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October 14 - October 28, 2016
Susan Spencer's avatar

Susan Spencer

MHCC Sustainable Saints

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,826 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    3.2
    pounds of paper
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    375
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    8.0
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    30
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    10
    pounds
    waste composted
  • UP TO
    15
    organic meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    225
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    473
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    15
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    30
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill

Susan's actions

Water

Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

De-Clutter my Home

I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Fix Leaky Faucets

I will fix faucets that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet per day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a walk each day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Go Get a Check Up

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Consider Switching to an Electric Vehicle

Research or test drive an electric car or bike.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Ditch the Lawn

I will replace my lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape and save water, money, and time cutting the grass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 8 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy from a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 15 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

I will exercise daily for 15 minute(s) per day for two weeks.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset

I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Whole Food Diet

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) per day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Start Composting

I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Eat Meatless Meals

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) per day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Avoid Refined Sugar

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Sign a Petition

I will sign a petition in support of an environmental or social initiative in my state.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join my Neighborhood Association

I will join my neighborhood association or another local group.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Recycle all Recyclable Materials

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Take Control

Develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use Reusable Containers

I will only use reusable containers for my lunches at work or school.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients per day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Find Local Recycling Depots

I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Avoid Disposables

I will not use any disposable plates, cups, or cutlery.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Have a Garage Sale

I will have a group garage sale with friends, family, and/or neighbors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Work from Home

I will work from home 1 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Tend a Garden

I will tend to a garden each day, or work on starting one.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Just Drive Less

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Replace Manual Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Keep a Nature Journal

I will journal each day about my experiences in nature.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Limit Social Media

I will limit my social media use to once per day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Know My Health

I will get my Core Four Biometrics tests (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Collect Rain Water

I will create a rain garden or bioswale, or use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor watering needs.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a documentary film about food with family and friends and talk about what we learned.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Join an Outdoor Project

I will join an outdoor restoration project in my community.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Advocate for Greener Vehicles

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Explore my Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Choose Two-Sided Printing

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided at work.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Create Your Own Action

Build a worm bin

I have learned that about 1/3 of the methane produced in landfills is from decomposing food. I also learned how to build a worm bin to devour our leftover vegetable matter. Little bits add up!

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Nature

Leave No Trace

I will practice the seven principles of leave no trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Track my Purchases

I will maintain a record of all my purchases.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 10-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Compost Food Waste

I will avoid sending .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day.

COMPLETED 15
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?


  • Susan Spencer's avatar
    Susan Spencer 10/28/2016 4:24 PM
    One of the funnest things about the EcoChallenge has been learning new things. I learned how to make a worm bin to compost my leftover fruits and vegetables. It was fun, cheap, and easy! I am planning on spreading the word. Did you know that about 1/3 of the methane produced in landfills comes from decomposing food? We may not all have the facilities to compost, but anyone can make and use a worm bin.  Fun! And useful.