Earth Month Ecochallenge 2022: Sustainable Development Goals

April 1 - April 30, 2022

Melissa Tomecz

JAC Sustainability

"In addition to celebrating Earth Month, I am joining the challenge this year to promote the UN's 17 SDGs."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,548 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

610

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

190

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

610

minutes

not spent in front of a screen

Melissa's actions

Economy & Communities

Create A Readiness Plan

SDG #9 Industry & Infrastructure

I will develop a readiness plan for my household in the event of an emergency.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Calculate Your Water Footprint

SDG #6 Water & Sanitation

I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Learn About Invasive Species

SDG #14 & 15

I will spend 30 minutes learning about invasive species and ways to reduce their impacts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Research Impact Investing

SDG #8 Work & Economy

Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing or my current investment portfolio to determine if they align with my values.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Attend mushroom event at John Abbott

"Mushroom Madness" will take place on April 6th at 1:00pm, on the third floor of the library (room L-307). Learn how mushrooms can be a solution to plastic waste.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Borrow a book from JAC library!

Read a library book that covers either SDG #13 (Climate Action), #14 (Life Below Water), or #15 (Life on Land). Ask the librarian for help to find relevant titles.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Improve Bus 419

Tired of overcrowded and infrequent buses? Let's improve public transit by sending your concerns to the STM. Let them know that the 419 needs to be addressed. Write to them based on your own frustrating experiences with this line.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education & Livelihood

Sign the SDG Accord

Do you want to have a sustainable future? Do you want John Abbott to sign the SDG Accord? Please sign the accord as an individual, and then the college can see how many people would support the motion.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Spend Time Outside

SDG #3 Health & Well-Being

I will replace 30 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside exercising, enjoying the sunrise/sunset, gardening, journaling, or practicing gratitude for nature.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Economy & Communities

Watch the film "Seeding Change"

This e-video is an award-winning documentary that empowers viewers to be part of the solution by voting with their dollars and supporting the brands and products that align with their values.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Know Your Produce

SDG #2 Zero Hunger

I will visit ewg.org to learn about and use their Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen produce lists.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Equity

Support Indigenous & First Nations Communities

SDG #10 Reduced Inequalities

I will spend 30 learning about the past and present indigenous communities in my regions and what I can do to be supportive.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Basic Needs & Security

Get To Know Your Watershed

SDG #6 Water & Sanitation

I will spend 30 minutes learning about my watershed and the particular water issues my region faces.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate & Ecosystems

Attend Earth Day event at JAC

Celebrate Earth Day in the Agora on Thursday April 21 from 10am-3pm! Pick up some seedlings, learn how to make a seed bomb, learn about cycling, and much more!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Melissa Tomecz 4/30/2022 4:15 PM
Hi Team! Today is the LAST day of the challenge. Give yourselves a pat on the back :) I am highlighting SDGs #16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) & 17 (Partnerships for the goals). If everyone just came together to work for the same goals, the world would be in much better shape right now. I hope this challenge gave you something to reflect on and enough knowledge to move forward in the right direction! See you next year.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Economy & Communities

What was it like to create a readiness plan? Did you find other resources you could share?
Melissa Tomecz 4/29/2022 4:25 PM
This is very time consuming, and we don't even have children! LOL We do have our two cats, however, so it is important to have stuff ready whenever an emergency may happen. For starters, we have a first aid kit and plenty of food for the required amount of days (3-10), but many other things that we need to consider (such as extra water and medicine) needs to be added to the list. Having copies or photos of important documents was one thing I never thought of before, but certainly makes sense! We will also need to find contacts that we can depend on, who don't live in the same region as us. Since I live in Canada, I went to the Canadian Red Cross to get all the resources.

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Melissa Tomecz 4/29/2022 4:08 PM
Hi Team! Today I am highlighting SDG #15: Life on land. So much we do on land affects the ecosystem. This includes deforestation, or spraying a crop with poisonous pesticides, or continuing to add to landfills with our waste. Even purchasing products that protect trees and crops, or making sure that foreign workers are treated and paid well can have a profound, positive impact on the land. Have you done any actions that contribute to this goal?

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Melissa Tomecz 4/28/2022 12:47 PM
Looks like the month will end with pretty nice weather! Enjoy what spring has to offer :) Only three more days to go, folks!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate & Ecosystems

What book did you take out? What did you learn?
Melissa Tomecz 4/28/2022 12:26 PM
I actually took out two books! The first one was called "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" by Mary Roach. This focused on SDG #15. It discussed how humans around the globe deal with animal-human conflicts. A wonderful read. I am currently reading my second book called "The Brilliant Abyss" by Helen Scales, which covers SDG #14. I am only 30 pages in, but I am learning so many fascinating things already!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health & Equity

What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time inside and on screens?
Melissa Tomecz 4/27/2022 5:55 PM
The implications for a culture that does that means they become detached from reality, and therefore, distanced from the necessary connection to nature. This will create people who are less compassionate about the environment and of others, as well.

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Melissa Tomecz 4/27/2022 5:52 PM
Hi Team! Today I am highlighting SDG #14: Life below water. Did you do any actions that contributed to this goal? I researched invasive species and though I commented about the Emerald Ash Borer, I also read that zebra mussels are an invasive species in our waters. We need to make sure we take care of our water because it affects the life that lives there, and ultimately all of us on land.

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Melissa Tomecz 4/26/2022 4:41 PM
This week is looking very busy! I can't find my half hour to go walk outside :( The weather is very up and down too. I was hoping to end this challenge finishing off everything, but I can't even do my simple daily action.

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- Jeanne Poirier 4/26/2022 8:52 PM
  You posted to us! Thanks for hanging in there - gosh things change and turn around in a hurry!! Keep breathing and doing what you can - and thank you!
  
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Melissa Tomecz 4/25/2022 5:36 PM
Hi Team! Today I am highlighting SDG #13: Climate Action. I have made a virtual shelf of books on the library website that specifically supports this goal. These books are available for users to borrow, read, and then take action! I was a part of the climate strike in 2019, and I hear there is talk of another one that is planned this fall.

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Melissa Tomecz 4/24/2022 2:05 PM
There is one week left to the challenge! Make sure you look at all your actions and see that they are completed before the month is up. Take the time to reflect how this challenge has changed some of your habits :)

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