Lauren Neville is participating in the Campus Ecochallenge!

Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Lauren's points

0 TODAY
35 THIS WEEK
460 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

30

pounds

waste avoided
UP TO

1.0

water footprint

calculated
UP TO

60

minutes

spent outdoors

Lauren's 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

Community

Support Neighborhood Businesses

Purchase from, donate to, or check out a business in your neighborhood.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Enjoy a Meatless Meal

Producing 1 kg of beef emits as much greenhouse gas as driving 150 miles, meanwhile, 1 kg of veggies or grains leaves a much lighter footprint! This week, I’ll shrink my climate impact by having 6 meatless meals and/or 1 vegan meals each day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Understand My Water Footprint

Each of us has a water footprint, directly linked to our daily activities as well as the water required in the production of things we use each day. Understanding our water use is important for a healthy planet. I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste, then share what I learned on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Repair a Broken Item

I will repair at least one item that is broken, but is repairable. This might be items like garden tools, sewing machine, small appliances, electronics, clothing, and more.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Turn Off Lights and Electronics

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Lauren Neville 5/24/2026 3:11 PM

After doing some spring cleaning, I found a pile a shirts that I have been meaning to sew. I love these shirts and dont want to get rid of them, I've just been waiting to fix them. My sewing machine hasnt been working for a few years but I haven't taken it to get fixed. I decided now is the time after reading this weeks topic of consumption and reflecting on how so many things are made to break, or mass-produced to make it easier to just buy a new one instead of fixing an old one.
I found a few companies in Portland that do repairs, and made an appointment to send my sewing machine into Tandem Sewing Company. Its a $100 fee, which was one of the lowest I found, and yet the same price of a new (albeit, maybe crappy) machine.
At this point, I would much rather support a local business and the sewing community, and not throw away my beloved sewing machine, than succumb to the capitalist machine and buy a new sewing machine. I want to mend my clothes, make new ones, and buy less.
I googled "how many pounds of waste are saved by repairing a sewing machine", to which it replied- 15-30 lbs of direct physical waste. I dont know how it came up with that number, but I feel like over time it will be more.

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- Amy Minato 5/25/2026 1:44 PM
  
  i think a $100 sewing machine would not be very good anyway!
  
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- Sam Dare 5/24/2026 5:04 PM
  
  I completely understand the attachment to a lucky shirt. I swear I'm not a I'm not a hoarder, but I just tend to hang on to things, especially clothes, even after their damaged or worn. I keep some of these clothes and belongings in my storage space and I've toyed with the idea of buying a sewing machine or renting one to repair them myself. Would love to hear your insights. Good luck!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

Take a moment to think of places you frequent often (work, grocery store, school, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?
Lauren Neville 5/17/2026 11:16 AM

This week I really wanted to ride my bike everywhere, but was thwarted by the rain (I don't have rain gear for biking just yet). Instead, I decided to offer rides when possible, since I live in what i consider a central area of Portland. I gave my neighbor a ride to work two mornings before school, gave Colin a ride back to school from the Learning Gardens, and carpooled with my coworker who lives downtown on Friday and Saturday. I also mentioned to Colin that I can pick him up for our class hike next Thursday, and have 2-3 other seats available for those on the way!
These extra moments with others are a nice way to get to know someone a little better, or just make their life easier. With my coworker, who Im' also friends with, it was nice to do our catching up on the way there, and to decompress together on the ride home. Sometimes I feel like I'm in such a hurry, but then I rideshare with people and the hurry fades. I feel like we're all in this rat race together and life just feels a bit lighter. Thats how I feel when i take the bus to school also, but when I'm running behind, the bus is an extra 30-40 minutes that I don't have to spare, especially in the morning.

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- Amy Minato 5/19/2026 1:47 PM
  
  i appreciate your offering rides to classmates Lauren! i think we don't talk enough about ridesharing
  
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- Igor Sulety 5/19/2026 7:28 AM
  
  Nice :)
  
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- Lauren Neville 5/17/2026 1:46 PM
  
  You know Sam, I actually think I would enjoy riding in the rain! I can deal with the cold as long as I'm dressed appropriately, but I need to do some research on good rain gear. Thats the part I dont have time for right now. I know I will one day though!
  
