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"I want to create a world where people are more mindful of themselves and the environment"

Austin's points

  • 0 TODAY
  • 40 THIS WEEK
  • 676 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    3.4
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    18
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    18
    miles
    traveled by bike
  • UP TO
    150
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    474
    minutes
    being mindful
  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    398
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    535
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    370
    minutes
    of additional sleep
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    5.0
    minutes
    spent learning

Austin's actions

Health

Exercise Daily

Daily movement supports our physical and mental health. I will spend 10 minutes each day exercising in a way that feels good to me, such as walking, running, stretching, or dancing.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Commute By Bike

I will commute by bike 6 miles each day and avoid sending CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore a New Trail or Nature Walk

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Learn About and Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 5 minutes learning about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Conserve Toilet Water

I will save water in my dorm or shared living space by only flushing the toilet when necessary—potentially conserving up to 12 gallons (45 L) per day.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Learn About Native Communities in My Area

I will use the resource links provided and spend 10 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area prior to colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Plan Meals for the Week

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

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Visit A Local Farm

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use Reusable Bags when Shopping

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Energy

Switch To Cold Water for Laundry

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Calculate My Carbon Impact

Knowing our carbon footprint is the first step to reducing it. I will calculate my carbon impact and identify lifestyle changes that could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment. I will share my commitments to lowering my impact on the feed.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation

I will spend 20 minutes practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation to nurture love and compassion for myself and others.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Calculate my Digital Carbon Footprint

I will calculate my digital carbon footprint and take steps to reduce my CO2 emissions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Prioritize Getting Enough Sleep

Good sleep is essential for a healthy body and mind. I will prioritize getting 7 hours of quality sleep each night and develop a bedtime routine that supports rest and relaxation.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Reduce refined sugar

Cutting back on refined sugar can improve energy, mood, and overall health. I will limit my intake of sugary snacks and drinks by reducing refined sugar in meals or snacks each day.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Share Rides with Others

I will sign up for a car-sharing service or coordinate ride shares with roommates, classmates, or campus peers to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Explore the Community Feed and Connect with Others

I will spend 5 minutes reading the Ecochallenge feed each day and giving high fives or commenting on posts by people who I don't know, but whose content inspires or interests me.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed


  • Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/20/2026 6:20 PM
    Definitely the hardest thing that I set out to do during this challenge is get adequate sleep! It seems there is always so much to do and people to talk to and hang out with that I find myself staying up way too late and my next morning suffers because of it. I don't have the energy I need to, to bike in the morning, which then leads to me not wanting to eat right, because I am then too tired to cook, and then the bad food causes my body to be even more tired and it seems like this cycle repeats itself. With all that being said, I am not trying to be a negative Nancy just an observation I had, The first 2 weeks of this challenge when I was sleeping at 9 PM and waking up at 6 AM I had the most energy and was more outgoing and more myself but I saw my friends and people less. So this is where I think a lot of people might struggle with being environmentally conscious. Just an observation

    • Janet  Beach 's avatar
      Janet Beach 7/20/2026 10:58 PM
      It’s true, but sometimes we are just up too late because of our electronic distractions. It’s all about balance.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature
    How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/18/2026 11:01 AM
    Personally, going on hikes gives me time to think/reflect and disconnect from everything. Walking a quiet trail while not listening to music lets me sit with my own thoughts and come to peace with where I am at in the world and my place in it.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy
    Where in your life do you emit the most carbon? What change are you willing to make in your daily life to reduce this output?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/09/2026 2:37 PM
    transportation and housing are the 2 major things that impact my carbon footprint I can't do much about my housing at the moment but I am working on reducing my transportation footprint, I've been enjoying the bike to work and it's not really inconveniencing me all that much. I usually drive into work 4 days a week I can reduce this to 1 with biking on the morning shifts.

  • Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/07/2026 12:04 PM
    I rode my bike in to work today, beautiful morning, practicing love and kindness meditation today saved my mind and attitude today while at work. I rode my bike in and as soon as I got into the parking lot I realized I had left my badge at home, so guess what I had to do?
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy
    What did you learn about your digital habits that surprised you the most?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/06/2026 7:51 AM
    The need for stimulation was constant and after slowing down and turning off the TV while working has helped me with my productivity a bit and stress levels too.

  • Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/06/2026 7:29 AM
    Ran into a bit of a hick-up today I went to ride my bike to work this morning and I had a tear in my tire. Forcing me to drive my car into work. I brought the bike along with me so I can go to a repair shop and get some new shoes put on her after I get off work. Other than that I brought my lunch along with me and have dinner planned for when I get home.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health
    How can practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation be helpful to the health of the environment?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/05/2026 3:56 PM
    Practicing loving-kindness meditation can help the environment by having small impacts one day at a time. You spend 5 minutes meditating on your skin and you come to the conclusion your skin is amazing and you don't need all those fancy products so you save yourself some money and you save the planets resources.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation
    How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience differ while walking, riding transit, biking, or driving?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/03/2026 8:11 AM
    My experience this morning biking while a hot one, was enjoyable, not having to deal with traffic was super nice and it was nice slowing down a bit. I was hot and sweaty when i got to work but i planned ahead by bringing a change of clothes and some deodorant.

    • Alison Perreault's avatar
      Alison Perreault 7/03/2026 12:21 PM
      I walked to and from the beach last night with my family and there were no complaints despite the hot weather.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health
    Consider how many hours of sleep you get now. How would you like to shift your sleep patterns? What changes did you make to improve your sleep, and how did they affect your day?

    Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/02/2026 7:44 AM
    Last night when I went to bed I turned off the TV which I usually fall asleep with on and end up waking up in the middle of the night to turn off. Last night I actually slept all the way through the night and I feel much more aware and uplifted this morning.

  • Austin Jennings's avatar
    Austin Jennings 7/01/2026 2:12 PM
    First day of the challenge for me and I car-pooled to work with 2 other people and I don't plan on driving for the rest of the day, so no car used for individual use. 1 hour of walking around the neighborhood done, and meals planned at-least until Friday.

    I also pre-emptively put re-usable bags in my car because I usually don't plan my trips to the grocery store and if I do I usually will forget them.