Rosie Migsan

Please reflect on your experiences in the class. Be sure to include up to three things that worked well and up to three things that could be improved.

Things that worked:
1. The videos and readings allowed for critical thinking
2. Assignments were all displayed ahead of time
3. The class allowed for personal growth into contribution of society- The Eco Challenges

Things that could be improved: I would not say that there are things that could be improved in the class, rather my observations of areas I could have done better
1. The materials were given ahead of time which should have allowed for better planning on my end. However, while I planned, I didn't necessarily plan for the amount of time should be allocated for each reading. I think I was a bit ambitious when it cam to some of the readings. Meaning, for some, I thought, I could get them done in a couple of days. But do to the length, and the time I allocated, this was enough
2. I would have like more videos. I am a visual and hands on learner. I understand better when I can see a speaker talking about the subject. They sometimes will have their own visuals displayed which allows for better understanding.
3. Group project- In the team it got a bit confusing when organizing who was to do what assignment. This was mainly because we didn't know who was still in the group. In our group we had a team member give a great idea but never heard from him again. At the end we just assumed he was no longer in the class, However, it would have saved a lot of back and forth had we known this person was no longer in the group.

Overall, I really did enjoy the class. I was really surprised to enjoy some of the readings. They were really informative and at some points I even brought them up at work and in conversation amongst family and friends.

Reflect on your experience with the EcoChallenge. Were you able to meet all the challenges?

I was able to meet all my challenges except for one. I wanted to volunteer at either a soup kitchen or something in my community that gives back. In the past, I have volunteered for " God's Love we Deliver". During Thanksgiving and Christmas I would drive to each location given to me to deliver food for those who were unable to buy food around the holidays, or for those who didn't have family. I have not been able to do that this year.

What was unexpectedly easy or challenging?

I would say, that I found places to buy reusable goods/donated goods and walks for say Alzheimer's to be easier to find. I am not sure if it was because I was looking but everything seemed to fall into place. The stores that we went to and found donated items were easily found. And I did not expect to find an organization to walk for (donation) to be found. Usually it is something I want to do, but I never have the time to really look it up. I found out my job was doing one of these and I felt sad that I had too much school work to catch up on and had missed my chance. And then, by chance while in Connecticut, we drove by a sign that said there was a walk coming up, and I thought, this is a sign (pun intended). I was able to rearrange my schedule and make it work.

Be sure to identify at least one challenge that you would like to attempt in the future. Why did you choose this one?

I want to be able to volunteer at an organization. I choose this because I remember the joy I felt when doing it. I remember seeing the smiles of those who felt grateful that someone was thinking of them. I also remember being surrounded by people who were just happy to help others. In a world where we are constantly thinking about making ends meet and the chaos of everyday life, there was a sense of peace in the community. There was an unspoken agreement that what we have is right now. And we are here helping others not for money but because it is important for everyone to feel valued and like human beings. I miss being surrounded by that feeling.

Join and Donate to an organization: Walk to Alzheimer's

The company I work with was able to create a group and join the walk for Alzheimer's on 10/21. I could not join them as I was sick that whole week and had so much work to catch up on for school. However, I had the chance to create my own team and do the walk with my partner in Connecticut on 10/28 in East, Hartford. I joined because I have family members who have passed away from this disease. My great grandmother (seen in the picture) was diagnosed and shortly after, the disease progressed very fast. At times she thought I was her daughter (my grandmother) who also passed away when I was an infant. I look very much like her. My great grandmother had to be placed in hospice. Not too long after, her eye sight went, and she was confined to a bed for almost a week unable to eat, drink or communicate. I sang to her and held her hand and watched as she took her last breath. I was blessed to having been there but it was not easy. Many suffer from this disease and I feel it is in our best interest to help however much we can.

Join and Donate to an organization: Pets Alive

My job supported a local organization that supports a no-kill Animal Rescue. They take donations of pet products and supplies. Some of us at work have donated to support this. As a person who has saved stray cats and currently has one dog and 2 cats, I cannot imagine having animals being put to sleep when they can be placed in homes.

Summary:

While we still have a few weeks to go before the class comes to an end, I have to say I am grateful to have chosen to take this course. It has allowed me to really think about ways that I can make a difference in my everyday life. This course along with it's readings and videos have really allowed me to rethink what I know about sustainability and how business' that we support also contribute to the problem but can also be the solution. I look forward to continuing to make changes in my day to day life.

1. Recycle and reuse

On the weekends, my boyfriend and I generally go to Connecticut to relax and to continue to prepare the house there until we can officially move permanently . So generally we go to a lot of antique stores or places that sell items that were donated to save money. This particular weekend he was feeling a bit nostalgic and wanted to pick up some DVD's and VHS tapes to add to our collection of movies to choose from for movie night. We stopped by a couple of goodwill stores but also discovered a new place called Restore: Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity. We bought loads of DVDs. Some may say that why waste money on obsolete items when there are so many streaming services. Well the simple answer to that is, as we get older we have learned to appreciate much of the memories that came with say watching DVD's and VHS tapes. There is something exciting about having these items and just being able to pull them out and the feel that comes with deciding which would be the compromise (because we don't always agree on the movie). When the internet goes with the weather, we don't get worried because of our collection. Also, it is because these items have become obsolete and people easily discard them that makes them more valuable to us. It doesn't always help when we try not not hoard to much but in the end, we rather have it when it is someone else's waste. Especially with us buying it recycled and also putting it to good use. I feel it is apart of history. Visiting this store also helped us come up with ideas of furniture that we can add to the house at a much more affordable rate than purchasing new and they are in good condition. I have been looking for furniture to put in my office and was able to get some ideas.

