Emily Fisher

For my final week of the eco-challenge, I added on two new daily challenges. Although there were now a handful amount of daily challenges to think about, adding on two more didn’t take away any additional time in my day to day routine. One of the challenges that I added on was to eat all of my meals without distractions, which means no phones, computers, tv, or anything that takes you away from the present moment. My daily meditation and commitment to eating whole foods daily made this challenge more of a natural step in the right direction rather than another challenge on its own. Throughout the final week, I realized that my challenges started to incorporate themselves into each other. I would feel so fresh after meditating and excited to eat a clean bowl of fruit and yogurt in the morning, that I wouldn’t even want to look at my phone during meals. By doing one good thing for yourself and the earth, it almost felt intuitive to do another. I found this interesting towards the end of this Eco-Challenge because it made the number of challenges to tackle feel like less as the weeks went one. During this challenge, I relied on my friends to eat meals with and talk to me about their day, and I even used one meal to talk about the environment with my friend and all that I have learned from this class thus far. In addition to the mental benefits I felt from this, mindfulness eating also includes “noticing the colors, smells, flavors, and textures of your food,” and you are more aware of when you are full. I found that I ate less then what I usually would if I sat in front of my TV and rushed to finish a meal so that I could complete other tasks that day. Meals became a mental break and a time to enjoy something rather than a chore to do. I think that this is something I will continue regularly doing. 

I also decided to adopt a “needs vs. wants” approach and only buy things I need. I saved this one for right before spring break because I knew old Emily was going to online shop in preparation for my week trip. There were many times this week when I added things into my “cart,” left it open for 24 hours and decided I didn't need it and closed the tab. My previous habit of impulse shopping is one thing that I have tried to break in the past year continuously. Drawing a line between things that you want and can be hard in an environment where the new trend is always changing. I own over 30 swimsuits and definitely don’t need more, but yet, it still took a lot for me not to buy new ones simply because I had worn the rest before. These three phrases are crucial to think about before purchasing something: “Buy only what we need; Use only what we need; Take only what we need.”  I not only used this challenge for clothing but also food. I cut my groceries down by $40 when asking myself if I really needed to buy that and if I was going to finish those apples before they went bad. This, in turn, eliminated food waste as well. Anyone is capable of adopting this mindset; it helps the environment, your bank account, and you as a person.

For my last official one-time challenge, I took found a new hiking trail in Lewisburg and explored it with some of my friends. It was difficult to do this one given the cold weather currently, but Friday came around, and it was warm enough to enjoy a hike (with many layers). I have the app “AllTrails” on my phone and use it when I travel to discover hikes near me. It was a 15-minute drive to Shikellamy Overlook Trail, and although the walk was a short 10 minutes, it was still nice to sit up there and look out for a good hour. During this time we all felt refreshed to get out of the Bucknell bubble and be in nature for a little. This type of challenge is what I would usually do anyways; the only barrier is the temperature at this time of year. 

Looking back on all the challenges I have been doing, there are some that I will without a doubt keep doing and some that I will never do again. I am proud that I was able to do this and am eager to keep learning more about what else I can personally do to help the environment through small changes in my lifestyle.

I find it difficult to keep up with Eco-Challenge and “to check in” for my daily challenges. I write them down on sticky notes, but I even forgot to click a one time challenge on the site at the start of last week. However, I will continue to push myself to ensure that I check in online as well. For this week, a daily challenge I added on was to keep my lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them. At first, I thought that my technological devices weren’t making as much of an impact as they are. Last Thursday I read the resources to inform myself about what I should be turning off. Part of me wanted to change my challenge right away after reading the list of appliances that regularly use energy even when not being used. The list included: Xbox; stand lights; coffee makers; cable or satellite boxes; and power strips that aren’t energy efficient. The idea of having to turn off all of these devices in my dorm room, including my computer and phone at night, seemed unrealistic. However, I wanted to see if I could do it. Throughout the week there were times when I forgot to turn things off due to being in a rush or because my roommate would leave the Xbox on. The challenge is easy to do on your own, but when it starts to involve those you live with, it can be difficult to complete these challenges. I don’t think that this is something I can continue to do every day, but it is doable to make it a habit to, for example, unplug kitchen appliances when not using them. In a dorm room, it’s harder because the wires are hidden under furniture and it’s a hassle to disconnect it. 

Also, I kept five disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle. I usually drink about six water bottles a day, and it has been an issue I have thought about for a while now. Before college, I only used a reusable bottle because everyone in Singapore never really bought plastic bottles. The difference is I would come home from school and would wake up, and it would be cleaned for me. Coming to Bucknell, it felt more natural to keep buying water bottles and not have to deal with cleaning or to try to enjoy the taste of the water from the fountain. A problem I ran into during this challenge was the water being foggy and not clean for the fountain in my residential hall. I know that this is a habit I must change, and it will be easier when I am not a college student. Currently, there are a million plastic bottles ought around the world every minute, and I know I don’t want to contribute to that number. 