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- Sam Dare 5/17/2026 11:35 AM
  
  Lauren, nice pivot! Riding in the rain can be a massive pain in the butt, and when it's cold outside too, that's a real bummer without rain gear. I'm glad you went with the ride offers! Sounds like it was a nice way to forget about the rush, live in the moment and decompress with others :)
  
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Lauren Neville 5/10/2026 4:44 PM

Recently I saw that a neighbor a few block away had a sign in her yard for gluten-free sourdough bread and baked goodies. I am no longer gluten-free, but my best friend is. I went to her website via the QR code and signed up for her newsletter. Turns our she does big bakes and sends out an email blast in advance so people can pre-order and pick up from her porch on a designated Saturday between 8am-8pm. I received an email for a Mother's Day bake sale and ordered two chocolate chip cookies, 4 sourdough lemon cookies, and a loaf of sourdough bread. $25 for all of it! And pick up was around the corner- on my usual route for dog-walking no less!

Yesterday I picked up my gluten-free goodies from the front porch, labeled with my name and order number, as well as all the ingredients. There were bags in case anyone needed one, and all the orders were sitting in a wicker basket on a table with a big thank you sign for supporting her (Meg's Gluten-Free Goodies). I brought them to my best friend this morning to wish her a happy first Mother's Day. She was stoked and texted me later to tell me how good the sourdough and lemon cookie was.

It's obvious that she does this for fun, just to share her (probably well-honed) sourdough to other gluten-free people. I also recently went to a new coffee shop that someone decided to create in the front porch of their home, also a few block from my house. It's called Eyesore, and its only open Monday-Thursday. I'm extremely happy to support my neighbors and I hope their businesses continues to grow! I feel like they are real people just doing things they love. The baked goods were especially exciting because I can share them.

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- Lauren Neville 5/14/2026 8:09 PM
  
  oh good luck to her! I've always wanted to try bread also, but i havent taken the time yet. The loaves from my neighbor are very good so it gives me hope. She also had special flavors like roasted garlic and rosemary!
  I love the house coffee bar idea, its perfect to grab-n-go on a dog walk and i can avoid the busy streets!
  
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- Amy Minato 5/11/2026 4:20 PM
  
  my daughter is starting a sourdough cottage business this summer and is going to try gluten free so this is so interesting to me..and I LOVE the coffee shop from home. we have neighbors who do an espresso bar once in awhile from their window. so fun!
  
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- Igor Sulety 5/10/2026 10:19 PM
  
  Awesome :)
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Lauren Neville 5/02/2026 3:41 PM

I walk my dog Jetty a lot, and most days take him on one big off-leash run to get his daily wiggles out (he's just over a year old). I love walking through my neighborhood and noticing what is blooming, or finding out what the trees are and admiring their leaves or shade, but I felt like we both needed to try a new space. Someone told me about Fernhill Park, on Killingsworth between 37th and 42nd avenues, and so I took Jetty there for his big run.
It was LARGE! I parked on the north side, where there is a hilled forested area and a few walking trails. There is also a small pollinator walk-through with sign about the local flora that I appreciated. There is a track for walking and running, a playground, and a few sports fields. The entire park seemed open to dogs off leash, so I let my guy roam free. At the south end of the park there is another large field of overgrown grasses and small walking paths, with lots of red and purple field flowers, a stark contrast to the north side where tall trees took over.
It was quite tucked away in the north, surrounded by houses, and very quiet. I suggest it to anyone with a little time to roam. We spent an hour walking around and Jetty loved the variety. It was a nice change that I highly suggest.

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- Lauren Neville 5/05/2026 11:09 PM
  
  Sam, we are regulars at thousand acres, and usually go at least once a week! Jetty loves a big open space (who doesn't?!) and he's very social, so it's definitely his favorite playground.
  
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- Amy Minato 5/04/2026 1:13 PM
  
  good to know about the pollinator garden!
  
