Harry Watkins
"I will work with my students, my family and my friends to embrace spiritually faithful, socially just, and environmentally sound way of living on this planet. We have only one home. I want to do all I can to pass it on intact and thriving to my grandchildren, and to all grandchildren everywhere."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 2,900 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO829pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO218meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO936milestraveled by train
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UP TO18lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO75poundswaste composted
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UP TO720milestraveled by bus
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UP TO218organic mealsconsumed
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UP TO6,607gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO216locally sourced mealsconsumed
Harry's actions
Waste
Buy Nothing But Food
I will not purchase anything but food during the challenge.
Water
If It's Yellow Let It Mellow
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Waste
Use Reusable Containers
I will only use reusable containers for my lunches at work or school.
Waste
Reduce Food Packaging
I will only purchase bulk food items and avoid all single-package items.
Water
5-Minute Showers
I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.
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.
Transportation
Ride the Bus
I will ride the bus 20 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 7.3 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Food
Eat Meatless Meals
I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) per day.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 2 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients per day.
Food
Locally-Sourced Meals
I will source 2 meal(s) per day from local producers.
Waste
Needs vs. Wants
I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.
Waste
Recycle Everything I Can
I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.
Transportation
Ride the Train
I will ride the train 26 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 15.72 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day by composting my food.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Energy
Choose LED Bulbs
I will replace 18 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Health
Cut Out Harmful Self-Care Products
I will check labels on my shampoo, lotions and/or beauty products. I'll replace products that use known carcinogens such as formaldehyde, cocamide diethanolamine, DMDM hydantoin or benzene.
Water
Wash Only Full Loads of Laundry
I will conserve water by only doing full loads of laundry.
Energy
Online Energy Audit
I will complete an online energy audit of my dorm room or home and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Food
Plant an Herb Garden
I will plant an herb garden or window pot in my home, workplace, or dorm room.
Health
Support Pollution Reduction
I will learn about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.
Community
Register to Vote
I will register to vote with my state or local election office.
Energy
Ditch The Halogen Desk Lamp
I will replace my halogen desk lamp with an LED bulb.
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.
Food
Shop at Farmers Market
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op, or join a CSA.
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
Disable Screen Savers
I will disable screen savers and will put the computer to sleep instead, saving up to 28% % more energy.
Food
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary about food with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products
I will research toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Water
Watch A Water Documentary
I will watch a documentary about water and the environment.
Nature
Attend or Join an Outdoor Club
I will go to an outdoor club or similar group's meeting or event.
Health
DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning
I will make my own cleaning products using non-toxic ingredients - improving air quality at home or school and also protecting human and environmental health.
Health
Audit Toxic Plastics
I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.
Water
Protect Clean Water
I will join one of the Waterkeeper Alliance's clean water campaigns to combat pollution and preserve clean water sources.
Nature
Explore Campus Nature
I will spend time getting acquainted with the nature on or near my campus.
Food
Advocate for Food Options
I will advocate for local and/or organic food options on campus.
Nature
Get Involved In Local/Campus Conservation
I will get involved in a local or campus conservation project, volunteering my time or researching local conservation issues.
Water
Research My Water Supply
I will learn more about my own local watershed and where my water comes from and identify any conservation or water quality issues.
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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Harry Watkins 4/02/2018 1:44 PMFriends,
I've been thinking about where I do well and where I falter in terms of my efforts to reduce my environmental footprint. In many ways, I find I am compromising a bit in my efforts in order to make life work.
"Goodish"? I have reduced my meat consumption to about 3-4 nights a week (free-range chicken, certified sustainable fish, but generally avoid beef/pork/lamb.), eating non-meat meals for almost all my other meals. I live a long way from work, so I drive to work 2 days/week, and use the trolley/bus 1 day/week, and try to telecommute the other days. I'm pretty good with water - "navy" showers, turn off faucets, capture grey water and roof water for gardening, high efficiency toilets, etc. I recycle everything. We sip energy in our home (manage thermostats aggressively, have timers on power strips, etc.) and have installed solar. And as I've discussed in class, Carol and I live in one home with another couple, thus decreasing our housing and "stuff" footprint.
