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Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar

Jessica Sathiyanathan

SiA 2024

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 317 TOTAL

Jessica's actions

Electricity

Saving Energy

To preserve energy, disconnecting electronic devices when they are not in use and switch off lights in unoccupied areas. My objective is to reduce wasted energy in my everyday life, therefore contributing to a more sustainable world. I picked this activity because tiny adjustments, such as disconnecting electronics and turning off unnecessary lights, may have a large impact over time.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Smaller Portions

Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Share Your Story

READ Quebec's principles for a just transition AND/OR PARTICIPATE in the Sept 27 Climate March

For the week of Sept 25 to Oct 2, please read the documents attached AND IF YOU CAN, please attend the Sept 27 Climate March. Many people and organisations feel that the government is dragging its feet on the important changes required to meet our climate commitments. For your post, reflect on the value of mass demonstrations. Include a photo of a protest banner or slogan that you find effective (if you can't attend the event then find a photo on the web from other climate marches).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings

Upgrade My Windows

Insulation

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Cook With Seaweed

Seaweed Farming

I will use seaweed in a new recipe.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Talk With a Local Grocer

Improved Fisheries

I will ask my local seafood market or grocery store if their seafood is sustainable and share the Seafood Watch resources so they can stock sustainable options.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Share to Social Media: Transportation

Transportation

Through social media (LinkedIn or Instagram), I will share what I've learned about the Transportation sector and solutions and tag Ecochallenge.org.

COMPLETED 0
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

Share Your Story

SiA Homework for Sept 11 - Intro Post

Please write a short post to introduce yourself to the class. Mention some of your interests and what program you are in. If you have some ideas for your sustainability project this semester, please share - you might find a collaborator! Inspire others with the EcoChallenge actions that you are interested in trying out. Include a photo of yourself if you like.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Share Your Story

SiA Homework for Sept 4 - PRACTICE POST

On Sept 4, we will have 3 guests come talk to us about sustainability initiatives at Vanier. In preparation, please read over VANIER'S 5-YEAR SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN 2018-2023 and then write an EcoChallenge post that includes the following: - What do you think about the plan? Is it ambitious enough? Is there anything missing or superfluous? From your own observation and experience, how well is Vanier doing? List some questions that you would like to ask our speakers regarding Sustainability at Vanier? - Identify at least 3 initiatives that you are potentially interested in contributing to this semester and explain why. (Note there is a column labelled student involvement.) For more detailed information, you can also consult the 2020 VANIER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT in the links.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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?


  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 10/18/2024 9:09 PM
    On Thanksgiving, we usually prepare a lot of food but unfortunately, most of it ends up in the trash because we overcook to make sure that no one goes hungry. This year, I recommended to my parents and relatives that we prevent exaggerated preparation and just preparing food for the right amount of people. Furthermore, rather of using throwaway plastic plates and utensils as we usually do, I told everyone to bring their own reusable plates, spoons, and cups to limit our use of items that can only be used once.

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 10/08/2024 7:36 PM
    I have been making an effort to recycle more frequently, realizing what advantages it may have on the environment. Furthermore, the heavy traffic in the city has encouraged me to use public transportation more often for my daily rides. Making this change not only removes a part of my stress but it also reduces my impact on carbon. I'm interested to adopt a more environmentally friendly habit that is consistent with what I stand for. While I enjoy the simplicity of public transportation, I still prefer to walk whenever possible. It helps me to connect with my environment and enjoy the fresh air. All while helping contribute to a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 10/01/2024 4:30 PM
    I find that mass demonstrations are helpful since they present an opportunity for a common goal of expression as well as action. These gatherings allow people to join together for debated causes. They are an effective manner to raise attention about important problems, impact the public's views, and encourage the governments to respond with change. A climate transition requires changes to society as well as the economy to reduce global warming and increase resistance. Which is a great approach for solving the current issue. This image illustrates the statement, "Il n'y a pas de planète B," which means "There is no Planet B." This message is powerful in my opinion because it creates a sense of urgency and fear, which motivates us to act. To prevent making situations worse and approaching an even worse emergency, both the people and the government must take immediate action.


    French banner during ecological protest. Environmental activist holds a French sign saying there is no planet b during a climate change protest on a street in Montreal, Canada. (stock.adobe)

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 9/24/2024 4:54 PM
    My insight of climate change is still fairly basic and short. I first heard about it when I was a young teenager. In high school, our teachers encouraged us to write about our concerns and provide solutions, which we were supposed to share with the community in the hopes that people would listen to our ideas. They also showed a video of Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, to demonstrate that even young people are worried about the subject. What I do know is that global temperatures and sea levels are rising, which is causing an increase in natural disasters. Considering these facts, we must react by eliminating unnecessary travelling, buying more responsibly, and, most importantly, spreading our knowledge with others.

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 9/17/2024 6:56 PM
    Week 5: I began eating smaller, more appropriate quantities to prevent leaving leftovers and wasting food. I also suggested my parents to buy less food, perhaps just enough to feed our family for a week. If there are any leftovers or extra food after cooking, I tell them not to cook the following day to minimize waste. This allows us to manage our food supply more effectively and reduce waste.

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 9/10/2024 3:21 PM
    Hello, my name is Jessica. My interest in life is to give back and help people improve their lives and overcome problems. I take this role to heart and dedicate myself to practicing environmental care. I make it a point not to litter and encourage everyone around me to do the same, since I am concerned about how trash can be carried by the wind, possibly harming wildlife and getting into the ocean. I am studying Social Science, and for my sustainability project, I suggest a plastic-free project with supporting workshops. Plastic pollution is an important issue for the safety of our world. These are meant to improve student awareness of the situation.

    • Richard Klopp's avatar
      Richard Klopp 9/10/2024 3:50 PM
      Not littering is good, but it is better to create less waste in the first place, because landfills and other disposal sites simply just hide the problem from our view. Great idea with the plastic-free project! It would be interesting for you to document the existing and emerging alternatives and how you can support the transition to them.

  • Jessica Sathiyanathan's avatar
    Jessica Sathiyanathan 9/04/2024 7:04 PM
    The plan is detailed and covers the crucial subjects needed for sustainability growth. It achieves a balance between all three aspects of sustainability which is society, the economy, and the environment, which is essential for all sustainability activities. The plan is ambitious in extent, however it may be difficult for some students and from some perspectives. That is, for example, transportation, some students live far away, and driving takes half an hour, while taking public transportation might be difficult, particularly in the morning. Renovations or building projects can be costly too. I believe that raising awareness on sustainable actions with students, teachers, and staff can have a better result. Also asking to work with community groups and people who specialize at sustainability can definitely help and facilitate development and provide good approaches. From my own observations, I found that Vanier is progressing well; since my first year between the N and main campus, there were few places to rest and enjoy the beauty of nature. This year, I got to witness the stunning new construction, which made me want to spend so much time outside. The new structure will undoubtedly raise awareness of sustainability among incoming students and staff. Overall, I think they do very well.