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Welcome to Drawdown Ecochallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown Ecochallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org
Drawdown Ecochallenge
October 1 - October 31, 2023
Carolyn Plemons's avatar

Carolyn Plemons

One Comerica Ecochallenge Team

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 290 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    sustainable seafood meal
    consumed
  • UP TO
    15
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    105
    minutes
    spent learning

Carolyn's actions

Electricity

Choose LED Bulbs

LED Lighting

I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulbs with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Rooftop Solar Consultation

Distributed Solar Photovoltaics

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Plan to Insulate

Insulation

I will spend 30 minutes finding out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

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

Smaller Portions

Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 2
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
    Electricity
    Identify some ways in which modern human societies have become unsustainable. What kind of roles do individuals have in creating and changing practices in society?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/30/2023 8:46 AM
    This is a difficult question. I think most societies have ideas that seem great in the beginning but turn out possibly hurting the environment more. When researching solar panels, it came to my attention that there is a sever issue with the disposal of the old nonworking Solar Panels. They are now creating more waste to be placed in dumps. I am beginning to see more and more solar farms and I am now more than ever concerned about the waste it is creating. This is the same with the batteries from electric cars. We may be creating a larger problem. I am appreciative of this challenge. It opened my eyes.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    What did you cook and how did it turn out? Can you share a recipe on the feed for others to try?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/30/2023 8:35 AM
    The farm raised shrimp I used in our Shrimp and Grits dinner was delish. I would share the recipe, but I didn't have one. I tend to cook making recipes as I go.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come from eating/serving smaller portions?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/30/2023 8:31 AM
    A little weight loss can happen also. I saw the scale dip a little in the last 30 day. A pound or two makes a difference.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? How do they compare to other energy sources?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/24/2023 7:57 AM
    Wave and Tidal power is considered a form or sustainable and renewable energy. It uses gravitational waves to produce energy which can be converted into electricity. At this time there is not an indication that this form of energy will create a hazard to the habitat or ocean ecosystem such as Wind power does with the disposal of the old and defunct Windmills.
    Read More
  • Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/24/2023 7:49 AM
    Wave and Tidal Energy is a very interesting concept. It appears this is a sustainable form of energy using gravitational waves to create useful forms of power.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings
    What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/13/2023 11:12 AM
    Energy and cost savings. I have realized that weatherstripping is one of the best and easiest to conserve energy. Without it all of the heat or cooling is escaping from the cracks and crevices of a home.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?
    Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/10/2023 7:23 AM
    Mission accomplished - I replaced the las remaining bulbs with LED over the weekend.
    Read More
  • Carolyn Plemons's avatar
    Carolyn Plemons 10/09/2023 8:31 AM
    Just started this challenge today but will catchup.
    Read More