Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Paul Aversa

Nature, God, and Social Justice 2023

Points Total

0 Today
0 This Week
1,627 Total

Participant Impact

up to

254

miles

traveled by bus
up to

340

miles

not traveled by car
up to

86

miles

traveled by foot
up to

338

pounds of CO2

have been saved
up to

3.3

pounds of paper

have been saved
up to

78

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
up to

96

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
up to

2.0

advocacy actions

completed
up to

4.0

conversations

with people
up to

2.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
up to

159

people

helped
up to

180

minutes

spent outdoors
up to

240

minutes

spent learning

Paul's Actions

Health

Take Control

Both systemic and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

SIGN UP TO VOTE

I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!

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

Simplicity

Core Values

We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.

Completed
One-Time Action

Waste

Go Paperless

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

Engage In Active Listening

I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 3 conversations.

Completed
One-Time Action

Transportation

Walk Instead

I will walk 5 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Restorative Justice

I will spend 120 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

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

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Help Others

I will offer to help 3 person(s) who are in need each day.

COMPLETED 48
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

Completed
One-Time Action

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 133 lbs of CO2 a month and 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

Completed
One-Time Action

Energy

Turn it off

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

COMPLETED 60
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 40
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 5 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 43
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Use Public Transit

I will use public transit 5 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Feed

Reflection Question
Community Express My Support

What sustainability issues are most pressing or prominent on your campus? In your hometown? Where you live currently?

Paul Aversa 3/20/2023 5:38 PM

I think Georgetown needs to really work on divestment from fossil fuel companies and diverting its energy sources from natural gas providers. It's a hidden issue in the sense that not much information is publicly available about these topics; however, the vast majority of our carbon footprint is yielded in energy and water consumption, as well as the environmental implications of investing in fossil fuel companies. Back home in Florida, the most notable issues are sea level rise, red algal blooms, hurricanes, and climate change/gentrification. I think Miami, where I live, happens to be ground zero of a lot of this climate movement, and it's disheartening to see how little our state government is doing to respond to climate challenges. Fortunately, there are a lot of grassroots movement actively campaigning.

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Reflection Question
Health Take Control

How do environmental health, community health, and your personal health intersect?

Paul Aversa 3/20/2023 5:14 PM

Well, how I interact with my environment (and the state of that environment) is crucial in determining the status of my help. The food I eat, the water I drink, and air I breathe— all these things compose an environment and have equally significant impacts on my personal health. Likewise, I live within a community, in which environmental health not only affects me, but the people around me. If those around me are similarly negatively affected by a neglected environment, not only are we all less healthy, but have a reduced capacity to assist on another.

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Reflection Question
Simplicity Core Values

What are your top 3-5 core values? How did you narrow it down to those as being your core values?

Paul Aversa 3/20/2023 5:11 PM

My top 3-5 core values are as follows:
1. Care for Others
2. Attention to Nature
3. Accountability
4. Hard Work
5. Respect

I think I'm someone who is very closely connected with his family and friends, therefore how people treat each other is highly important for me. I think being respectful to one another is as important as empathizing with someone else's situation. Moreover, hard work and a perseverance to accomplish one's goals and deliver on commitments is critical, especially because in my mind this connects with accountability. In this case, accountability is about following through on one's word. Lastly, an attention to nature should be required as I think interacting with the natural world in a way that adds meaning to it, beyond a superficial one, is key to personal development.

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Reflection Question
Community SIGN UP TO VOTE

Why is voting important to creating a just, sustainable, and thriving world? In what other ways can you actively participate in important decision-making?

Paul Aversa 3/19/2023 9:33 AM

Voting speaks to the participation of individuals in a democratic or engaging political system. Dissent in public opinion is important because if we lived in a society where one opinion ruled over a majority, this meant an individual's perspective would decide for the actions of a larger population. I'm concerned in my own state that this is happening with Ron DeSantis, where he's actively trying to ban school curriculums and books from being sold. I think I can become more engaged in local and state politics to do more than just speak out about how my governor is a danger and why some social issues need to be upheld to higher standards. Voting and encouraging others to vote Ron out of office is a necessity!

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Paul Aversa 3/19/2023 9:30 AM

I recently completed one of my one-time action categories, which was about registering to vote and helping others register to vote. While I double-checked with my district that I was able to vote, I also looked through my old email and reconnected with a friend that works in the MySchoolVotes campaign network. MySchoolVotes works with students in high school to help them learn about the registration process and the importance of voting.

