Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Desmond Tomes

Asheville High School Spring 2021

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
645 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

218

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

2.0

conversations

with people

Desmond's actions

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 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 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Learn about the impact of old refrigerants

I will spend 20 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links provided

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 20 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Health and Education

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

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

Land Sinks

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

Bioplastics

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 2 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Health and Education

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

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 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

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
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?

Desmond Tomes 12/08/2020 7:27 AM

No, I have not heard this term before. I think that the biggest advantage of silvopasture is that farmers can be growing/harvesting many more things at once such as mushrooms and berries and nuts and milk and even lumber which compared to normal farmland is multitudes better.

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?

Desmond Tomes 12/04/2020 7:38 AM

I see a community that would have run maybe 95% on renewable energy of different sorts. A lot of solar panels and smaller wind turbines and maybe if there is water nearby either hydroelectric or tidal energy. There also could be more small methane digestors near farms and such so they can have dual purposes. People would try to still conserve as much energy as possible and have a very small amount of waste. I think a ton of things would need to be changed for this to happen. Starting with government reform and money put into the right things for this planet.

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?

Desmond Tomes 12/03/2020 2:01 PM

Family planning is a very important thing that will help humans control their resources and population. If people all over the world had access to good resources about family planning and medical facilities to get items to help them with birth control then we could keep our population in check and a large number of women would be a ton safer. In some places, people need a lot more because they don’t have good ways to earn money and are put into poverty as soon as they are born while in other areas they are able to be safe growing up and have everything they need to live a comfortable life.

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?

Desmond Tomes 12/02/2020 7:53 AM

It makes me want to change my lifestyle to help preserve the forests and land around me. It feels overwhelming that the Earth is being destroyed at such a high rate and that there are not close to enough people advocating for it. I feel hopeful whenever I hear of people making progress and helping the Earth heal.

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?

Desmond Tomes 12/01/2020 7:39 AM

I can choose things to buy that do not contain products such as palm oil. I can also strive to use less paper and overall just try to buy reused goods and really observe and learn about everything that I get at the store.

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?

Desmond Tomes 11/30/2020 1:08 PM

In my community, there are still a lot of people that have the mindset that women are not as valuable as men and that they won't be able to do as good of a job as men can. This is completely wrong and it makes it so that women don't get equal pay or as well paying jobs.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Desmond Tomes 11/29/2020 8:05 PM

Everything that we are doing concerns me because almost every action we take is destroying the planet. Locally we don’t have enough laws in place to stop the use of plastics and other nondegradable items, and no regulations about gas cars. Globally people are not taking nearly enough actions and don’t have the courage to change their ways of life to sustain life on Earth.

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?

Desmond Tomes 11/29/2020 2:27 PM

I learned that refrigerators have very bad effects on the earth's climate. They release molecules into the atmosphere that either destroy the ozone layer or do serious global warming. Supermarkets contribute to this by having a very large amount of refrigerators and not selling as many goods that don't have to be as refrigerated.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Learn about the impact of old refrigerants

Why are old refrigerant gases so harmful to our environment?

Desmond Tomes 11/29/2020 2:11 PM

Refrigerator gases are harmful to our environment because the first gas that was used was CFC which destroyed the ozone layer which is needed to protect us from radiation. Now we use HFC's which are a little better in the fact that they don't destroy the ozone layer but they have 1000-9000 more climate change effects than carbon dioxide.

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?

Desmond Tomes 11/24/2020 11:54 AM

I still eat a lot of dairy which is a animal product that causes a lot of deforestation. I can cut back on my dairy usage so that the forests stay safe. I do feel that I am already doing a pretty good job because me and my parents are vegetarian, don’t drink much coffee and avoid palm oil at all costs.

Read More