Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge 2025

Asa Fortner

Asheville High School/SILSA

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
515 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

8.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

35

more servings

of fruits and vegetables
UP TO

40

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted
UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

294

minutes

spent learning

Asa's actions

Transportation

Express My Support For Walkable Cities

Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Test Drive an Electric Bike

Electric Bicycles

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

More Fruits And Veggies

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 1 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 33 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Learn More about Silvopasture

Silvopasture

I will spend at least 18 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Research Peatlands

Peatland Protection and Rewetting

I will spend 30 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

Family Planning and Education

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

Public Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

Family Planning and Education

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Learn about Carbon Offsets

I will spend 30 minutes learning about carbon offsets, and why they are a necessary solution in combating a climate crisis.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Research the Climate Impact of Refrigerants

Refrigerant Management

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go for a Daily Walk

Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?
Asa Fortner 4/22/2025 3:32 PM
I usually walk or onewheel if it's super short, but sometimes I do end up driving short distances, and I electric bike could help eliminate that by making a fast, sustainable way to travel short distances.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?
Asa Fortner 4/22/2025 3:28 PM
It would allow walking in areas easier, safer, and more enjoyable if you don't have to worry about the road, if you have a greenway or walk path.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Asa Fortner 4/22/2025 2:43 PM
Use buy and sell buy dates can help you know when to eat the food and help you plan for when you're gonna eat it so that it doesn't end up rotting and you having to throw it away.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
Asa Fortner 4/13/2025 1:51 PM
I enjoy seeing other people, being outside, and seeing all the beautiful plants. Something that would make my walks better would be a greenway.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?
Asa Fortner 4/13/2025 1:43 PM
People in richer countries eat more meat due to greater access and affordability, but high meat consumption can harm health, contribute to environmental damage, and strain global food resources.

4o

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?
Asa Fortner 4/13/2025 1:33 PM
You can contact policymakers and advocate for clean bus stops and public transit.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat positively affect yourself, other people, and our planet?
Asa Fortner 4/11/2025 5:15 AM
Eating more fruits and vegetables can improve you health.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

What did you learn about the climate impact of refrigerants? How do supermarkets contribute to this impact?
Asa Fortner 4/10/2025 11:39 AM
They can use HFCs to cool the food, supermarkets have a ton of refrigerators and they can leak sometimes which can damage the ozone layer.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

What are some attributes of an offset that you should consider before purchasing them?
Asa Fortner 4/09/2025 9:34 AM
You should make sure that what you are buying is something that will have a real long-lasting effect on the climate. You should also make sure they are third-party verified and are not just gonna take your money and not do nothing. You could also consider where it is happening and how big of an effect this project will have. Lastly, it is important to see if it aligns with your beliefs and environmental goals

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health and Education

What did you learn about the need for family planning? How do the needs of different people in different places compare to each other?
Asa Fortner 4/08/2025 9:24 AM
I learned that it is essential to gender equality and long-term environmental solutions.
People in low-income countries tend to need things like health care and family planning. While people in high-income countries tend to have these things but consume a lot more resources

Read More