Earth Month Ecochallenge 2023: Sustainable Development Goals

April 1 - April 30, 2023

Chris LoConti

Wyld

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,053 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

square foot

community beautification
UP TO

1,605

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

1.0

energy audit

conducted
UP TO

634

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

6.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

1.0

water footprint

calculated
UP TO

11

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

96

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

2.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

720

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

tree

planted
UP TO

72

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1,605

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

420

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

1.9

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

8.0

hours

volunteered
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person

Chris's actions

Health & Equity

Practice Mindfulness

SDG 3

I will spend 15 minutes each day practicing mindfulness.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Climate & Ecosystems

Watch a Documentary About Climate Change or Nature

SDG 13, 14, 15

I will watch 2 documentaries about climate change.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

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

SDG 3, 5, 10, 16

I will watch 2 documentaries about equity, gender, health, or peace.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Economy & Communities

Watch a Documentary About Economy, Energy, or Industry

SDG 7, 9, 12

I will watch 2 documentaries about economy, energy, or industry.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Economy & Communities

Online Energy Audit

SDG 7

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

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

Health & Equity

Support Indigenous & First Nations Communities

SDG 10

I will spend 60 learning about the past and present indigenous communities in my regions and what I can do to be supportive.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Calculate Your Carbon Impact

SDG 13

I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how lifestyle changes could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Economy & Communities

Choose Clean/Renewable Energy

SDG 7

I will contact my energy company to find out how to sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Economy & Communities

Choose LED Bulbs

SDG 7

I will replace 6 incandescent light bulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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

Economy & Communities

Analyze Your Utility Bills

SDG 7

I spend 30 minutes analyzing my recent utility bills, which might include electricity, gas, or water to see what my current usage is and determine if I can reduce my energy and water use.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement

SDG 6

I will spend 30 minutes learning about water justice in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Watch a Documentary About Education or Work

SDG 4

I will watch 2 documentaries about education or work.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Host or Join a Cleanup Event

SDG 11, 17

Within my community at home or work, I will organize or attend a local cleanup event.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Research Impact Investing

SDG 8

Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing or my current investment portfolio to determine if they align with my values.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Volunteer in My Community

SDG 1

I will volunteer 8 hours in my community.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Watch a Documentary About Food, Water, or Basic Needs

SDG 6

I will watch 2 documentaries about food, water, or basic needs.

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

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

Take 5-Minute Or Less Showers

SDG 6

I will save up to 6 gallons (23 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers. Tip: Use a timer to practice or count to 60 a few times.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Climate & Ecosystems

Drive Less

SDG 13

To reduce CO2 emissions each day, I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Education & Livelihood

Plan A Staycation in Your Community

SDG 11

For an upcoming vacation, I will spend 30 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

Make Zero-Waste Meals

SDG 2

I will cook 1 meals with zero waste each day.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Equity

Spend Time Outside

SDG 3

I will replace 30 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 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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
Basic Needs & Security

What was one of your most memorable volunteer experiences, and why? What would you like to volunteer for next, and why?
Chris LoConti 4/27/2023 3:29 PM
Volunteering with an organization called Bark - we were scouting suitable beaver habitat and had to navigate through streams and dense forest scattered with devil's club.
The area we searched didn't end up being suitable, but it definitely was a unique experience.

Read More
- Katherine Forsyth 4/28/2023 1:29 PM
  Why are the beavers in need of a new habitat? They are pretty tenacious and are a good example of the oil and water relationship between what humans want to do with the land and what nature wants. Little devils
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Education & Livelihood

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?
Chris LoConti 4/21/2023 10:01 AM
"Waiting for Superman" stressed the critical importance of education reform in the United States. It highlighted the shortcomings of the American public education system and the ways in which it fails to provide equal opportunities for all students, particularly those in low-income communities. It also underscores the need for increased accountability and innovation in education, including greater teacher accountability, better measurement of student progress, and greater use of data to inform instruction.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Basic Needs & Security

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?
Chris LoConti 4/21/2023 9:58 AM
The most important thing learned from "The Pollinators", is the crucial role that bees play in our food system and the various threats they face, including pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change. The documentary highlights the interconnectedness of our ecosystem and emphasizes the importance of taking action to protect and support pollinators for the sake of our food security and the health of our planet.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

Why is it important to honor native and indigenous peoples and cultures? What have you learned that is important to you? If you identify with or are a member of an indigenous group, how does your community practice sustainability?
Chris LoConti 4/17/2023 10:23 AM
As Luhui Whitebear of the Coastal Band Chumash Tribe put it, "...(this is) not a historic thing. These are still somebody’s lands. The people are still alive.”