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- Sam Dare 5/03/2026 11:02 PM
  
  I love those bigger parks where my dog and I can walk together off leash. If you haven't already, check out the Sandy River Delta! Its 1000 acres of trails, fields and river access, totally off leash friendly :)
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How was your experience intentionally trying to eat less meat?
Lauren Neville 4/26/2026 9:53 AM

This week I tried eating all meatless meals, including at my job where I usually have meat (given I work at a salumeria). Although their meat practices are sustainable, I wanted to see if I could get away with changing my habit and change their minds about our staff meal in the process.
I was able to eat almost all my meals without meat this week! I did cave one day when I was feeling a bit iron deficient, but otherwise my coworkers worked with me to separate meat options from the veggie portion so I could opt out of eating meat. Other than at work, I eat vegetarian at home and just avoided any fish, choosing tofu or egg as the protein option.
Eating vegetarian at work is definitely difficult for me because I am burning a lot of energy and need a substantial meal after. They also only make one big meal for everyone, and everyone eats meat, so it feels selfish to alter the entire meal to suit my choice. I was really excited when they chose to cook all vegetarian for me on the two slower days because it felt like a stretch for them in a good way. I think they get used to eating meat for every meal and it was a nice change for them.
I think if I didnt work at the restaurant, I would be able to eat vegetarian pretty easily. When I'm in control of what I eat, I would rather choose veggies with the occasional fish option.

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- Lauren Neville 4/27/2026 11:29 PM
  
  Well, I usually do eat the meat there, but I was trying my best to have a fully meatless week. I think the best part was convincing my coworkers to join in.
  
  Sam- I've got tons of recs! Trader Joes actually has a gluten-free red lentil pasta that is AMAZING. Its extremely protein packed and pretty sturdy for gluten free pasta! It holds up well in a cold pasta salad. Adding white beans, peas, cashews[or any nut?], and cheese to things will give you more protein. Notably, beans and rice make a perfect protein, so making a batch and having it as the main or as a side will keep your protein up. Also, yogurt has crazy protein for a morning meal and the flavored ones are usually a bit sweet!
  
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- Amy Minato 4/27/2026 2:54 PM
  
  i think in your case I would go with eating the sustainable meat while at work..sounds like a cool place!
  
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- Sam Dare 4/26/2026 10:41 PM
  
  Nice one, Lauren! Man, meat is such a convenient source of protein. I'm going to take a stab at eliminating or nearly eliminating meat from my diet in just a couple of weeks for my eco change project. I completely understand the feeling of not getting enough from a vegetarian diet to sustain you at a demanding job and I'm glad to hear that you are listening to what your body needs! If you figure anything out let me know! I'd love you some insights!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Lauren Neville 4/19/2026 3:04 PM

This week I decided to unplug most of my power cords when i went to sleep or work. I say most because I have to leave a light on for my dog when I'm at work at night. I may be imagining this- but my house felt like there was less of a "buzz", especially at night when I'm winding down to go to sleep. I'm going to keep doing it and am interested to see if there is any change in my electric bill next month. As a few days passed, it seemed silly that I hadn't been doing it all along. It takes no time because my apartment is small and I don't have many outlets to begin with, but because of that I have many things plugged into power strips, so it's incredibly easy. I had one small power adapter in the kitchen that I deemed unnecessary to keep everything plugged into, and decided to put it away unless I actually needed to plug multiple things in at once, since most things have been remaining unplugged.

I know this will become more difficult to implement as we go into summer, especially as I will have to keep my house cool for my puppy, but I feel confident that I can consolidate the A/C and light at the same outlet so I can still unplug most when I am at work. Luckily the A/C has an automatic temperature setting so it will be a little regulated when it comes to power.

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- Amy Minato 4/20/2026 6:58 PM
  
  i wonder if there is a correlation between better sleep and unplugging electronics?
  
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- Sam Dare 4/19/2026 10:57 PM
  
  Hey Lauren! Nice find. It's a lovely feeling when a more eco-friendly lifestyle adjustment feels just as convenient.
  
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