I'm new to Portland, OR and volunteered on the recycling team at a Beer Festival. I learned there that it was possible to recycle film plastic and other items that aren't picked up through the residential recycling curb pick-up service. All I needed to do was search the internet, make a call and discover that there are multiple locations (including one that's half mile walk away!) for me to drop off these items and divert them from the landfill. Can't wait to implement this in my workplace next!

I'm in awe about how prevalent screens are in my life.  This challenge met it's purpose to open my eyes (literally and figuratively) to the importance of ensuring I focus on personal interactions.  

The simplicity challenge of eating without distractions has been really difficult with grad school and full time work! My personal goal here was to minimize meals eaten in front of screens. I think I'm doing good if I can manage at least 2/3 of meals without screens, because school is at dinner time! Still, small improvements of mindful eating at breakfast and lunch have proven to ground me, help me appreciate my fortune of such nutrition, and to slow down. Plus, food just tastes better when taken in with all the senses!

Also, I signed up for the Blue Sky Renewable Energy with Pacific Power for my partner's home. I'd been meaning to do this for months, and this challenge gave me the incentive to make it happen. 

Finally, after a hard day of work yesterday, I decided to stop at a park on the way home and walk slowly through the trees and listen to the rain on the leaves. It was an incredible autumn day, and it was really amazing how even 10 minutes of this practice brought me down to earth. Being under such tall trees reminded me of how small my problems were, and that the real meaning in life is to share joy with others. I hope to use nature walks as a stability activity more often.

BYOM! Not only do I get a 10 cent discount for bringing my own mug to the coffee shop on campus, but I save a disposable cup, lid, and sleeve. Plus, look how cute it is! 

Convinced my friend to take the bus downtown with me instead of drive by herself. And anyone joining me for meatless-Monday today? 

Reduced shower  time in half over 4 days kust by timing myself

I've been going strong on my meatless meals challenge, but tonight I was hosting a dinner party with my closest carnivore friends (who politely tolerate me most of the time) and I served up some locally caught salmon with miso glaze and dusted with panko. But I did try a new recipe for tofu burger patties so still some progress on expanding my meatless recipe book...

Dinner with friends at a restaurant when everyone else is on their phones leads to great people watching:).  I didn't realize how much I: 1) relied on it for instant facts during a conversation (which I justify to myself as an ok reason to use a screen?); and 2) when I use the excuse to look something up - how distracted I am by other things on my phone and forget to come back to the conversation. 

Save for a new album of music and an 'accidental' purchase of a tube of lip gloss (whoops, didn't need that), I've been pretty good at being mindful about my purchasing, and only buying groceries or food. My meals have consisted of healthy, whole foods, using the Whole 30 approach to eating. No sugars or sweeteners of any type, no dairy, wheat, or other processed foods, and no grains. No alcohol either. I confess to a drink of bourbon on the rocks during a live bluegrass concert. It seemed like the right thing to do, and I have no regrets! 

I just won the Chinook Book app from NW Eco Challenge (ironic, since I can't buy anything but food and water)!