Dan Levens
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,015 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO360minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO90milestraveled by bike
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UP TO66pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO1.0hourvolunteered
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UP TO180minutesnot spent in front of a screen
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UP TO12zero-waste mealsconsumed
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UP TO4.1poundswaste composted
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UP TO12organic mealsconsumed
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UP TO9.0locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO300minutesspent exercising
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UP TO301gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO5.0meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO90minutesof additional sleep
Dan's actions
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.
Waste
Needs vs. Wants
I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.
Simplicity
Less Screen Time
I will replace 30 minute(s) of screen time per day with other activities.
Food
Locally-Sourced Meals
I will source 3 meal(s) per day from local producers.
Food
Whole Food Diet
I will enjoy 2 meal(s) per day free of processed foods.
Food
Smart Seafood Choices
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.
Energy
Replace Manual Thermostats
I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.
Food
Plant an Herb Garden
I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.
Water
Collect Rain Water
I will create a rain garden or bioswale, or use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor watering needs.
Simplicity
De-Clutter my Home
I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.
Transportation
Choose a Carbon Offset
If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.
Transportation
Go by Bike
I will commute by bike 18 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 11.89 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Transportation
Just Drive Less
I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.
Waste
Use Reusable Containers
I will only use reusable containers for my lunches at work or school.
Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 1 hour(s) in my community.
Energy
Switch to Cold Water
I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of C02 over the course of the next year.
Food
Try a New Way to Prep
I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.
Nature
Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset
I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.
Nature
Go for a Daily Walk
I will take a 15-minute walk outside each day.
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day.
Waste
Recycle all Recyclable Materials
I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.
Energy
Power Down the Computer
I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 per day that I do this.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Community
Sign a Petition
I will sign a petition in support of an environmental or social initiative in my state.
Water
Brush My Teeth Without Running Water
I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.
Food
Zero-Waste Cooking
I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero waste each day.
Simplicity
Work-Life Balance
I will not work more than 8 hour days each day.
Waste
Use Reusable Bags
I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Energy
Heat and Cool Naturally
I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.
Waste
Avoid Disposables
I will not use any disposable plates, cups, or cutlery.
Simplicity
Go for a Daily Walk
I will take a walk each day.
Nature
Spend Time Outside
I will replace 60 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.
Food
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary film about food with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
Nature
Leave No Trace
I will practice the seven principles of leave no trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and/or unsubscribing from catalogs.
Health
Eliminate Toxic Plastics
I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.
Health
More Fruits And Veggies
I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 1 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.
Nature
Tend a Garden
I will tend to a garden each day, or work on starting one.
Food
Eat Meatless Meals
I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) per day.
Health
Exercise Daily
I will exercise daily for 60 minute(s) per day for two weeks.
Nature
Explore my Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Waste
Start Composting
I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
Waste
Buy in Bulk
I will only purchase bulk food items and avoid all single-package items.
Energy
Adjust the Thermostat
I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.
Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Health
Healthy Sleep
I will commit to getting 15 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.
Water
Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants
I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.
Energy
Disable Screen Savers
I will disable screen savers and will put the computer to sleep instead, saving up to 28% % more energy.
Water
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 3 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients per day.
Water
5-Minute Showers
I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day.
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?
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Dan Levens 10/27/2016 2:46 PMI ride my bike every single day to/from work and take the bus if I have to go to a meeting at corporate HQ. We are also closing down our garden for the season and just covered the beds with compost from our huge compost bin (which we built last year out of scrap wood) so it'll be full of worms for next year's garden. Since it's fall we don't have our thermostat on as the house is well insulated so stays around 68-70 degrees naturally without the need to use the furnace or fans. We have 2 rain barrels and 1 cistern that we use for rainwater collection to keep our garden watered during the dry season, and this year started raising honeybees. Our life is pretty darn eco-friendly as it is, so for the most part this challenge has been mostly about reminding ourselves to get out more in nature beyond our backyard garden, even in the rain :) -
Dan Levens 10/26/2016 9:25 AMWe are currently remodeling our kitchen, using zero-VOC paint & primer, ultra-low-VOC water-based stain & sealer to update our existing hardwood floors, and repurposed barn wood from SalvageWorks to build our countertops. Our old cupboard fronts and drawers were donated to The Rebuilding Center, with the rest of the wood waste going to a construction waste recycler. -
Dan Levens 10/19/2016 10:40 AMWe are walking 1-2 hours every day on the beach while on vacation and cooking our own meals, saving our food waste rather than throwing it in the garbage and bringing it home with us along with our recycling that they don't already take care of onsite. -
Dan Levens 10/17/2016 9:39 AMWe are going on vacation to the coast and rather than driving back and forth from our motel into town to eat, we rented a place with a kitchen so that we can continue to cook our own homemade, organic meals (and save on gas, cut CO2, not to mention relax more!). -
Dan Levens 10/16/2016 3:56 PMWe organized and cleaned out our garage, with wood waste getting recycled rather than trashed. -
Dan Levens 10/14/2016 6:54 PMI am currently trying my hand at making homemade apple cider vinegar by fermenting the apple peels from my wife's recent applesauce canning! -
Dan Levens 10/11/2016 10:49 AMAlong with the challenges to push ourselves even greener at home (many items we are already doing), we are doing a kitchen DIY where we are focusing on deconstructing, recycling and repurposing of old materials (my wife even pulled up the old tiles by hand which someone has already taken off our hands for a craft project), then using salvage wood from Salvage Works in N Portland to build our new open base cabinets and open shelving, and finally, finishing them with eco-friendly stains and paints from Green Depot.