Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Mary Parsatoon

Green Bulldogs

"Healthy Planet, Healthy People"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
626 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

1.0

energy audit

conducted
UP TO

96

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

355

minutes

of additional sleep
UP TO

345

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

229

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

29

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

22

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill

Mary's actions

Energy

Online Energy Audit

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 5 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 2 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

Nature

Leave No Trace

I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Go For A Daily Walk Outside

I will take a walk outside for 15 minutes each day.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Track my Purchases

I will spend 5 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Brush My Teeth Without Running Water

I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY 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 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 9
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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Healthy Sleep

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 30 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

COMPLETED 12
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
Nature Leave No Trace

Educator 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?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 10:06 AM

What I care most about when addressing the enormity of ecological problems is protecting wildlife and natural resources. I think the biggest thing people can do to make sure they do not leave a trace is stop littering. This is very easy to do which is why it is difficult to see so much trash in nature. Some of it is due to people improperly disposing their trash. When throwing bags of trash into bins, make sure the bag is tied tightly so trash does not fly out and pollute the surrounding area.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Track my Purchases

What have you noticed about your purchases? Where are you inclined to make shifts, if any?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 10:02 AM

I have noticed that a majority of my purchases are food related. While tracking my purchases, I spend a lot more money during the weekends I decide to go out to eat whether than when I go grocery shopping. Most of the time a grocery bill is not that much more expensive than an eating out bill but the eating out bill was for one or two meals while the grocery shopping bill is worth multiple meals. Because of this I realized that I need take more advantage of the many grocery stores in my area whether than eating out.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Use Reusable Bottles

What are some of the needs that water meets or benefits that water provides for you?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 9:59 AM

Water provides me with relief. I find that if I do not drink enough water I get a headache. By bringing a reusable water bottle around with me I am more likely to drink water and spend less money because I am not purchasing bottled water. There are way more benefits to having a high quality reusable water bottle than buying plastic water. Also during COVID drinking fountains are turned off should everyone should get in the happen of bringing a reusable water bottle with them to public places.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Brush My Teeth Without Running Water

What is the main water source in your region? If you don't know, how could you find out?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 9:57 AM

The main water source in my region is Lake Superior. Living near the lake, I found that I have gained more respect for natural water sources. It is disappointing to take a walk by the lake and see trash floating in the water. I am trying to preserve water more and more but also take care of the water by picking up trash. Many parks and water sources of trash bins located near them so I recommend people stop and give back to their community by picking up a few pieces of trash whenever they are out walking.

Read More
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?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 9:54 AM

What stands in the way of this habit is convenience which is the obstacle to many of my sustainability goals. When I go to coffee shops it get be a spur of the moment decision so I do not have a mug with me. Because of this I realized that I should keep a clean reusable mug in the car at all times. This also helps me save money since many coffee shops offer a discount when you bring your own mug.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Needs Vs. Wants

How is creativity a necessary ingredient for practicing simplicity?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 9:51 AM

Since I am moving out of my apartment soon, this challenge was a must. I am lucky that my school offers donation bins around on campus housing facilities so I am not stuck with the option of throwing away reusable items. Before throwing something away I try to imagine if a friend or someone else could have use for the item. Throwing stuff in the trash should be the last resort

Read More
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?

Mary Parsatoon 4/25/2021 9:49 AM

Over this challenge I realized that is easier for me to be sustainable at home than it is out at public places. At many restaurants the waiters bring you a drink with a plastic straw without asking because that is how they are trained. Because of this, I am trying to get into the habit of telling them I do not want a straw so a plastic straw is not wasted every time I am eating out.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Online Energy Audit

What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint? What changes did you make or will you make?

Mary Parsatoon 4/21/2021 7:30 AM

I completed the energy audit scavenger hunt. While looking for ways on how to save energy in my apartment, I found that my roommates and I had several cords plugged in that we were not using. Because of this, I have been getting into the habit of unplugging lamps, chargers and kitchen appliances once I am done using them.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Healthy Sleep

Consider how many hours of sleep you get now. How would you like to shift your sleep patterns? What are you finding works for you to be successful in this action?

Mary Parsatoon 4/21/2021 7:26 AM

On a typical day I get 7 hours of sleep which is a great amount. However, during this challenge I have been sleeping closer to 8-8.5 hours of sleep and have been feeling more energized the next day because of it. Tips that I use for great sleep include decaffeinated tea and putting my phone away 30 minutes before falling asleep.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Go For A Daily Walk Outside

Fresh air and movement are good for our entire being and can help us think more clearly and creatively. How does taking a walk each day affect yourself and/or your work?

Mary Parsatoon 4/15/2021 11:41 AM

Taking a walk and getting some fresh air relieves so much stress. I took a walk today for 30min in the nice Duluth weather and encourage all of you to do the same. My tips for a great walk include taking a buddy with you, putting your phone away, and exploring somewhere new! Also try to say hi or wave to your neighbors while you are out. You might make somebody's day!

Read More