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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
    Energy Heat and Cool Naturally
    What are other ways you could use the power of the sun to reduce your own environmental footprint?

    Matthew Marasco's avatar
    Matthew Marasco 4/23/2020 10:04 AM
    Some other ways I could reduce my environmental footprint by using the sun is by growing as much of my own food as possible. Although i will have to use was water for the plants, I am still reducing my footprint because the food i grow wont have to be transported so there will be much less GHG emissions associated with it. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Power Down the Computer
    What are other easy things you could do to save energy and reduce your environmental footprint?

    Matthew Marasco's avatar
    Matthew Marasco 4/23/2020 10:03 AM
    Some other easy things I could do would be to always turn lights or electronic in general off when not in use. I could make sure that once my phone is charged, I unplug it from the charger. One thing I used to do almost every night was charge my phone and then it would sit on the charger for probably 7 hours fully charged until i woke up. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Reduce Single-Use Disposables
    Bringing your own bags and containers to the grocery store, and even to restaurants for leftovers, are a couple of ways to reduce your waste. What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?

    Matthew Marasco's avatar
    Matthew Marasco 4/23/2020 10:00 AM
    Some of the single use items I use more regularly than other products would be straw and cups. I am guilty of getting fast food drinks a lot, typically either a soda from McDonald’s or a coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. Both of those places have cups and straws that cannot be recycled  (the plastic cups from dunks can be recycled but not in my town because the number on the bottom is not a 1 or 2. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Use a Reusable Mug
    Maybe 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?

    Matthew Marasco's avatar
    Matthew Marasco 4/23/2020 9:58 AM
    The one thing that stands in my way is always having the time and motivation to wash out or to clean the reuse-able cup. The big attraction for reuse-able cups for me is that fact that you wont have to clean them when you are done, you can just throw them away. But knowing the reason for using my reuse-able cup is a good reason, it motivates me to wash my cups and use reusebale cups instead of single use ones 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature Practice Gratitude for Earth
    Kathleen Dean Moore says that a sense of gratitude leads to a sense of moral obligation. Do you agree? How do we cultivate a sense of gratitude as individuals, and as a society?

    Zachary Helman's avatar
    Zachary Helman 4/22/2020 8:13 PM
    I agree and I believe that you have to take care of your own head first before completing any task.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Personal Waste Audit
    Why is it so difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places? How might your experience with this challenge impact your future consumption and choices?

    Zachary Helman's avatar
    Zachary Helman 4/22/2020 8:01 PM
    Usually I cut back on buying and consuming more than what is needed, because overdoing what cause more damage than good.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Recycle Everything I Can
    What 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?

    Zachary Helman's avatar
    Zachary Helman 4/22/2020 7:59 PM
    The most difficult part of recycling is the force of habit and teaching myself what is and shouldn’t be recycled. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Go Paperless
    Reducing your paper mail can be such a freeing action to take -- 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?

    Zachary Helman's avatar
    Zachary Helman 4/22/2020 7:57 PM
    Most modern uses of work are through technology. So by going paperless with using online resources replacing printing, can make the difference.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Whole Foods Diet
    Michael Pollan states that “it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor.” What are your thoughts on this idea?

    Zachary Helman's avatar
    Zachary Helman 4/22/2020 7:56 PM
    Food Is a big determining factor in our overall health. The current foods we have today are very much unnatural and can be a leading cause in health problems. Eating healthier options like meats, eggs, and milk from a farm are a much healthier options, and may even prevent visits to the doctor. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Drive Less
    How has your access to various kinds of transportation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?

    Joseph Koontz's avatar
    Joseph Koontz 4/22/2020 10:02 AM
    I try to walk everywhere I can or ride my bike and I try to only drive when necessary.