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Gary Swick's avatar

Gary Swick

EPFE Section 07

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 707 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    14
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    320
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    42
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    80
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    13
    pounds
    waste composted
  • UP TO
    42
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    42
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    227
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    33,735
    gallons of water
    have been saved

Gary's actions

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 30 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Go get a check up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Support Pollution Reduction

I will spend at least 35 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

I will save up to 15 gal (56 L) of water a day or 450 gal (1,680 L) a month by installing a low-flow showerhead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 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

Waste

Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 20-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Go Paperless

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Compost Food Waste

I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Prevent Recycling Contamination

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 3 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Tour A Waste Management Facility

I will spend at least 60 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and POC-majority neighborhoods. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

COMPLETED 0
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 Reduce Single-Use Disposables
    What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What did you substitute or could be substituted instead?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/17/2019 10:30 AM
    I challenge you all to avoid items in small packages like chips.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
    How does food sovereignty address the complex transition from localized food systems to modern global food systems?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/17/2019 10:29 AM
    Check out Food Inc or Conspiracy
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Skip the Straw
    How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/17/2019 10:28 AM
    I used a paper straw yesterday. But no straw or my aluminum one is a better choice.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health Exercise Daily
    How can you incorporate other personal values (like quality time with friends or spending time in nature) into your exercise routine?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/17/2019 10:27 AM
    Don't let cold temperatures keep you in. Now is when you need to get outside the most.
    Dress appropriately and walk briskly. Enjoy the season...
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Water Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants
    Where are your nearest natural bodies of water? How might they be affected by runoff?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/12/2019 8:34 AM
    Fox River
    If it is on the ground, it probably will get to the river, at least in directly

  • Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/11/2019 9:54 AM
    Challenging to remember by daily actions. 

  • Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 11/04/2019 7:58 AM
    I added water categories today, and practiced a few from the nature category.

  • Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 10/29/2019 6:44 PM
    I'm back in the competition

  • Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 10/17/2019 1:29 PM
    I counted that I visited a facility in the past. Very recently attended two recycling presentations. Things are changing rapidly.
    Currently, I am at a conference. Somethings are out of my control, but many opptunities to cut waste.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Tour A Waste Management Facility
    Field trip! What a fun way to learn about our impact and consumption! What facility did you tour? What did you learn?

    Gary Swick's avatar
    Gary Swick 10/17/2019 10:31 AM
    Visited San Mateo california