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Welcome to Campus Ecochallenge!

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Campus Ecochallenge
Veronica Mullins's avatar

Veronica Mullins

capstone summer 25

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 65 THIS WEEK
  • 505 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    19
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    23
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    8.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    3.3
    pounds of paper
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    96
    gallons of water
    have been saved

Veronica's actions

Energy

Turn it off

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

COMPLETED 14
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

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Conserve Toilet Water

I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

SIGN UP TO VOTE

I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Drive Less

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 4 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Leave No Trace

I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

De-Clutter My Home or Dorm Room

I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home or dorm room.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Go For A Daily Walk Outside

I will take a walk outside for 30 minutes each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 7/13/2025 11:28 PM
    For my sixth eco-challenge, I undertook it as a two-parter.
    a) I made the decision to drive less by only taking necessary trips in my car. Typically I would drive around town in the morning as a sort of entertainment, however I understand this is wasteful and unnecessary. I decided to instead spend 30 minutes (or more) outside each day either in nature or taking a walk.
    b) Since it is summer and the weather is warmer, I want to spend more time in nature. Most days I spent extra time outdoors with my dog either walking around the neighborhood. On Monday, Taz and I went to the riverfront in Sellwood, and on Friday I went paddle boarding on Sauvie Island.
    I can't deny that spending more time outdoors is beneficial for me. I am getting exercise and spending time outdoors and connecting with nature which is good for my mental health.
    I know this is an opportunity for me to disconnect from screens, but I had to snap this photo of Taz watching a boat on the river.
    Read More
  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 7/13/2025 11:05 PM
    For my eco-challenge this week, I decided to do a few things that I have been meaning to do, but had never taken the time to do it and they could be done online.

    a) I registered to vote at my current address. I was registered to vote in the previous state I had lived in, but never did so after moving here because I wasn't sure where I was to land. However, at this point I feel I have been here long enough and I no longer will allow myself to make excuses. By registering to vote. I am doing my part as a member of my community to be able to enact change for the future.


    b) I enrolled in PGE's 3 sustainability options - Green Source, Habitat Support, and Clean Wind. I had been making the excuse that it would add to my electricity bill, however I would spend the expected addition to be about as much as my daily coffee would be. Also, since I am doing my part to turn off any lights and unplug any electronics when not in use, this should decrease my electricity bill initially, so it should even out. I can also spare a few dollars to make my energy useage more sustainable!


    Read More
    • Amy Minato's avatar
      Amy Minato 7/14/2025 8:16 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      we are so fortunate to have this opportunity in Portland!
      Read More
  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 7/06/2025 10:18 PM
    For my second eco-challenge this week, I chose a mildly unconventional one - I chose to reduce my toilet flushing. This works for my lifestyle because I live alone and face no fear of judgement from other household members, however I wouldn't do this if I lived with others, or at least not without a conversation first. I have two toilets in my house and have been saving water by reducing the amount of daily flushes. I wish I was able to see the amount of water that this saves me, however I do not have my own water bill because I share a meter with my front-neighbor.
    I have also taken other small eco-actions, like placing a plant below my water faucet outside my home to make use of the leak, turning off the water when I brush my teeth, and making use of the sun to dry my clothes (as opposed to my electric dryer).
    Read More
    • Rose Tucker's avatar
      Rose Tucker 7/13/2025 3:32 PM
      Yellow Mellow babeeee! thats 5 gallons a flush, money in the bank, both on your water bill and for the planet.
      Read More
    • Amy Minato's avatar
      Amy Minato 7/07/2025 8:31 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      i like the plant idea! but fixing the leak might save you money as well
      Read More
  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 7/05/2025 11:53 AM
    One of my choices for this week's eco-challenge basically fell into my lap. On Monday, I opened my kitchen cabinet and found a reusable water bottle. I have no recollection of purchasing this item or really any idea how it got into my house, however it's existence felt almost serendipitous. I filled it with ice water from my fridge dispenser and put it in my car on Monday morning. When I went to take a sip late Monday afternoon, I was shocked to discover there was still ice in the bottle. I knew at this moment I was hooked. I really only like water when it's very cold, so this happenstance occurrence not only benefits the earth and reduces single use water bottles, but also promotes a healthier lifestyle for me because now I am drinking more water.
    Read More
    • Amy Minato's avatar
      Amy Minato 7/07/2025 8:32 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      that is a perk of a metal water bottle! there are usually a few in the Reuse room in Cramer hall too
      Read More
    • Dianna Ferrell's avatar
      Dianna Ferrell 7/05/2025 1:36 PM
      Hello Veronica! So sad I cannot directly reply to replies on my own posts, but thank you for the wonderful comment on my compost Eco-Challenge. I am thrilled my cooler idea was inspiring for you to take on composting too! Maybe at our next volunteer day you can show me your photos instead :) (Now to reply to your post on water) I love when life just seems to come together like your example here where you found this mystery reusable water bottle. It is so easy to just fall into the acceptance attitude of continuing to use plastic one-use water bottles, especially when they are marketed to us as normal and acceptable. I completely understand only liking water when it is cold, which is one huge advantage to metal water bottles! Sometimes in the winter-time when it is less hot, I have had my water bottle still have ice up till the evening. Crazy! Keep up the great work, and yay for the universe providing you with a random reusable bottle for this challenge. :)
      Read More
  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 6/29/2025 11:15 PM
    For my second ecochallenge, I chose to cover a topic under "energy." "Turn it off" refers to unplugging/turning off any lights and electronics when not in use. I have a few colorful lights that I keep on for ambiance at night, but I keep on during the day out of pure laziness, meaning these lights are on 24 hours a day. I have began turning these lights off during any daylight hours, which is over 12 hours a day in these long summer days. These are small changes, but they are an important part of my contribution to a more sustainable household. In hindsight, having lights at all is a privilege and I need to be mindful not be superfluous in my use of them.
    Read More
    • Amy Minato's avatar
      Amy Minato 6/30/2025 3:46 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      good start Veronica. You might consider doing fewer laundry (especially dryer loads) to make a bigger impact
      Read More
  • Veronica Mullins's avatar
    Veronica Mullins 6/28/2025 6:33 PM
    For my first ecochallenge, I chose to tackle "Waste". "Go Paperless" is a simple, one-time challenge, however it has a compounding effect. According to the Ecochallenge website, this simple action, by me, has saved up to 3 pounds of paper, and I didn't even have to leave my couch. I did this for the 3 remaining bills I had not yet converted to paperless statements, equaling up to nearly 10 pounds of paper saved. I am on a personal journey to have a more sustainable household, so this helps me come one step closer to my goal.
    Read More