Tara Marie Colaruotolo
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,825 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO225minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO65conversationswith people
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UP TO16pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO10lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO15outdoor mealsconsumed
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UP TO15organic mealsconsumed
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UP TO15locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO796gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO15meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO135plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
Tara Marie's actions
Simplicity
Limit Social Media
I will limit my social media use to once per day.
Waste
Recycle all Recyclable Materials
I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.
Food
Eat Meatless Meals
I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) per day.
Simplicity
Track my Purchases
I will maintain a record of all my purchases.
Waste
Use Reusable Containers
I will only use reusable containers for my lunches at work or school.
Water
Use Reusable Bottles
I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream.
Nature
Eat Meals Outside
I will eat 1 meal(s) outside each day.
Food
Visit a Local Farm
I will visit a nearby farm to pick my own fruits and veggies.
Food
Buy from a Farmers Market
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.
Community
Talk to my Friends
I will decide which social or environmental issue in my community is most important to me and tell 5 friends per day about the issue.
Energy
Choose LED Bulbs
I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
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 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients per day.
Simplicity
Disconnect from Email
I will disconnect from my email when not at work.
Food
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary film about food with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
Nature
Practice Gratitude for Earth
I will spend 15 minute(s) per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and the nature surrounding me.
Food
Locally-Sourced Meals
I will source 1 meal(s) per day from local producers.
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.
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.
Simplicity
Go for a Daily Walk
I will take a walk each day.
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.
Waste
Use Reusable Bags
I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.
Transportation
Conduct Virtual Meetings
I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and/or unsubscribing from catalogs.
Community
Share my Actions
I will make my environmental actions visible with a lawn sign or bumper sticker, or by posting to my social media networks.
Nature
Explore my Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Health
Take Control
Develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.
Health
Support Pollution Reduction
I will learn about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
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.
Community
Express my Support
I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.
Nature
Leave No Trace
I will practice the seven principles of leave no trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.
Health
Know My Health
I will get my Core Four Biometrics tests (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI).
Waste
Start Composting
I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school.
Water
Ditch the Lawn
I will replace my lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape and save water, money, and time cutting the grass.
Health
Eliminate Toxic Plastics
I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.
Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 4 hour(s) in my community.
Community
Connect with a Nonprofit
I will connect with a local nonprofit, environmental or otherwise, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.
Transportation
Work from Home
I will work from home 5 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.
Health
Go Get a Check Up
I will make an appointment for my annual physical.
Health
Happiness
I will write down three things every day for two weeks that I am grateful for or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.
Water
Install a Toilet Tank Bank
I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water per day.
Create Your Own Action
Meatless Protein Options
Research and try protein options that are meatless and organic to try and reduce the amount of meat consumed in my diet
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
5-Minute Showers
I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day.
Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Energy
Disable Screen Savers
I will disable screen savers and will put the computer to sleep instead, saving up to 28% % more energy.
Food
Try a New Way to Prep
I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.
Energy
Online Energy Audit
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Food
Smart Seafood Choices
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.
Water
Fix Leaky Faucets
I will fix faucets that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet per day.
Food
Say No to Seafood
I will not eat seafood.
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.
Transportation
Car Share
I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.
Food
Weekly Meal Planning
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
Food
Whole Food Diet
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) per day free of processed foods.
Simplicity
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Simplicity
De-Clutter my Home
I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.
Health
Audit Toxic Products In My Home
I will research toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Energy
Consider Switching to an Electric Vehicle
Research or test drive an electric car or bike.
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Energy
Upgrade my Windows
I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.
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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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/28/2016 9:14 AMSo it comes to the end of the challenge and I am really proud of where we are . I am really surprised and proud of myself and all of the challenges I have finished. The only thing didn't get to was volunteering but I have contacted a local soup kitchen to see if I could help in any way and am awaiting a response. I sealed around the windows with new weather stripping as I rent so I can't replace the windows themselves. I met with my doctor earlier today for my annual physical and had everything tested. Started a new plan to see if we can improve some things with my health. Also found lots of new foods I never thought I would try and found that I actually loved some of them. We did wonderful everyone! Good job!-
Mittale Suchak 10/28/2016 10:09 AMThat's amazing! We all did well together as a team. It is nice to see that you were able to achieve most of your daily goals and even some of the one-time challenges that you had set forth.
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/26/2016 3:26 PMToday:
1) set appt for annual physical and also to discuss health plan and get four biometric tests done with my doctor
2) i miss tuna. I chose to do the no seafood daily challenge and never though i would want a tuna sandwich so badly :)
3) goals for tomorrow . get in touch with local non profit to see what i can do to help out :)-
Mittale Suchak 10/28/2016 5:59 AMSimply wonderful! Let's go Tara! You can do this!!! :) -
Kevin Zacharyasz 10/27/2016 6:05 AMGreat Job!! Keep it up! :)
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/24/2016 11:16 AMUpdate on the weekend:
1. I made it the entire 24 hour readathon and read 6 books total! It was a lot of fun and i cant wait until the next one in April. It is nice to just simplify everything without the distraction of TV and get some good reading time in.
