Ecochallenge.org

Drawdown Ecochallenge

Emma Umbrello

SiA 2024

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
215 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

minutes

spent learning

Emma's actions

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

SiA Homework for Sept 4 - PRACTICE POST

Write an Ecochallenge POST to our team, briefly stating how you currently commute to Vanier. In Quebec, because we have a lot of hydro electric power, one of the main source of carbon emissions is from transportation. What commuting options do you have that would be healthier for you and the planet? Will you be considering any changes for this semester? If so, select or create an EcoChallenge action. If not, explain what your particular challenges are and what you could do to help other people in your situation (e.g. organise car sharing, propose a bus shuttle, etc.)

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

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

Electricity

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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

Land Sinks

Buy Bamboo

Bamboo Production

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Learn About Cattle Farming

Improved Cattle Feed; Improved Manure Management

I will spend 20 minutes researching cattle feed and manure management, or visiting a dairy farm to learn about their farming practices.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Coastal, Ocean, and Engineered Sinks

Cook With Seaweed

Seaweed Farming

I will use seaweed in a new recipe.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Learn About & Practice Sustainable Fashion

Multiple Industry Solutions

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 1
DAILY ACTION

Buildings

Replace Manual Thermostats

Smart Thermostats

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Education

Support Businesses Owned by Women, POC, or Immigrants

Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders

I will spend 30 minutes researching and shopping from 1 businesses owned by women, people of color, or immigrants.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings

Plan to Insulate

Insulation

I will spend 40 minutes finding out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

UNCOMPLETED
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?

Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 7:54 PM

Final Eco-Challenge Post: To sum up my reflection, obviously this was an interesting and motivating way to keep up-to-date on what you do in your daily life for me. It was kind of hard to keep up with every single week by posting these actions, but I did it, and honestly, it made me reflect on my own choices for a more sustainable future because, truthfully, I am scared for Mother Nature and what the world has to offer in the future, especially when thinking about methane, fossil fuel gas emissions, and how much pollution this earth has and whether or not it’s going to be too late to take care of it or not, because we never know what will happen because climate change is a real known problem that people still refuse to believe in, which is mind-boggling because we are currently in it right now. I believe that the effort that I put into my Eco Challenge has made a difference in the way I perceive myself, and I will continue to strive for a better future by integrating all of these actions and more to come in my life. My ultimate goal is for this planet to be greener and healthier as a whole, but to slightly come to that conclusion, everyone around the world needs to participate, and I believe that everyone should be encouraged to subscribe to the DrawDown Eco Challenge because it’s a strong movement that can even be larger than what it currently is and it is a way to spread awareness to people. But as of right now, our world is facing challenges with fossil fuels. Hopefully, in the future, we can strive to use renewable energy sources like solar panels, but that can benefit people in different countries and continents around the world. Not everyone is able to use sustainable sources. Sometimes people have to stick with what’s easier, especially if we look towards transportation and how people use the car because it’s going to take less time than taking public transportation. For example, if we replace current energy sources with sustainable ones, a lot of jobs would be lost, and obviously the building of the renewable energy sources would cost a lot more, especially finding a place to set up these renewable sources and building new installations for them. I just feel as though we will never amount to a perfect greener world. I believe that this is a problem that we’re going to deal with forever, and unfortunately, it will just get worse because the generations before us did not care as much but also did not have the knowledge of knowing better for the next generations to come after them, and that’s a mistake that a lot of people do, basically doing the work, making the mess and leaving it for the younger population to fix and then blame us and calling us lazy, but honestly, I believe Gen Z is the only generation that has actually made changes and protested for climate change than anyone has ever seen before. Hopefully, in a better world, we would live happily with sustainable solutions that can last a lifetime.

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 7:38 PM

Week 11: Recently, I’ve started adding seaweed to my everyday meals. I love it! Thanks to my one-time action (coastal, ocean, engineered sinks) I completed that got me into this, I add it to everything from rice and salads to sandwiches. I love the crunchy taste and versatility. Seaweed also spiked my interest in learning about its sustainability benefits, which has made it even more meaningful when eating it. Seaweed absorbs large amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere and requires no freshwater, fertilizer, or pesticides to grow, which makes it one of the most sustainable forms of food compared to many land crops. Studies show that if seaweed farming were scaled up, it could play a detrimental role in reducing the amount of global carbon emissions we transmit and seaweed improves ocean health by absorbing nutrients that lead to dangerous algae blooms. Because of my choice, I feel like I stepped into a new realm of discovering sustainable foods that I can incorporate into my diet. I am honestly grateful that I can enjoy seaweed without feeling as though I am causing harm to mother nature.

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 7:22 PM

Week 10: In my family, we avoid plastic by using reusable bags—this has been going on for years in my family, and it is understood by both my brother and me—water bottles, silverware, and containers. However, my brother often has friends over, and they’re not as eco-friendly at all. They bring over single-use plastic items like water bottles and takeout containers, choosing convenience over sustainability (even though my brother grew up in a family that is somewhat eco-conscious; his friends influence has an impact over his decisions). This week alone, we counted around 37 plastic water bottles and several food containers from their visits! Their bad choices add to our household’s plastic waste, and it increasingly went up like no other. That is why there will be rules set up by my parents to reduce their intake by educating them. I spoke to them about it and how they should spread awareness because maybe my brothers friends aren't so aware, so by educating them on the topic, they'll definitely show respect by not wasting. That conversation will make it clear that there’s room for improvement in my family's effort to cut down on single-use plastics forever in our household!

