Maria Rodriguez

BUS324 24 S

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
221 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.3

pounds of paper

have been saved
UP TO

7.0

advocacy actions

completed
UP TO

7.0

public officials or leaders

contacted

Maria's actions

Land Sinks

Explore My Area

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 20 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Advocate for Forest Protection

Forest Protection

I will contact 10 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws, as well as the rights of local people to protect and restore the land in their communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Go Paperless

Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions, and opting out of junk mail.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Join a Recycling Program

Recycling

I will set up or join a recycling program at my workplace or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Food Waste

Reduced Food Waste

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn About Aquaculture

Improved Aquaculture

Each day, I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about sustainable aquaculture.

COMPLETED 0
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?

Maria Rodriguez 3/26/2024 9:32 AM

Yesterday morning as I left my house at 6:45 am to drive to work, the moon looked absolutely beautiful! I started thinking about this class and the ways I have been trying to help with sustainability. I speak to the members in my house, my family, my coworkers of things we could do, which is great! But then I thought of how many people are actually on Earth. What is the biggest way to get so many to change and consider sustainability in their everyday lives, how could we get the government to understand why it is so important to step back a moment? Inflation is at an all time high and the basic need of eating is so expensive... I became sadden with the thought that a change would be so difficult. My question for you guys is, how can we make a major change? that will have a domino effect on the rest of the people! What could we do to make all the small work become a worldwide challenge?

Read More
Maria Rodriguez 3/22/2024 9:09 PM

I have been paying more attention to the items I purchase, and make sure to recycle correctly. I have implemented a "correct recycle" system in my workplace and it is exciting. I have asked all of my coworkers at the office to make sure they clean out containers (of any kind) before recycling them. One of my coworkers has taken the system to her own home!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Advocate for Forest Protection

Higher standards of living are very often dependent on moving our environmental costs elsewhere. What are some specific ways in which the environmental impacts of your own lifestyle might be shifted elsewhere?

Maria Rodriguez 3/12/2024 6:10 PM

Some specific ways are making sustainable choices in which I can purchase products and services with minimal environmental impact, such as those with eco-friendly certifications or from companies committed to sustainable practices. I can also support local and sustainable initiatives by choosing locally produced goods and supporting businesses that prioritize environmentally friendly practices. By recycling and composting (which I started 2 weeks ago), and more importantly by advocating change, raising awareness about environmental issues and advocate for policies that promote sustainable practices.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place -- your deep knowledge of and appreciation for your surroundings?

Maria Rodriguez 2/18/2024 10:27 AM

We as a society are always on the run, never finding time to just sit and enjoy the world around us. I live on 10 acres that I have not explored as of yet. I think it will teach me about to stop and appreciate the beauty that nature has to offer us.

Read More
- kaireen adamson 2/23/2024 2:46 PM
  
  I agree, Maria. Sometimes it is hard to find the time to be still with nature. It helps to have a dog that loves to walk in the woods with us. We love to get off the beaten track at D'Hillier Park, right here in Whitby.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Learn About Aquaculture

What was the most interesting thing to learn about sustainable aquaculture practices?

Maria Rodriguez 2/18/2024 10:16 AM

I did not know what aquaculture meant until I started this challenge. It is very interesting to learn how its a farm in the ocean! and how preserving ecosystems, safeguarding biodiversity, and reversing land degradation is so important and how it is being done.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Join a Recycling Program

How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?

Maria Rodriguez 2/18/2024 10:09 AM

I can share my knowledge to others, maybe have a class on why it is important to recycle and how to recycle!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Go Paperless

What do you want to prioritize over material 'stuff' in your own life?

Maria Rodriguez 2/18/2024 10:08 AM

time spent with my family!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Reduce Food Waste

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?

Maria Rodriguez 2/18/2024 10:07 AM

I would rather use the money to set up a few compose area on my property and I my workplace.

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