Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Jordan Kosylo

Earth Week 2021 - Students

"UVM 2021"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
732 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

270

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

20

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

520

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

330

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

285

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

8.0

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

19

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted

Jordan's actions

Health

Go get a check up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Fix Leaky Faucets

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Learn About Renewable Energy

I will spend 15 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

I will spend 30 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Personal Waste Audit

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

RESEARCH LOCAL WASTE SITES

I will spend 15 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

More Fruits and Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Joyful Movement

I will spend 15 minutes doing an activity where I'm both moving my body and enjoying myself.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Reduce refined sugar

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

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Take Control

Both systemic and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

De-Clutter My Home or Dorm Room

I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home or dorm room.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Restorative Justice

I will spend 30 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

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

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

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

COMPLETED 10
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 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Practice Gratitude for Earth

I will spend 15 minute(s) per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and my natural surroundings.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 15-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 9
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

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

Simplicity

Eat Mindfully

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

COMPLETED 8
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
Waste Personal Waste Audit

Why is it so difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places? How might your experience with this challenge impact your future consumption and choices?

Jordan Kosylo 4/30/2021 11:20 AM

There's a huge disconnect between people, their purchases, and what went into making the items we're purchasing. A lot of companies actively try to hide how badly their means of production hurt the environment, which makes it less likely for the average person to know about the environmental and social effects. I'm going to do my best to really evaluate what I need versus what I want, if I could borrow it from a friend, or if I could find an environmentally friendly alternative before I make new purchases in the future.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Find Local Recycling Depots

Our 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?

Jordan Kosylo 4/30/2021 11:17 AM

I did some research into the proper way to recycle normal household items while I looked for ways to recycle items that can't go in the curbside bin and found out that my roommates and I had some work to do there, so I'm really glad I took the time to do some looking into this. I mainly looked into ways to recycle things like batteries, electronics, and lightbulbs and realized that I've seen a few recycling stations for these items around campus.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Go get a check up

How do you practice self care?

Jordan Kosylo 4/30/2021 11:14 AM

A lot of my self care is focused on doing the things for myself that I know must be done, like making sure I'm eating and drinking enough or getting enough sleep. That also includes trying to hold myself accountable for the goals I set for myself but also respecting my own body and energy.

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?

Jordan Kosylo 4/30/2021 11:13 AM

The meat industry is incredibly harmful to the environment, and the effects of it are predominantly forced onto communities of color and people in 'less developed' countries. It requires massive amounts of resources and large areas of land. The higher the consumption of meat is, the more the environment is harmed, and the effects of environmental degradation are pushed off by richer countries and people to poorer ones.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
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?

Jordan Kosylo 4/29/2021 5:34 AM

A lack of nutrients can cause serious medical issues; for example, a lack of folate, which is found in meats, leafy greens, beans, etc, can lead to issues in brain development and nervous system functioning. In pregnant women, folate deficiencies can cause birth defects. Nutritious food should be a right, as it is a basic necessity for human life. Helping reduce hunger and malnutrition lets people spend energy they might not have had without food to take care of themselves and their communities.

Read More
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?

Jordan Kosylo 4/29/2021 5:28 AM

It's pretty easy to incorporate spending time in nature into an exercise routine. It could be as simple as doing some daily exercises outside, like stretching or yoga. In Burlington there are also a bunch of hiking and walking trails to get out into the forest.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Practice Gratitude for Earth

Kathleen Dean Moore says that a sense of gratitude leads to a sense of moral obligation. Do you agree? How can we cultivate a sense of gratitude as individuals, and as a society?

Jordan Kosylo 4/27/2021 6:05 AM

I definitely agree with Dean Moore about gratitude leading to a sense of responsibility. Spreading awareness about the earth could help generate gratitude. It's important to educate people about the effect of their actions on the environment and also emphasize that major corporations are a leading cause of environmental pollution.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Joyful Movement

What's your favorite activity(ies) in which you experience joy while being active and moving?

Jordan Kosylo 4/27/2021 6:03 AM

I've been trying out yoga and ecstatic movement, both of which have been really healing and help me feel more connected to my body.

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?

Jordan Kosylo 4/27/2021 6:00 AM

I'm getting pretty interested in pickling vegetables like cucumbers, beets, green beans, etc. and maybe also making jams! I've also seen some information about making and preserving orange juice, which might be fun.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

Who is most affected by environmental degration and/or environmental irresponsiblity in your community? How are they affected?

Jordan Kosylo 4/27/2021 5:58 AM

It's so important to recognize the disproportionate affect that pollution and environmental degradation have on communities of color across the country.

Read More