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- Jesse Fields 3/19/2023 8:46 PM
  
  Super awesome to hear about your woke helping register voters, so important!! Had never heard about this org but so would have loved to have it as a resource in high school.
  
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- Maria Quinn 3/19/2023 6:55 PM
  
  Great work Paul!
  
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Reflection Question
Waste Go Paperless

Reducing your paper mail can reduce mental clutter as well as physical waste -- by reducing what is coming in, you can reduce what is going into the recycling bin too. How does it make you feel? What is the next step you will take to reduce your waste?

Paul Aversa 2/26/2023 10:28 PM

I feel like when I get useless "clutter" mail, it's paper I would've thrown out anyways because the letters are usually covered in legal and financial jargon I can't even understand. Notably, I unsubscribed from physical mail from my banks and deleted a few subscriptions I had, allowing my papertrail to decrease. I get more emails now from my banks, which I understand doesn't come with zero environmental consequences, but the benefit is greater than having to constantly receive mail and promotional offers from an institution I don't really care about or understand. Frankly, the mail would end up in a recycling bin that doesn't get properly recycled. In terms of next steps, I feel like I could make an effort to reduce my digital footprint by deleting more apps, unsubscribing from more alerts, deleting downloads, and monitoring my time on my phone or email. I say this because the next best thing to paper trails are digital footprints (massive CO2 impact).

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Reflection Question
Community Engage In Active Listening

What was it like to actively listen to someone? How did both people and the conversation(s) benefit from active listening?

Paul Aversa 2/26/2023 10:24 PM

I think different situations warrant different forms of listening. For instance, in at least 3 of the environments I was actively listening to people, I was in a position where I was listening to people in power (leadership). This changed the dynamic because I felt more so that I had to listen, versus a situation where there is an even playing field and people are allowed to more readily express their opinions or thoughts, if necessary. Fortunately, I felt pretty included in the environments where I engaged in conversations, in which I listened to my colleagues and they heard my thoughts and responses. More specifically, most of these conversations were hosted by the bank I work at in regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. As a person of color, I was provided the opportunity the offer my feedback in a roundtable-type of discussion, all while listening to advice and solutions presented by a board of directors. They also actively took notes, which helped validate for me the degree to which they were listening.

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Reflection Question
Community Research Restorative Justice

How can Restorative Justice help foster the well-being of both people and planet?

Paul Aversa 2/21/2023 9:43 PM

I think people and planet don't have to be two different things, and with what we're learning in class, it seems people are irrevocably linked to the natural world and other environments. As for restorative justice, it takes this thought process a step further by looking into the history and treatment of people and their ecosystem in the past, and taking this knowledge with us to be more cognizant of our actions in the future, all while enacting some form of good. The research I did with this restorative justice project in particular centered around providing a scholarship for the descendants of the GU272+ cohort, but in working with GUASFCU, I've found that there's a way for clubs on campus to get involved, even if we're not directly linked to the university. Some might say way we're doing is performative, but on the contrary, I think that providing financial compensation and enacting institutional change is reformative, particularly for organizations that have benefited entirely from the destruction of the lives of others. We might be far removed, but these lessons are key to better understanding the historical implications of our actions.

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- Maria Quinn 2/22/2023 12:01 PM
  
  This is really insightful, Paul. I am also a big proponent of restorative justice as a more equitable, effective way to enact change. I also agree that the "performative" label is not fair and is counterintuitive because it discourages people from taking action.
  
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Reflection Question
Energy Switch to Cold Water

What do you plan to do with the money you save from making more energy efficient choices?

Paul Aversa 2/21/2023 9:38 PM

I think there isn't necessarily a need to spend the money that I save, and if anything, I think the purpose of sustainable consumerism is to be more cognizant of these spending habits. However, if I were to spend the money, I think I'd devote some time buying plants or other earth-related items for my dorm or home. I've been reading about how plants in communal spaces can improve air quality and overall well-being.

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Reflection Question
Transportation Stay on the Ground

What was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?

Paul Aversa 2/21/2023 9:36 PM

I think it took more research and purpose to try to book my trip in advance, especially to make sure the train tickets were more affordable. Personally, I love the Amtrak, but in Florida, we don't use it too much because of the large distances between major cities. Living in the Northeast has given me the opportunity to explore using a train system like Amtrak, which has provided me great exposure to a sustainable and reliable transportation method. If you book a month in advance, it's almost always cheaper than a flight (to NYC or DC), and the prices usually range around $50-$80 per total trip. I think also picking destinations that aren't too far away (like Boston or Philadelphia), would make using the train much easier

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