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Mary Hanks 10/26/2023 9:16 PMI've been amazed at the things I've been able to acquire free or at very low cost. Just driving or walking around my Houston neighborhood I was able to scavenge two end tables, a picnic table, and a reading chair that had been put out on the curb, and I bought a bookcase at a garage sale for $5. And I've found many useful things being given away on the Nextdoor social media platform, including a large area rug that was perfect for the room where I keep feral cats to recover after having them neutered. I've really changed my consumer style. When I re-use things, I think of the materials, manufacturing, and shipping costs that are prevented.
Kendra Kent
"Learning how to better serve the Earth"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,201 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO68meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO2.0lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO1.0carbon footprintcalculated
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UP TO2,240minutesspent exercising
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UP TO2.0donationsmade
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UP TO30hoursvolunteered
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UP TO4.0advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO2.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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UP TO2.0educational videoswatched
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UP TO60minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO300minutesspent learning
Kendra's actions
Electricity
Calculate My Household Carbon Footprint
I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.
Land Sinks
Support a Community Garden
Multiple Solutions
I will support a community garden by volunteering, donating, or advocating for a new or existing one.
Industry
Practice the 5 Rs
Recycling
I will practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.
Transportation
Use Muscle Power
Multiple Transportation Solutions
I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.
Health and Education
Watch Drawdown's Climate Solutions 101 Series
Family Planning and Education
I will watch Drawdown’s Climate Solutions 101 and share what I learned with others.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Reduce Animal Products
Plant-Rich Diets
I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.
Buildings
Online Energy Audit
Multiple Solutions
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Transportation
Go for a Daily Walk
Walkable Cities
I will take a walk for 60 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
Land Sinks
Explore My Area
Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 60 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Support Nutrient Management
Nutrient Management
I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
Reduced Food Waste
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks
Cook With Seaweed
Seaweed Farming
I will use seaweed in a new recipe.
Electricity
Choose LED Bulbs
LED Lighting
I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulbs with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
Learn About Cattle Farming
Improved Cattle Feed; Improved Manure Management
I will spend 60 minutes researching cattle feed and manure management, or visiting a dairy farm to learn about their farming practices.
Health and Education
Make School More Affordable
Family Planning and Education
I will raise funds to help make school affordable for girls around the world.
Land Sinks
Buy Bamboo
Bamboo Production
When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.
Health and Education
Connect With A Nonprofit
Family Planning and Education
I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, trans people, and/or nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 60 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Land Sinks
Advocate for Forest Protection
Forest Protection
I will contact 3 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws, as well as the rights of local people to protect and restore the land in their communities.
Land Sinks
Forest-Friendly Foods 2
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.
Participant Feed
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Kendra Kent 10/31/2023 9:39 AMDay 31: Happy Halloween! I hope you all get lots of candy and have a good day. -
Kendra Kent 10/30/2023 10:31 AMDay 30: One more day left. I am very happy to have participated this year! -
Kendra Kent 10/29/2023 10:07 AMDay 29: Two more days left of Eco Challenge. Everyone has been doing so much great work! -
Kendra Kent 10/28/2023 10:51 AMDay 28: It's supposed to be in the 80's today, that's concerning. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand SinksHigher standards of living are very often dependent on moving our environmental costs elsewhere. What are some specific ways in which the environmental impacts of your own lifestyle might be shifted elsewhere?
Kendra Kent 10/26/2023 5:36 PMI could try to support more local businesses and farms. A lot of my environmental costs come from using shipping services to get things and also shopping at grocery stores who have to ship in ingredients from other states or even countries. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth and EducationWhat was an inspiring thing you learned in Drawdown's Climate Solutions 101 Series?
Kendra Kent 10/26/2023 5:33 PMI think this whole challenge has been inspiring. Every year I get to see more and more people participate and do their best to do little things to help the planet. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand SinksHow is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Kendra Kent 10/26/2023 5:27 PMI can eat less foods that negatively impact the environment. I can try to eat more locally sourced foods and maybe even start growing my own. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land UseHow does environmental quality influence your sense of community?
Kendra Kent 10/26/2023 5:25 PMThe more we work together as a community to help our environment, the closer we will grow and continue to do. -
Kendra Kent 10/26/2023 5:20 PMDay 26: It has been so warm lately and it worries me since it is almost November and in the 70's. -
Kendra Kent 10/25/2023 9:55 AMDay 25: It was supposed to be cloudy today but it is actually very sunny which is always nice.