Cat Dineen

ENST 246 - Spring 2025

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
975 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.4

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

143

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

263

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

245

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

19

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

60

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

3.3

pounds of paper

have been saved
UP TO

440

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

400

minutes

of additional sleep
UP TO

10

people

helped
UP TO

2.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

245

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

45

minutes

spent learning

Cat's actions

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

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 5 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Turn it off

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

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

I will spend 25 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Happiness

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Healthy Sleep

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 8 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Mindfulness Practice

I will spend 10 minute(s) per day practicing Mindfulness.

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Research Restorative Justice

I will spend 15 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Help Others

I will offer to help 1 person(s) who are in need each day.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2 conversations.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?

Cat Dineen 2/19/2025 7:18 PM
Journal #4

Through participating In the “waste” and “community” categories I have learned how important it is to celebrate those around you and reduce as much waste we produce as possible.

For “community” I have opted to help others. Each day I have gone out of my way to help someone out with something small to large. I have tried to help a different person each day and in a different area of my life. Specifically, I have looked to help my roommates, teammates, and classmates with things that may be stressful or just annoy them. The first person I helped was my teammate Kat. After our game, many of our teammates rushed into the locker room because it was so cold. Despite playing an entire game in below freezing temperatures and brutal win, Kat collected our game balls behind the endline (including the balls stuck behind the icy snow mounds) and wheeled the ball bucket back to the closet where we keep equipment. I’m a firm believer that it does not matter how long you played or your role on the team, everyone needs to “clean” the field and “sweep the sheds” (sweeping the sheds comes from the All Blacks famous rugby team and is a phrase they used to say that it doesn’t matter how important you think you are, everyone has to sweep the shed and respect the place that they all share). I followed Kat’s lead and cleaned up balls with her and helped her bring the bucket to the closet. It was incredibly rewarding helping her with this task as we were able to laugh and celebrate our win together. Also, I’m glad she did not have to do that alone. Kat is an incredibly impactful player and, as a freshman, has assumed a lot of responsibility on our team. I take my relationships with my teammates very seriously and want everyone to feel welcomed and appreciated. I believe Kat and I will remember that game for the rest of our lives (her first home game of her career and one of the coldest games both of us have ever played in).

Some of the other people I have helped are my roommates in cleaning up the apartment and doing their dishes. While cleaning can be mundane, my roommates and I enjoy having a clean apartment to come home to and if we all help out with the cleaning it goes by faster. One of my roommates does not like having to do her dishes so I took over that job while she cleared our island! Additionally, I shared my printed reading with a classmate so she could add to the conversation in class. It always feels nice to help other people and I will continue to do so even after this challenge ends.

For the waste challenge I chose to use a reusable mug. I drink coffee everyday, so instead of using a single-use cup I have been using a mug at home and a travel mug for class. Not only is it rewarding to know I am not contributing to trash that would be left sitting in a landfill, like the thirty-two hundred tons of waste that was produced in New York from 2013-2017 and has been left sitting in Fresh Kills (Kaiser-Schatzlein 2021), but also cheaper for me to reuse the same mugs.

Through the daily challenges across all the categories I have learned that while my impact may be small, I still contribute to the trash that harms the environment. Additionally, I have learned that I can reduce the amount of energy and water I consume and waste by being mindful of my actions. I have noticed that I’m choosing to walk instead of drive to class and plan my trips to the store so I only have to go once a week. Furthermore, I have become more aware of the food I am eating and have been considering if the food I eat is actually healthy for me and if the companies I support are harming the environment. After reading “Naturally” by Michael Pollan, I have been thinking about the food that I buy thinking it is “organic” because of the packaging. Maybe I will start buying eggs, milk, produce, and beef from local farmers! I’ve heard it tastes better anyways and while it may be more expensive than going to Giant, there is a greater expense from the guilt I feel now after learning how I contribute to the “system” that Kahn writes about in Pollan’s piece (2001).

