Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Perseo Ilias

Community Team

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
564 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.0

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

3.0

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

131

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

2.0

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

2.0

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

6.0

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

60

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

50

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

50

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

120

minutes

spent learning

Perseo's actions

Energy

Turn it off

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

COMPLETED 2
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

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Learn More about Food Apartheid

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 10-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Restorative Justice

I will spend 2 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go by Bike

I will commute by bike 2 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Simplicity

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Simplicity

Go For A Daily Walk Outside

I will take a walk outside for 2 minutes each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

I will spend 30 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 10 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

RESEARCH LOCAL WASTE SITES

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Visit A Local Farm

I will visit a nearby farm to pick my own fruits and veggies.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

How can Restorative Justice help foster the well-being of both people and planet?
Perseo Ilias 5/31/2025 4:34 PM
By allowing us to understand why the crime was committed. We might not punish a person for profit. Even if the crime is small, the debt he gets put in might actually be too much. Martha Minow in ‘How forgiveness can create a more just legal system’, Minow says “It's time for a reset, given mass incarceration, medical and consumer debt and given indigent criminal defendants…expected to pay for their own probation officers and their own electronic monitors(13:07).” Minnow also talks about justified grievances like pardons and expungements. She also talks about needing “more forgiveness, but we need a philosophy of forgiveness. We need to forgive fairly(5:10).”
Tackling the root not just punishing and putting people into debt. Being hands on with the food preparation, from garden to plate. Composting and using eco-friendly items to weave small scale baskets. So when we think about those incarcerated as humans, not just a number. It can bring a safer, cleaner planet. The University of Notre Dames Lab for Economic Opportunities. Put out a report ‘Gardening in Incarceration - Insight Garden Program’, Intended Outcomes was for incarcerated “Participants in the Insight Garden Program will have lower rates of recidivism and long term reductions in violence and other behavioral changes, including improved relationships with family.” Hopefully less punishment and more restorative justice.

Read More
- Amy Minato 6/01/2025 12:27 PM
  Perseo
  there are two wonderful films out about restorative justice. Sing, sing (drama in prisons) and Quilters (prisoners quilting blankets for foster kids)
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How do your eating experiences differ when practicing mindfulness?
Perseo Ilias 5/24/2025 2:43 PM
I usually skip lunch, so I decided to try mindful eating for my lunches. I noticed that when I am on the go I don't chew my food, but when I sit and look at what I am eating and appreciate what it took to put it all together, I take small bites and chew better. I also noticed that after a week of eating mindfully, that I am creating a good habit of pre planning my lunches and looking for a place to enjoy my lunch. Before I would discard my food without a second thought, but right now I pulled out a journal and have begun to write down all the foods that go bad because I ignored it in the fridge. Mindful eating has trickled into my dinners, where I enjoy every component of the plate and appreciate the meal from the farm to the plate. This is something that I will continue to enjoy.

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- Ava Miel 5/25/2025 8:13 AM
  Hi Perseo, this sounds like a successful eco challenge! I often will watch TV or videos while I eat, which I have also found distracts me from how the food actually tastes in a way which is not ideal for foods I really like or that I worked hard to make so maybe I should try this as well! It is interesting to hear that mindful eating also encouraged you to keep track of the foods that were going bad. I wonder if by having no distractions the meals become more emphasized as memories rather than just something to do out of necessity. Thank you for sharing!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?
Perseo Ilias 5/18/2025 4:24 PM
Lack of access to nutritious food, impacts your purchase power, limits your choices to shop healthy. Communities can lack good quality produce. Health problems start to become expensive according to Karen Washington: It’s Not a Food Desert, It’s Food Apartheid, “So you have the fast-food restaurants that of course cause the diet-related diseases, and you have the pharmaceutical companies there to fix it. They go hand in hand.”
Having access to nutritious food can help a community become more resilient by avoiding diseases that target Native American Communities. Teach people to farm, educate them on the difference between a salad and a liter of soda. Teaching kids, hands on, what healthy food tastes like. Knowledge to make our own choices.

