Skip to main content
Sam Pilcher's avatar

Sam Pilcher

ESR 171 Fall 2021

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 456 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    308
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    5.0
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    3.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

Sam's actions

Health

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

I will avoid buying toxic plastics - including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl - and instead replace them with durable non-plastic options.

COMPLETED 6
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 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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Visit A Local Farm

I will visit a nearby farm to pick my own fruits and veggies.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those around the world who produce my food in order to make better choices when I shop.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?


  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/28/2021 6:37 PM
    I really have nothing to note for the day. Talk about ending on a neutral note. I would certainly say that the things I have listed here weren't hard to pick up as constants or at least push them to be constants, so it was fun in the least.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/26/2021 6:21 PM
    So, I'm not entirely certain how the say no to strays is a daily action? Do people really get coffee and to go stuff so much that they interact with straws so frequently to merit a tracker? I might get a coffee once or twice a week, maybe. Maybe its a culture thing, anyways, it feels weird to not click the tracker because technically I never said no to a straw, but at the same time, I wouldn't be using one anyways?

    • April Ann Fong's avatar
      April Ann Fong 10/30/2021 2:47 PM
      Agree! I couldn't click it, because I wasn't going out! I do think that pre-covid this one made more sense and I think some people go to a coffee shop or restaurant regularly.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/25/2021 11:33 AM
    I've realized, that due to online schooling, the amount of time I've spent on my computer most likely counteracts the efforts I've taken to be more eco first. But then that also brings up another good question, since I don't live in the Portland area, being online has made it so I don't have to drive several hours a day, so in the long run, maybe being online has overall helped my footprint.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/24/2021 4:35 PM
    Even though the day has been stormy, our local market was open and my family popped over and grabbed some quick stiff for a simple dinner tonight. While writing these, I am starting to realize that my day to day is simply quaint. 

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/23/2021 9:20 PM
    I spent most of today in my bed doing nothing. I had no lights on, no TV or anything, just me slowly drowning from sickness in my own bed. It seems to be much easier to be eco friendly when your body doesn't want you to move!

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/22/2021 4:08 PM
    Another slow day, with little to no interactions with the world. Is it ecofriendly to sit at home and work on homework all day? 

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/21/2021 5:11 PM
    I didn't go to the store or anything today, it was just easy going at home and doing homework. So far the challenge hasn't been in my way and its certainly fitting in quite well with my day to day.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/20/2021 8:11 PM
    I have been sick, so doing anything except for the basic stuff is near out of the question. The 5 minute shower is something I'm dedicated to, but it does not feel great when sick.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/19/2021 1:03 PM
    Sadly over the weekend I have contracted a fun head flu, so limiting my shower was a bit of a hardship. Other then that, everything else has become routine. I don't often go to coffee places, or anywhere that gives straws, but today because of the quiz I did, and I made sure to not get a straw.

  • Sam Pilcher's avatar
    Sam Pilcher 10/18/2021 4:53 PM
    I don't live in Portland, instead I live further south into the agricultural areas. We have a nice little farmers market that is less then a minute's walk from my home, so we go when we can. Also, less then a block in one direction is a huge Hazelnut orchard whose owner is very kind and we've interacted many times. For the shower and tooth brushing, I have always been conscious about water conservation. I align that with my history of Boy Scouts where we simply didn't have the water necessary to take long showers.