2. Chia pudding is not a good texture for me, I even tried blending it but I still couldn't eat it. What i did discover is I really liked them on salads, mixed with my granola, on roasted veggies and as a topping on savory dishes. Also tried Quinoa and that was a win!
Hope everyone else had a lovely weekend!
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/24/2016 12:33 PMI have issues with textures and things that burst or pop when I bite into them makes me queasy. Before i blended the pudding there was a lot of popping in my mouth and I couldn't bring myself to continue eating it. I then tried to blend the pudding and it was more like the consistency of jelly than pudding :(. Luckily, I found that I liked the chia seeds in other dishes, I just wouldn't soak them again. -
Mittale Suchak 10/24/2016 12:28 PMI love quinoa and chia seed pudding!!! I make chia seed pudding a lot. And I love to experiment with different quinoa dishes! Why did you feel like the texture and consistent was not right for the chia seed pudding?
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/22/2016 5:27 AMThings I did last night:
1. Set out a rain water collection receptacle. Found out that NY not only allows rain collection but they encourage it !
2. Made Chia Pudding for the first time ever. It is chocolate flavored and completely homemade, organic ad naturally sweetened. I get to eat it later today :)
3. Prepared for today's 24 hour Readathon . This happens twice a year and is one of my favorite events. The online reading community comes together and reads all day and updates what books they are reading, with games and contests along the way. Due to this event I will fail at staying off of social media for the next 24 hours. However, it is for a good cause! I made it to 5.5 books last year in my 24 hours, my goal this time is 7 !!! Wish me luck everyone!-
Keri Hunt 10/23/2016 11:47 AMThat is terrific!!!
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/21/2016 6:05 AMThings I learned last night in my research. Cohoes Air and Water quality is actually really good which is not what i expected at all. Our water is 30 points above US average in quality and our air is 3 points below the average. However, there seems to be some concern about Nordyne ( a local factory) dumping into the water further downstream than our drinking water comes from. I have emailed city officials my concerns about this and the health of people in our area.
Also, I did some research on the VW Egolf which is Volkswagen's first electric car! That thing is brilliant and gets up to 83 miles per charge! Plus you can recharge at any charge station or VW dealership. This is really great if you do a lot of traveling so you can plan your stops accordingly and charge your car during these times.
I then went through my cleaning supplies and got rid of anything with toxic ingredients. I found an article on Good Housekeeping that I have decided to use to make my own DIY cleaning supplies that is all natural and safer for the environment.
if you are interested the article is here http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/make-at-home-cleaners/ -
Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/20/2016 7:46 AMMy friend and I watched Food, Inc. last night as the food documentary challenge for this. I have to say I knew some of the things that they were saying was true but to see it, in front of my face is a real eye opener. I am already reevaluating and planning on making permanent changes to how I eat and what I consume. It is not for the weak of heart but it is worth a watch if you can stomach it.-
Mittale Suchak 10/21/2016 7:53 AM
Food, Inc. is one of my favorite documentaries! It definitely is eye-opening!
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/19/2016 9:05 AMDiscovered an organic oatmeal that I am in love with. Also, went to seafoodwatch.org and downloaded the printable guide on Sustainable fish in my region and it is really helpful, I was pleasantly surprised to see i was already unknowingly following the guidelines. I cant wait to see how much energy is saved by all the water and energy saving methods I have done/installed for the challenge so far! Also if anyone is interested I found an east DIY for a toilet bank if you dont already have a low flow toilet :) it is here (http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-Any-Toilet-to-a-Low-Flush-Toilet) , I made mine with extra fishtank gravel and a cleaned out plastic container and it really works!-
Mittale Suchak 10/26/2016 12:39 PMOh I cannot wait to try that out! Maple Spice sounds delicious :)
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/21/2016 10:07 AMHi Mittale! The brand is Full Circle and the flavor is Maple Spice :) -
Mittale Suchak 10/21/2016 7:54 AMWhat is the name of the organic oatmeal you discovered?
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/18/2016 7:51 AMFound the best Granola made locally in Schenectady, NY that is also organic :) double win! -
Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/17/2016 7:39 AMThis is such a fun challenge and not as hard as I originally thought it would be. I can see myself adopting most of these habits on a daily basis and just found a way to make your own Toilet Bank to turn it into a low flow toilet using materials you already have in your home. The hardest part is disconnecting from my email and only going on social networking once a day. That wont last past the challenge but most of the other things will. :)-
Jessica Zahn 10/17/2016 9:41 AMGlad to hear things are going smoothly. Easier than expected is always a pleasant surprise. :-)
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Tara Marie Colaruotolo 10/05/2016 8:04 AMTwo of my friends decided to do the challenge with me unofficially , at least the food and energy portion to see what they find out about their habits as well!-
Jessica Zahn 10/05/2016 11:33 AMThat's great, Tara! They can always join the EcoChallenge Community team to make a it official. :-)
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