

Caroline Hess
"Reducing waste through sustainable living ♻️"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,657 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO3.0donationsmade
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UP TO2.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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UP TO5.0advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO65plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO4.0conversationswith people
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UP TO32milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO285minutesspent learning
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO72gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO3.3pounds of paperhave been saved
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UP TO381pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO32milestraveled by foot
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO235minutesspent exercising
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UP TO2.0locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO5.0hoursvolunteered
Caroline's actions
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Do at Home
I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
Waste
Personal Waste Audit
Do at Home
I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.
Energy
Turn It Off
Do at Home
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Waste
Go Paperless
Do at Home
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.
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.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home
Do at Home
I will spend 30 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Community
Volunteer in My Community
Do at Home
I will volunteer 3 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.
Food
Buy From a Farmers Market
Do at Home
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.
Waste
Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
Do at Home
I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.
Health
Happiness
Do at Home
I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.
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).
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.
Transportation
Walk Instead
I will walk 2 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Community
Raise Money For a Nonprofit
Do at Home
I will raise money to support Ecochallenge.org or another nonprofit.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
Do at Home
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Transportation
Advocate for Greener Vehicles
Do at Home
I will spend at least 30 minutes assessing the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.
Waste
Launch a Recycling Program
I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.
Water
Ditch the Lawn
Do at Home
I will replace my lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape and save the water, money, and time I used to spend cutting the grass.
Action Track: Healing and Renewal
Go for a Daily Walk Outside
Do at Home
I will take a walk outside for 15 minutes each day.
Energy
Install Alternative Energy
Do at Home
I will install an alternative energy system, such as solar electric systems or solar water heaters.
Transportation
Improve a Bus Stop
I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.
Water
Install Greywater Catchment
Do at Home
I will install a greywater catchment system in my home.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaterWhat are some of the needs that water meets or benefits that water provides for you?
Caroline Hess 10/27/2021 9:05 PMIt’s necessary for all life — hydration, hygiene, cooking, planting produce. We wouldn’t be able to survive without it -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWasteWhy is it often difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places?
Caroline Hess 10/27/2021 9:04 PMBecause of the culture of consumerism we live in, we can order anything with the tap of a button. We don’t have to spend anytime researching what we’re buying, so we often overlook the impact the items we purchase have -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportationHow can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?
Caroline Hess 10/27/2021 9:03 PMI think it’s important that we continuously update our public transportation systems — by introducing more sustainable systems, you’d actually be increasing your ability to meet more peoples needs. Electric public transport would reduce costs and therefor decrease fares. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergyHow is your region being affected by climate change? How will it be affected in the future?
Caroline Hess 10/27/2021 9:01 PMAgain, I did this challenge with my property in Vegas. Droughts have always been common there, but especially these past couple years. Leading to low levels in the water sources. If it continues, it will be nearly impossible to supply Nevada and surrounding states with water -
Caroline Hess 10/27/2021 3:11 PMCan’t believe it’s the last day! Looking forward to continuing to make more sustainable choices -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWasteHow might thinking creatively help us address big systems problems differently?
Caroline Hess 10/26/2021 8:16 PMMy business's team is completely remote, so at first I didn't think it would be possible to implement a recycling program for my business. This could be a problem a lot of companies are facing (especially post-covid). I decided to instead offer my team reimbursements for them to go out and purchase a recycling bin for their house and sent them resources to find more details on their local recycling programs. If businesses looked for more creative solutions, I think we could see a huge impact nationwide. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportationReducing (or eliminating) exhaust emissions and improving public health are two benefits of green vehicles. What other motivators inspire you to consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle?
Caroline Hess 10/26/2021 8:13 PMThere's also the cost efficiency factor of not having to pay for gas. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunityHow do/can Ecochallenge.org programs help you develop a stronger sense of community?
Caroline Hess 10/26/2021 8:10 PMThis challenge encouraged me to learn a lot about different issues facing our country, especially in the Chicago area. I just moved to Chicago in July, so it was really great to learn about the local resources available. -
Caroline Hess 10/26/2021 8:08 PMCan't believe the challenge is almost over! Learned a lot throughout the past couple weeks. It's great to look back and see all of the little changes we've made in the household that will have a bigger impact longterm -
Caroline Hess 10/25/2021 3:41 PMUsed the buildings cleaner refill system for the first time today! Love that not only does it reduce waste but also makes it convenient to use non-toxic cleaners