"Hi - I'm here to learn about how I can be more sustainable in my day-to-day life. I am excited to learn new things and be a part of this group! "
POINTS TOTAL
0
TODAY
0
THIS WEEK
989
TOTAL
participant impact
UP TO
6.6
pounds
food waste prevented
UP TO
1.0
energy audit
conducted
UP TO
14
pounds of CO2
have been saved
UP TO
58
minutes
being mindful
UP TO
332
gallons of water
have been saved
UP TO
125
minutes
spent exercising
UP TO
35
minutes
spent outdoors
UP TO
70
minutes
spent learning
Janelle's actions
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
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 15 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard or local community garden.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Community
Research Restorative Justice
I will spend 15 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Community
LEARN ABOUT TRANS, FEMME, AND NONBINARY EXPERIENCES
I will spend 30 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Community
Support Native Communities
I will use the resource links provided below and spend 15 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.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Energy
Online Energy Audit
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products
I will spend 20 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home or dorm room.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Health
Go get a check up
I will make an appointment for my annual physical.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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 14
DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Smart Seafood Choices
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Weekly Meal Planning
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS
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
Simplicity
Mindfulness Practice
I will spend 5 minute(s) per day practicing Mindfulness.
COMPLETED 4
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.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Go For A Daily Walk Outside
I will take a walk outside for 15 minutes each day.
COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Work-Life Balance
I will not work more than 8 hour days each day to practice work-life balance.
COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Track my Purchases
I will spend 5 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.
COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Meditate
I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 10 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.
COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION
Simplicity
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
I'm feeling really good about how many one-time actions I have accomplished! Hoping to get a few more in as well as keep up my daily habits that I have built.
I had a fun time exploring the new hike near me (Qoqó:lem which translates as "morning walk"). I haven't hiked in a while so it was a good little workout. I always feel like spending time in nature is good for my brain. I went on a weekend so I didn't need a break from my screen - but sometimes I do and going outside is a great way to accomplish that. Not only do my eyes get a break from the screen, but it helps with motivation, inspiration, and clarity.
I do love my books and home decor, but I only have so much space so I will try to bring in less things. I’ve been borrowing books from the library (less buying) and only buy 1 quality seasonal decor item that I need (rather than lots of dollar store items that are cute, but won’t last). We are even talking about having a limit on what we buy each other in my family for holiday gifts so that people are not accumulating things they don’t want or need. So definitely being more mindful of “stuff” this year.
You have a good plan Janelle, less buying means less to get rid of! I was shopping at a thrift store yesterday and they had a great selection of holiday decor. Some of it looked like it was never used and some of it was vintage.
We recently renovated our home and so many changes we made are more energy efficient (LED bulbs, insulation, smart thermostat, NEST smoke detectors). There are a few things we still can do habit wise (unplug chargers that are not in use). I really want to add a green roof to one section and one day the dream would be solar panels.
For the next week or so - I will be wearing my poppy. I save my poppy each year and use a fancy pin in the middle so I do not lose it/need to buy a new one each year so that is sustainable right :)
I also like reusing my poppy each year. I don't have a pin (so I sometimes I lose the poppy) but that's on this list for me to get. I also am happy to put some coins in the box each year to support the Legion without buying a new one.
Yes Janelle! I re-use poppies from past years (I even have one from way back when they had green centres!) and I use an enamel poppy pin. It is nice to re-use the poppies, but every few years it is nice to get a new one and support the Legion :)
An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four in the US spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money?
It does not surprise me that there is a lot of food waste - the first time I heard/saw information about food waste it was a shock. I do notice that when I plan meals there is less waste (surprise). It also saves me time, but I think the part I like best is that planning ensures I have more variety rather than just making my 5 quick meals all the time. Additionally, if I plan I can let my family know and they can start prep if I will be late at work. Food storage is something I am starting to learn more about and knowing what foods you can keep past the "best before" dates is also helping me decrease my waste. Saving money on unnecessary food would allow me to save for the future or it could cover part of my gas $.
I think your environment can have a huge impact on your health. I was surprised to learn that the "eco multi-purpose cleaner" I use has lower ratings for ingredients related to my health (it rated well for ingredient effects on the environment). So I don't think I will buy this brand again since it contains known carcinogens. I just started using bar soap for my dishes from the Make Nice company and I am really happy with their effectiveness and that they are made with simple ingredients and packaged sustainably (https://makenicecompany.com/pages/faq). We also just got an eco-friendly store in my neighborhood that sells Nellies brand and other things, so I am excited to visit them for options for me locally. I also try to look for cat friendly plants to help with the air quality in my home. My husband has allergies and asthma so we also have an air fan/purifier in our room which he says has helped. Minimizing the unnecessary chemicals around me if nothing else gives me peace of mind and know my home is a safe place where I can truly unwind.
I'm really proud that my Halloween costume this year is made up of items I already owned (re-use) instead of buying a packaged costume from the store! Add in those small sustainable actions where we can!
Great job Janelle! When I actually make an effort to dress up for Halloween (lol), I always try to use things I already have. I have ideas for simple low-effort costumes that I could easily craft or sew for a fraction of the cost of a purchased costume. Hopefully I can do this next year when I have some more time :)