Another one time challenge I added on was to take a maximum of five minutes per shower. At college, this challenge wasn’t a challenge since I don’t take long showers here, but I know that at home I tend to have a longer shower. Throughout the week, I kept in mind that by taking 5-minute showers I can reduce my water usage and C02 emissions by 70-80%, saving thousands of gallons of water a year. The significant amount of water collected is worth it, and five minutes is easily enough time for a shower. 

For a one-time community challenge, I wanted to spend 45 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area before colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist. Using the resources provided, I couldn’t find much information on Lewisburg, PA. Regardless, I decided to inform myself on history, specifically in downtown Lewisburg. Bucknell is at the heart of so many local businesses and is listed on the national register of historic places. Although there aren’t any native populations before colonization that still exists, what I found out was that there are many ways to support the locals living here. Such as buying from the farmers market and Wednesdays and purchasing things from the multip Amish families around. My friend recently purchased a dog from one. Also respecting their land and culture is another way to support them. 

Another one time challenge I did was not using my car to get around campus for two days of the week. It sounds easy, but it is hard especially when I have classes that are uphill in the mornings, and I find myself wanting to drive to get food or coffee off campus. I honestly didn’t feel like I was making much of a difference and it ended up being a burden on me when I wanted to go places fast. Since our campus is small, and everything is relatively close, it takes me around two weeks to use an entire gas, so this challenge doesn’t seem to be sustainable for me. The three-minute drive to class is worth it to me given the weather and my schedule. My everyday carbon footprint isn’t as big as those commuting to work based on the data set given in resources. According to the Census, during the year of 2014, the average commute time was 26 minutes each way. It shocked me was that they converted this time spent driving to work (1.8 trillion minutes a year) to show it’s the equivalent of being able to build the Great Pyramid of Giza 26 times. 

 For my second week, I decided to add on these three daily challenges: eat two meals a day free of all processed foods; write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send someone a message praising them; exercise for 60 minutes each day. I texted my best friend from home on the first day of the challenge, which I, in reality, think of every day, telling her that I miss her and am thinking of her today. She replied saying “I was thinking actually of you too.” Something so simple, yet meaningful, made my entire day. The power of spreading your love and kindness towards someone is something that no one else but you can do. After doing this one time, I knew that I had to do it every day. So instead of writing down three things, I was grateful for I reached out to 7 people in total. They included home friends, school friends, my roommate, my brother, and my parents. The number of people I think of each day either through a funny memory, or if I know they are going through a rough time all deserve to know that they are loved. This daily reminder to a person I care for in my life is a “challenge” that I know I want to do for the rest of my life continually. It is, however, important to remind myself that I am loved as well, which is why I am going to use the resources on how to keep a gratitude journal for a week later on within Unit 2. I was surprised to notice how much the people I contacted cherished what I had said and wouldn’t stop thanking me for it. 

When it came to eating two meals a day free of processed foods, I found the resource entitled “How to Eat Healthy in the College Dining Hall” very useful. It is often easy to grab something quick and eat while completing your checklist of things to do that day, and I admit, I have done this numerous times this semester already. A goal I wanted to meet for this week was to eat both of my meals with any distractions. I practiced mindful eating and savored the food and company I was with. I did this in high school when lunch was scheduled in, and dinner was with my family, but in college, things change, but we can change it back if we put in the effort. It was never difficult to find a buddy to grab a meal with and talk about our day. Another tip was to start filling myself up with more vegetables and fruit - which when in hand with my week one challenge I had already begun. Doing this helped me from feeling unsatisfied with my meal and prevented me from choosing processed foods for my next meal due to lack of nutrition and hunger. I think that this is something I can sustain, but on Sunday when everyone was tired, and it was cold outside, everyone wanted to order pizza for dinner. It was not ideal, and I had not eaten any whole foods that day besides an apple, but nothing can be perfect, and I had tried my best the other days of the week. I wasn’t upset nor did I beat myself over this.

I was working out every day used to be easy for me. I was a three-season varsity athlete and always had practice or a game every day of the week. A pattern I have noticed throughout all of these journals is that I keep mentioning how I used to do most of these tasks that are now my daily challenges without trying at home. Although this may seem strange, I understand why. I am now on my own and have control over what healthy or unhealthy habits I make for myself. Going to the gym daily can be a struggle - especially when it’s snowing the way it has been. I read the resource “How to Make Exercise a Daily Habit,” and implemented these two things to accomplish my challenge of working out every day. Honestly, I was surprised I was able to do this one all seven days fully. I decided to write out two sticky notes and place them on my desk. One of them said “put on your shoes and just head out the door,” and the other said “12:00 and 4:30”. The first one was used to fight off any negative doubts I had about going to the gym. My mind would often tell me it was too cold or would start thinking about how comfortable my bed looked. However, just putting on my shoes, even if these thoughts were giving me every reason not to go, was a physical force that pushed me out the door. I even saw Stephen at the gym! Going every day can be hard because I know that rest days are essential and sometime I really will need that nap instead of going to the gym. A realistic challenge for me would be to go at least five times a week. 

