Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

October 1 - October 31, 2023

Zejing Zhao

Oregon State University SUS 304

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
236 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

sustainable seafood meal

consumed
UP TO

1.0

carbon footprint

calculated
UP TO

54

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

10

advocacy actions

completed
UP TO

10

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

43

minutes

spent learning

Zejing's actions

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Express My Support For Walkable Cities

Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 10 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn About Cattle Farming

Improved Cattle Feed; Improved Manure Management

I will spend 5 minutes researching cattle feed and manure management, or visiting a dairy farm to learn about their farming practices.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Recycle Everything I Can

Recycling; Recycled Metals; Recycled Plastics

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, including electronics and metals.

COMPLETED 4
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

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

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Cook With Seaweed

Seaweed Farming

I will use seaweed in a new recipe.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Learn More about Micro Wind

Micro Wind Turbines

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of micro wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Conserve Energy

Turn off the lights whenever I leave my room or when it isn't needed.

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

Micro turbines can be placed on large structures to take advantage of stronger, steadier breezes. The Eiffel Tower now sports vertical axis turbines that produce electricity for use on site. Where could micro turbines potentially be installed in your city?
Zejing Zhao 10/30/2023 5:06 PM
Micro wind turbines are commonly used to pump water, charge batteries, and provide electrification in rural locations. Urban areas use micro wind turbines to rely less on the electric grid. Although more expensive, they can be integrated into urban infrastructure, such as building-mounted micro turbines.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

What recipe did you make and how did it turn out? Will you cook with seaweed again?
Zejing Zhao 10/23/2023 7:22 PM
I tried to make a poke bowl with wakame. The assembly process was very long and slimy. It was moderately hard to make and wasn't very well made by me. I wouldn't cook seaweed again but I would eat it again.

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?
Zejing Zhao 10/19/2023 1:04 PM
I tried cooking baked salmon and it turned out a little overcooked. The recipe consists of salmon fillets, olive oil, salt, cracked black pepper, minced garlic, lemon, and Italian seasoning. You preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes after marinating the salmon.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

After you determined your carbon footprint, did you see what different choices you can make in order to reduce it?
Zejing Zhao 10/19/2023 10:38 AM
The choices to reduce carbon footprint range from personal diet to transportation. For diet, I can add more vegetation into my daily meals to reduce my carbon footprint. For transportation, I can bike or walk to destinations that are close enough in distance.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?
Zejing Zhao 10/11/2023 10:33 PM
Better walking infrastructure has many social benefits. Living in a walkable environment promotes active living which can prolong life and reduce obesity. The risk for diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer can be reduce by daily strolls. It also provides a better looking environment which will generally increase happiness among the people.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

What did you learn from visiting or researching a dairy farm?
Zejing Zhao 10/11/2023 4:43 PM
Dairy farms raise mother animals and collect the milk they produce after they give birth. Cows are the most commonly raised animal used in the dairy industry. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, cattle produce 81% of milk, buffalo produce 15%, goats 2%, sheep 1%, and camels 0.5%. Dairy farms often use antibiotics on their animals as an alternative to treating them normally after they fall ill.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Zejing Zhao 10/11/2023 3:40 PM
Food labeled "use by" need to be used before the expiration date. If not used by expiration date, it's recommended to either throw the food away or properly freeze unused portion. Food labeled "sell by" are used by stores as guides to see how long they should display something for sale. Food labeled "best by" refers to the peak freshness and quality of the product. It must be well stored and unopened in order to be safe to consume by this date.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

How could you incorporate other "Rs" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "Rs" make you feel?
Zejing Zhao 10/11/2023 3:11 PM
I could reduce the amount of plastic I use by investing in more sustainable cups. Instead of using solo cups, I can invest in a reusable mug or water bottle.

Read More
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?
Zejing Zhao 10/10/2023 10:15 AM
I've noticed that going on daily walks opens up my mind and allows me to think more clearly. I enjoy looking at the greenery and looking at the different buildings on campus. cleaner and newer roads would make my walks more enjoyable.

Read More