Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Michelle Gong

NSC Earth Week Challenge 2020

"Doing my part :)"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
727 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

18

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

420

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

170

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

300

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

28

organic meals

consumed
UP TO

133

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

14

pounds of paper

have been saved
UP TO

14

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

28

whole food meals

consumed

Michelle's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset

I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Know My health

I will get my Core Four Biometrics tests (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 133 lbs of CO2 a month and 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go get a check up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Reduce refined sugar

I will keep track and reduce my consumption of refined sugars, including sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 30 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

More Fruits and Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 1 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Whole Food Lifestyle

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Choose Two-Sided Printing

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided when I have to print documents.

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
Health Know My health

How do you deal with the physical and emotional stress of the big problems we face? How can you help others cope?

Michelle Gong 4/30/2020 10:47 AM

I deal with physical and emotional stress by running and trying to get my mind off the problem for a while. After that, I am able to calm down and face the problem once again without feeling the stress and pressure. I think being there and just listening to someone often offers a lot of emotional support.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our planet and other people?

Michelle Gong 4/30/2020 10:45 AM

Eating meat might make a person feel more luxurious, so the richer a person is, the more money he spends on meat. I think that eating more meat negatively affects our planets because the way meat is processed often pollutes the world by using fossil fuels and land consumption.

Read More
Michelle Gong 4/30/2020 10:41 AM

The challenge has been going pretty well so far. Small changes have led to a healthier lifestyle.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Try a New Way to Prep

Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA or another trusted source. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?

Michelle Gong 4/21/2020 9:46 PM

Pickled fruits--in particular, grapes, strawberries, and blueberries--seem very interesting. If I get my hand on kumquats, I would also like to try preserving that.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Go get a check up

How do you practice self care?

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 9:10 PM

I think self-care ranges a lot for everyone. For me, one of the biggest ways is to pay attention to the way I eat. I've realized that if I eat trashily, I will feel horrible for the rest of the day. So, taking care of my body is how I practice self-care.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Exercise Daily

How can you incorporate other personal values (like quality time with friends or spending time in nature) into your exercise routine?

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 8:43 PM

I think now would be a good time to do exercises as a family whether that be walking together or doing some stationary exercises.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Reduce refined sugar

Before you started this challenge, did you think you were 'addicted' to sugar? How do you feel now?

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 8:39 PM

I don't think I was addicted to sugar but definitely eating less processed foods made me feel healthier and less bloated. I also realized that usually when I'm snacking it's not truly because I'm hungry but because I'm just bored so it's not necessary.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Happiness

How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 8:32 PM

This exercise creates a positive mindset and just a joyful feeling overall. I think that practicing gratitude helps you realize how much you already have and that leads to you being willing to help others.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health More Fruits and Veggies

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

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 8:30 PM

I read somewhere that raising cattle or pigs or chickens all create greenhouse gas emissions because the farmers cut down acres of forests for grazing pastures. For me, I believe that eating less meat will help leave me with a less "heavy" feeling.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Choose Two-Sided Printing

Choosing two-sided printing can be an easy adjustment on your computer settings. How can you help others make this same switch? Can it be encouraged company wide?

Michelle Gong 4/20/2020 11:33 AM

Two-sided printing not only saves paper which in turn saves money, but it's also good for the environment because you reduce less greenhouse gas emissions.

Read More