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 7:08 PM

Week 9: During my time off, trying out the espresso machine my parents gifted me was a fun experience since I had always mentioned it to to them so they could eventually buy me one. I spent the weekend making coffee and sharing it with family because they would frequently stop by and try it. It made me appreciate the simplicity of enjoying coffee at home with loved ones. Unlike coffee shops, where profits go directly to owners or big companies, making coffee at home feels more 10x more personal and bittersweet. Plus, I have control over the ingredients, knowing I’m supporting sustainable and fair-trade options that come from local stores that get the coffee grains from South America, and its company actively supports the country of origin and gives back to them and to the workers so they can work in safe and ethnical conditions. This way, I’m supporting ethical actions while enjoying coffee in a way that feels less commercial and more genuine.

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 5:23 PM

Quebec’s just transition principles aim to make the shift to a green economy fair and inclusive. Instead of letting workers or entire communities fall behind as industries evolve, Quebec prioritizes a supportive approach. This means investing in job retraining, offering income support to individuals who are struggling, and boosting local economies to gain recognition, especially in regions heavily reliant on fossil fuels and methane. The goal is to help local workers and communities transition into sustainable spaces smoothly. For example, renewable energy, bringing new energy into people's lives entails ensuring that they won't lose their livelihoods and old habits. A huge part of the just transition plan is collaboration with others. Quebec is working with labor groups, Indigenous communities that they have missed out on for centuries to rebuild communication patterns to understand and give back to them, and environmental organizations to make sure the transition is balanced and considers different ways. This ensures that climate action is not just about cutting or banning emissions but also about protecting people’s jobs and the quality of life of the citizens of Quebec.

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 5:05 PM

In order to effectively reduce food waste you need to focus on planning meals using what’s already available at home. I learned that a lot of waste happens when food is bought without a plan, leading to forgotten items that spoil like yogurt, milk, meat, and cheese, and those are items that I know a lot of people spoil without noticing because they keep on buying access to them and they don't realize it when it's too late, so most people overbuy items that they already have. Another way to forget about this bad habit is having a weekly fridge cleaning. I do it at my house, and we always wait till we have little to no ingredients and items to fully make sure we are using all of the items we purchased to their fullest. This action matters because producing, packaging, and transporting food uses resources like water and energy, and when that food isn’t used, it wastes all the resources put into it.To address this, I started organizing my kitchen to see what I already have before making a shopping list, and my family has been doing this for years, but since I am an adult now, I tend to forget, so making a list of ingredients has helped me. I use ingredients that are closest to their expiration date first, and I’m trying new recipes that fit with what’s already on hand. It has difficulties... sometimes I have to get creative with random ingredients, but it feels good to make sure everything gets used. So far, it’s been a simple way to cut down on waste and make the most of what I have.

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Emma Umbrello 11/13/2024 4:54 PM

I am preparing for the guest speakers. I’ve been looking through Vanier’s sustainability approaches, and I’m really surprised by the range of efforts to create a more eco-friendly campus, and Vanier College has been doing this for decades—this shows their genuine strive for an eco-friendly campus and to promote green spaces. The approach appears realistic and encompasses numerous aspects of promoting sustainability on campus. I’m just starting to learn about these approaches because I am not familiar with them, so I’m not sure what might be missing, but I can see there’s always room for growth. I’ve also noticed Vanier’s unique green spaces, something I didn’t experience at Dawson College or John Abott. Here are a few questions I’d like to ask: How does Vanier measure the impact of its sustainability efforts? Are there ways to incorporate sustainability into different academic programs? Is Vanier College going to collaborate with other schools to help them better promote green spaces?

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Emma Umbrello 11/06/2024 5:53 AM

Here is my tree planting picture :

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks Forest-Friendly Foods 2

How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?

Emma Umbrello 10/29/2024 7:33 PM

I will mainly focus on completely stopping my intake on palm oil because they lead the deforestation in tropical forests. Way to prevent this is when at the grocery store and looking for
I always need to check the label in the back and search for the ingredients list and when I come across palm oil, I will immediately put it down
and search for an alternative that is also beneficial for my health. For example: extra-virgin olive oil from Italy or Greece is absolutely amazing for my health, such as coconut and avocado oil. When it comes to coffee because I’m a huge coffee consumer, I have coffee every single day without fail I could have more than one or 2 cups of coffee and I will feel absolutely nothing. I started seeking out brands that are certified organic and fair trade and they usually support sustainable farming practises. I cut off Starbucks from my intake and I started looking at local companies that sell coffee and are probably fair trade! A value of mine is to promote tropical forest restoration because we need our nature clean! Even if it’s little steps that I’m doing, I’m still contributing for sustainable practices.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry Recycle Everything I Can

How could you incorporate other "Rs" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "Rs" make you feel?

Emma Umbrello 10/29/2024 7:22 PM

I live in Laval and I’m committed to recycling everything I see and can. I’ll start by checking what materials are accepted for recycling by Laval’s local waste collection service, which includes plastics, metals, and electronics.
At home and at my family members’ houses, I’ll make sure to rinse out containers like yogurt cups and sauce jars to avoid contamination, which can prevent recycling. Since I often help clean the dishes, I’ll take a moment to sort through items before they go into the recycling bin. I’ll also remind my family to do the same with their recyclables. The same thing goes for electronics and old batteries. There is a specific location where I can drop off these items and put them in a bin that isn’t like any other regular bin that we see. It’s the one that’s designed for electronic pieces that will be preserved by individuals who will safely dismiss of them. These are things that I used to do but when you get older, you tend to keep all of your electronics and exchange them at the for a store credit or
a new laptop, or iPad, depending on what you’re trading in for, but that’s also useful returning it back to the store and they use those pieces to create new devices .

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