
Heather Ward
Points Total
- 0 Today
- 0 This Week
- 733 Total
Participant Impact
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up to30whole food mealsconsumed
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up to28more servingsof fruits and vegetables
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up to6.0letters or emailssent to public officials or leaders
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.
Feed
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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!-
Erin Fitzgerald (EcoChallenge staff) 10/23/2017 4:00 PMWe're doing it!!!
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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.