capstone

Eco Challenge #6 Transportation: My car is in California, so I rely on public transportation to get around the city. Today, I decided I should walk! I was headed home from a shift I picked up by Powell's. The streetcar goes directly to and from campus to Powell's, but I decided to walk instead since it's not that far from campus. Usually, I...

Eco Challenge #5 Community: For this eco challenge, I focused on connecting with some of my neighbors. I live here on campus, and am familiar with the people who live on my floor, but I don't often talk to them. For this task, though it was a little out of my comfort zone, I started talking to people around the building. While doing laundry, I...

Eco Challenge #4 Water: For this challenge, I wanted to focus on taking shorter showers. I used to be pretty great at this, as I have always been pretty water conscious, but as of late, I have been taking lengthier showers. I don't set a timer, but I queue two songs to play (about 5-6 minutes) and the goal is to be done by the time those songs...

Eco Challenge #3 Food: For this challenge, I decided to go to farmer's market to buy a few things. I was able to go this past weekend and bought lunch, as well as a bunch of produce. I used some in salads and got some to snack on here and there. I was pretty good at going to the farmer's market here at PSU each Saturday for a while, but this...

Energy: For this ecochallenge, I focused on the "Turn It Off" goal. I have a bad habit of always leaving things plugged in, not turning off lights, and leaving things charging over night. In my dorm, I especially had no excuse because most of my electronics and appliances are connected to power strips - which are simple to turn off....

There are a few things that stood in my way of making using a reusable mug a habit. First, most of the time when I go out to get coffee or tea, it is a spontaneous decision. Whether I get invited by a classmate after class, or I start feeling really tired while out studying, it's usually a last minute decision. If I don't plan on getting coffee...

I’ve been relying on public transportation for my daily commutes for quite some time now. This week, I made sure to continue using the streetcar and buses, which have become my go-to options for getting around the city. While it's already part of my routine, I’ve noticed that it not only helps me avoid traffic but also reduces my personal...

For transportation this week I have decided to walk a bit more. I realized that I hop in my car for a 2-3 minute drive often when getting food. This past week I walked around SE and SW neighborhood to get food, and even found a new spot. Within a 15 minute walk from my house in SE is Baby Doll Pizza and they were amazing. It is in the opposite...

2/18/25: Was somebody going to tell me that carrying 6 reusable bags 1.5 miles home is way easier on my body than using paper? I have mobility issues with my joints and often have to carry bags weirdly so I don't slip my joints out of place; The reusable bags were able to handle a lot more strain than plastic or paper, although I think I will...

2/12/25: I have convinced my boyfriend to use a Bottle Drop bag at his apartment 🙌 He was skeptical because Washington doesn't have a Bottle Drop program. We researched and talked about what he can put in there, and it led to a longer conversation about what can and can't be recycled. He's pretty Type A and get scared that he'll get in trouble...