Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Juliana Schuster

High Noon Loons

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
842 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

330

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

35

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

68

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

29

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

130

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

44

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

897

minutes

spent outdoors

Juliana's 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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Keep Track of Wasted Food

Reduced Food Waste

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Bioplastics

I will avoid buying and using 1 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Invite a friend to calculate the carbon footprint of their household

Individual actions are important, but people and organizations working together can make a real impact. I will share a carbon calculator with a friend and invite them to calculate the carbon footprint of their household.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 5 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings

Install A Toilet Tank Bank

Low-Flow Fixtures

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water a day or 330 gallons (1,230 L) a month by installing a toilet tank bank.

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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Communicate With My Elected Officials

Onshore Wind Turbines, Offshore Wind Turbines

I will write or call 5 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

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

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Support Nutrient Management

Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

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
Buildings Install A Toilet Tank Bank

How can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?

Juliana Schuster 5/01/2023 12:24 AM

Other than trying to be more conscious of water use, we can also collect rainwater and utilize waste water from showers or washing produce.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Support Nutrient Management

How does environmental quality influence your sense of community?

Juliana Schuster 5/01/2023 12:18 AM

Communities often meet in places outside, like parks or sports fields. Other than that, having community gardens can also increase a sense of connection. Having a nicer environment leads to more people wanting to leaving houses and enjoy the community.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are just three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons? How could/does regenerative agriculture positively impact you and your community?

Juliana Schuster 5/01/2023 12:05 AM

Another reason is it increases biodiversity, but also can lead to higher crop yields which can be important for our community, so more people can access these healthy foods, and hopefully make them cheaper. This can also help with the California drought, as the soil can utilize the water given better.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Keep Track of Wasted Food

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?

Juliana Schuster 4/30/2023 11:50 PM

Thinking sustainably, I would rather use that money on an electric bike, or solar panels.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Practice the 5 R's

What are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?

Juliana Schuster 4/13/2023 2:28 PM

A big one that I need to work on more is refusing, and just not getting things I do not need. In the long run, it will save me money as well. I also want to practice reusing more and look at the plastics I do produce in order to refuse future plastics.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Support Local Food Systems

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?

Juliana Schuster 4/13/2023 2:18 PM

The biggest advantages for me are the fact that I am supporting local, usually smaller farms in our community. I also like the smaller carbon footprint, and actively knowing where my food is coming from.

Read More
Juliana Schuster 4/13/2023 2:11 PM

I can see how tracking my food waste has already affected how I see food. I had a container of cherry tomatoes where a couple were molding. Before this, I often would throw out the entire container, for fear of mold. Instead, I just threw those couple out, and then rinsed and soaked them before, and was able to use most of them and put them into the oven anyways at a high enough temperature.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal More Fruits And Veggies

How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?

Juliana Schuster 4/13/2023 1:55 PM

As I have been consciously eating more fruits and vegetables, I have been feeling more full and full of energy. I feel immediately better, especially after eating the meal and feel like I have less cravings for more unhealthy food and fast food.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Healing & Renewal Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

Juliana Schuster 4/13/2023 1:45 PM

Being outside and exploring my surrounding community was fulfilling and made me feel more connected. I felt the ants crawling on me as I rested on a fallen tree log, or I watched a hummingbird sit in a tree near me, not worrying about my actions. Seeing all of the action that nature has to offer can oftentimes increase appreciation, as most people who view nature from indoors is not taking a minute to see the life, and the movement of the community.

Read More
Juliana Schuster 4/10/2023 12:07 AM

Read More