Ecochallenge.org

Choices for Sustainable Living Discussion Course

Erik Gicker

Actioneers of EVPP 480

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
701 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

28

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

5.0

miles

traveled by foot
UP TO

10

miles

traveled by bus
UP TO

28

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

14

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

7.0

conversations

with people

Erik's actions

A Call to Sustainability

Talk To Others

I will tell 7 people why sustainability is important to me and what my vision for a sustainable world is.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 5 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Ecological Principles

Recycle Everything I Can

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 2 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

A Call to Sustainability

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Visit a Local Farm

I will visit a nearby farm to pick my own fruits and veggies.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Learn About My Watershed

I will find local resources for learning about my watershed and the particular water issues my region faces.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Ecological Principles

Research Renewable Energy Options

I will find out if my local utilities offer an option for supporting renewable energy investment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Say No to Plastic

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. This week, I'll say "no" to plastic bags at the store and plastic straws in all of my drinks.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

Use Reusable Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Walk Instead

I will walk 5 mile(s) each day this week instead of driving and avoid sending up to 24.12 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Use Muscle Power

I will only use muscle-powered transportation this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Use Public Transit

I will use public transit 10 mile(s) each day this week and avoid sending up to 3.43 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

A Call to Sustainability

Research Local Organizations

I will learn what local organizations are working on sustainability issues and how I can get involved.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

A Call to Sustainability

Learn About Local Issues

I will find out what local sustainability issues are most urgent in my region, including both social and environmental justice concerns.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

A Call to Sustainability

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a movie about a sustainability issue I would like to know more about.

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?

Erik Gicker 4/19/2019 8:08 AM

CSL 4 Water

I live in the Mid-Atlantic watershed. Specifically the 02070010 watershed in Northern Virginia. Pollution and drought and common water concerns in the area. My watersheds geographic boundaries are the Appalachian Mountains, Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. The closest body of water to me is the Occoquan reservoir and Great Falls National Park. There are man-made lakes and ponds in the area. There is Lake Braddock and Reston Lake. Towns and communities are built around them. My tap water does come from the watershed. The water in my watershed is treated and also drains into the ocean.

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Erik Gicker 4/04/2019 7:30 PM

CSL 3 Food

I eat meat at least once a day. It use to be worse because it use to be every meal. Now I only eat fruit in the morning or drink fluids. For lunch I usually try to eat what I have at home after I come home class. Most people in my family we eat a lot of beans, rice, and various soups. They don't each much meat and if they do its usually chicken. Dinner time is when I usually eat meat. I did notice I did not eat any pork and only ate red meat 3 times this week. When I was younger I would eat a lot more red meat and pork. I eat more seafood now and overall I am trying to cut down on all meat. I would like to cut down on meat even more than I do now. I only ate out 3 times this week. I enjoy cooking and want to make more time for it.

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Erik Gicker 4/04/2019 6:44 AM

CSL 7 Consumption and the Economy

In the DMV there is a lot of people. We consume and produce so much waste of various kinds. Food is a big producer or waste. Whether people are going to the grocery store or eating out they spend money to do so. Many places are chains or franchises that may be cheap but for a reason. Most of their profit does not stay in the community. By spending money on a local business you invest in your community. World economy is built on monopolies and big companies McDonalds and Coca Cola but local economies are built on local business. McDonalds is also not good for your health. I personally don't eat there or most fast food places. Overall Im trying to consume less in all areas of my life. Shopping at a farmers market is another example and way or investing in your local community and economy. Every-time we spend money we are voting with our pocket. When we buy something we are saying we stand behind this item. If something sells and there is high profit that will drive the economy. We can say no to things that are produced poorly and impact our environment negatively. If we can consume smarter and vote with our pocket we can have a more positive impact on the economy.

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Erik Gicker 3/14/2019 3:06 PM

CSL 6 Transportation

There are many different ways to get around the city. Here in DC there is cars, metro bus, metro rail, bike routes, and taxis like uber. You can ride share with apps like uber and lyft that offer a cheaper option than individual riding and is more efficient. Carpooling wastes less gas and reduces emissions. In DC they have bikes and now scooters that you can rent as you ride. The scooters can be left anywhere which is very convenient. This week I am in Dallas. They also have scooters and thats all Ive been using. So far I have traveled 4 miles by scooter and I have 2 days left. The experience is refreshing and I enjoy feeling the sunlight. They go fast in certain areas up to 15 mph. I have used it to get to and from the convention center.

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Erik Gicker 2/22/2019 6:45 AM

CSL 5

A fellow classmate mentioned composting to me and how he does it at his house. I think composting is a very important way of repurposing waste. Compost is valuable to growing plants and having nutrient rich soil. Unfortunately in my neighborhood we don't have a community compost. I really want to have and maintain one in my backyard. I need to do more research though because my yard isn't very big. We already have 2 gardens and plants in pots. Our composting can reduce waste output in my home. We do recycle as well and ideally I would like to be zero waste. Im not there yet but thats what Im trying to move towards. Ever year we also have a community clean up where we collect trash and recycle as much of it as possible. I did not participate last year because of a different job I had but I plan to be involved this year.

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Erik Gicker 2/07/2019 2:52 PM

CSL 1 Reflection

I look to gain more sustainable practices in my everyday life from this course. I think many areas of my life are sustainable now but I definitely have room to improve. A behavior I hope to change is how I commute to school and work. I live next to the Vienna metro and the Mason Shuttle comes there and I plan to take that sometimes instead of my car to class. I also hope to possibly carpool with friends as well. Ultimately I want to cut my dependency on oil. I hope I can contribute something unique to the group. I have lived in this area for a long time and I live really close to campus. I also speak Spanish fluently, which might benefit the group especially in areas like awareness.

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Erik Gicker 2/07/2019 10:00 AM

I am looking forward to hiking on a new trail this month!

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