Heather Ward
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 733 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO6.0letters or emailssent to public officials or leaders
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UP TO28more servingsof fruits and vegetables
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UP TO30whole food mealsconsumed
Heather's actions
Food
Weekly Meal Planning
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
Waste
Buy Food And Water Only
I will not purchase anything but food and water during the Challenge.
Community
Express My Support
I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.
Community
Share My Actions
I will make my environmental actions visible with a lawn sign or bumper sticker, or by posting to my social media networks.
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.
Health
Avoid refined sugar
I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Simplicity
Buy Only What I Need
I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.
Health
More Fruits and Veggies
I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
Waste
Complete a Recycler / Composter Training
I will sign up for a Recycler / Composter program in my area.
Simplicity
Limit Social Media
I will limit my social media use to once per day.
Community
Write Letters or Emails
I will write 1 letter(s) or email(s) per day to a public official or company to advocate for planet-friendly policies or something else I believe in.
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.
Waste
Reduce Unwanted Mail
I will reduce the amount of unwanted mail I receive (catalogs, phone books, etc.).
Food
Whole Foods Diet
I will enjoy 2 meal(s) per day free of processed foods.
Food
Animal Free Diet
I will adopt a diet free of animal products.
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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Heather Ward 10/26/2017 10:15 AMI chose a lot of challenges, but they mostly fell into three categories: eating better, reducing waste, and spreading awareness. I had been attempting to go vegan before the EcoChallenge, so I used this opportunity to push myself. I had a few slip-ups, particularly on my daughter's birthday, but I did get to try a variety of new recipes. It's extremely hard when your family is not on board.
I started composting again, and by reducing purchases my trash is about half what it was before. The hardest daily challenge for me was writing to politicians and/or corporations. I only did six, but that's still six more than without this challenge.
What I liked most was that it pushed me to learn more. I consider myself fairly aware of my habits and their effects, but I learned how much more I could be doing. I'm not going to be mindlessly picking the same brand of laundry detergent that I have been using for years, but rather looking for more eco-friendly options. That uninsulated water heater is a lot worse than I thought, and since it needs replacement soon anyway, I'm going with a tankless water heater. My small vegetable garden has been neglected the past few years, but I intend to build it up and use it again.
Thank you!-
Sue Barns 10/26/2017 10:34 AMThank YOU, Heather! Well done, and thanks for encouraging your team mates as well. Glad you enjoyed the EcoChallenge. :-)
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Heather Ward 10/25/2017 12:44 PMWay to go, Team! -
Heather Ward 10/23/2017 3:56 PMTwo more days - we can do this! -
Heather Ward 10/20/2017 1:27 PMI know a lot of people are using reusable grocery bags - which is great - but consider using reusable produce bags, too. Any lightweight bag will do. -
Heather Ward 10/18/2017 9:14 PMHalf-way there! One of my harder challenges is going free of refined sugar, but I found I can temper those sweets cravings by eating an orange or apple.