David Harris
10/31/2023 11:20 AM
No as often as I should. But, it has been quiet.
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To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCoastal, Ocean, and Engineered SinksHave you been sharing what you learned throughout Drawdown Ecochallenge? How have people responded?
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David Harris 10/31/2023 10:58 AMI'm so sorry that, as a leader, I was struggling. But, remember, finish up your challenges today.-
Tonia Wu 10/31/2023 1:26 PMDavid I think you did great!
In any case, I've always liked the quote from Nelson Mandela: "Do not judge me by my successes. Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."
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Lydia Roe 10/31/2023 7:02 AMPeople in my personal life will sometimes ask me what the most convenient way to fight climate change is. And my answer is usually that there isn't one. Convenience is one of the main appeals that got us into this mess-- single-use plastics, quick fixes, and short car trips. I explain that the issue is that fighting climate change isn't convenient; it takes intention, creativity, curiosity, and willpower. There are absolutely small steps that lead towards progress like bringing your own bags, reusing as much as possible, and considering end-of-useful-life. But none of these possibilities are necessarily convenient.
I think challenges like this one can be a fairly convenient way to learn and discover action items since all of the information is readily available. Picking up a piece of litter isn't too inconvenient. I think there are apps that help support and nudge in the right direction (I believe there's one called Commons that I want to explore). I was curious if anyone else had a good answer to this question or any thoughts on the issue.-
Tonia Wu 10/31/2023 11:51 AMI agree…sometimes I think when people ask that question, what they’re really asking is, “how can we stop climate change and all the other crises but at the same time maintain our current way of life with no disruption?” And the answer is, we can’t. (Especially not those of us in the rich countries). Unfortunately that’s not a message people like to hear, or that environmentalists and policy-makers are comfortable delivering… Shifting to a less energy and materials-intensive way of life is going to be challenging and will require intention and creativity, as you say. But it’s not like people can’t enjoy challenges – after all, people happily do things like run marathons and put together 3000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Not everything has to be a grim duty!There is no one single way to fight climate change; that said, 25% of GHG emissions come from food, agriculture and land use – and that’s a sector in which consumers have some control as individuals and can immediately start making better food choices. Maybe buy/consume fewer things you don’t need, so less industrial emissions from all the making of stuff (that literally requires people to do nothing!). Everyone’s path will be different, depending on their own interests, capabilities, and circumstances. But first there needs to be a recognition that business-as-usual is not actually an option.
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Kathleen Gage 10/31/2023 6:05 AMI feel bad that I never completed some of the tasks that I planned on doing - where did the month go? I have been more conscious of food waste at home (even if I don't keep a log) and finding other ways to help prevent climate change. I want to reach out to local retailers who have package pick ups about putting up No Idling signs at their pick up locations. Last night, I picked up some items and there was a long wait. The message said if you can't find a numbered spot, to park nearby and put on hazard lights. Why can't the message remind people not to idle as well? I went inside the store and as I walked in, counted 9 out of the 12 cars parked in numbered spaces were idling and there were at least 2 other cars idling with hazards on nearby.-
Lydia Roe 10/31/2023 8:03 AMI'm curious if they'd be able to update the message to include the no idling part. It could be worthwhile to talk to one or two of the workers and explain the importance of not idling. And if it helps, I didn't complete everything that I hoped for this month either. I aimed high and did my best. Maybe we can be even more successful next challenge!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONBuildingsHow does city planning and design relate to equity and climate change?
Tonia Wu 10/30/2023 6:58 AMCity design dramatically affects quality of life and both a city's resilience and contributions to climate change. For example, many cities and suburbs built in the last 70 years were designed for cars, not people. People in car-dependent areas suffer a range of ills - more tailpipe and noise pollution, disinvestment and abandonment of infrastructure for non-car transportation, loss of community cohesiveness due to pedestrians being driven off the street and highways that cut through neighborhoods and encouraged white flight.-
Lydia Roe 10/31/2023 8:04 AM
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Ray Pogwist 10/30/2023 6:04 AMLearned my town is now recycling film plastic. Signed up and it is now being collected. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth and EducationWhat was an inspiring thing you learned in Drawdown's Climate Solutions 101 Series?
Tonia Wu 10/27/2023 11:16 AMA very good series - I like that it didn't just list the sources of emissions and the various solutions, but quantified and broke down the relative contributions by sector, giving a much better idea of the relative importance of each activity.
The bottom line - there is no silver bullet. Almost every aspect of our material lives, from where we get our energy to the food we eat and how we build and move around our cities will need to change. And change needs to happen at every level, from the global and national level, to the household/community level. It's daunting, but on the flip side, there's a lot of good work to be done - lots of opportunities and entry points for people to get involved and find what they're passionate about. -
David Harris 10/27/2023 10:12 AMWE only get one Earth. So, we do need to respect it with what we choose as well as what we avoid. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONIndustryWhat are some more "Rs" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?
Kristen Jezycki 10/27/2023 9:44 AMI always 'reuse' items when I can, including using reusable water bottles and straws daily, and I 'recycle' items that are accepted by my town every day. However, I think it would be cool to start implementing 'refuse' more often, like refusing a bag at a store when I only buy an item or two that I can carry, even if it's a paper bag. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood, Agriculture, and Land UseWhy do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?
Kristen Jezycki 10/27/2023 9:39 AMI believe people in richer countries eat more meat simply because they have greater access to it. People do not need to eat a meat-rich diet in order to maintain their health. In fact, we sometimes see that meat can have adverse effects on people's health in conjunction with the rest of their diet.-
Lydia Roe 10/31/2023 6:41 AMFor the most part, I agree. However, meat can be an important component for low-inflammatory diets. I have friends and family that require high protein diets (for autoimmune or hormonal illnesses), and those proteins can't always be substituted for plant-based alternatives like soy-based or legume proteins. On the whole, I absolutely agree that America needs to eat less meat, but I wanted to add a layer of nuance for health issues.
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