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October 1 - October 31, 2023
Carol Kowalski's avatar

Carol Kowalski

Kitsap Bank

"Personal commitment to advocating for a locally sustainable lifestyle that strengthens our community "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 615 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    sustainable seafood meal
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    carbon footprint
    calculated
  • UP TO
    884
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    3.0
    women, BIPOC, and immigrant-owned businesses
    supported
  • UP TO
    2.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    5.0
    stories
    shared
  • UP TO
    4.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    educational video
    watched
  • UP TO
    134
    minutes
    spent learning

Carol'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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Solutions

I will research and tell 5 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Share to Social Media: Electricity

Electricity

Through social media (LinkedIn or Instagram), I will share what I've learned about Electricity Generation and tag Ecochallenge.org.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, POC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 30 minutes researching and shopping from 3 businesses owned by women, people of color, or immigrants.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by participating in a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Composting

Composting, Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost or worm bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Test Drive an Electric Bike

Electric Bicycles

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Smart Seafood Choices

Ocean Farming

I will visit seafoodwatch.org and download the app to commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

LEARND ABOUT GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS

I will learn about the green building certification systems that Kitsap Bank has been exploring for the new HQs.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

DISCOVER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

I will learn about volunteer opportunities that relate to sustainability in my community to find out how I can get involved.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Clean Energy Podcasts

I will listen to at least 2 podcasts and share what I have learned with others.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

USE DURABLE CUPS

Reusable drinkware is better for the environment than any single-use options, even if that single-use cup is recyclable or compostable. Instead of taking a single use to-go cup for my morning coffee, I will bring my own mug or use one provided instead.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Share the Ride Week

During the third week of October, I will encourage carpooling for business-related activities for my commute to work whenever possible. Coordinate with my colleagues or fellow employees attending the same event or meeting to share a ride. This not only reduces carbon emissions but also fosters team collaboration and cost savings.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Kitsap Transit Rideshare Happy Hour

We're thrilled to announce that we're bringing guests from Kitsap Transit to our KB Booster virtual session on Friday, Oct. 20th from 3:00-4:00 pm.🚍 They'll be sharing insights on their innovative programs to reduce single ridership and inspire us to find better alternatives to solo driving. Whether you're into protecting our environment, saving money, or simply seeking a fresh commuting perspective, this talk has something for everyone.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Cook With Sustainable Seafood

Improved Fisheries

Using the Seafood Watch guide, I will feature a sustainable seafood ingredient in a new recipe.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Talk With a Local Grocer

Improved Fisheries

I will ask my local seafood market or grocery store if their seafood is sustainable and share the Seafood Watch resources so they can stock sustainable options.

COMPLETED
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
    Industry
    What are some more "Rs" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?

    Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:14 AM
    Remember to ask myself, does this reduce waste before I make a choice.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation
    What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?

    Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:14 AM
    I get to meet my neighbors along the walk to the post office... its pleasant seeing the seasonal changes of the leaves turning. I wouldnt have noticed the little things as much.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Industry
    Throughout this challenge, how did switching to reusable drinkware impact your daily routine and environmental footprint? What were the challenges or benefits you experienced in making this change, and how do you plan to maintain this eco-friendly choice in the future?

    Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:13 AM
    Less recycling. before we had up to 48 plastic waterbottles per week in the recycle bin. Now we only need one recycle bin at pick up instead of two.

  • Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:10 AM
    Excited that my whole family is moving toward using a stainless steel water bottle. My husband has ordered a water filter for our kitchen so we can refill without purchasing plastic water bottles.

  • Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:08 AM
    I;m intentionally walking to the Post Office instead of driving and saving gas and getting a chance to walk and see my neighbors along the walk.

  • Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/19/2023 9:04 AM
    Just learned about Kitsap Harvest https://kitsapharvest.org/ and I am taking my abundance of blue tomatoes to one of the drop off locations so they can be donated to the local food banks! Donation Station #3 Open 10 am - 4 pm Sunday
    4809 Estonia Court SE, Port Orchard, WA
    Neighborhood Captain -John Garrison

  • Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/07/2023 9:39 AM
    Turned my compost bin and added about 5lbs from food prep this am
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    Producing food that goes uneaten squanders many resources—seeds, water, energy, land, fertilizer, hours of labor, financial capital. Which of these kinds of waste most motivates you to change your behavior regarding food waste? Why?

    Carol Kowalski's avatar
    Carol Kowalski 10/05/2023 8:40 AM
    Financial capital and water. These are two topics that got my attention and things we can control and see direct impact in our own actions.