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October 11 - October 25, 2017
Zachariah Strife's avatar

Zachariah Strife

PCC Eco Panthers

"PCC Powershifters: shifting into power saving mode every day!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,004 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    126
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    13
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    225
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    165
    minutes
    not spent in front of a screen
  • UP TO
    59
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

Zachariah's actions

Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home

I will research toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate for More Food Options

I will advocate for local and/or organic food options at my school, grocery market, or workplace.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Heat and Cool Naturally

I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Sign a Petition

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Fix Leaky Faucets

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Consider Switching to an Electric Vehicle

I will research or test drive an electric car or bike.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Work from Home

I will work from home 2 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Locally-Sourced Meals

I will source 1 meal(s) per day from local producers.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Ditch the Lawn

I will replace my lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape and save the water, money, and time I used to spend cutting the grass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 15 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a walk each day.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Less Screen Time

I will replace 15 minute(s) of screen time per day with other activities.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Practice Gratitude for Earth

I will spend 5 minute(s) per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and the nature surrounding me.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Adjust the Thermostat

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Online Energy Audit

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

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?


  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/30/2017 10:15 AM
    This challenge was a great reminder to be aware of the impacts even small actions can have on the sustainability of our lives as a whole. It's been a pleasure working with all of you. Next year we will beat MHCC.

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/24/2017 12:20 PM
    I can't believe the challenge is almost over. As the formal challenge winds down, I am looking for ways to incorporate some of the habits I chose for the challenge into my everyday life going forward. Obviously we can't carry all of our trash with us all the time or sign a petition every day, but there are a lot of small changes we can make to live more sustainable lives. Ecochallenge did a great job of highlighting some of the simple actions we can take to live better. What's your challenge going forward?

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/23/2017 4:53 PM
    I'm loving all the activity I'm seeing as we draw near to the end of the challenge. Go PCC Eco Panthers! Today I am once again spending my day embroiled in homework, but I am enjoying the natural light of the sun and taking short breaks to walk around the block every few hours. It really seems to help stave off fatigue! I'm also eating a vegan black bean and potato stew this week, made from mostly locally sourced vegetables. It feels good to support local farmers while helping minimize emissions by eating less meat and dairy.

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/22/2017 3:26 PM
    It's another day of homework for me, but I'm opening the blinds and wearing a sweater instead of turning on the lights or heat today. I'm also determined to get out and take at least a short walk tonight. How are all of your challenges going? Do you find yourself using more energy as the days get darker and colder? I definitely catch myself turning lights on more, then ask myself if I really need them on or not.

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/21/2017 4:31 PM
    Today I am out and about running errands and attempting homework. Luckily I live with some awesome people who also care about health and sustainability. This makes it easier for me to live both efficiently and sustainably. Whether it's walking to the store to get groceries together or carpooling to run errands (which for me means I can work on homework while someone else drives), living well is always easier with a buddy!

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/20/2017 8:38 AM
    How is everyone doing? We are more than halfway through the challenge now and it can be easy to lose momentum, especially with the rainy weather. Let's keep at it and finish strong! 

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/19/2017 9:25 PM
    It's great to see that everyone is still getting out there and doing things despite the rain. I had a health issue today that interrupted my plans, but on the upside, it facilitated a walk in the rain that allowed me to check off one of my challenges. 

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/18/2017 11:58 PM
    Keep up the good work everyone! We're making great strides each day!

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/16/2017 9:21 AM
    Today I am working from home, thereby reducing my emissions for the environment's sake, and my travel time and stress for my own sake. While it wouldn't work for me to do this every day, it's lovely when it can happen! For all you students out there, cutting out the three hours per day you likely spend commuting (if you live around the Portland area) adds up to a lot more time to work on homework! 

  • Zachariah Strife's avatar
    Zachariah Strife 10/15/2017 6:44 PM
    I've seen several one-time actions completed today. Those make a huge difference. We're already only about 200 points away from the points we achieved during last year's challenge, and we're in 7th place, versus 28th. We're doing awesome, and together, we're making a difference. Thanks for all your hard work!