Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Saki Saito

EJ and Ecospirituality, Spring 2026

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,043 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.9

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

151

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

110

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

2.0

pounds

waste avoided
UP TO

354

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person
UP TO

30

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

115

minutes

spent learning

Saki's actions

Water

Take 5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Invite a Friend to Calculate Their Footprint

Individual actions are important, but people and organizations working together can make a real impact. I will share a carbon or energy calculator with a friend and invite them to calculate the carbon footprint of their living space.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Engage in a Mindfulness Practice

I will spend 10 minutes per day practicing Mindfulness.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Learn About Trans, Femme, and Nonbinary Experiences

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.

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

Energy

Power Down the Computer

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 per day.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY 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

Simplicity

Think About My 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

Simplicity

Buy Used Clothes Instead of New

I will spend 20 minutes learning about the perils of fast fashion and will choose thrift stores, clothing swaps, or second-hand options when I shop for clothes.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Make Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

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

Health

Learn More about Food Apartheid

I will spend 20 minutes learning about food apartheid and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Turn Off Lights and Electronics

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Switch To Cold Water for Laundry

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Plan Meals for the Week

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?
Saki Saito 2/27/2026 11:12 AM
I read through the interview with Karen Washington, a community activist in New York City, who has helped communities become more resilient. Something that stood out to me was that she talks about how providing food to "solve hunger" alone is not enough, because a lot of issues that communities face are interconnected, such as poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and housing.

A lack of access to nutritious food can cause communities to experience health issues such as diabetes and obesity which can influence their ability to work, creating compounding issues. Furthermore, this can incur costs which can further impact a family's ability to access nutritious food.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

What did you fix and how did it go? Share a few pics if you can!
Saki Saito 2/24/2026 7:20 PM
I fixed my dressy heels which broke at a formal last semester. This was the second time they had broken so I was debating getting a new pair, but I decided to fix them again by supergluing the strap back onto the base!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

Do people with economic privilege have a responsibility to consume and own less? How can the concept of “reduce” be presented to those who may be struggling to have enough food, clothes, shelter?
Saki Saito 2/24/2026 2:08 PM
I don't think people with economic privilege necessarily have a responsibility to consume less, but they should make an effort to purchase clothing that is of high quality and will last long, so that they can reduce the number of times they need to purchase the same item. This will ensure that the amount of water and exploitative labor used to make poor-quality clothes can be reduced.

Read More
- Saki Saito 2/24/2026 2:16 PM
  I went to Goodwill down in Virginia over the weekend, and I got a sweater for this winter season. I'm really happy with this purchase since I feel that I am making positive decisions for our environment, and I got to save some money as well!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

What did you learn about the impact of your seafood choices on ocean health? What challenges, if any, did you encounter when trying to make more sustainable seafood choices?
Saki Saito 2/23/2026 12:52 PM
On the Ocean Wise website that is linked to this task, there was a tip about eating fish that are lower down the food chain as this poses less negative impacts on the balance of the ecosystem. I think this will be a relatively easy change to make, so I want to be more intentional about including shrimp, for example, into my meals instead of bigger fish like salmon or tuna.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?
Saki Saito 2/22/2026 8:48 PM
I usually go on the trail in Glover Archbold Park behind Yates whenever I want to go on walks, but today I decided to go on the trail across the road beside the French Embassy. It was refreshing to have a change of scenery, and it made me feel like I was making the most out of the nature surrounding Georgetown's campus. I think that spending time outdoors helps us to help us understand and appreciate the landscape that existed before buildings and institutions were built, and also to familiarize ourselves with the species that are native to this area.

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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?
Saki Saito 2/19/2026 8:35 PM
I think the only place I frequent often is the Hilltop, but the GUTS bus already exists, which I take 90% of the time I commute. Over the weekend, I shared a ride with others when I went to a concert and ran into people who also lived in 55H. It was great that on top of being more environmentally friendly, we all saved some money!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

What do you plan to do with the money you save from making more energy efficient choices?
Saki Saito 2/17/2026 11:50 PM
This question is a little difficult to answer because we don't pay for laundry at 55H. However, this does bring about a different question of how the fact that laundry is free for us might influence the frequency at which we wash our clothes.

I generally do full loads of laundry and schedule out my clothes so that I'm able to make the most of the water that is being used, and I want to continue doing this (along with using cold water) to save energy.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Saki Saito 2/13/2026 10:07 AM
Electricity in DC mostly (>95%) comes from other states, with around 5% being generated locally, most of which is renewable. This lines up with what I discovered about 55 H St while doing research to fill out the carbon footprint calculator, which said that 5% of our electricity came from the solar panels on our roof.

It seems that most of the energy from outside states is non-renewable, which would release a lot of pollutants such as CO2 into our atmosphere. This causes global warming which has severe effects on animals such as habitat loss, and impacts humans as well through increased intensity of natural disaster events.

Read More
Saki Saito 2/11/2026 7:48 PM
I feel that some of the daily actions, such as turning off the lights and electronics, are starting to become habits at this point into the month. In the same way that small actions that save just a little bit of energy add up over time to save a lot, I think each small action each day adds up into making it a habit over time.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Water

What did you notice about your habits or routines when limiting your showers to five minutes? What changes—if any—do you think you’ll continue long-term?
Saki Saito 2/09/2026 5:24 PM
I took a 5 minute shower this morning, and I found it to be much easier than taking them at night. I think this might be because I'm more tired in the evening which makes me want to stay in the shower and relax for longer.

This made me think about how reducing my showers by even just 5 minutes adds up when this is something I do daily, and I think this principle could be applied to other daily tasks as well. For example, shutting down my laptop or turning off the lights in my room each time I leave the apartment.

Read More
- Savannah Samano 2/09/2026 6:36 PM
  I also took a quick shower this morning, but it was very much forced considering there was no hot water.
  
  Read More