The historical and cultural origins of organic food and disposability are related to the daily and one time challenges because as economic struggles have hit American families, people opted to choose processed foods (McGrath 2019, 11). The daily and one time challenges reflect America's addiction to the cheaper option as the challenges ask us to shop local and try to move away from processed food meals. Not only do these challenges help us think about our eating habits, they also ask us to challenge the idea that locally sourced food is more expensive. As McGrath mentioned, obesity is a growing problem in the U.S. (11) and the EcoChallenge prompts us to reflect upon our choices that make this “epidemic” (11) a reality.

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- Andrew Stuhl 2/20/2025 9:06 AM
  - TEAM CAPTAIN
  - 28-DAY STREAK
  Great Cat! I'm glad I got to hear the story about Kat in class today and also read the more in-depth version here in your Journal. I love it. On the surface, pitching in to help 'sweep the shed' in this way is so small and possibly insignificant. It certainly doesn't qualify in the category of "helping others" in the same way as, say, donating a kidney or something extreme like that. But, on the other hand, like you said, you just made a huge impact on your relationship with Kat, Kat's connection to the team, Kat's career as an athlete at Bucknell, and, potentially, Kat's entire life. Wow! That's wild and amazing and so empowering. One thing we will learn and try to remember when we shift to the next Unit on "collective action" relates to this lesson you relayed about helping Kat: that is, when we invite someone to join us in a campaign for social change, we are presenting them an opportunity. We often think about inviting someone to a rally or protest as "taking up their time" -- but it's not that at all. We are organizing a campaign to bring about the world we need and by inviting them to join us we are giving them the opportunity to change their lives and our world, for good!
  
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Cat Dineen 2/05/2025 6:26 PM
Journal 3
Over the last seven days I’ve enjoyed experimenting with these daily and one-time challenges. I started by practicing mindfulness, appreciating the sunrise and sunset, and spending time outside. Then I added turning off the lights, using a reusable water bottle, and avoiding brushing my teeth with the water running. My one-time challenges have been switching to cold water when washing my clothes and thinking about my core values and how my lifestyle relates to them. At first I was not interested in dedicating time for mindfulness but learned that mindfulness does not have to be a chore, but can be easily incorporated into my daily routine. For example, during meals I practiced mindfulness by thinking about what I was eating. I also learned to dedicate time for mindfulness during my walks to and from class.

One thing I also found myself doing is walking to class rather than driving my car. This was surprising to me because I usually drive it over by the KLARC so I can drive home after practice, but I ended up liking walking, even at night. While I have to remind myself to turn my car on and take it for a drive here and there, I have been able to spend more time outside and practice mindfulness. Additionally, I have been more aware about how much time I’ve been spending on my cell phone. Instead of using my phone, I’ve hung out with my friends and have taken time for myself. Despite this not being one of my challenges, my classmates have inspired me to try this out.

Some of the barriers I’m facing in making these lifestyle changes permanent are waking up early to see the sunrise or getting outside right as the sun is setting. It is nice to be more aware of when the sun is rising or setting, but it is hard to make this a constant change in my life. One of my personal goals is to prioritize getting eight hours of sleep, waking up to see the sunrise is difficult, but even if I catch it for a minute I appreciate it.

Another barrier I face in making these changes permanent is the impacts of others on my decisions. I live in a shared space with my roommates and it is difficult for me to incorporate my challenges into all of our lives. For example, I may turn the lights off and my roommate will come in and turn them back on and leave them on for hours. Turning the lights off is something I’ve grown up doing, but my friends were raised differently and have different priorities. I need to learn how to not take on their ways of life, including using disposable cups/silverware/plates, brushing teeth with water and leaving the lights on. Despite these barriers I have become more aware that my roommates and I make simple decisions that make a difference in society. Additionally, after reading the CLF and Washington Post articles I am wondering if my changes are really impacting climate change or if the challenges are just making me more mindful of my right to have a choice.

I am willing to make some of these lifestyle changes permanent because some are more realistic than others. I will use a reusable water bottle, brush my teeth without water, and spend more time outside. I can see these challenges already becoming more routine in my life. However, waking up for the sunrise and getting out for the sunset is difficult with my other priorities. Additionally, the Hetch Hetchy articles made me realize how even the government had to make decisions about protecting the environment and that sometimes it does it for the wrong reasons. Knapp writes in The Other Side of the Conversation how the government makes the future seem “evil” and that they are “conservationists” for the sake of having economic control as well as control over local governments. To make my greatest impact on my environment I need to pay attention to the decisions being made in my local community and get involved where I see fit.

