thomas mccalpin
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 251 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO2.0public officials or leaderscontacted
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UP TO2.0advocacy actionscompleted
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UP TO5.0plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.1pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO26gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO7.0plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO10minutesspent learning
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UP TO2.0organic mealsconsumed
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UP TO3.0plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO2.0disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO3.0zero-waste mealsconsumed
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UP TO5.3pounds of paperhave been saved
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UP TO0.5poundsfood waste prevented
thomas's actions
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.
Waste
RESEARCH LOCAL WASTE SITES
I will spend 15 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
Food
Advocate for More Food Options
I will advocate for local and/or organic food options at work or on campus.
Waste
Use Reusable Bags
If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.
Food
Weekly Meal Planning
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
Food
Zero-Waste Cooking
I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day
Waste
Prevent Recycling Contamination
Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 10 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.
Waste
Choose Two-Sided Printing
I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided when I have to print documents.
Waste
Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.
Waste
Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion
I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.
Waste
Launch a Recycling Program
I will start a recycling program at my workplace, dorm, or elsewhere on campus.
Waste
Reduce Single-Use Disposables
Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and POC-majority neighborhoods. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.
Waste
Use a Reusable Mug
I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.
Waste
Skip the Straw
Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Go PaperlessReducing your paper mail can reduce mental clutter as well as physical waste -- by reducing what is coming in, you can reduce what is going into the recycling bin too. How does it make you feel? What is the next step you will take to reduce your waste?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Learn About & Practice Sustainable FashionHow can you express your personality, creativity, and values in ways that don't require fast fashion or buying more clothes and accessories?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use a Reusable MugMaybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?
thomas mccalpin 4/08/2022 2:01 PMi switched from single use to a reusable one in order to taste coffees from PR. Best coffee ever! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use Reusable BagsWhat do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with you or aren't allowed to use the one you brought? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to create a successful habit of not using plastic bags?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Reduce Single-Use DisposablesWhat single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What did you substitute or could be substituted instead?
thomas mccalpin 4/08/2022 2:00 PMstaws, plastic bags, coffee cups
no straw, sports water sipper bottle, yeti cups -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Prevent Recycling ContaminationWhat have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?
thomas mccalpin 4/08/2022 1:59 PMfinding a local recycling company in my area that is adequately staffed so they can actually be open their advertised hours -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Choose Two-Sided PrintingChoosing two-sided printing can be an easy adjustment on your computer settings. How can you help others make this same switch? Can it be encouraged company wide?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Choose Organic IngredientsMany people say that “you can’t feed the world with just organic food.” How would you respond to that statement?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Weekly Meal PlanningAn average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four in the US spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money?
thomas mccalpin 4/08/2022 1:56 PMit's totally embarrassing as my family and myself, probably double these numbers. There has to be improvement.