

Kristina Peterson
"I am a firm believer in environmental education and promoting sustainability amongst my friends, family, and church community. "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,894 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO24meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO9.0zero-waste mealsconsumed
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO4.0locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO115milestraveled by carpool
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UP TO72plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO143milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO211pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO2.0milestraveled by foot
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UP TO2,920minutesspent learning
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UP TO1.0energy auditconducted
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UP TO2.0whole food mealsconsumed
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UP TO900gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO1.0public official or leadercontacted
Kristina's actions
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and ending unwanted subscriptions.
Food
Try a New Way to Prep
I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.
Water
Get Involved in the Water Justice Movement
I will spend at least 60 minutes using the resources provided to learn about water justice and find out how I can get involved in local initiatives.
Waste
Personal Waste Audit
I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.
Food
Smart Seafood Choices
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.
Food
Reduce Animal Products
I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 0 vegan meal(s) each day this week.
Transportation
Try Carpooling
I will commute by carpool 5 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to 2.82 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
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.
Food
Plant an Herb Garden
I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.
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.
Water
Fix Leaky Faucets
I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.
Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Energy
Switch to Cold Water
I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of C02 over the course of the next year.
Transportation
Drive Less
I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.
Transportation
Advocate for Greener Vehicles
I will spend at least 5 minutes assessing the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.
Food
Weekly Meal Planning
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.
Water
Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants
I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.
Food
Buy From a Farmers Market
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.
Transportation
Work from Home
I will work from home 2 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.
Water
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.
Energy
Use an Energy Meter
I will use an energy meter to monitor my energy use and identify opportunities to save power.
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.
Energy
Upgrade My Windows
I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.
Food
Zero-Waste Cooking
I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day
Food
Locally-Sourced Meals
I will source 1 meal(s) each day from local producers.
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.
Food
Whole Foods Diet
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.
Energy
Install Alternative Energy
I will install alternative energy systems, such as solar electric systems or solar water heaters.
Transportation
Walk Instead
I will walk 1 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to 1.21 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
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.
Water
Collect Rain Water
I will create a rain garden or bioswale, or use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor watering needs.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWasteWhat one thing could you do right away to reduce your waste?
Kristina Peterson 4/23/2019 8:33 PMOne thing that I could do right away is refuse to use plastic bags for my produce at the grocery store. I was always under the impression that we had to use these bags, but we do not. I think that if everyone made this choice to not use those bags, we could eliminate a lot of plastic waste. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportationHalf of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Do you feel that this fact applies to you? If so, how might you incorporate more muscle-powered transportation in your daily life?
Kristina Peterson 4/23/2019 8:30 PMThis fact definitely applies to me because I live in an area where public transportation isn't accessible, and biking to the grocery store is not easy either. My area is extremely hilly, but I don't have the option to not drive my car and the grocery store is under 3 miles away. In fact, all of the stores that I go to are under 3 miles. I think driving my car to a community is ok, but I should make the choice to walk around that community instead of choosing to drive to each place that is under a mile. I need to choose to walk more. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFoodMichael Pollan states that "it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor." What are your thoughts on this?
Kristina Peterson 4/23/2019 8:27 PMIt is known that fresh produce is far healthier than processed foods. I think that this quote is important because if we are purchasing local farmers, we are receiving healthy and fresh food instead of spending our money at the doctors due to fast food and processed items. Not to mention, purchasing from a farmer is great for our environment! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergyHow is your region being affected by climate change? How will it be affected in the future?
Kristina Peterson 4/23/2019 8:25 PMI can definitely tell that Oregon and, more specifically, Portland is having different seasonal changes due to climate change. Our past winter was very dry compared to normal and we had snow in February. I think in the future these seasons are going to continue to change and be either more wet or more dry. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergyWhat are other ways you could use the power of the sun to reduce your own environmental footprint?
Kristina Peterson 4/23/2019 8:23 PMWhen it is sunny I like to spend more time outdoors. I am more motivated to go for a walk, sit outside, etc. When I am outside I am not inside using lights, electronics, and energy to heat or cool my house. Simply by the sun being out and me spending time outdoors, I am reducing my own environmental footprint. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFoodIf you were to only eat what is in season locally, what would be the hardest for you to give up?
Kristina Peterson 4/22/2019 7:00 PMI think giving up fresh berries or certain vegetables would be really hard. These arevery healthy options that are used in the summer and to not even have the frozen options during the rest of the year would be disappointing. -
Kristina Peterson 4/22/2019 12:35 PMWhen challenging myself to eat at least one meal free of processed foods a day, I was simply thinking of this from an environmental standpoint, but this is actually very healthy! I think this will be a permanent change for me because processed foods typically are unhealthy. -
Kristina Peterson 4/22/2019 12:30 PMForgetting my reusable water for work definitely puts into perspective how much I rely on my water bottle and forces me to rely on disposable cups or small reusable cups that are definitely inconvenient when it comes to the amount of water that I drink -
Kristina Peterson 4/22/2019 12:27 PMWhen on Vacation in Atlanta, our hotel was right in the middle of downtown. It was extremely easy for us to walk to the store, walk to a restaurant, etc. Being back at home in Portland is very different because the accessibility is not there. It makes me think about how different my lifestyle and footprint would be if I lived in the city compared to the suburbs. -
Kristina Peterson 4/22/2019 12:25 PMHaving a meal that is zero waste, has proved to be a lot harden than I imagined. It really puts into perspective how much waste we do produce with each meal, especially if we go out of our way to cook from a recipe that requires a lot of ingredients. This is definitely something that I am conscious about now!