2. Limiting travel by car to minimize my contribution to pollution

With me going to work 5 days and sometimes 6 days a week, I cannot control this aspect of my life. And with me now having to leave the house 2 times a wee (on top of that) for physical therapy, I have noticed that I am driving a bit more than I would like to. I had stopped going to the gym when school started and after hurting my back and have been limited to physical activity. As much as I would like to go to the gym, it is more driving than I would like to do. SO my compromise was walking in my neighborhood. It is not always the safest due to there being no side walk but it is better than driving to a gym where I still cannot do much, and an additional 2 hours out of my day that I do not have. This past week I have been able to set aside 30 minutes out of my day to go for a walk.

3. Supporting local business: Royal Acres Farm

This week was the last week that our neighbor would be selling his veggies due to the end of the season. So I went up for the last time this season to get some veggies. In the rain and before I lost all energy, I was able to get the last of our shares from John. It had also occurred to us that this might be the last time we purchase from him as we may be officially be settled in Connecticut next year.

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbxUSsFXYo4

I found this assignment to be pretty interesting. I have even found old 80's songs that I have added to my playlist but while they talk about money, they don't necessarily talk about how brutal the industry is. A song that I found (and had forgotten about) was 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton. She addresses what it's like working for corporations. I think a big factor in how corporations address social change can be seen within the organizations and how they address their employees who are also shareholders. If employees are not feeling appreciated, will they feel motivated to go above and beyond ? He also expresses expresses that while corporations can be greedy, this can be a good thing if they are putting this value into shareholders. Change happens with the production of profits. You need money to keep shareholders happy but it shouldn't end there.

Also, I found it interesting that he had a song written for his beliefs! While I am not sure it would make for a good spot in a playlist, it is certainly informative. The song is called the coorperation. I have pasted a link below:

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Seg0JE1PM

Assuming money is no object (ha!), would you consider investing in ESG stocks or bonds? Why or why not?

I would invest in ESG stocks or bonds. One statement that stands out in the article is " As stated commitments rise, so too must transparency. Consumers, investors, employees and regulators are becoming ever more alert to false or exaggerated ESG claims" . I think while some companies do not take ESG seriously, the majority of the companies who do partake in these actions understand the value. Eventually with more people becoming familiarized with the concepts of greenwashing and false claims it will hold those companies accountable. The standards for ESG are :

1. An increase of focus on ethics and integrity
2. Prioritizing supply chain security transparency, resilience
3. Transitioning workforces
4. First nations improvement and empowerment
5. A dynamic political landscape with expanding regulatory changes

I can certainly get behind this and would support this.

Action: Support Local Businesses

I have always supported local businesses when possible. For example, we have a neighbor who sells produce a few houses down from us. Usually my boyfriends mom will ask what I need/want tell her, however I have never met them. This time, I decided that I wanted to go to see the process. I am always getting vegetable's from them, but in the 2 years I have lived upstate have never met them! I will say that taking this class has made question how I can be more involved or understand what I am doing clearer. So I went with my boyfriends mom to pick out some vegetable's and I found myself asking questions.

Here are the questions I asked and the answers I learned:

Do you pay once a month or every time you get vegetable's?

"No in the beginning of the season, Harry (owner) will send out a text message letting us know when the season will start and how many shares we will want. Depending on the shares, we put a down payment of 50 dollars and then when the season starts we pay the rest. We usually do half a share and pay for that.

How long is the season? What does buying a half a share mean?

" The season usually last about 14 weeks. For half a share we pay about 300 dollars in the beginning of the season. This means that once a week, we come in on the day chosen (Friday's) and get a choice of 5 vegetable's. Each week the list is sent out of what vegetable's are available for the picking and when we come in, there will be a sheet with minor adjustments due to weather, or stock etc. Depending on the share, you can go in up to 3 times a week"

So does this mean that they are unable to sell during the Winter?
" Yes. This is because the temperature will not allow for produce to grow. The last couple of weeks of the season, vegetable's like tomatoes go bad quickly or don't grow because of the temperature. Usually they start giving away bit extra so that they don't spoil."

Why did I join the challenge?

I joined the challenge because, I wanted to be more interactive in the community. I also wanted to have a better understanding of what I am contributing to. I am always ready to make a donation, or buy from a local business, but I don't really engage in the why. Sometimes, for me honestly, I just want to do my part and help. My days can be so busy and I don't always have the energy to engage, especially with me being an introvert. So long as I know it is for a good cause and I'm helping out in some way, that is what matters for me. But now I am realizing, this may be a little irresponsible of me. Shouldn't I know who and what I am supporting? Me going to help see the process of getting the vegetable's from the neighbor was a big step. I not only got to see whose produce I have been using for the last 2 years, but also understand the business arrangement they have.

