Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Jason Barrette

EPFE 201 - 9

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
669 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

105

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

69

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

255

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

9,788

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

11

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

80

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

15

meatless or vegan meals

consumed

Jason's actions

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

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

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 2
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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Adjust the Thermostat

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

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

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Power Down the Computer

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 each day that I do this.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 0
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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Health

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?

UNCOMPLETED
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?

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?

Jason Barrette 11/25/2019 2:38 PM

Indeed, gratitude evokes a sense of moral obligation because we fully appreciate the value of what we have been given. Having an ability to empathize with those who do not have what we have stems from a sense of gratitude. As a society, being able to have this empathy, an understanding of having-not, and appreciating the commodities and opportunities we do have, will make us more inclined to share. We will be able to see what is truly necessary for us and see what we take for granted.

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?

Jason Barrette 11/24/2019 3:56 PM

In order to produce meat for human consumption, it takes several tons of grain and gallons of water, as well as months of care and overseeing of the livestock. Countries with less GDP most likely deem the cost of producing meat unnecessary, instead opting for a diet that utilizes all of the resources that would have been consumed by meat production.

Eating more meat consumes edible grains and water at an exponential rate, which reduces the global availability of food. Also, maintaining the facilities where the animals live year-round releases tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

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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?

Jason Barrette 11/24/2019 2:33 PM

I did not know what DeKalb's main water source is, however, according to the City of Dekalb's Website, a majority of our drinking water "comes from 6 deep wells, drawing water from the Ironton-Galesville and St. Peter sandstone unit of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer, and 3 shallow wells that draw water from the Troy Valley Aquifer."

https://www.cityofdekalb.com/371/Utility-Division

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Explore My Area

How might spending more time outdoors enhance your brainpower?

Jason Barrette 11/24/2019 2:25 PM

I feel that spending time outdoors pushes a sort of "reset button" in my brain. Walking around the Music building or the lagoon really helps me forget my worries and helps me to look at my current situation with a clearer head.

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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?

Jason Barrette 11/24/2019 2:17 PM

Even though it recently got colder, I've been able to pay closer attention to the beauty of nature's transition into winter.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Switch to Cold Water

What do you plan to do with the money you save from making more energy efficient choices?

Jason Barrette 11/21/2019 3:15 PM

I hope to save it for a rainy day.

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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?

Jason Barrette 11/21/2019 11:26 AM

The biggest barrier to using tap water would have to be my habitual desire for convenience. Too often, when I am thirsty, I go for the vending machine to use up another bottle. Even with a reusable bottle, I can feel myself being drawn to the vending machines. Making this a permanent habit has been challenging: remembering to bring my bottle wherever I go, remembering to fill it up, keeping it clean, etc. The way I remember my reusable bottle is by putting it into my daily routine: every day at breakfast, I fill it to the brim.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy Power Down the Computer

What are other easy things you could do to save energy and reduce your environmental footprint?

Jason Barrette 11/20/2019 8:29 PM

Instead of keeping my phone on "sleep" throughout the day, I can shut it off during classes and when I complete homework. That way, I can make sure that I only use up energy when necessary.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Water Use Reusable Bottles

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

Jason Barrette 11/19/2019 8:40 AM

The 2 definitive needs that water meets is hydration and cooling myself off

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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?

Jason Barrette 11/19/2019 8:39 AM

It makes me feel glad that I can avoid sending unnecessary waste into the landfills. I've always wondered why we even dispose of cups in the first place, since even disposable cups can be reused. One of the main challenge, however, was the convenience and my previous habits. I used to simply grab a cup, drink my coffee, then throw it away without a second thought. Sometimes I even walk over to the garbage can with my reusable cup before realizing that it can be reused!

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