Ecochallenge.org

Campus Ecochallenge

Regan Vandiver

Asheville High School

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
844 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

22

organic meals

consumed
UP TO

1,930

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

24

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

35

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

20

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

245

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

3.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

1,165

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

598

minutes

spent learning

Regan's actions

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Learn More about Food Apartheid

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

RESEARCH LOCAL WASTE SITES

I will spend 60 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

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

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 30 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Leave No Trace

I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a 20-minute walk outside each day.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Learn About Renewable Energy

I will spend 10 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Less Screen Time

I will replace 30 minute(s) of screen time each day with other activities.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service or organize car sharing with my neighbors or classmates to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

More Fruits and Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 9
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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and POC-majority neighborhoods. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

COMPLETED 10
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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Choose Organic Ingredients

Many people say that “you can’t feed the world with just organic food.” How would you respond to that statement?

Regan Vandiver 11/21/2023 6:29 PM

I would respond to this statement by saying that you can. We aren't currently doing it, but with a lot of work, it's possible. If we grow and distribute more organic food, most areas will have this food, so therefore we would be feeding the world with organic food.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Track my Purchases

What have you noticed about your purchases? Where are you inclined to make shifts, if any?

Regan Vandiver 11/21/2023 5:49 PM

I have noticed that I have pretty healthy spending habits. I don't spend very much money on random things. Most of my purchases are gifts for people. I don't think I need to make any shifts in my spending habits.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Go for a Daily Walk

How do you experience your neighborhood or city differently when walking instead of driving?

Regan Vandiver 11/21/2023 5:36 PM

When I'm walking, I observe and appreciate my neighborhood more than if I'm driving. I am going at a slower pace, so I have time to think and reflect on what I am seeing and I enjoy looking around.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

How does food sovereignty address the complex transition from localized food systems to modern global food systems?

Regan Vandiver 11/21/2023 5:21 PM

Food sovereignty can address access to whole, fresh food on a global scale by helping people live and eat healthier. People who have access to fresh food live a healthier life. When small organizations try to make food sovereignty happen, it spreads the message and then more people start doing it so it grows from a small local movement to a larger global movement, to modern global food systems.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Less Screen Time

What did you notice in implementing this challenge? Was it hard to choose other activities over screen time? How did you decide to spend your time?

Regan Vandiver 11/17/2023 5:57 PM

I noticed that this challenge was pretty easy to complete. Instead of spending time on screens, I spent my time doing track workouts at track practice. I also spent my time spending more time with my family and friends instead of being on a screen.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Learn More about Food Apartheid

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?

Regan Vandiver 11/17/2023 5:11 PM

A lack of fresh, nutrient-rich foods makes someone gain more weight and have a more unhealthy lifestyle because they are eating more processed foods. Eating little fresh, nutrient-rich foods also increases the risk of chronic diseases. This could affect a community by having a higher risk of chronic diseases. Having access to nutritious food helps a community become more resilient because people are physically and mentally stronger. The community is stronger and healthier so the community is more successful.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Spend Time Outside

Rachel Carson said that we need the beauty and mysteries of the natural world for our spiritual and emotional development. Does that ring true for you? What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors?

Regan Vandiver 11/15/2023 12:22 PM

I do think that this is partly true. When a culture spends most of its time indoors, we don't get the vitamins that we need that come from being outside. We become less healthy. On the other hand, if a culture spends most of its time outdoors, it becomes more appreciative of what's outside and more aware of what's happening around it. We'll also just have better health in general if we spend more time outside.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health More Fruits and Veggies

How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?

Regan Vandiver 11/15/2023 12:05 PM

Eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat means I'm eating healthier so I feel better. When I eat vegetables and fruits I feel more nourished. Eating more fruits and vegetables also contributes towards less waste and pollution on our planet.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Reduce Single-Use Disposables

What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What did you substitute or could be substituted instead?

Regan Vandiver 11/15/2023 11:59 AM

Some single-use items that I use are plastic bags and straws when I am making my lunch. I can substitute these with reusable plastic containers to put stuff in instead.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Leave No Trace

Educator Stephanie Kaza advises her students to focus on what they care about most when addressing the enormity of ecological problems. Is there a specific area you feel particularly called to work on?

Regan Vandiver 11/15/2023 10:06 AM

A specific area that I feel called to work on is waste. When we don't dispose of waste property, there's a lot of litter. So much litter everywhere doesn't do anything good, it only harms the environment. If we pick up our trash when we are outside, the environment will be healthier and cleaner.

Read More