"Badish"? In order to find a house that worked for two couples and our budgets, we moved far from PLNU and into a "car dependent" neighborhood. I love cheese, eggs, occasional bacon for breakfast, and my housemates aren't vegan so I eat what they cook. I still receive too much stuff into our household and thus end up "recycling" lots of stuff; i.e., I don't "refuse" enough or work hard enough to reduce packaging. I still have lots of work to do, and some of my choices have mixed impacts, some good, some bad.
My point: work at it steadily, and make improvements where and as you can. We can do some things in the short run, and make more significant choices over the longer run. Finally, ask the businesses that make our products, and our elected officials to help make this easier! -
Harry Watkins 3/11/2018 7:38 PMIt is always a challenge to keep on working my commitments when I'm "on vacation". My hope is that habits formed will carry me through changes in my schedule. How about you?-
Katie Hibbard 3/13/2018 3:33 PMI stayed pretty true to my sustainability goals except one night I felt it was respectful to have some red meat. In the end I wish that I hadn't but that okay, always room for improvement!
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Harry Watkins 2/11/2018 7:49 AMOn Saturday morning, Alondra, Michelle and Rima joined me to plant our class garden. We planted Romaine and Bibb lettuce, chard, snow peas, spinach, broccoli, yellow crooked neck squash, some watermelon radishes from seed, a cherry tomato, and some blue Namesia flowers. Then we had lunch at the Living Room. Fun!-
Michelle Picca 2/11/2018 3:45 PMI had so much fun! Thank you for sharing this experience with us! -
Katie Hibbard 2/11/2018 12:37 PMNo way you are all awesome!! I cannot wait to see everything grow! Hopefully with this rain we are about to have!!
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Harry Watkins 2/11/2018 7:42 AMOn Wednesday, I cleared our class garden plot of old plants, weeds, etc., fertilized the soil with an organic, locally produced fertilizer and added some compost. While class members were invited to participate, I was alone on working on it.-
Katie Hibbard 2/11/2018 12:36 PMI have also shared solo time in the community garden! Although sometimes we are excited for others to join us and help, God is saying have a little solo time I think. Being the head of SEAA Club I have had to embrace this(:
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Harry Watkins 2/04/2018 3:17 PMAs we postponed the campus garden planting to next Saturday, I spent this Saturday morning cleaning up and replanting four raised bed 4x10 foot planters with veggies for the Spring. We have hotter weather here in Spring Valley (it has been more than 80 degrees for 10 days!) than found on the coast, so I combined Winter veggies with Spring/summer veggies. I'm trying another round of broccoli - a fast maturing variety that bears in 55 days, a lot of salad greens - lettuces, kale, chard - shielded by some shade cloth, some yellow crook necked squash, and three different tomato plants - two variety of cherry tomatoes and a heirloom mid-sized variety. We also have some beets which I separated, and some nice Anaheim peppers. I added some compost and organic fertilizer to the soil and worked in some beneficial fungi and bacteria to facilitate root health and nutrient uptake. Watered it all and said a prayer of thanksgiving for the opportunity! It was fun getting my hands dirty! -
Harry Watkins 1/28/2018 11:54 AMYesterday I attended the Climate Mobilization Coalition's event and "march" at the Civic Center downtown, with my wife Carol, and my housemates, Lee and Juanita. Frankly, it was a bit depressing, as only 60 or so folks showed up (including several of you guys - thanks!) The contrast to the Women's march the previous weekend (37,000 + people) was profound. Several reasons were given for the low turnout including "march fatigue", and the failure/unwillingness of the local press or other climate action groups (e.g., 350sd.org, or the Sierra Club) to promote the event on their respective websites. One reason given by the other climate groups was not wanting to dilute their own activities. This is worth discussing in class - how can a small engaged NGO like the CMC get traction?