Erin Bengtson
4/24/2021 11:45 AM
I feel called to work on the community aspect of environmental and ecological issues, in particular inequalities and injustices occurring in the Duluth community.
Erin Bengtson
"Go Green Bulldogs! Excited to show other MN colleges how great we are while making a positive impact on the environment!"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 570 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO260gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO30meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO360minutesspent exercising
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UP TO50minutesspent learning
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UP TO485minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO260minutesbeing mindful
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UP TO44plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO23plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
Erin's actions
Action Track: Building Resilience
Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns
I will spend 15 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.
Action Track: Building Resilience
Learn More about Food Apartheid
What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?
Simplicity
Core Values
We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Nature
Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset
I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.
Nature
Leave No Trace
I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.
Health
Happiness
I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.
Energy
Adjust the Thermostat
I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.
Community
SIGN UP TO VOTE
I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!
Water
5-Minute Showers
I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.
Simplicity
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
Nature
Go for a Daily Walk
I will take a 30-minute walk outside each day.
Food
Reduce Animal Products
I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.
Waste
Use Reusable Bags
If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONNature Leave No TraceEducator Stephanie Kaza advises her students to focus on what they care about most when addressing the enormity of ecological problems. Is there a specific area you feel particularly called to work on?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Core ValuesWhat are your top 3-5 core values? How did you narrow it down to those as being your core values?
Erin Bengtson 4/20/2021 5:14 PMMy top three core values are Kindness, Honesty, and Positivity. I narrowed it down by really thinking what means the most to me in my life. I believe that the three really go hand in hand (in hand) and are all integral aspects to my life. I always strive to be considered as kind, honest, and a positive person. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth HappinessHow does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?
Erin Bengtson 4/20/2021 5:10 PMI have been writing down three things that I am grateful every morning, and it has really helped to show me how lucky I am. Seeing that I have more than I need, I am motivated to give back to the communities that have helped me. I am aware that there are so, so many people out there that have it much worse than myself and that really pushes me to work for a better world. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONNature Explore My AreaHow might spending more time outdoors enhance your brainpower?
Erin Bengtson 4/20/2021 5:09 PMI find that when I spend a lot of time trapped inside, I feel more drowsy, less motivated, and a lot less satisfied with my day. When I spend more time outdoors, I am able to breathe fresh air and get some nice Vitamin D and natural sunshine that really helps me feel more motivated to complete my daily tasks! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWater 5-Minute ShowersName 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?
Erin Bengtson 4/20/2021 5:06 PMLocally, in Duluth, our water is supplied from Lake Superior. Small actions like not picking up pet waste or litter can greatly impact the health of our water systems by heavily polluting it. Globally, ocean pollution is a huge issue that affects both marine life and humans too. Personally, I can pick up pet waste and trash in Duluth whenever I am out exploring nature. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Find Local Recycling DepotsOur ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors, including market demand for recyclables. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?
Erin Bengtson 4/20/2021 4:50 PMI found that lots of stores, such as Target and Cub Foods are drop off sites for recyclable items that cannot go into my curbside bin! I will keep this in mind when I am sorting through my recycling. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Eat MindfullyMindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How do your eating experiences differ when practicing mindfulness?
Erin Bengtson 4/19/2021 6:43 AMI feel like last year when I lived in the dorms, I got sucked into eating on my bed and either watching TV or being on my phone. This year, I have gotten much better about this and I leave distractions out of the way while it is meal time. I think that my eating habits have gotten a lot better - I can really think about what I am eating, how I can make the meals more sustainable, and I am more aware of my environment. While I have distractions, it is easy to over-eat, even if I am not super hungry. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Adjust the ThermostatYour utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?
Erin Bengtson 4/19/2021 6:39 AMTo reduce my electricity usage, my household uses lots of power strips that are easy to just unplug when not in use. We also utilize our natural lighting from windows and rarely keep the lights on during the day. Another way that we reduce electricity usage is by layering up with comfy clothes and blankets on cold days instead of using an electric heater. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity SIGN UP TO VOTEWhy is voting important to creating a just, sustainable, and thriving world? In what other ways can you actively participate in important decision-making?
Erin Bengtson 4/19/2021 6:37 AMVoting is essential to creating a just, sustainable, and thriving world because it is a way to use your voice and power to make change. By voting for someone who has a history of treating others fairly and with respect, and that shares the same values as yourself, that is how change will happen. Other ways to participate in decision-making would be talking to your local government during the non-election season or years, join a committee that is active in change-making in your community, and help others register to vote. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use a Reusable Water BottleWhile water bottles are needed for health and safety in certain places, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. What are the barriers to you using reusable bottles and tap water instead of bottled water? How could you make this a permanent habit?
Erin Bengtson 4/19/2021 6:34 AMWhile going on road trips with my family as a kid, we would often pack bottles of water for the drive so we didn't have to stop as often to find tap water. I think that instead of doing this, we could have filled up more of our reusable bottles, used a few jugs of water, or stopped to fill up more often.