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October 1 - October 31, 2023
Mary Rudolph's avatar

Mary Rudolph

NW Natural

"Learn more about the environment and healthy ideas to get me outside and moving"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 957 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    15
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    sustainable seafood meal
    consumed
  • UP TO
    6.0
    educational videos
    watched
  • UP TO
    1.0
    women, BIPOC, and immigrant-owned businesses
    supported
  • UP TO
    95
    minutes
    spent learning

Mary's actions

Electricity

NW Natural’s Energy System

Learn about the importance of our system, how we balance the electric system, and how we are evolving to serve our customers an increasingly decarbonized product. Review the “Facts and Analysis About Our Energy System” pamphlet to learn about what we provide customers and debunk some of the misconceptions about our energy system in Oregon and Washington.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Energy Efficiency Tips for Home

Simple energy efficiency upgrades and actions can reduce energy consumption, reduce emissions, and save on your utility bills. Explore easy ways to save energy around your home and receive incentives for energy efficiency upgrades to your residential equipment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)

RNG projects capture methane from existing food waste, animal manure, wastewater sludge and garbage, and redirect it away from the environment, repurposing it as a clean, green energy source. Learn about RNG and how it can contribute to a low-carbon energy future.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

NW Natural Be the Change Challenge

Check out the Indigenous People Be The Change Challenge on Virgin Pulse. Using the link below, find out what tribal land your home is located on.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Clean Hydrogen

Hydrogen is getting a lot of attention lately at the state and federal level as a decarbonization tool. Learn how clean hydrogen plays a role in NW Natural’s long-term plans for decarbonization.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn about your Electricity System

Do you know where your electricity comes from? Electricity comes from a variety of sources: coal, natural gas, hydro, wind, solar, etc. Look at your state’s department of energy website to see where your energy comes from.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Annual Preventive Care

Did you know your insurance covers preventive care 100%? The My Care Checklist tool in Virgin Pulse provides a personalized breakdown of recommended preventive care. It also allows you to keep track of your health care history to stay up to date with your preventive care.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Electricity

NW Natural Energy Team and Strategic Energy Management

Did you know that NW Natural has our own Energy Team? Check out the Strategic Energy Management (SEM) page on the Hub and provide one energy saving suggestion in the reflection question section of this action. Sustainability and Equity Engagement Committee (SEEC) (nwnatural.com)

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Annual Preventive Care

Did you know your insurance covers preventive care 100%? The My Care Checklist tool in Virgin Pulse provides a personalized breakdown of recommended preventive care. It also allows you to keep track of your health care history to stay up to date with your preventive care.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

NW Natural Be the Change Challenge

Check out the Indigenous People Be The Change Challenge on Virgin Pulse. Using the link below, find out what tribal land your home is located on.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Clean Hydrogen

Hydrogen is getting a lot of attention lately at the state and federal level as a decarbonization tool. Learn how clean hydrogen plays a role in NW Natural’s long-term plans for decarbonization.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

NW Natural’s Energy System

Learn about the importance of our system, how we balance the electric system, and how we are evolving to serve our customers an increasingly decarbonized product. Review the “Facts and Analysis About Our Energy System” pamphlet to learn about what we provide customers and debunk some of the misconceptions about our energy system in Oregon and Washington.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Energy Efficiency Tips for Home

Simple energy efficiency upgrades and actions can reduce energy consumption, reduce emissions, and save on your utility bills. Explore easy ways to save energy around your home and receive incentives for energy efficiency upgrades to your residential equipment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn about your Electricity System

Do you know where your electricity comes from? Electricity comes from a variety of sources: coal, natural gas, hydro, wind, solar, etc. Look at your state’s department of energy website to see where your energy comes from.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)

RNG projects capture methane from existing food waste, animal manure, wastewater sludge and garbage, and redirect it away from the environment, repurposing it as a clean, green energy source. Learn about RNG and how it can contribute to a low-carbon energy future.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Family Planning and Education

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, POC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 15 minutes researching and shopping from 2 businesses owned by women, people of color, or immigrants.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 20 minutes learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

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 27
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

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 13
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
    Health and Education
    Which businesses that you researched are you excited to support? Are you already supporting businesses that you didn't know were owned by women, people of color, or immigrants?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/18/2023 1:11 PM
    I recently researched photographers for an engagement shoot and ended up supporting a woman/immigrant. She was fantastic and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health and Education
    What was an inspiring thing you learned in Drawdown's Climate Solutions 101 Series?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/18/2023 1:06 PM
    I had never thought about the coolant for fridges and how they affect the climate!

