Ella Adyani

This week I focused on spending more time in nature by going on more walks with my dog, Mucca, and spending more time with my bearded dragon, Perry. I started by letting him out on the deck, but in the beginning he would escape, and with great relief I always ended up finding him in bushes. After a week of contemplation, I bought him a harness. Most recently, his harness got stuck in some twigs and I had to cut him out, so I'll be repairing it and trying a balloon instead of a leash. I can tell he gets incredibly happy when I let him outside because he turns so orange. This week's Eco Challenge reminded me that spending time in nature isn't just beneficial for me, but for the animals around me too. It made me appreciate slowing down, spending more time outdoors, and being more aware of the connection we have with nature.

Waiting three days has helped me avoid impulse spending and guard against marketing tactics. Giving myself that time allows me to reflect on whether I actually need something or if I just want it. This week's Eco Challenge also changed my perspective on shopping. When I do choose to buy clothes, I want to look more into a brand's ethics instead of just the product itself. It also made me think about consumerism from the standpoint of a producer. As a girlboss this inspired me to think about how I can make business more sustainable. For example, instead of buying sweatshirt stock from China, I'm considering sourcing secondhand sweatshirts from Goodwill and handmaking them into something new. Another idea that stood out to me came from a class discussion about mealworms being able to break down plastic. After looking into it further, I found a company in France that has developed an enzyme that recycles plastic into new moldable plastic without producing hazardous waste. They sell business-to-business, which creates an exciting opportunity for companies to consume less plastic and make better use of the materials that already exist.

This week I focused on reducing unnecessary driving by combining multiple errands into one trip instead of making several separate drives throughout the week. It honestly aligned because I already plan my day around not really leaving the house, so it saved me time, and gas. This connected to our reading because transportation choices affect energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and the health of our communities. It reminded me that even small transportation decisions can have a positive impact, and that being more intentional with how I travel is a realistic habit I can continue.

This week I focused on building community by spending more intentional time with the people around me instead of being distracted. I made an effort to have meaningful conversations with my family and checked in with a few friends. Additionally my women in business group met for planning. It reminds me that community isn't just about where we live, but about the relationships we build. Its interesting because putting away my cell phone was a key component to building community but at the same time so was picking it up to text a friend. This connects to our reading because resilient communities are built through participation, trust, and shared relationships. It shows me that small actions strengthen trust and create a greater sense of belonging.

This week I challenged myself to take fewer and shorter showers to conserve water. It was a simple habit to change, but it made me realize how quickly small daily actions add up. It also made me think more intentionally about water as a sacred resource instead of something to waste.

This week I meal prepped more to avoid food waste and unnecessary plastic packaging. I also tried buying chocolate powder from WinCo's bulk section instead of packaged products. It definitely reduced packaging, but I honestly thought it tasted like heavy metals, which made me curious about where it came from and how it was processed. It reminded me that sustainability isn't just about reducing waste, but also thinking critically about where our food comes from.

For this week's EcoChallenge, I focused on reducing my energy consumption in two simple ways. First, I kept the thermostat at a moderate temperature to reduce unnecessary heating and cooling. Second, I made a habit of turning off all the lights and unplugging electronics before leaving the house. These were small changes, but they made me more aware of how much energy we can use without even realizing it.

For my EcoChallenge, I started composting my food waste instead of throwing it away. One of the ideas that stood out to me from this week's reading was that nature operates in cycles, where waste from one organism becomes nutrients for another. Composting felt like a simple way to put that ecological principle into practice by returning nutrients back to the soil instead of sending food waste to a landfill.
To get started, I watered the dirt in my backyard to bring the worms to the surface. Then I dug up a small amount of soil with plenty of worms to help kick-start the compost. Next, I collected leaves, twigs, and other "browns," along with my food scraps and shredded cardboard. I personally chose to leave out garlic and onions. Finally, I drilled holes in the sides of a garbage can to create airflow and used it as my compost bin.