Amanda Aman

Eco-challenge 7: Riding the train!

I visited a fellow birder and photographer up in Seattle this weekend. Instead of driving, I decided to take Amtrek! It was incredibly peaceful. So much better than sitting in hours of traffic and although my tickets weren't super cheap, I most likely saved money! Gas is super expensive. I decided to look up the ecofoot print comparison of cars, trains, and planes. Apparently taking the train instead of your car for medium length distances can reduce emissions up to 80%!

https://ourworldindata.org/travel-carbon-footprint

Ecochallenge #7: Washing / reusing old appliances instead of purchasing new.

As I declutter my room, I’ve found a lot of items I forgot I had or items that can be used and just need a good cleaning! For example, I thought I needed to go out and get new makeup brushes because of how dirty and old mine are. I don’t have makeup brush cleaner / remover, so I decided to be innovative and attempt to clean them with baby oil. It worked fabulous, but took at least 30 minutes of massaging / “shampooing” the brushes. As I mentioned in my recent post, cleaning can be therapeutic. I’ve noticed I am always rushing for no reason, especially when I clean or get ready. Slowing down and being present can be hard if you are used to unhealthy, fast-paced functioning — but it’s pretty therapeutic when you do it.

The brushes below were pretty much orange on top and now you can see some of the light fibers! Woohoo.

Eco challenge #6: Decluttering my space.

I have realized that having a relatively organized, simple space helps with mindfulness and over all health. I have also read it improves concentration, which I would definitely benefit from! I have been prone to collecting and holding on to things I don’t use or need anymore. It’s my goal to live simpler and give my time to clean. Also, when there’s less stuff — less is prone to getting lost or dirty!

Cleaning can actually be therapeutic if you practice not rushing yourself / grounding yourself in the moment (I’ll delve more into this in my next ecochallenge)


Note: I donate or give my mom usable belongings so that I don’t have waste them.

Eco-challenge #5: Limiting Social Media

I recently made the decision to take a social media break (Instagram and Facebook) for health reasons. Limiting social media time also helps with mindfulness, which is at the center of my Eco Change project! I hope to build a healthier relationship with social media overtime. Although there are benefits to social media, it can be super addictive, promote unhealthy behavior, and feed into anxiety. Taking breaks from social media can also help with sleep -- an essential part of good health.

Here's an article about phone usage and mental health:
https://www.butler.org/blog/phone-affecting-your-mental-health

Eco-challenge four: Conserving toilet water.

I've been making it a priority everyday to flush only when it's necessary. I have only been flushing once or twice a day. Sophomore year, I took Environmental Sustainability and completed a water audit. My professor said "If it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow let it mellow!" haha. My mom and I realized how much water our out-dated toilets were using per flush, so we went so far to install new toilets! Replacing inefficient toilets with newer or watersense models can save over 10,000 gallons of water per year. It can also save around $140-$150 per year in water costs!

Most sustainable toilets:
https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-bath-products/most-water-efficient-sustainable-toilets/

Action: Knowing my health and body and making sustainable changes.

I connected with a holistic psychologist who has been helping me identify health concerns and map out possible care plans. Her intake form was lengthy and forced me to reflect on my habits. Instead of automatically prescribing medications, she sent me a long list of dietary, supplement, and therapeutic suggestions based on my current conditions and concerns. I'm excited to start making healthy, mindful, and sustainable changes.
One of the particular topics we discussed was deciphering what my trigger foods are. In other words, finding out what foods trigger negative mental and physical reactions. Example: a lot of sugar can lead to fluctuating hormone levels and mood swings. For me, reintroducing dairy caused some issues. I haven't eaten meat in over 7 years and was vegan up until last year. It is my goal to gradually cut back on dairy products once again-- for my body, mind, and the planet! I have a few vegan cookbooks on the shelf that have been collecting dust. Perhaps for another challenge I can cook a vegan meal!

I spent the past week immersing in nature. With recent health struggles, I have had a hard time going on nature and photography walks. I've gradually been reclaiming spaces, moving my body gently, and have been able to enjoy birding again. I am making it a goal to get out in nature at least 4 times a week -- whether that's for 20 minutes or an hour.

I explored some new areas in the San Francisco Bay, San Jose, and Pacific Grove area. I got to spend time with some incredibly curious Common Ravens and various shorebirds. Common Ravens, like all corvids, are incredibly intelligent. Studies have indicated that by four months old, Ravens can have the intelligence of a 7 year old human! Near the end of my trip I laid on my belly on a quaint beach with Sanderlings, Black-BelIied Plovers, Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, Willits, and a Dunlin. Along with being adorable, shorebirds are sadly pretty vulnerable to a variety of environmental disturbances. I hope to help volunteer with shorebird recovery one day.

Pictured below is a non-breeding Black-Bellied Plover and one of the many Common Ravens I photographed :)

I'm currently down in San Francisco and have decided to use public transit for the majority of my trip. My footprint is higher than average for transportation, so I want to make it a goal to use the bus, max, trolly (etc) more often. Public transit improves community health in a variety of ways. For example, it not only reduces CO2 emissions by apprx. 45%, it improves road congestion and mobility.