

Samantha Gibbs
"I want to be defined by the things that I love, not the things I hate, not the things I'm afraid of, not the things that haunt me in the middle of the night. I just think that you are what you love. - Taylor Swift "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,992 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO174pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO520minutesnot spent in front of a screen
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UP TO32poundswaste composted
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO256gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO414minutesspent exercising
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UP TO2.0advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO9.0conversationswith people
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UP TO142minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO390minutesspent learning
Samantha's actions
Energy
Upgrade My Windows
I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.
Food
Meet My Local Farmers
I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those around the world who produce my food in order to make better choices when I shop.
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).
Waste
Personal Waste Audit
I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.
Community
Host A Watch Party
I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.
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.
Health
Joyful Movement
I will spend 10 minutes doing an activity where I'm both moving my body and enjoying myself.
Waste
Carry my Trash
I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.
Simplicity
Needs Vs. Wants
I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.
Waste
Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.
Energy
Learn About Renewable Energy
I will spend 60 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.
Energy
Use an Energy Meter
I will use an energy meter to monitor my energy use and identify opportunities to save power.
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.
Nature
Support Local Pollinators
At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will spend 60 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard or local community garden.
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 5 conversations.
Food
Try a New Way to Prep
I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.
Health
Reduce refined sugar
I will keep track and reduce my consumption of refined sugars, including sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.
Energy
Heat and Cool Naturally
I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products
I will spend 45 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home or dorm room.
Simplicity
Limit Social Media
I will limit my social media use to once each day reducing my daily use by 15 minute(s)
Nature
Tend a Garden
I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.
Community
LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCES
I will spend 60 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Learn About Renewable EnergyWhat inspires you to act on sustainable energy and other energy issues?
Samantha Gibbs 11/09/2023 3:41 PMThe future and future generations. I feel like some folks tend to be focused on the present (generally, not always a bad thing!) when it comes to these issues, and we don't always think about the repercussions and effects our actions will have on the future until it's too late.-
Jasmin R 11/09/2023 8:37 PMYes I totally agree! So important to teach the younger generations about sustainability and about how they can help the environment as well- I think this challenge would also be great in k-12 schools!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Core ValuesWhat are your top 3-5 core values? How did you narrow it down to those as being your core values?
Samantha Gibbs 11/09/2023 11:02 AMAs I've gotten older, I think that some of my core values have changed. By this, I mean that my perspective has shifted on the values, and something that was in my top five values 5 years ago is now in my top 10. I think that you're allowed to change and refine your values over the course of your life, because people grow and change every day!-
Jasmin R 11/09/2023 8:59 PMHi Samantha, I totally agree! I find that my values change and shift as I grow older and gain more wisdom and perspectives which is totally okay!
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Samantha Gibbs 11/07/2023 2:21 PMI cannot believe there's only a couple of days left in our EcoChallenge. 😱 It's hard to believe that it's gone by so fast! I've said this before, but it's been really fun, and I loved learning from the actions I chose and from everyone else! 🙂 -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Stay on the GroundWhat was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?
Samantha Gibbs 11/06/2023 10:06 AMThis one was challenging, as the trip I am planning is very difficult to go by car, and is for a pretty significant event, and I am also not able to take a lot of time off for. In this case, I feel like I can justify this planned flight because I don't fly very much in general: in the last 5 years I have flown twice. I also feel quite lucky as my job does not require much travel beyond me geographical region. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Meet My Local FarmersWhen you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? How can knowing their food producers enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?
Samantha Gibbs 11/05/2023 5:01 PMI think it's important to know where your food comes from. Not only is it important to know what grows in your area, but it is also important to know how those people live, and by living in the same geographical area, you can get a sense of that. By purchasing their produce, you are not only supporting a small business, but you're also supporting the family who produces the food, and nourishing yourself and your family with locally grown food. -
Samantha Gibbs 11/03/2023 10:45 AMThe trees are at their peak colours right now - the red, green and gold leaves are lovely to look at right now! 🍂-
Janelle Sztuhar 11/04/2023 8:59 PMThe colours are amazing! I took this photo from the office on Friday
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Turn it offHow is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Samantha Gibbs 11/01/2023 9:04 AMIn BC we use hydroelectricity. While it is "renewable", it does affect the ecosystem in that a dam needs to be built, and the water's natural course gets diverted, which uses up land, and displaces people and wildlife. I don't think there is really any electricity generation that is not detrimental to the land in some way, other than solar power, which can often be expensive and not suitable for parts of the world that don't get a lot of sun, or don't have the amount of land to devote to solar capture.-
Janelle Sztuhar 11/02/2023 1:00 PMWell said Samantha! I find those off-grid style homes really interesting how they handle their power (not sure if I could live off-grid myself full time)! I would really like to have some level of solar power someday - even if it is to light a bulb in my garden shed :D
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Samantha Gibbs 11/01/2023 8:54 AMJust over a week left in our EcoChallenge! This year it has been really fun! And I've been good at keeping up with my actions! Go team! 🙌 -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Needs Vs. WantsHow is creativity a necessary ingredient for practicing simplicity?
Samantha Gibbs 10/29/2023 3:34 PMI think creativity is an ingredient for practicing simplicity as you have to think creatively sometimes to live or practice simplicity. In turn, I think that simplicity can also be an ingredient for creativity.-
Janelle Sztuhar 10/30/2023 9:40 AMI agree on both of those thoughts! I found an old jar of buttons over the weekend (the jar expiry was 1998) and I thought to myself wow - would I save a jar or would I go out and buy matching containers based on my past year of behaviour? Definitely something to remind myself of more often!
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Samantha Gibbs 10/28/2023 1:52 PMToday I remembered to bring my reusable produce bags into the grocery store with me! I think I'm going to try keeping them inside the grocery bags I keep in my car trunk from now on, so I don't forget!-
Abbey Murray 10/28/2023 7:09 PMThat's awesome! Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they are better quality, too!
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