Brones, A. (2018, May 10). Karen Washington: It’s not a food desert, it’s food apartheid. Guernica. https://www.guernicamag.com/karen-washington-its-not-a-food-desert-its-food-apartheid/

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- Amy Minato 5/19/2025 4:01 PM
  access to healthy food should be up there with clean air and water..
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How do you experience your neighborhood or city differently when walking instead of driving?
Perseo Ilias 5/11/2025 6:11 PM
I live in the Slabtown area where there are a lot of tree canopies. I live close to Forest Park. I take my time to observe my surroundings and enjoy all the birds, and squirrels while taking a walk and enjoying the day and stopping at every mini library that I see.
I notice that when you drive in my neighborhood you miss the small shops, and unique businesses. We have the Thurman Library on the corner of 23rd next to a freeway. We also have a peculiarium museum, and if you're driving and not paying attention you can miss it.

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- Amy Minato 5/13/2025 3:16 PM
  i would like to check out the peculiarium museum! big trees make such a difference in the feel of a neighborhood..
  
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- Yua OKUBO 5/11/2025 8:08 PM
  いいね！
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA or another trusted source. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?
Perseo Ilias 5/04/2025 2:44 PM
I was hoping to go to Sauvies Island in June and pick a variety of berries, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and other fruits with pits like peaches. To make jam for the Fall and Winter. The process does get tedious. You have to decide if you want to use Pectin or not. “Pectin is a naturally occurring thickener and stabilizer, helping jams, jellies, and fruit preserves set(Denenberg 1).” Luckily the USDA guide under ‘Preparing and canning jams and jellies(USDA 183).’ explains how to make jams with or without Pectin. And the rest of the process.

Denenberg, Z. (2023, May 9). What is pectin, anyway?. Bon Appétit. https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-pectin?srsltid=AfmBOoqGDaaD8HWHoaLcieD38Be1IKm4uyMlH07XIIdYgJqeQ_EhHamM

USDA. (2015). USDA-complete-guide-to-home-canning-2015-revision.PDF. National institution of food and agriculture . https://www.healthycanning.com/wp-content/uploads/USDA-Complete-Guide-to-Home-Canning-2015-revision.pdf

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- Amy Minato 5/06/2025 1:44 PM
  there are some upick sites even closer than Sauvie island but great plan!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Perseo Ilias 4/26/2025 6:50 PM
Through the Oregon Department of Energy website I learned that there are “Three investor-owned electric utilities that serve Oregonians: Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, and Idaho Power (which serves customers in the northeast corner of Oregon)(ERM, Pg.1).”
I learned that Pacific Power mostly uses Coal, Natural Gas and Wind. Portland General Electric mostly uses Natural Gas, and Hydroelectric Power. And finally, Idaho Power mostly uses Hydroelectric Power, and coal.

My electricity is generated through Portland General Electric (PGE). PGE Mostly uses 34% Natural gas and 17.70% of Hydroelectric Power. Others are 21% Unspecified, 10% Wind and 3% Solar. Our natural gas comes from The Ruby Pipeline. “The Ruby Pipeline is a 678-mile natural gas pipeline that runs from Opal, Wyoming, to Malin, Oregon, and crosses Idaho and Nevada along the way. It went into service in 2011 and is the only named natural gas pipeline that crosses federal land in Oregon(Programs, Pg.1).”

Our Hydroelectric Power comes from our two Dams. The Bull Run Dam 1 and Dam 2. These Dams are used to generate clean energy “Hydropower generation is a supplemental benefit of operating the water supply system…These facilities allow the Water Bureau to store year-round rainfall to help meet consumers’ demand(About, Pg.1).”

Drilling for natural gas can drastically change the ecosystem “causing erosion and fragmenting wildlife habitats…the construction process can cause erosion of dirt, minerals, and other harmful pollutants into nearby streams(Union, Pg.2).”