Here in Corvallis, we are settled on the ancestral land of the Mary’s River Band of the Kalapuya, which is believed to have consisted of 13-19 subdivision groups, with an estimated total of 15,000 people. Between the years of 1805 and 1830, the population is estimated to have been around 8,780 to 9,200 people. By 1849, the population dropped to roughly 600 people, due to the introduction of colonizers and the illnesses they carried to the Pacific Northwest.

Between 1851 and 1887, local tribes were further displaced by the signing of treaties, forced removal to reservations, and the blending of tribes. The descendants of the Kalapuya People are now part of the federally recognized Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon.

Check out Whitebear's full article here: Link - where she touches on: land acknowledgement, tribal recognition & sovereignty, non-federally recognized tribes, disruption to sacred sites & burial sites, indigenous romanticization, & misrepresentation in schools

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Education & Livelihood

After learning more about investing, how can you increase positive impacts and decrease negative impacts?
Chris LoConti 4/14/2023 9:41 AM
asyousow.org/invest-your-values is a great website to analyze your current or future investments, they have search engines that cover issue areas such as: Fossil Free Funds, Deforestation Free Funds, Gender Equality, Gun Free, Prison Free, Weapons Free, & Tobacco Free funds - they also provide a 401k Scorecard tool

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Economy & Communities

What most interested or surprised you about your energy audit?
Chris LoConti 4/13/2023 10:37 AM
It was interesting to see the relative % breakdown across different categories of the total usage - Heating: 36%, Water Heating: 24%, Laundry: 17%, Cooking: 16%, Always On: 14%, Entertainment: 14%, Refrigeration: 9%, Lighting: 6%

I was surprised that refrigeration was so low being always on, while laundry was much higher though it's only used ~1-2/wk

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate & Ecosystems

What is one way you will reduce your carbon footprint? What is a practice you already have that helps you reduce your carbon footprint?
Chris LoConti 4/13/2023 10:32 AM
One way I'll reduce my carbon footprint is to be more mindful of resisting the urge to grab food out when there's leftovers in the fridge that shouldn't go to waste.
One small practice that we've implemented to reduce our footprint is purchasing chicken directly from the deli counter rather than the prepackaged options in the meat section - there's still the need to use ziplock freezer bags to store the meat, but in comparison to all of the thick plastic packaging and humidity control packs that come with the prepackaged options, the amount of plastic used is greatly reduced.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Economy & Communities

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?
Chris LoConti 4/12/2023 12:00 PM
"Solar for All" - it was about D.C. using innovation and the concept of equity or “equal access” to local, clean energy to reduce resident’s utility bills and support underserved communities that are most impacted by climate change. I think it did a great job highlighting and bringing awareness to the fact that there is a real risk of underserved communities being left behind in the clean energy transition without intentional policy and efforts being implemented to make it equitable for all.

Read More
- Chris LoConti 4/13/2023 1:52 PM
  Glad that you checked it out and that it resonated with you Mary!
  
  Read More
- Mary Hanks 4/13/2023 1:30 PM
  Chris, "Solar For All" was my favorite documentary of all that I've viewed for this EcoChallenge so far. It made me feel hopeful because it demonstrated the positive results when the entire community is involved. Outsiders, no matter how educated and well-meaning, are not going to understand the complexity of issues like local people can.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Economy & Communities

How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the clean energy shift?
Chris LoConti 4/11/2023 4:05 PM
One way would be spreading the word about utility products like renewable energy certificates and offering to show others how easy it is to sign up for RECs if their local utility provider offers them and if the cost is affordable for their budget.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Education & Livelihood

What place in your region are you most excited to visit during your staycation?
Chris LoConti 4/11/2023 9:07 AM
The Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - one of the "Seven Wonders" of Oregon - the layers that create a "painted" effect in the hills are ancient fossilized soil; plant and animal fossils from 30-39mil years ago are present in this area including from Redwoods

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