week 5: It has been several weeks since I have started to plan on how I can do my part and give to help build this orphanage. So far, from my personal finances, I have saved up a couple of hundred dollars to donate to the orphanage. As for trying to find other donors, I was able to find some people close to me who are able to give some money to this orphanage. Reflecting on the progress that I have made so far, I would say that I am happy with what I have accomplished so far. Considering my busy schedule and the other EcoChallenges I have to do, I am a bit surprised that I was able to find the amount of money to donate, but it is worth it since not many children are able to get access to education. Hopefully, this orphanage will change many lives and educate the children to help save our planet. 
    Week 8: Finally, this is the last week of which we can donate to the orphanage, and I am happy with what I can give for this orphanage. From my end, I was able to save up enough money to donate around $500 to give to this future orphanage. In total from the donors, they were able to donate several thousand dollars in total to help build the orphanage. The church was able to raise way more than what we collected in total, but regardless, I am happy that was able to do my part. Now little children, especially little girls, in Mexico will be given the opportunity to receive an education to help their communities and world. Hopefully, we get more efforts like my church to donate to more causes to educate people all over the world to help stop the climate crisis. 

  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/24/2021 10:46 PM
    Week 1: For a while now, me and my family were planning on going to vacation around September to Orlando in Florida for a week. Obviously, we would have to take a round trip airplane ride to Orlando since it would be too pricey and lengthy to take a road trip or take a rail to Orlando. Initially, it was hard to decide how can I involve any challenges from Project Drawdown EcoChallenge into this trip as this would be a time for me to relax and not worry about life for a week or two. However, I saw that this challenge relating to purchasing a carbon offset might work for my trip since it is something that I can do while helping the planet. Even though this EcoChallenge is not as demanding as the other challenges I am doing, I hope I am able to contribute to saving the planet by reducing a bit of carbon emissions. Even though I am just one person, more people should purchase a carbon offset in flights in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  
    Week 6: It has been a while since I focused on carbon offset and how I can use my vacation to Florida to help the environment a little bit. We were now planning for the trip as it would be harder and more expensive to book for the trip if we decided to wait longer to prepare for the trip. Fortunately, as we were planning to trip, the option to pay for the plane ride’s carbon offset was available for me and my family. What is also good is that the price for the carbon offset does not add much to the trip as this trip overall is not cheap. Even though that we are just one family that is not giving much in carbon offset, it is still a small impact that I am proud to make. Millions of people today do not take the threat of climate change serious enough which is endangering the planet. I hope that if I can spread the word about consider giving to carbon offsets more, we can make some difference in our world to save it from dying. 
     

  • Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/24/2021 10:45 PM
    Week 1: For many years, myself and my family would just throw our food in waste and continue on with our lives. This was not a concern of mines for a long time as I did not expect to know how much food does impacts the climate crisis. When I first entered UCLA, I noticed throughout campus that there were these compost bins, especially at the dining halls. At first, I was confused and a bit shocked since I did not know what the purpose of these bins was. My home and previous schools never exposed me to composting which led me to the confusion at UCLA. I learned that the purpose of these compost bins was to promote composting which can help with plant life on Earth via the soil. Composting food and other relevant materials can be useful to the soil of the Earth by giving them the required nutrients to make the soil healthier and stronger for plants. When I saw that this was an available challenge for Project Drawdown EcoChallenge, I decided to take up the challenge as I wanted to educate my family more about composting. Hopefully, by encouraging my family to compost, more people in my family would compost in order to help plants and help do our part to save the planet.
    Week 4: For several weeks now, myself and my family have gradually made the shift to use compost more and waste less. We purchase a compost bin to put any compost in it. In addition to these compost bins, we also purchased smaller trash cans to repurpose them into small compost bins. I bought a smaller black trash can which I decided to use for compost instead. Then, we would dispose of the compost into the soil of either our yard or small garden to promote healthy soil for plants. Through these small changes in our home, we hope to continue to compost for a long time even though my family sometimes forgets to compost. 
    Week 8: The quarter is about to end, and I am happy to say that my family was able to make progress on adapting to composting. We now use our compost bins more often than ever, and I have been using the waste bin way less now. My family now composts more often whenever we go to eat somewhere where there are compost bins like the Costco food court. My mom was able to tell her friends and neighbors about the benefits of composting, which some of them have considered doing. Even though we still have a long way to go about composting, I am glad that it is starting to be in my habits, and we are doing our part to save the planet and promote sustainability. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Healing & Renewal Eat Mindfully
    Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?

    Joshua Samaniego's avatar
    Joshua Samaniego 5/09/2021 4:54 PM
    When I eat without looking at a device, I feel relax since I am able to enjoy my food. I do not have to be wasting electricity or power and I can just use the time to discuss with my family or take the time to reflect on my life or actions.