Ecochallenge.org

The People's Ecochallenge

October 6 - October 27, 2021

Karl Teskey

GICW- JC & VOC- SEM Energy Team

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
553 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

25

whole food meals

consumed
UP TO

6.8

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

70

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

340

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

47

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Karl's actions

Energy

Calculate the Carbon Footprint of my Household

Do at Home

I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Calculate My Water Footprint

Do at Home

I will calculate my Water Footprint to learn about my tap water use and "virtual water" use.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Power Saving Settings

Do at Home

I will learn about and update the power saving settings on my computer to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Turn It Off

Do at Home

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

Do at Home

I will reduce food waste and save money by prepping for 2 meal(s) each day, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Whole Foods Diet

Do at Home

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 20
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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

Do at Home

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Karl Teskey 10/27/2021 8:19 AM
63% is from hydropower and 29% from natural gas-fired plant; they are moving to eliminate coal power by 2025, carbon-neutral by 2030, and complete elimination of fossil fuel electricity by 2045.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Water

How does your view on water consumption change after completing this action?
Karl Teskey 10/27/2021 8:05 AM
People tend not to think about how much water they use, which adds up to significant amounts when spread across a population. Evaluating your water usage gives you perspective on where improvements in conservation can be made.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

After you determined your carbon footprint, did you see what different choices you can make in order to reduce it?
Karl Teskey 10/27/2021 8:03 AM
Have begun using reusable bags for all shopping, in addition to reducing how much we purchase.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

What are other easy things you could do to save energy and reduce your environmental footprint?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:34 AM
Unplug household appliances when not actually in use. Open windows instead of using air conditioning. Ensure your water pipes are insulated to save on heating/cooling costs through lost energy.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

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?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:31 AM
By reducing my food waste with meal preparation I've been able to put the extra money saved towards my education loans and finish paying them off.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Michael Pollan states that “it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor.” What are your thoughts on this assertion?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:29 AM
Having a truly healthy diet of fresh whole foods can greatly change not only how healthy you feel, but how healthy you actually are.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

Before you started this challenge, did you think you were 'addicted' to sugar? How do you feel now?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:29 AM
I did not realize how integrated in so many foods sugar has become. I thought it would be harder then it actually is, just takes some commitment to accomplish.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Consider the ways you can garden: a plot of land? a patio container? hanging basket? windowsill gardens? What would work best for your living situation and lifestyle?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:28 AM
I live in an apartment, so I created a four-tiered garden using stair risers and some 2"x10" boards.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA or another trusted source. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?
Karl Teskey 10/20/2021 10:26 AM
Making dill pickles is an easy yearly food to preserve.

Read More