John Whitaker

SJU ENV105 Fall '21

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
200 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

60

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

95

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

1.0

neighbor

met
UP TO

8.0

people

helped
UP TO

10

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill

John's actions

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 6 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service or organize car sharing with my neighbors or classmates to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 35-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Meet My Neighbors

I will meet 2 new neighbor(s) each day.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Help Others

I will offer to help 5 person(s) who are in need each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Tend a Garden

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

COMPLETED 3
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 Use a Reusable Water Bottle

While water bottles are needed for health and safety in certain places, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. What are the barriers to you using reusable bottles and tap water instead of bottled water? How could you make this a permanent habit?

John Whitaker 12/12/2021 11:44 AM

I think the frequency of water fountains is really important to my surroundings for me to use a reusable. It is hard to use something like that when there is no place to fill out in public places, but since this usually isn't a problem I do not notice it often. It is very easy to make this a permanent habit when you do not need to constantly find a place to fill it up.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Go for a Daily Walk

How do you experience your neighborhood or city differently when walking instead of driving?

John Whitaker 12/12/2021 11:42 AM

Obviously, Philadelphia is an amazing place especially near the campus where I live. I think when you walk around rather than driving you experience the little things that make this community so unique. I will constantly stumble into great interactions with people in my community and that is something I would never experience if I was always driving.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Tend a Garden

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.

John Whitaker 12/12/2021 11:41 AM

When I was a kid, I went to Muir Woods in California, that was when it all clicked for me. Seeing those trees tower over me gave me a realization of how powerful nature is. They felt so much bigger than me and it gave me so much respect for the nature around me at all times. This motivated me to experience more nature and find new things such as the Muir Woods that could amaze much as it did.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Help Others

In your opinion, how do social inequalities diminish a strong sense of community?

John Whitaker 12/12/2021 11:39 AM

It is hard to have a strong community when there is social inequality implemented within it. You can't connect with a community that may see you as lesser or vice versa. It is always important to treat a fellow student, neighbor, friend as an equal or you will experience a negative dynamic. It is important to build each other up in a community rather than break someone down.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Meet My Neighbors

In what ways can you create more real and meaningful interactions with friends — or strangers — each week?

John Whitaker 12/12/2021 11:37 AM

I think it is most important to challenge yourself. If you do not get involved there is no way to have more meaningful interactions. You must make an effort to reach out and make them rather than waiting for these to happen to you. If you are intentional about meeting new people, these interactions will occur.

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John Whitaker 12/06/2021 1:08 PM

Hello everyone, I have really been enjoying surfing the EcoChallenge, searching for new things to implement in my daily life to help improve the environment. I believe that these kinds of lifestyle choices are crucial to the betterment of our ecosystem, and it allows us to think differently about how we impact people and nature around us. I have decided to try my best to help as many others as I can a day, a target starting at five. I think this is important to spreading positivity in your community. I also have been helping with tending to a garden, my roommate has a greenhouse in our backyard and we have been watering and tending to it daily. I have also been participating in carpooling and car share, this has helped me save gas for myself and my classmates. I try to walk for at least 35 minutes everyday, this helps me appreciate nature while also being active. Finally, I have recently been using a reusable water bottle as well as a Brita, which has been a lifesaver in terms of preserving the number of plastic bottles I waste.

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