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- Andrew Stuhl 2/06/2025 10:34 AM
  - TEAM CAPTAIN
  - 28-DAY STREAK
  Great Cat! Glad that you have stuck with these challenges you selected for yourself. Absolutely - the sunrise one is a really challenging one, especially given the need for sleep and your goals of 8 hrs/ night. Def feel free to go back and adjust that one if you want, so you have a different daily challenge in the "Nature" category that you feel like is challenging, but not overwhelmingly difficult or unrealistic to achieve. I hear you re: shared spaces. That is def something I face at home with my family as well. Sometimes compromise is in order, and sometimes you'll get voted down. But even having the convos with roommates can be really eye opening and fun (as much for them as you). Talking with others about our actions is something we will do a lot more of in the next unit on collective action.
  
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Cat Dineen 1/27/2025 7:46 PM
a) The daily and one-time challenges I am most excited about is appreciating the sunrise and sunset. It’s easy to miss something as consistent as the sun rising and setting and I feel like I often take it for granted. Without the sun humans would not be able to exist. It is also interesting to consider how big the sun is and all it does to sustain human life.
I am the most nervous about the transportation category and specifically the action to drive less. To ensure that my car keeps working during colder months I have to turn it on and drive it more than I usually do. If I was to stop doing this I would have to spend a significant amount of money on repairs. While I know I should drive less, I cannot afford to fix my car if it was to freeze and break down.

b) The daily action that I think will have the most impact on my ecological footprint is “going by bike”. Burning fossil fuels releases a significant amount of CO2 into the atmosphere and I could almost eliminate my ecological footprint if I used a bike. However, I realize that it would be difficult to get groceries by bike, so I would have to use my car then. Additionally, many of the other activities I participate in revolve around taking a bus that burns fossil fuels. These activities are ones I cannot get rid of for the sake of using a bike to transport myself.

It is interesting to think about how many of our daily actions release CO2 to function. The food we eat is transported by trucks that produce CO2. The energy we use to charge our phones, heat our buildings, and light up our rooms all relies on burning fossil fuels or some other energy source that emits CO2. I will consider reducing the amount of energy I use but it seems almost impossible to eliminate.

c) The daily and one-time challenges that will address the political, social, and or economic drivers of the crises we face are advocating for greener vehicles, green spaces, and signing up to vote. Through advocating for green vehicles I would be addressing the social and economic stigmas individuals feel. Many people do not want to drive electric cars because they are known for being expensive and driven by a certain stereotype of people. Advocating against these stigmas and expressing the many benefits electric cars offer would draw a crowd to considering a green vehicle when purchasing their next car.

Additionally, advocating for green spaces will also address the economic drivers of the crises we face because choosing sustainable energy can have long term profits. Classrooms, offices, and stores that choose to use sustainable energy and rely on recycled or natural products will have long term financial impacts. Also, individuals that acknowledge they are being sustainable will feel better about themselves and their impact on the environment.

Finally, signing up to vote addresses the political drivers of the crises we face because I can talk to my elected officials and express my concerns about climate change. Voting is the most important aspect about being an American because it protects our freedom. It is up to us, the voters, to tell politicians that climate change/concerns should be prioritized alongside economic and social regulations.

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- Andrew Stuhl 1/29/2025 7:09 AM
  - TEAM CAPTAIN
  - 28-DAY STREAK
  Great Cat! I appreciate you thinking thru the different categories here, responding fully to the prompt. You are hitting on some central tensions in this Eco-Challenge, which reflect broader tensions between individual choices and the structural or societal systems within which we operate. For instance, like you said, you need groceries but it is hardly convenient to bike to get them. If you lived in a different place, you might be able to walk or take public transit to get groceries. Why is it that Central PA doesn't have a grocery store downtown, and no public transit? Those societal / structural conditions around transport are not in your control, yet you have to make choices each day about how to get around. This is a tension that we have to address and explains why individual choices are often not enough -we also need collective action at the level of the society.
  
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