"When I was a kid and I borrowed a toy from a friend, my mom made sure that I gave that toy in back in the condition, if not better, than when I borrowed it. Following that same idea, this planet isn't mine - I am borrowing it from the next generation. I need to leave in better shape than I found it!"
Points Total
0
Today
0
This Week
911
Total
Participant Impact
up to
10
minutes
spent learning
up to
7
locally sourced meals
consumed
up to
44
meatless or vegan meals
consumed
up to
7
organic meals
consumed
up to
42
more servings
of fruits and vegetables
Maria's Actions
Nature
Join An Outdoor Project
I will join an outdoor restoration project in my community.
Completed One-Time Action
Community
Join my Neighborhood Association
I will join my neighborhood association or another local group.
Completed One-Time Action
Simplicity
Donate Unneeded Materials
I will donate unneeded materials to craft shops or places like the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.
Completed One-Time Action
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
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
Health
Sign Up for Air Quality Alerts
I will sign up to receive local Air Quality Alerts via EnviroFlash email notification
Completed One-Time Action
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and subscriptions.
Completed One-Time Action
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Completed One-Time Action
Health
More Fruits and Veggies
I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.
COMPLETED 21 DAILY ACTIONS
Health
Eliminate Toxic Plastics
I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.
COMPLETED 21 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Cook New Recipes
I will cook a new recipe every day that features organic and/or local ingredients.
COMPLETED 19 DAILY ACTIONS
Waste
Needs vs. Wants
I will adopt a 'Needs Vs. Wants' approach and only buy things I need.
COMPLETED 21 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Eat Meatless Meals
I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) per day.
COMPLETED 22 DAILY ACTIONS
Create Your Own Action
Learning Natural History
My goal is to successfully complete a natural history class about my region (Western PA). I signed up for a three-month course that begins in March and will finish in June.
This is going to sound like a six year old's accomplishment, but I ate SO many veggies with dinner last night to make sure I met my challenge. And it was really good--I tossed together broccoli, peas, sweet potatoes, and zucchini in soy sauce, pepper, a dash of powder, and a bit of butter. Yummy!
So this weekend I made a chili with more veggies than usual (including pumpkin and peppers!), and even though I did use meat for it, I used ground beef from a small-scale family farm that's on the PA-OH border. Trying to challenge my cooking!
As fish fry Fridays are all around, now is a good time to bring up Seafood Watch, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's program for responsible sea food eating. Check it out!
I know for me, the hardest one has been to increase my daily fruits and veggies -- well, mainly the veggies. Lingering habits of a picky-eater-childhood. Working on it though!
My other food-based challenge was to have two meatless meals per day, but since my hubby and I have been trying to reduce our overall meat intake, that one has been going really well. We've been going a few days in a row without meat, then a dinner with meat, than another few days in a row without it.
I've been struggling with my challenges to get outside and walk every day...mainly because it's so cold! Warmer weather will help, but it's also because I'm having a hard time fitting it into my daily routine. I'm not a morning person, so getting up to walk before getting ready for work just doesn't happen. I think I need to start bringing a change of clothes and trying to walk after the workday before I go home, because once I'm home I'm distracted with other things like making dinner. 20 minutes a day is not a lot, though, I just need the determination to make it happen! If anyone has tips to incorporate any activity into your daily routine when your day already feels full, I'd appreciate advice!
When I am feeling too lazy to prepare veggies and fruit I like to make a vegetable smoothie. Just toss some spinach, beets, and other veg in a blender with some fruit for flavor. Yummy!
So you can probably tell at this point that I love to talk about cooking, food prep, baking, and anything in between. My husband is the same way with vegetables - he likes very few and he prefers them a certain way. I've been able to get him past this by making a veggie sauce that he is bonkers for. I steam one yellow onion, a few stalks of celery, some carrots, and sweet potato until they are pretty mushy. I add some uncooked leafy greens (spinach or arugula, usually), and then add black pepper, oregano, salt, and nutritional yeast to taste. I blend this together until it makes a thick sauce and he will put it on anything! He has said to him that it falls somewhere between a "nacho cheese" and "alfredo cheese sauce" taste, but it could be different for you! Lemme know if you try this - I'm curious to hear what you think.