grant barnickel

CSUMB Furry Otters

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
601 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

475

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

210

minutes

spent learning

grant's actions

Industry

Recycle Everything I Can

Recycling; Recycled Metals; Recycled Plastics

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, including electronics and metals.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Multiple Industry Solutions

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin practicing it in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Eat Mindfully

Reduced Food Waste

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Plastics Audit

Reduced Plastics

I will complete a plastics audit to see where plastics show up in my life and determine how I can reduce the use of single-use plastics.

COMPLETED 31
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?

grant barnickel 10/31/2024 10:19 AM

I am feeling good about the choices I picked for the Eco Challenge as well as my ability to complete them. I'm usually someone to watch youtube or scroll through instagram while I eat so I specifically picked the "no distractions" challenge to see if I could do it. Now that I'm at the end of the challenge, I think I'm gonna continue on with this since I really appreciated the mindfulness that it provided me with as well as the feeling of "being more present" which is something important that I think often gets overlooked. On top of that, after spending time regularly researching recycling I feel much more informed about what can and can't get recycled, along with where hazardous wastes and e-wastes can be dropped off.

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grant barnickel 10/21/2024 7:23 PM

This weekend I did some cleaning up around my house and in my garage specifically. I found a few gallons of old oil sitting in containers from when I had changed my oil in the past, and I took them down to my local auto parts store to be recycled. I had been meaning to make a trip there anyway to buy a few things and figured why not. It felt good knowing that it would be disposed of properly rather than ending up in the environment somewhere, and on top of that is was free to do!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

How can you express your personality, creativity, and values in ways that don't require fast fashion or buying more clothes and accessories?

grant barnickel 10/12/2024 9:24 AM

You can express your personality, values, and creativity by repurposing clothing and accessories or by buying things secondhand. Instead of throwing away a pair of pants or a shirt once it becomes worn, I typically designate them as "work" clothes which I use for things such as gardening, home-projects, or for working on my car. A lot of the clothes and accessories that I use on a daily basis too are from local secondhand stores or hand-me-downs from friends and family, since I often prefer things with more character. I think its cool when what you wear tells a story which is why I don't often buy new and why I avoid fast-fashion that won't stand the test of time.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?

grant barnickel 10/12/2024 9:16 AM

When practicing mindfulness, I am more present and in touch with what I am consuming. I tend to have long, hectic days, especially during the week which often leads me to try and rush through meals or try and continue a task while eating even. Lately I have been trying to prioritize slowing down a bit even if just for 10 minutes. Instead of working or being on my phone while eating I have been making an effort to sit outside and enjoy nature while I eat, as well as make an effort to cook more.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Plastics Audit

What was the hardest item to reduce using or cut out that is plastic? Did you find a way to do it?

grant barnickel 10/01/2024 6:05 PM

The hardest thing that I cut out today was single-use utensils. I did so by eating lunch once I got home rather than while on the go, since I did not have reusable ones with me. It was not that difficult to be honest, but it felt good knowing that I used no plastic today as a result.

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