“A dam and reservoir can also change natural water temperatures, water chemistry, river flow characteristics, and silt loads…These changes may have negative effects on native plants and on animals in and around the river (Administration, Pg.1).”

Sources:

Administration, E. (2022, November 7). U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - independent statistics and analysis. Hydropower and the environment - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/hydropower-and-the-environment.php#:~:text=A%20dam%20and%20reservoir%20can,in%20and%20around%20the%20river.

About the Portland Hydroelectric Project. Portland.gov. (n.d.). https://www.portland.gov/hydroelectricity/about-hydroelectricity.

ERM, O. (n.d.). Energy in Oregon. State of Oregon: Energy in Oregon - Oregon Electricity Resource Mix. https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Electricity-Mix-in-Oregon.aspx

Programs: Energy and minerals: Oil and gas: About: Oregon-washington. Bureau of Land Management. (n.d.). https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/about/oregon-washington#:~:text=Oil%20and%20Gas%20Pipelines%20on,crosses%20federal%20land%20in%20Oregon.

Union. (2023, May 9). Environmental impacts of natural gas. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/resources/environmental-impacts-natural-gas.

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- Amy Minato 4/30/2025 8:03 PM
  thank you so much for all this information!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How does food sovereignty address the complex transition from localized food systems to modern global food systems?
Perseo Ilias 4/19/2025 2:35 PM
I watched a documentary called Regaining Food Sovereignty. Because the documentary promoted school to farm, and food safety. It talks about how as humans we have to take up a responsibility to take care of the earth. The documentary focuses on Native American communities. What I found fascinating is that, the way to take back their food sovereignty was unlearning the commercialized commodities, and re-learning how to live off the land again. Not just teaching the kids how to fish, but also what type of fish swim in their lakes.
It's going back to the roots, promoting sustainable foods without severely impacting the land. And taking back control of our food systems from the corporations that only care about money and not the health of the consumer.

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- Amy Minato 4/22/2025 10:40 AM
  thanks for the film suggestion. (you might want to do an energy action next week)
  
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- Taiya Essex 4/20/2025 7:27 PM
  Hi,
  I think reconnected to where your food comes from and learning about your local ecosystem is amazing. I wish more communities did this, even with produce.
  
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- Lally Pollen 4/20/2025 3:18 PM
  This sounds like a really interesting film, I'll have to track it down.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with you or aren't allowed to use the one you brought? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to create a successful habit of not using plastic bags?
Perseo Ilias 4/13/2025 3:29 PM
I would ask for a paper bag, or try and take the groceries out to the car in the cart, to unload without bagging them. According to What to do when your Grocery Store Says “No Thanks” to Your Reusable Bag, Paper is more readily recyclable in your curbside recycling bin (if it's clean and dry)(Services, Pg.1).” Finding myself in a situation where I keep forgetting my reusable bag, the article goes on to suggest leaving a reusable bag in the trunk of your car. I say leave the reusable bag in your backpack and use both to load your groceries. And simultaneously create a good habit of always carrying your reusable bag.
Services, R. (2020, April 22). What to do when your grocery store says “no thanks” to your reusable bag. CSRWire. https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/44831-what-to-do-when-your-grocery-store-says-no-thanks-to-your-reusable-bag

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- Amy Minato 4/14/2025 5:07 PM
  good ideas and thanks for the link!
  
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- Ava Miel 4/13/2025 10:03 PM
  Hi Perseo, I think your strategy of placing reusable bags in multiple places would be really effective for me personally, since I tend to forget things that aren’t a part of my usual going-out items. Reading the article you linked to, it suggests using paper bags instead of plastic. I have found that paper bags, which most stores in this area use instead of plastic, are good for collecting compost or for carrying lots things from place to place when things like tote bags or backpacks won’t cut it. I also reuse plastic bags when I am provided with them for things like transporting delicate art projects since paper bags get wet in the rain.
  
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