Moreak Gomez-Diaz

Human Ecology Summer 2021

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
211 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

3.0

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

5.0

hours

volunteered
UP TO

5.0

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

258

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Moreak's actions

Water

Say No to Plastic Straws

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 3 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Support Businesses Owned by People of Color

Racial inequity is both a sustainability and justice problem. I will support businesses owned by people of color in my community whenever I shop.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 3 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Joyful Movement

I will spend 20 minutes doing an activity where I'm both moving my body and enjoying myself.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

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

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Community

Connect with a Nonprofit

I will connect with a local nonprofit, environmental or otherwise, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Simplicity

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 20 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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
Action Track: Building Resilience Support Businesses Owned by People of Color

A recent Keen Independent Research Foundation study found that Minority Businesses Enterprises (MBEs) are more likely to have difficulties in receiving loans or city contracts. In what ways can you work to address systemic racism like that demonstrated in this study?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/25/2021 9:32 PM

The main thing that can be done by the average individual to help fight these types of oppressions is to spend money at the POC owned businesses. By using your dollar you show that these businesses are strong viable options for investment and fiscal support. It was difficult for me to believe just how few POC owned businesses there were around where I live, but after seeing the data from the above mentioned study I can see why.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Say No to Plastic Straws

What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/25/2021 9:28 PM

I often find myself using a myriad of single use items. In particular sandwich bags, plastic bags, and straws tend to be the most common. I have been able to limit my use of plastic bags by using a tote bag recently. The straws can be eliminated by me either buying a metal straw, or simply opting out of taking one. However, I do not know what to do for the sandwich bags. Any ideas?

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- Ibiyinka Ibitoye 7/31/2021 9:41 PM
  I have replaced using plastic straws with reusable straws throughout my household.
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- Nataly Tejeda 7/28/2021 4:19 PM
  
  Hi Moreak! Finding alternatives for single-used items is vital for a sustainable lifestyle. For sandwich bags, you can use food containers. Containers may not be as practical, but at least you can reuse them.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Connect with a Nonprofit

What inspires you to act toward a more sustainable community?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/18/2021 2:43 PM

The nonprofit that I organized with is called OG Foods, and its main focus is creating community gardens that help supply people within San Bernardino with fresh local produce. I was inspired to work with them because of my readings into the significance of agriculture for various Native American People. For me it was a way of reconnecting with my roots, while also helping the community.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Stay on the Ground

What was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/18/2021 2:34 PM

The main difficulty for restructuring my trip to San Francisco from flying to driving was getting my car checked at the mechanic before leaving. Where as when flying almost everything is taken care of for you, when you drive you are responsible for everything. I had to make sure that I left at the proper times, set out where I would get gas, as well as plan on any towns/locations I wanted to stop at. In the future I plan on avoiding air travel by making sure that I plan in advance where and when I want to go somewhere, that way I have the time to drive instead of fly.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Use a Reusable Mug

Maybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/10/2021 5:26 PM

I can not say that there is anything in particular in my way when it comes to using a reusable coffee cup, but I could see it being a bit of a pain to carry around if I was at school instead of in my home. However, knowing the impact that my use of a reusable coffee cup has would make it a worth while nuisance.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Turn it off

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?

Moreak Gomez-Diaz 7/10/2021 5:19 PM

Electricity in Redlands is generated in a power plant that sits on the city's border with San Bernardino. Upon further research I was extremely surprised to find out that this power plant is actually on of the worst polluting plants in the whole country. Needless to say this plant being the source of my electricity has a highly negative impact on the environment, animals, and humans with all three of these categories suffering the negative effects of the pollutants released form the power plant.

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