Action: Reduce, Reuse or Recycle

Five or more sustainability practices in the Choices for Sustainable Living:
1. Reduce, Reuse or Recycle- In our house hold we are big on doing this. We try to reduce the food waste. So if we make the food, we try not to eat out if we can prevent it. Sometimes it can be difficult because we work long hours and food ingredients that we buy may spoil before we have a chance to put them to good use. My boyfriend and I have been working towards going to the grocery store and buying only ingredients needed for the food we are going to make and ensuring that we eat them by the end of the week. It's all about planning. We tend to reuse plastic containers that we get from take out(usually on weekends to give us a break of cooking). We will re-wash them along with the utensils which saves us from having to dispose of them and allows us to take to work. The utensils usually get thrown away if they break but the containers last a long time and come in handy when we have extra food to give to the family during gatherings. We recycle weekly. We take cardboard, plastics (not able to be used again) and metals to the landfill. And we go to a bottle dispensary to turn in plastic bottles and glass that we can get back money for.
2. Choose Renewable Energy: In the house that we have upstate we have Solar panels. For the house we have in Connecticut, we are in the process of getting estimates to start planning for installation of Solar Panels.
3. Carpooling: Generally if we are going to the same place we try to use one car. So if we are going to the movies or to a family gathering. Sometimes this doesn't always work because my work schedule can be hectic and I would have to leave on short notice. For example, last year my boyfriend, his parents and I went to thanksgiving dinner with family in New Jersey. His parents went ahead because they had to help with the preparation and I got out of work late so I needed to get ready. So my boyfriend and I took a second car. However, an hour after I got to the family's dinner, I was told I had to be at work in 4 hours. So I had to pack up dinner and head back leaving my boyfriend behind. My work schedule sometimes forces me to take a separate car because work times can be unpredictable. We can't bike or walk because it is unsafe on our roads. The only downside to living in the country versus the city.
4. Conserve Water: When we shower, we tend to try to take quick showers. But for times where shaving or washing your hair may take more time, we modify how we use water. So generally while we are scrubbing our scalps or body's we make sure the water is off. For times when we are shaving we tend to have a bowl filled with water so we can keep the water off and turn it back on when we are rinsing our skins. Brushing our teeth, we keep the water off and turn it back on when rinsing our mouths. When washing the dishes, we soap up all the dishes while the water is off and then turn it back on to rinse off the soap. For pots and pans that may require more work, we let it soak so it is easier to clean.
5. Using reusable bags; saving gift bags: Whenever we go shopping, we use reusable bags which comes in handy for any shopping we do. Whenever I receive gift bags, I try to see how I can use them for later use. This comes in handy for birthday's and Christmas. When, I give my boyfriend a gift in a gift bag, I will take it right after to use for another occasion. The good thing about this, is doesn't notice that it is the same gift bag from last year. I mean, what is the point of throwing it away?! It can totally be used for the following year. It also is cost affective.
6. Go paperless: If I can, I try to choose the paperless option. One because I am really bad with opening mail and two, it just ends up getting shredded and discarded. It saves me time and I get to contribute a bit on how limiting excess and unnecessary waste.
7. Supporting local businesses: For vegetable's that our neighbor has, we try to buy from him versus going to a supermarket. Even if it is only seasonal, it allows less traveling and for us to support him in his quest to promote sustainable living. The trouble with this is exactly that. It is seasonal. After about 14 weeks which is usually around the Summer, he can't grow the same crops due to the weather.

Hi All! My name is Gabriella. I am going to be honest. I originally took this class due to me needing it for my major. But after reading about the course description, I was more intrigued about what the course had to offer. Each week and with each assignment I have been impressed with a different outlook on sustainability.

I cannot imagine that I have made a major impact in my efforts to be conscience about waste but I know it is something. When I use to live in the city, I use to walk more even if it took an hour to get to some places as it helped with how I contributed to toxins in the air. I definitely recycled and now that I live upstate we go to the dump weekly. I honestly didn't know what a dump was until I began living up here. It is a way to separate things like trash and recyclables in a more ecofriendly manner. When we go to the house in Connecticut we have something called a compose that is for food that is biodegradable and allows for a more ecofriendly way to get rid of food. The bottles that can be exchanged for money are done. Some herbs we grow ourselves such as parsley and basil. We support our neighbors who grow vegetables out of their garden and sell it.

When it comes to contributing to society, I grew up volunteering and at one point volunteered for a non-profit organization called God's Love We Deliver. Around the holiday's such as Thanksgiving and Christmas I would drive and deliver food to people who were in need. As a teenager, I was involved with a leadership program that would clean-up parks and help out in soup kitchens. I haven't volunteered in about a year but hope to do so again when my schedule allows for it.

I have joined the challenge to learn a different perspective on sustainability. I also want to learn new ways on how I can help make an impact.