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Maria Quinn's avatar

Maria Quinn

Nature, God, and Social Justice 2023

Points Total

  • 35 Today
  • 35 This Week
  • 2,021 Total

Participant Impact

  • up to
    129
    minutes
    being mindful
  • up to
    441
    minutes
    not spent in front of a screen
  • up to
    12
    pounds of paper
    have been saved
  • up to
    147
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • up to
    1,106
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • up to
    825
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • up to
    2.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • up to
    2.0
    conversations
    with people
  • up to
    2.0
    public officials or leaders
    contacted
  • up to
    1.0
    community events
    hosted or attended
  • up to
    120
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • up to
    315
    minutes
    spent 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.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCES

I will spend 45 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

Host A Watch Party

I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

Research Restorative Justice

I will spend 40 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

Completed
One-Time Action

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.

Completed
One-Time Action

Waste

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

Completed
One-Time Action

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.

Completed
One-Time Action

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

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.

Completed
One-Time Action

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.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

Completed
One-Time Action

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

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.

Completed
One-Time Action

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.

COMPLETED 33
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

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

Completed
One-Time Action

Water

Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater

I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.

Completed
One-Time Action

Simplicity

Limit Social Media

I will limit my social media use to once each day reducing my daily use by 45 minute(s)

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

Completed
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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Exercise Daily

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 60 minute(s) each day.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 37
DAILY ACTIONS

Feed


  • Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 3/23/2023 9:58 AM
    The 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 Question
    Community Research Restorative Justice
    How can Restorative Justice help foster the well-being of both people and planet?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:41 PM
    Restorative 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's avatar
      Marguerite Saunders 3/01/2023 10:32 AM
      Restorative 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.
  • Reflection Question
    Waste Go Paperless
    Reducing 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's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:35 PM
    It 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's avatar
      Diego Bigelow-Gonzalo 3/25/2023 1:09 PM
      This!!! 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.
  • Reflection Question
    Nature Explore My Area
    How might spending more time outdoors enhance your brainpower?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:33 PM
    Spending 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's avatar
      Diego Bigelow-Gonzalo 3/25/2023 1:16 PM
      That'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.
  • Reflection Question
    Community Host A Watch Party
    What did you learn about in the documentary you watched? How did it make you feel?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:32 PM
    This 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 Question
    Community LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCES
    How is equality for trans, femme, and nonbinary people important to a just and sustainable society?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/28/2023 6:29 PM
    Trans, 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 Question
    Nature Support Local Pollinators
    Why is it important to take care of pollinators?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/27/2023 8:00 AM
    This 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.
  • Reflection Question
    Waste Find Local Recycling Depots
    Our 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's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:37 PM
    I 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 Question
    Waste Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion
    How can you express your personality, creativity, and values in ways that don't require fast fashion or buying more clothes and accessories?

    Maria Quinn's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:34 PM
    The 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 Question
    Water Fix Leaky Faucets
    Fixing 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's avatar
    Maria Quinn 2/17/2023 12:32 PM
    Leaky 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.