Martha McElligott

SJ, funniest ecochallenge captain by proxy.  I believe her posts caused unintended exercise in all who read them.  Energetic belly laughs were counted in my challenge.
 

Donzo!  I am a challenge hardened eco-warrior.  I survived the eco-challenge, developed habits that I hope to carry forward.  My goal is to become more aware of the need to work on local eco-justice issues.  My eco-conscience has been awakened. Really, who needs to eat C & H pure cane sugar (I believe the jingle says it's from Hawaii which  brings on additional eco issues with the travel carbon footprint) on cereal, in coffee, and any other way I can use it to satisfy my sweet tooth.  And really, do I need to use disposable plates, napkins, cups, water bottles when I have a Clifford the Big Red Dog toddler's spoon that I carry around with me, a 20 oz mug that seconds as a bowl and an old gallon pickle jar for a water bottle.  I think not.  The only challenge I must force myself to do is exercise; but thanks to the fabulous JVC Northwest staff and daily eco-movement moments is an attainable goal.  Thanks to all who made this eco-challenge a treat.

 Zach, did I win the award for the most ECO-centric posts?

Thank you to the fabulous Christie and Sarah for feeding us soup to celebrate our eco-challenge successes. Really appreciated the spicy goodness of chili and red curry soup.  Feeling healthy and strong!

On another challenge note, I am doing great on not using disposable water bottles or soda.  Check out my new reuseable water bottle.  Thanks to my dearly departed mother for raising 12 children and buying in bulk to feed us.  Don't you all wish you had such a water bottle?

So, I just added a couple of challenges--reuseable water bottle (I didn't buy bottled water but I did buy bottles of soda and haven't done so since the challenge started) and disconnecting from social media (granted, I had to ask a co-worker what counts as social media)  Tomorrow I shall see if there are other challenges I can take on in the final lap of the challenge.  If there is an eat more Kale challenge, I shall try that as one leaf would constitute more and I know kale eaters are the folks who will change the world. Feeling strong.  

Going home to take a walk.  It's raining and I used to think I would melt if walking in the rain.  Thanks to the Ecochallenge, that's not a threat since I'm no longer made of sugar.  Yeah.  

We're coming to the end of the challenge, by body has de-toxed of sugar and my garbage can remains almost empty.  Excuse me while I go track my progress on the office poster.  Looking forward to the potluck tomorrow our Fun Committee is hosting to encourage us to keep working on this for just a few more days.  Like trained monkeys, we will push all the right buttons to receive our rewards.  Go team.

Yet another beautiful gray fall day to continue the walk and reflect on how I can work on making these short term challenges into practices that will become habits for everyday living.  I'm so grateful that as I was signing up for the challenge, that the wise folks at NWEI prevented me signing up for way too many.  That definitely would have been a short path to failure.  I feel the success of managing the couple of challenges I chose (granted I was a reluctant participant at the start and still have problems with the exercise) and feel that I can stretch out my commitment to change.  Thanks to NWEI and JVC Northwest Eco Czar Zach Reuter for nudging me to make changes.

One step back, no exercise today.  Wish I could count the hours spent traipsing around Costco or the stand up, sit down, kneel kneel kneel Catholic aerobics. Sadly, our team's czar is rigid in his ecojudiciousness-no cutting corners in making the world a healthy place for all.  I'll bet if I wore a Gonzaga sweatshirt while shopping he would let me count the time toward the challenge.....go  

Not to bore you with my perseveration, but this sugar free diet is having a weird impact on me.  I ate a kale salad for dinner Wednesday and had a huge portion of broccoli last night.  The body changes with increased green food consumption; or maybe decreased sugar (and where there's sugar there's bound to be fat) consumption does it.  Needless to say, I'm really digging into the challenge this year.  I'm beginning to think these challenges I chose may last beyond the 2 weeks set forth by NWEI--a total lifestyle change!  Well, at least until Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Amazing fact, one challenge can impact other areas.  I gave up refined sugar which has been a struggle (more on that later) but when I dumped my office garbage this a.m., I noticed I hadn't discarded any junk food wrappers since Friday.  Makes me feel good knowing that giving up the refined sugar can have double the eco challenge benefit by also limiting my use of disposables/waste. 

Back to the sugar struggle.  Here's a tip for others trying to make it through these last weeks of the election cycle without going on a sugar binge try a Margarita on the rocks made only with fresh limes and agave juice instead of using a mix is the ticket.  Makes you forget entirely about sugar laden treats.