

Maria Quinn
Points Total
- 35 Today
- 35 This Week
- 2,021 Total
Participant Impact
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up to129minutesbeing mindful
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up to441minutesnot spent in front of a screen
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up to12pounds of paperhave been saved
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up to147plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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up to1,106gallons of waterhave been saved
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up to825minutesspent exercising
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up to2.0advocacy actionscompleted
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up to2.0conversationswith people
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up to2.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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up to1.0community eventshosted or attended
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up to120minutesspent outdoors
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up to315minutesspent learning
Maria's Actions
Community
Express My Support
I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.
Community
LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCES
I will spend 45 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.
Community
Host A Watch Party
I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.
Community
Research Restorative Justice
I will spend 40 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.
Nature
Support Local Pollinators
At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will spend 30 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard or local community garden.
Waste
Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion
I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.
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.
Water
Fix Leaky Faucets
I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.
Simplicity
Buy Used Clothes
I will spend 60 minutes learning about the perils of fast fashion and will buy my clothes at second-hand stores when I shop.
Waste
Choose Two-Sided Printing
I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided when I have to print documents.
Community
Engage In Active Listening
I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 4 conversations.
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!
Community
Support Native Communities
I will use the resource links provided below and spend 30 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.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 4 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
Health
Happiness
I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Water
Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater
I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.
Simplicity
Limit Social Media
I will limit my social media use to once each day reducing my daily use by 45 minute(s)
Simplicity
Core Values
We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.
Health
Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation
I will spend 20 minutes practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation to nurture love and compassion for myself and others.
Health
Exercise Daily
Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 60 minute(s) each day.
Water
Brush My Teeth Without Running Water
I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.
Feed
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Maria Quinn 3/23/2023 9:58 AMThe ecochallenge is going well! I've been trying to interact more with other posts because oftentimes, my fellow classmates have really great suggestions or practices they're implementing. -
Reflection QuestionCommunity Research Restorative JusticeHow can Restorative Justice help foster the well-being of both people and planet?
Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:41 PMRestorative Justice seeks to repair damaged relationships through mediation and communication instead of punishment. It incorporates forgiveness, which is something we all need to use more with ourselves and each other to create a kinder, more interconnected community on Earth.-
Marguerite Saunders 3/01/2023 10:32 AMRestorative Justice is definitely an important concept, and I appreciate that you highlighted the importance of forgiveness, Maria. Thinking about this reflection question made me think back to Adrienne Maree Brown's distinction between restorative and transformative justice. Though on the surface they seem like similar concepts, I think that the concept of restorative justice is beautiful and meaningful because it goes beyond forgiveness. By placing a greater emphasis on the importance of creating an environment with less division and inequality instead of returning to the status quo, transformative justice gives us not only a path forward, but a vision for the future.
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Reflection QuestionWaste Go PaperlessReducing your paper mail can reduce mental clutter as well as physical waste -- by reducing what is coming in, you can reduce what is going into the recycling bin too. How does it make you feel? What is the next step you will take to reduce your waste?
Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:35 PMIt feels good to have a tangible impact on reducing my waste. I never considered the negative impact paper mail has on the environment, not to mention the way it clutters my countertops. The next step I will take to reduce my waste is to save packing and shipping materials so I can reuse them in future ventures.-
Diego Bigelow-Gonzalo 3/25/2023 1:09 PMThis!!! Paper mail feels so old fashion now, unless it's something nice like a card with sentimental value that cannot come across over an email.
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Reflection QuestionNature Explore My AreaHow might spending more time outdoors enhance your brainpower?
Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:33 PMSpending more time outdoors is so good for you. The fresh air clears your head, fills your lungs, and gives you the necessary time spent away to focus on the beautiful nature that surrounds us.-
Diego Bigelow-Gonzalo 3/25/2023 1:16 PMThat's so very true. Sometimes being inside all the time makes you realize the air feels stuffy, and it's just not the same as breathing the fresh air.
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Reflection QuestionCommunity Host A Watch PartyWhat did you learn about in the documentary you watched? How did it make you feel?
Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:32 PMThis past weekend, I invited 2 friends over to watch the documentary Paris is Burning, which highlights the drag ball scene in Harlem in the late 80s. While this documentary was visually stunning and provided an entertaining view of drag balls, it also contained heavy content surrounding the hatred and difficulties queer and trans individuals faced and continue to face. -
Reflection QuestionCommunity LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCESHow is equality for trans, femme, and nonbinary people important to a just and sustainable society?
Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:29 PMTrans, femme, and nonbinary people are integral to our society, and should be treated as such. If we want our society to be just and sustainable, we must respect all identities and welcome people into spaces where they feel comfortable in expressing their truest selves. -
Reflection QuestionNature Support Local PollinatorsWhy is it important to take care of pollinators?
Maria Quinn 2/27/2023 8:00 AMThis weekend, I researched the impact of bees on our ecosystem. As one of the most important but threatened pollinators, it is extremely important to take care of bees and other pollinators so that they can continue to do their fundamental work.-
Diego Bigelow-Gonzalo 3/25/2023 1:17 PM- Very, very important!
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zoe klausner 2/28/2023 8:22 AMcool!
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Reflection QuestionWaste Find Local Recycling DepotsOur ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors, including market demand for recyclables. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?
Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:37 PMI focused my energy on finding an outlet to give away my old clothes. Goodwill was the first thing to pop up, but after a little digging, I found a nearby women's shelter to drop my clothes off at. This is a much better option because the clothes will be going directly to someone who can use them. Goodwill actually ends up throwing out a lot of clothes, so it's not always the best option. -
Reflection QuestionWaste Learn About & Practice Sustainable FashionHow can you express your personality, creativity, and values in ways that don't require fast fashion or buying more clothes and accessories?
Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:34 PMThe sustainable fashion movement has gained a lot of traction, so there are loads of outlets to find second hand clothing. I have a tendency to always want to buy more for my closet, so I'm going to go through my clothes again and make sure that I get a lot of use out of what I already have before looking to buy another piece. -
Reflection QuestionWater Fix Leaky FaucetsFixing leaky faucets is one of the tasks that we can easily put off until later. Good job on completing this action! How will you use the momentum from completing this action to increase your water efficiency in other ways?
Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:32 PMLeaky faucets are every where at this school, so it was not difficult to find ones to fix. I will use this momentum to be more aware of my own water consumption and always make sure the water is completely turned off before I leave.