I started my one time challenge by checking my mailbox at Bucknell. Since my family doesn’t live in America, all of my taxes, insurance, and all that good stuff comes to me. It honestly used to be terrifying going to my mailbox and having to sort through over 20 envelopes to see which ones were important and not. I ended up calling triple A, my laundry service, and my credit card company to end these promotional mailings. They told me that they would only send me things that are important. I canceled all of my clothing subscriptions both online and through the mail (I don’t need the temptation of sales anyway). It doesn’t surprise me that each American “receives an average of 41 pounds of junk mail per year”. I took me two years to cancel those subscriptions even though I knew they were annoying. It took an easy 20 minutes out of my day, and I now know to always do this for the rest of my life. Junk mail sucks. 

 

For my first two challenges, I decided to start small and pick daily challenges that I knew I could incorporate into my daily life. Under the category simplicity, I chose to meditate every day for 5 minutes; under the category health, I picked to eat more fruits and vegetables, specifically two servings a day. These daily challenges are both things that I used to do at home, but being at school has altered how I live my life and the foods I eat. It can be hard to treat your mind and body right when there aren’t as many fresh food options on campus and the time in your day seems to slip by faster than usual. Also, as a way to kickstart my journey during this unit, I spent 60 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in my cleaning supplies and personal care products in my dorm room so that I can be more aware of what to not buy in the future. I also ended up talking to Lauren, my friend who is in charge of purchasing such cleaning supplies for the entire sorority about products she should be buying instead.
In regards to my meditation, I thought that the best time to do it was in the morning after getting ready to reflect on my goals and what I need to get accomplished for the day. Morning can often be overwhelming for me when I am thinking about my schedule and all the tasks I have ahead of me, so this time helped me to get on track for the day. During the weekend I found myself using a guided meditation application on my phone called calm that I have been using for the past two years and this was a way to clear my head and focus on the present moment. I found it surprising how easy it was to take those five minutes and use it to focus on myself and not the chaotic noises around me. I felt energized to begin my day and ten times more organized than I usually do. It is easy to let outside influences sway my emotions and make my mind spring into a thousand directions, but after those five minutes, I have one collective thought about my next step for the day. The barriers that come along with this challenge is planning to make sure that there is enough time to do this in the morning. Five minutes can feel like 20 when there is a lot to get done - especially on days when I am running out the door. However, knowing the positive effects that come along with this practice, I am eager to make this a permanent part of my day. As stated by the New York Times, It is that time of the day to “become mindful throughout all parts of our life, so that we’re awake, present and open-hearted in everything we do.” It has been proven to improve grades, anxiety, sleep, and distress. Even just a few minutes a day can make a big difference. Following the guided meditations that the resources tab includes has also helped ensure a positive meditation experience when my thoughts are taking over. 
Before I began my attempt to eat a more heart-healthy diet by adding two cups of fruits and vegetables each day, I looked under the resources tab to make sure that it was following the correct guidelines as to what counts. On Friday I left for New York City, and the whole drive I was craving real fruits. I couldn’t wait to get there and eat fresh ingredients that I know are not being served at the commons or bison at Bucknell. I discovered that juices don’t count, which made me rethink why I was drinking smoothies from the bison thinking that it was my daily fruit for the day. Faith Durand also stated in her article, “Here Are 10 Pictures of Your Daily Recommended Servings” that one piece of fruit such as an apple or banana counts as a cup. My routine has been to eat a banana in the morning and one orange as a quick snack at any point during the day. Munching on this over a bag of pretzels or nuts have made me feel better about myself and altered the food decisions I made the rest of the day. Something about peeling a piece of fruit or biting out of something I know is in its purest form instead of opening up a pre-seal bag puts me in a better mood. It’s tempting to be around others in the library or in the dorm rooms which make easy mac and cheese or grab a bag of chips, but this challenge has pushed me to opt out of those premade choices. I genuinely enjoy fruits and vegetables, so this challenge wasn’t a challenge per se, but I know that this can become something permanent in my life if I plan and know to shop at Giant and carry these fruits around with me. 
When I first chose to research the toxic chemicals found in my cleaning and personal care products, I didn’t realize how many of my skin care creams and oils have them. I realized that I couldn’t stop using such products on my hair and skin since my dermatologist prescribes them and improve my skin, but what I could do was focus on cleaning supplies. An article posted by Experience Life called “8 Hidden Toxins: What’s Lurking in Your Cleaning Products?” stated that an average household contains about 62 toxic chemicals. I was surprised to find that such simple cleaning items have been linked to “asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption, and neurotoxicity.” Since I don’t live in a house, the main products I use are dish soap, and Clorox wipes for cleaning desks. Triclosan is found in most dishwashing soaps, and I found it in mine. A healthier choice is to use cleansers with short ingredient lists, which is what I will do the next time I go to the store. I also only use hand sanitizer that is alcohol-based and without triclosan. Eco-Challenge provided a great link called EGW’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning where you can search over 2,5000 products to see what they have in them. Upon learning this, I told my family as well as my peers to make sure that they too are not hurting their bodies. It is a difficult lifestyle change in regards to my makeup and personal products that will take more time to change. However, as it relates to cleaning products, the best I can do is avoid such things.