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October 6 - October 27, 2021
Cody Orsak's avatar

Cody Orsak

EcoINL

"Utilize well thought out ideas to make tomorrow a better place. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,217 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    4.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    238
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    10
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    60
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    1,305
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    1,622
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

Cody's actions

Energy

Online Energy Audit

Do at Home

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

Water

Fix Leaky Faucets

Do at Home

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 3 gallons (11 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Work From Home

Do at Home

I will work from home 3 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Car Share

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Buy Used Clothes

Do at Home

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 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Healing and Renewal

Forgiveness

Do at Home

I will begin, or continue, on the journey of forgiving myself and/or other(s). I may do this through journaling, meditation, prayer, and/or talking with a licensed healthcare professional.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those around the world who produce my food in order to make better choices when I shop.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

Do at Home

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

Do at Home

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

Do at Home

I will avoid buying toxic plastics - including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl - and instead replace them with durable non-plastic options.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Reduce Refined Sugar

Do at Home

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Support Pollution Reduction

Do at Home

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Stay on the Ground

Do at Home

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Do at Home

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Switch to Cold Water

Do at Home

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

Community

Host a Watch Party

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Engage In Active Listening

Do at Home

I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 2 conversations.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Forage for My Food

Do at Home

I will use the resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Leave No Trace

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED 19
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

Do at Home

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

Do at Home

I will save up to 8 gallons (32 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow shower-head.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Track My Purchases

Do at Home

I will spend 15 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Research My Investment Portfolio

Do at Home

I will find out what stocks and bonds are in my investment account portfolio to determine if they align with my values (e.g. environmental, social responsibility, community).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Research Impact Investing

Do at Home

Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing and determine if it is right for me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Family Game Hour

Do at Home

I will spend quality time with family and friends by playing low-tech game(s) and/or through the spirit of imagination.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?


  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/27/2021 10:44 AM
    This is the end. Hope everyone continues their learning on these topics.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Online Energy Audit
    What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint? What changes did you make or will you make?

    Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/26/2021 3:34 AM
    it is surprising how much a few temperature degrees can impact the energy draw. I will be more mindful of energy using sources, as well as try to utilize energy efficiency in all aspects of the home. 

  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/26/2021 3:26 AM
    "Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping it kills the other person" -Nelson Mandela

  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/25/2021 9:13 PM
    Down to the final 2/3 days!

  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/25/2021 9:07 PM
    Good start to the week, hope everyone is doing great. 

  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/24/2021 10:13 PM
    Missed some days but coming down the home stretch. 
  • 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?

    Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/24/2021 10:02 PM
    The main thing is to just utilize resources as effectively as possible. I wonder what is the better impact on water resources, utilizing city water, or being on your own well?
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Host a Watch Party
    What did you learn about in the documentary you watched? How did it make you feel?

    Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/24/2021 9:59 PM
    Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet depicts the strains on our planet and its resources with the population growth. 

  • Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/24/2021 9:55 PM
    Hope you all had a great weekend. Coming down the home stretch. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Simplicity Research Impact Investing
    How might impact investing help you better live your values?

    Cody Orsak's avatar
    Cody Orsak 10/22/2021 11:35 PM
    They will make you feel better about your investing. However, the true change would come from impact consuming.