Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

October 1 - October 31, 2023

Delaney Thacker

Oregon State University SUS 304

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
326 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

154

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

272

minutes

spent learning

Delaney's actions

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

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by participating in a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Research the Wonders of Macroalgae / Seaweed

Macroalgae Protection and Restoration

Each day, I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about protecting and restoring macroalgae/seaweed.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

Ocean Power

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
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

Learn about Temperate Forests

Temperate Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 25 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 25 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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
Land Sinks

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?
Delaney Thacker 11/01/2023 12:58 PM
I had never heard of silvopasture before, but I think it is a good idea; By incorporating more foliage and trees on pastures, it helps to offset carbon levels in the atmosphere, as well as provide shade and extra moisture on the land. An arid pasture can lead to brush fires, and by planting more trees it can lower temperatures and reduce risks of fires.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?
Delaney Thacker 10/31/2023 1:40 PM
As I learn more about climate change, it can be very easy to become overwhelmed and spiral into a dark hole, but its important to shift your thoughts and perspective to use your passion and drive to make a change; It's important to remind yourself that you are only one person, and you can't make change to reduce temperatures, but you can contribute to change in your community.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings

Cities and towns need to plan for climate change. How can your city or town make its climate action plans equitable and socially just?
Delaney Thacker 10/30/2023 9:44 PM
By creating 'green cities' not only makes a community more desirable, but it also contributes to combatting the emissions of greenhouse gases through planting trees and other foliage; This will contribute to more shade and a reduced surface temperature.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. In what ways (i.e. with money, time, advocacy) can you invest in geothermal energy?
Delaney Thacker 10/26/2023 11:32 AM
I think Geothermal energy is one of the lesser-known of renewable energies, and that in part has to do with its accessibility and location; It is abundant and reliable in the spots where there are geothermal reservoirs, but there are limited locations are where we can harness this energy; That means that we would need investments from a few different sectors, regarding the use of the land, as well as the production of the technology and power plants used.

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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?
Delaney Thacker 10/26/2023 11:28 AM
I noticed that on the days that I went on a daily walk, it felt like I had more energy; It also is helpful to wake oneself up when its one of the first things you do in the morning; The only infrastructure flaw that stands out to me would be the crosswalks on Harrison and Van Buren, the busy, one-way streets; The crosswalks I think could implement flashing lights that allocates a time for people to cross because it can be dangerous, not knowing if the cars see you or not.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?
Delaney Thacker 10/12/2023 11:05 PM
There are only a few amount of states within the United States that can produce and sell seafood in an ethical, health-friendly way, because there are only few states that line the coast. Around the world though, there is a lot of seafood that is unethically sourced, processed, and transported and it's important to learn about how to reduce these unethical practices. In my experience, I don't eat seafood here up in Oregon unless it is by the coast, and caught fresh, like in Newport for example. In addition, I grew up in Southern California where I grew up eating seafood by the beach; Learning about different seafood sources poses the question of how much is exactly ethically obtained, even if it is close to the beach; Overall, I would say seafood is the type of meat I eat the least of.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? How do they compare to other energy sources?
Delaney Thacker 10/12/2023 10:18 PM
Tidal energy is similar to wind energy, in that it uses a turbine to produce energy from either the current of wind or water. Water is denser than air, so it creates stronger energy, but is more expensive and difficult to maintain. Tidal energy machines work better in areas with high tidal range.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

What did you learn about indigenous peoples' land management that you can apply in your own life?
Delaney Thacker 10/12/2023 10:11 PM
The Cow Creek Tribe in Oregon is located within the Cascade Coastal Ranges in Southwestern Oregon. Since the 1970s, theyve been working on earning back their land with their own historical documents; They were one of the first tribes in Oregon to receive a government treaty in 1853, that eventually was ratified and recognized the tribe as a landless tribe with access to health and education. It is interesting to learn about these early tribes in Oregon and how they persevered to regain access to their native lands from the government. Indigenous tribes place a lot of value on family and the goals of their ancestors, implementing these values within their everyday life.

Read More
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?
Delaney Thacker 10/12/2023 5:24 PM
Land, water, and energy are things that are becoming harder to obtain the more we use them, therefore when we are wasting food we are wasting these natural resources that were once abundant on Earth, that are now in limiting supply due to climate change.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

What did you learn about seaweed and its importance to coastal ecosystems?
Delaney Thacker 10/12/2023 5:21 PM
MacroAlgae is essential to coastal ecosystems because it is the basis for many aquatic food chains and it provides habitats to many different organisms as well.

Read More