Earth Month Ecochallenge 2023: Sustainable Development Goals

April 1 - April 30, 2023

Sonya Kougasian

Parsippany Parsleys

"“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.” - Jana Stanfield"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,165 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

square foot

community beautification
UP TO

3.0

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

595

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

136

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

1.0

water footprint

calculated
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

110

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

tree

planted
UP TO

585

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

55

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person
UP TO

1.0

item

repaired

Sonya's actions

Basic Needs & Security

Watch a Documentary About Food, Water, or Basic Needs

SDG 6

I will watch 3 documentaries about food, water, or basic needs.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Watch a Documentary About Equity, Gender, Health, or Peace

SDG 3, 5, 10, 16

I will watch 1 documentaries about equity, gender, health, or peace.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Plant a Tree

SDG 15

On average, a tree absorbs 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of carbon dioxide yearly during the first 20 years. To do my part, I will plant 1 trees in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Try a New Vegan or Vegetarian Recipe

I will try a new vegan or vegetarian recipe and share how it turns out on the Ecochallenge feed, or with family and friends.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Support Local Pollinators

SDG 15

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will plant pollinator-friendly plants in my area to support local pollinators.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Calculate Your Water Footprint

SDG 6

I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Spend Time Outside

SDG 3

I will replace 15 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside exercising, enjoying the sunrise/sunset, gardening, journaling, or practicing gratitude for nature.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Equity

Practice Mindfulness

SDG 3

I will spend 10 minutes each day practicing mindfulness.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Economy & Communities

Mend Clothing

SDG 9

I will mend clothing for myself, family or friends.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Economy & Communities

Chat With A Nonprofit

SDG 12

I will have a conversation with one or more nonprofit organizations I want to be involved with.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Track My Purchases

SDG 10

Each day, I will track my purchases to identify my spending habits. This will allow me to see what purchases can be reduced.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Reduce Animal Product Consumption

SDG 2

One kilogram of beef and cheese emits 71kg and 24kg of greenhouse gasses, while 1kg of rice, grains, and legumes emits between 2-4kg. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts emit less than 1kg per 1kg. I will reduce my climate impact by enjoying 3 meatless meals and/or 3 vegan meals each day this week.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Climate & Ecosystems

Collect Litter on a Plog / Plalk

SDG 15

Each day, I will go on a plog or plalk for 5 minutes and collect 5 items of litter.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Economy & Communities

Watch a Documentary About Economy, Energy, or Industry

SDG 7, 9, 12

I will watch 1 documentaries about economy, energy, or industry.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Plan A Staycation in Your Community

SDG 11

For an upcoming vacation, I will spend 10 minutes planning out a staycation in my region. For reference, one several hour flight releases the equivalent of nearly 14% of the annual emissions from a car.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement

SDG 6

I will spend 5 minutes learning about water justice in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Donate Food

SDG 3, 10

I will find out what food programs are in my area and donate food and/or other items that they request.

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
Economy & Communities

What was one nonprofit organization that was exciting to learn about?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 5:47 PM
The nonprofit I connected with is called Hackensack Riverkeeper. I have volunteered with them in the past, but it's been a while! I'm excited to hopefully participate in upcoming river cleanups,

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

Why do you donate food? How does it connect to your values?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 5:44 PM
Earlier this month I worked on donating some of our discontinued cleaning products to a non-profit. I think it is important to always do what we can to support those who need help. Basically, treat others the way you would want to be treated.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

What did you watch, and what was the most important thing you learned in the documentaries you watched? How does what you learned connect to your understanding of climate change and Earth Month?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 5:38 PM
The documentary I watched was titled "Lost and Found," and centered around the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangaladesh. The film focused on a man named Kamal Hussein, who works to reunited lost children with their families. Watching this really made me aware of my privilege, and the responsibility we have to help others as best we can. It is also on us to help propel developing nations into developed nations so that we can all work together to stop climate change.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Economy & Communities

What was it like to mend your clothing? If you are skilled at mending, what tips do you have for others?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 5:00 PM
I added some elastic to the straps of a dress that were a bit loose. Nothing fancy, but it got the job done so that the straps stayed up on my shoulders. I would love to actually learn to sew with patterns!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate & Ecosystems

How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:57 PM
Around Christmas I bought a "plant your own" fir tree kit. Right now it's just a seedling in the tin can kit that it came in, but hopefully one-day it will be as big as a real Christmas tree.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate & Ecosystems

Why is it important to take care of pollinators? Do you have a favorite pollinator?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:54 PM
Pollinators not only keep our local flora alive and thriving, but also act as a food source for small mammals and birds, which reverberates through the food chain to support the whole ecosystem.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Basic Needs & Security

Who is affected by water insecurity in your region? How are they affected? How are you impacted by water insecurity?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:22 PM
When spending time learning about water justice in NJ, I came across this article: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2022/04/nj-sues-chemical-companies-tainted-groundwater-lodi-bergen-county-cleanup-costs/.

This specific case involves a company once located in Lodi, NJ (so not far from where I live), and a community classified as “overburdened” under New Jersey’s Environmental Justice law.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

How have you reduced your purchasing habits and what would you like to do next to reduce your consumption habits?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:14 PM
It is way more tempting to purchase things now that we have apps right on our phones. I can be a bit of an impulse shopper, so just deleting the apps is a real help. I think my next step is to do a no-spend challenge. The challenge aspect will hopefully hold me more accountable.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

What was it like to practice mindfulness? If this is a practice for you already, what was something new you understood in practicing during Earth Month?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:10 PM
Practicing mindfulness can be a challenge when it feels like you're constantly on the go. But I noticed it was especially helpful during eating. I find that I will often wolf down my meals without fully enjoying them, so it was nice to slow down.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Education & Livelihood

What place in your region are you most excited to visit during your staycation?
Sonya Kougasian 4/30/2023 4:06 PM
My mom and I really enjoy visiting libraries, and we plan to spend a weekend going to ones that look really interesting. There is one in Weehawken, NJ that we would really like to visit.

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