Mark Kaganov

This week, my focus was on getting outside into nature. It was a busy week with school and work, but I was able to get outside a few days of the week. The nature walk we did with the class was a great experience, especially seeing the Tryon Farm. I was also able to stick around for some time after the class dispersed and did my Nature Adventure assignment. There is something incredibly relieving, relaxing, and rewarding about being outside in nature. I feel like I rarely get to stop and appreciate what is around me when it comes to the natural world, so I am thankful I was able to do so this week. I went on a few walks besides the Nature Adventure in my neighborhood; I live near a wooded area that I have walked plenty of times before, but I have never stopped and appreciated it as I should. I always hustle through with my AirPods in my ears. This week unlocked a newfound appreciation for nature. I have always appreciated nature, of course, but this week gave me a unique experience with it.

This week, I made it my very mission to not purchase any materialistic items. Groceries and other important things were exempt, but no clothes or other items. I am at the point where, at the moment, I don't need anything. I want a lot of things. I want more clothes, I want more CDs, I want more Funko Pops. I had to reflect this week on consumerism, though. I had to remind myself that purchasing many things is not necessary, and one could argue that it is bad. I love my various collections, but they are a waste of money. What really gets me sometimes is Amazon. I know it is not good to support that company, but they make purchasing things so easy and convenient. I did not go on the website this week to meet my consumerism goals. Lastly, I made sure to eat all the food I had at home before considering eating out. It felt good to be more mindful, track my purchasing habits, and reduce my waste this week.

This week, I did not do well from a sustainable perspective when it comes to transportation. I did take the Max to campus on Tuesday; however, the rest of the week I drove to my destinations. Instead, I made it my mission to learn a little more about the harms of driving. I learned that cars and trucks are the primary drivers of climate change, with U.S. transportation producing nearly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Every gallon of gasoline burned creates about 19.6 pounds of

CO2, plus additional emissions from extraction and distribution. Vehicles also emit methane and nitrous oxide. There are some solutions to this problem. There are more fuel-efficient vehicles than ever, clearer fuels, and a big rise in electric vehicles. I hope to switch to an EV one day, or at the very least a fuel-efficient car. I've been eyeing the hybrid Toyota Camry for quite some time...

This week, I had a difficult time focusing on community. The closest I could come up with was within my work. I interacted with my coworkers, my managers, and the guests who came through the doors. I was able to build a sense of community and relatability with the guests. I work in retail, and some perceive retail associates as just employees, when in reality, I am a human being with my own experiences. I had the opportunity to chat with and relate to many people throughout the week, discussing various topics, including local sports, what the guests came to the store for, and much more. With my homework and workload, I wasn't able to build any sense of community beyond that, but I hope to find more opportunities because community is important.

This week, I focused on decreasing my water use. I did multiple things this week, some of which is newer to me and some that I have already been doing for a while. In cooperation with my EcoChange, I did my best to shoot for sub-7-minute showers. I also monitored my water use when washing dishes; when I was scrubbing to the side, the water was off. I did as big a load of laundry as I could to avoid multiple smaller trips to the washing machine. I used a reusable water bottle all week, and frankly, all the time besides just this week. I could have improved on reusing water, making it a little colder to save some energy, and flushing only when necessary. Sustainability is a work in progress, and I am already seeing improvements in my day-to-day life.

This week, I had a big emphasis on eliminating food waste and eating locally/organically. I was able to stop by a local market to purchase some vegetables, and I shared them with my roommates to ensure they were all consumed and not wasted. This was a challenge, as these vegetables were more expensive than, for example, at my local Fred Meyer. To add to the waste reduction, when I made food, I always ensured all the leftovers were eaten before new food was cooked. That way, things won't get lost in the back of the fridge and expire. When eating this week, I avoided as much single-use plastic as possible, substituting it for glass or reusable plastic tupperware. I greatly reduced my processed food intake this term, focusing on real, whole food instead. This week made me more aware of what I was eating and where the food was coming from.

This week, I was able to reflect on my personal energy use and take action. I was extra aware of my daily actions and found opportunities to decrease my energy use when possible. I was on top of turning off lights when exiting a room, using less hot water, unplugging things I don't actively use, and more. While I don't have a difficult time with my energy consumption, it was refreshing to pay extra attention and see which areas I can improve on. Admittedly, my showers were less pleasant, but I felt good knowing I was doing something important besides just self-gratification. Also, like Amara mentioned in her post, I am a big fan of using big blankets and warm clothes to stay warm instead of using the heater. We have a bunch of blankets that have accumulated over the years so they feel better to use than the heater, and being an Oregonian, it is important to have warm gear to survive the chilly winters, so I do my best to use that indoors too to avoid using the heater. It was a good, productive week. It feels great to reduce my energy!

This week, it was a big priority to reduce my waste. When I cooked my meals, I made sure to use every ingredient with purpose. I used a few-day-old rice for fried rice, and overripe fruit in smoothies, just to name a few examples. I went the week without purchasing anything I did not need. I started to collect clothes that I don't wear often or ever to prepare them to be donated. I only used reusable kitchen items, including metal silverware, glass tupperware, ceramic plates and mugs, etc. I made a strong effort to reduce my energy use, by turning off unused lights and reducing hot water use. I took quicker and colder showers, and I used less hot water when washing dishes. I did some research on other ways I could reduce my waste, and from that, I made a vinegar multi-purpose cleaner using https://livesimply.me/diy-all-purpose-cleaner-vinegar/; I had vinegar in my pantry that had been sitting unused for a while. While none of my changes were drastic, I plan to be more sustainable and reduce my waste going forward after this eye-opening week.