Ecochallenge.org

Choices for Sustainable Living Discussion Course

William Nasi

capstone spring 21

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
447 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

7.0

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

21

whole food meals

consumed
UP TO

14

zero-waste meals

consumed
UP TO

5.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

2.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

1.0

petition

signed

William's actions

Food

Support Local Food Systems

I will source 1 meal(s) from local producers each day this week. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a documentary film about food with family and friends and talk about what we learned.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Visit a Local Farm

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

UNCOMPLETED
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

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

Pay Attention to Current Events

I will watch or read the news each day this week with a specific focus on sustainability issues and happenings.

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

A Call to Sustainability

Talk To Others

I will tell 5 people why sustainability is important to me and what my vision for a sustainable world is.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Visions of Sustainability

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

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

Ecological Principles

Reduce My Footprint

I will calculate my ecological footprint and talk with my family or roommates about way we can reduce our negative enviromental impact.

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

Sign a Petition

I will sign petitions in support of an environmental or social initiative in my state.

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

Food

Zero-Waste Cooking

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero waste each day this week.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Whole Foods Diet

I will enjoy 3 meal(s) free of processed foods each day this week.

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?

William Nasi 5/20/2021 1:18 PM

One of my Eco-Challenges for this week involved paying attention to current events relating to sustainability. Since I spent my weekend on the Oregon coast, I was able to research some current efforts regarding habitat and wildlife conservation. One of the interesting projects I learned about concerned efforts to preserve different types of shorebird habitats, including estuaries, beaches, and rocky shorelines. Beyond recognizing the importance of these projects, it was interesting to learn of the diversity of species that inhabit, or migrate through these portions of the Oregon coast.

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- Lena Stepp 5/25/2021 10:10 AM
  
  I was also at the coast this weekend, and had a conversation specifically about how cool estuaries are! Definitely worth protecting, such a hub of life.
  
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William Nasi 5/13/2021 10:31 AM

The Session discussion question I had for this week, related to some of the ways in which suburban areas might be retrofitted to allow for more sustainable transportation options throughout the community. Although my activity for this week has little to do with city planning, I decided to explore some ways in which I could change the way I move around, so as to reduce my personal carbon footprint. Because I live far enough away from town, when I first moved here I had accepted that any alternative mode of transportation would be unfeasible, and as a result, gave little thought to any potential changes I might make.
In reconsidering my transportation habits, I have planned on a few new ways in which I can move around more sustainably; for example, instead of driving to get to various hiking trails, I found a connecting trail system that is easily within walking distance. Moreover, even though it might take too long for me to bike to downtown Portland and back, I can easily ride there, and then use public transportation to get back (or close enough).

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William Nasi 5/06/2021 9:49 AM

The Eco-Challenge I have been working on this week has involved making more of an effort to connect with my neighbors and community. After hearing of the plant-swap that will be taking place later this week, I started looking for some similar activities that might be happening in my neighborhood. Although I have yet to hear of any such activity within my general area, I found an interesting place on Sauvie Island that specifically sells, and provides information about a variety of native plant, shrub and fern species.
In considering a goal that pertains more precisely to this week's discussion question - which related to the manner in which the environment might influence one's sense of community - I have been looking for volunteering opportunities with Trail Keepers of Oregon (TKO). I think this would be a great way to engage with the community, as well as means to maintain something that I and so many other Portlanders enjoy.

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William Nasi 5/04/2021 8:20 AM

This week I have been looking into building my own planter box. At this point, the options I have seen online seem to be either poorly made, or overpriced. Any suggestions?

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William Nasi 4/29/2021 9:35 AM

My Eco-Challenge for this week involved an initial effort at decreasing my reliance on store-bought food. Considering the favorable time of year, I decided to purchase a variety of fruit, herb, and vegetable saplings to grow in my yard. I believe that the most prominent obstacle for this project will be to figure out how to keep each one of these plants alive; so I plan on doing some research about the best conditions for each plant (soil type, acidity, exposure etc.).
In relating my project to this week's Session topic, I would say that growing my own fruits and vegetables may be a step towards a more localized and sustainable agricultural scale, and while I am unsure as to the net effect this might have on my overall water consumption, I am certainly interested to see how much water it actually takes to grow each one of these plants.

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William Nasi 4/22/2021 3:59 PM

My discussion question for this week's session, related to the plausibility or challenge of making organic foods available on a global scale. While it may certainly be difficult to place further constraint on the already problematic issue of food scarcity by requiring that it be organic, a possible solution - particularly in the Unites States - seems to lay firmly within the culture that exists around food. The fact that the mere idea of making organic foods more prevalent seems to be so far out of reach, stems at least in part from the fact that such products have so often become synonymous with expensive "natural" food retailers. However, as mentioned throughout this week's in-class discussions, organic locally sourced foods do not necessarily signify buying a carrot for $4.00; rather, there are many ways in which people can procure these foods by growing them themselves or buying them directly from local farmers and vendors.
In connecting this topic to my weekly activity, I have slowly been researching different plants I might add to my back yard and based on the feedback I have received so far, I am considering some native berry bushes to start with. For the time being, I have put out a couple of "pollinator friendly" plants as well as a small bee house.

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William Nasi 4/15/2021 5:28 PM

One of the activities that I completed this week, involved discussing sustainability-related practices with other people. As discussed in class today, it can often be difficult to bring up how certain habits and behaviors might be contributing to the environmental issues we all face, without projecting an annoying sense of moral superiority. Nonetheless, in an effort to complete this task and perhaps refine how I will approach the subject in the future, I found five people with whom I am very close, and simply listed how some of the practices they are engaging in are especially unsustainable and terrible for the environment. While I certainly would not tackle a conversation about sustainability in this way with anyone else, I believe it is a still a small step in the right direction.

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William Nasi 4/08/2021 6:26 PM

Earlier this week I completed the "Ecological Footprint" task and I was scored based on a number of parameters related to sustainability. I was surprised at how high it rated my ecological impact and use of resources. Although I think I will have to retake the questionnaire and review the accuracy of my answers, it certainly made me reconsider the different ways in which my actions can contribute to the problem of resource depletion. As it relates to my assigned discussion question for Session 1, I would say that the concept of "systems thinking" would certainly be consistent with the notion of moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle in a multitude of ways; in other words, systems thinking presents a means by which to approach a given issue, suggesting that every challenge should be approached taking each constituent factor into account, rather than simply addressing some of its more superficial outcomes.

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William Nasi 4/03/2021 12:04 PM

Started researching ways in which I can modify certain features in my yard to make it welcoming to a greater variety of species.

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- Conrad Czuba 4/06/2021 8:51 PM
  
  I can't remember if you said you were in Portland or not, but if you are I would suggest looking at the Portland Nursery's native plant list (if you haven't already) to get an idea of what to plant.
  I have a Blue Elderberry bush that I can try propagating if you'd like one and are in the PDX area.
  
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