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Morgan Gary's avatar

Morgan Gary

SPIN LAUNDRY LOUNGE

"plant based, zero waste & minimal impact living "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,776 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    16
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    1,200
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    40
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    90
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    70
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    60
    miles
    traveled by foot
  • UP TO
    2,000
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    16
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    30
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    16
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    803
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    public official or leader
    contacted
  • UP TO
    30
    whole food meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    60
    zero-waste meals
    consumed

Morgan's actions

Transportation

Drive Less

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Choose a Carbon Offset

If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Carry my Trash

I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement

I will spend at least 30 minutes using the resources provided to learn about water justice and find out how I can get involved in local initiatives.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Conserve Toilet Water

I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Brush My Teeth Without Running Water

I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Choose Organic Ingredients

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Whole Foods Diet

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-Waste Cooking

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Heat and Cool Naturally

I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Power Down the Computer

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 each day that I do this.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Eco-friendly Gardening

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Find Local Recycling Depots

I will spend at least 60 minutes finding out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Conduct Virtual Meetings

I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Walk Instead

I will walk 2 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to 1.61 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Reduce Single-Use Disposables

Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Adjust the Thermostat

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Energy

Online Energy Audit

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Go Paperless

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and ending unwanted subscriptions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Work from Home

I will work from home 3 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Try a New Way to Prep

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Launch a Recycling Program

I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Advocate for Greener Vehicles

I will spend at least 60 minutes assessing the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those who produce my food in other regions of the world to make better choices when I shop.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Locally-Sourced Meals

I will source 1 meal(s) each day from local producers.

COMPLETED 30
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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Water Conserve Toilet Water
    What would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:52 PM
    A sustainable water future would be one where everyone had access to clean, drinkable water. We need to be mindful every time we use water to shower, brush our teeth, cook, do laundry, etc and only use what we need! 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Water Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement
    Who is affected by polluted water or a lack of access to water in your region? How are they affected?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:50 PM
    Right now we have less water in our region than we normally do. It is affecting everyone, but it is being seen in the Agriculture business very prominently. The pastures just aren't the same as they normally are. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Find Local Recycling Depots
    Our ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:47 PM
    I found out that I can take wine corks to New Seasons, empty pill bottles back to the pharmacy, hearing aid batteries back to my doctors office where they recycle them, plastic bags to the grocery store (Fred Meyers or Safeway takes them), a lot of odds and ends to Metro. I also took Magazines and random papers and art supplies to SCRAP and tools, buckets, etc to The Rebuilding Center. I found a home for almost everything!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Conduct Virtual Meetings
    How can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:43 PM
    I would need to make sure virtual meetings are still personal and that we can still connect as a team. It is hard to always meet virtually, but as long as we are meeting about once per week in person that should be good. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Car Share
    Take a moment to think of places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:42 PM
    Yes! That is a great idea. I could drive once a week to the grocery store with my neighbor to combine our trips!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Drive Less
    How has your access to various kinds of transportation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:40 PM
    I have always had access to a car. I also relied on public transportation and my bike throughout college. Since I've had access to a car usually my first instinct is to take the car. I use my car often, but If I can combine trips or walk, bike or take the bus I will. It can be convenient to take a car, but I make an effort to only take it when necessary. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Meet My Local Farmers
    When you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? Do you think this might enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:29 PM
    When you know where your food comes from you can feel good about the quality of the food as well as knowing who you are supporting by buying it. I love supporting our small local farmers and know my money is going directly to them instead of the few large food producers in our country that do not treat the farmers and their families well. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Smart Seafood Choices
    Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:26 PM
    Right now I am following a vegan, plant based diet and am not eating any fish. But if I were to eat fish again I would be very careful about what I ate and do research ahead of time. I think I would prioritize eating wild caught salmon. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Online Energy Audit
    What most interested or surprised you about your own energy footprint?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:24 PM
    How much laundry accounts for your energy footprint and strengthens my belief that we should all wash in cold water to conserve energy. Doing laundry at Spin is extremely helpful and reduces my overall energy footprint!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Energy Turn it off
    How is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?

    Morgan Gary's avatar
    Morgan Gary 4/30/2019 7:21 PM
    Electricity is generated in a wide variety of ways from coal to nuclear to hydro. There is also a growing amount of renewable energy sources including wind and solar. I've been thinking a lot about wind power. I think makes a ton of sense but I was also recently talking to someone on the other side of the argument that shared that many endangered birds are killed each day from the wind turbines. I think it is important to understand all environmental impacts and do our best to reduce any negative side effects.