    • Anan Srivilai's avatar
      Anan Srivilai 10/23/2023 8:23 AM
      I never knew about the coolant either. It really makes you think about what other things we use daily in our household that is negatively affecting our environment.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    What source of RNG do you find most interesting or promising?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/18/2023 1:06 PM
    I think wastewater facilities are promising. There are plenty of them around and a great resource for RNG
  • 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?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/18/2023 11:34 AM
    Whenever I fill a large plate up and eat all my food, I usually feel sick afterwards. When I use a smaller plate and finish my food, I don't feel gross when I am done!
  • 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?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/16/2023 4:01 PM
    After doing some research, I went to my local grocery store and got shrimp. I made shrimp and cheese grits. For the shrimp:
    Ingredients
    • Cheese Grits
      • 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
      • ¾ cup Quick Cook Grits
      • 1 ½ cups Grated Pepper Jack Cheese
      • 1 ½ cups Grated Sharp Cheddar
      • ½ cup Cream Cheese(Softened)
    • Shrimp with spicy tomato sauce
      • 4 tablespoons Butter
      • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
      • 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
      • 1 ½ pounds Cleaned Jumbo Shrimp (Peeled And, Tails Off)
      • 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
      • add Salt And Pepper
      • 6 strips Bacon (Chopped)
      • 1 Whole Medium Onion (Chopped)
      • 1 Whole Red Bell Pepper (Seeded And Chopped)
      • 1 Whole Jalapeno Pepper (Seeded And Chopped)
      • half a pint of cherry tomatoes
      • 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
      • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
      • add dashes Hot Sauce (I Use Cholula)
      • ½ Whole Lemon (Juiced)
      • add Green Onions (Sliced, For Garnish)
    Cheese Grits:
    Bring 3 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Slowly add grits, mix until grits are cooked (for quick cook grits approx 5 minutes). Add cheese, stir until combined. Cover and keep heat on low until shrimp is ready. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Shrimp and tomato sauce:
    Season shrimp with cajun season. In a pan, add butter and oil, once melted cook shrimp until pink on both sides. Remove shrimp to side bowl. Next, cook 6 strips of bacon until done. Leave bacon grease and sauté onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and half pint of cherry tomatoes, cook for approx 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic, cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir into vegetables, then add 2 cups of chicken broth and stir. Add back in the shrimp. Simmer for ten minutes to combine flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve shrimp and tomato sauce over cheese grits. Enjoy!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    What surprises you about your energy mix?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/13/2023 1:59 PM
    that 63% comes from renewable energy.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    What is one way to save energy around your home?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/13/2023 10:20 AM
    Making sure we decrease the thermostat a couple of degrees when we both aren't home.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    What item stood out to you when reviewing the pamphlet?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/13/2023 9:59 AM
    I thought it was very interesting how little electrification decreases ghg emissions. I had never seen a number prior to this to show how inefficient this policy is. This pamphlet is a great way to inform others about natural gas and rng!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Industry
    What did you learn about the climate impact of refrigerants? How do supermarkets contribute to this impact?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/12/2023 10:24 AM
    I hadn't previously thought about the climate impact of refrigerants (other than wasted energy in grocery stores with open fridges/freezers). It was interesting to read about the different kinds of refrigerants and see what grocery stores were doing their part. Grocery stores could lower their impact through refrigerant management, technology, and policies. Looking at the list of grocers made me reconsider where I shop.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity
    Have you heard about hydrogen development and use in the news?

    Mary Rudolph's avatar
    Mary Rudolph 10/09/2023 10:51 AM
    When I was in TX still I had heard about it in academic research, but never in the news. Since moving to the PNW, I have heard much more about hydrogen development in the news