Violet Sims (104)

YCP Spring 2024

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
410 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

26

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

355

minutes

not spent in front of a screen
UP TO

160

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

65

minutes

spent learning

Violet's actions

Nature

Practice Gratitude for Earth

I will spend 10 minute(s) per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and my natural surroundings.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

I will spend 10 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Energy

Learn About Renewable Energy

I will spend 20 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation

I will spend 10 minutes practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation to nurture love and compassion for myself and others.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

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

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

De-Clutter My Home or Dorm Room

I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home or dorm room.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Core Values

We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Less Screen Time

I will replace 30 minute(s) of screen time each day with other activities.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Host A Watch Party

I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Support Native Communities

I will use the resource links provided below and spend 20 minutes learning about the native populations that lived in my area prior to colonization, and what I can do to support those that still exist.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Energy

What inspires you to act on sustainable energy and other energy issues?
Violet Sims (104) 4/17/2024 10:30 AM
What inspires me to act sustainably when it comes to energy is the health benefits reduced pollution has, and the economic benefits. Things like imported fossil fuels are expensive, and sustainable energy can not only improve quality of life but also provide a sense of energy independence that will benefit our economy and national debt in the long run.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

Who is most affected by environmental degration and/or environmental irresponsiblity in your community? How are they affected?
Violet Sims (104) 4/17/2024 10:11 AM
Minorities and those who are low income are most affected since the gentrification of many cities in Pennsylvania. These people are forced to live in busy crowded areas that see lots of factories, trucks, and other systems that cause air pollution. This can cause increased rates of respiratory illnesses, and other medical complications.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?
Violet Sims (104) 4/17/2024 9:52 AM
Balance is important to sustainability in that it allows us to understand nature and respect it as something that is equal to us, not something we have dominance over. Native ideas and spirituality are incredibly important to our culture and our pursuit to create a sustainable United States.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

What are your top 3-5 core values? How did you narrow it down to those as being your core values?
Violet Sims (104) 4/15/2024 9:31 AM
My top values are understanding, equality, intelligence, sustainability, and connection. I narrowed it down by looking at lists of values and marking down which ones I felt related most to me. I then narrowed it down to 5 by taking the time to sit and think about which values matter to me the most.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

What did you notice in implementing this challenge? Was it hard to choose other activities over screen time? How did you decide to spend your time?
Violet Sims (104) 4/15/2024 9:26 AM
It is very hard to choose other activities over screentime, however I noticed that it was a lot easier when I spent my free time with friends. Playing games, going for walks, or even just sitting and talking instead of looking at a screen helped me.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

How can you prevent yourself from accumulating more unnecessary things in the future?
Violet Sims (104) 4/15/2024 9:23 AM
I can prevent myself from accumulating unnecessary things by only purchasing things that I need. When it comes to old things that I keep lying around, I can donate clothing and other items or sell them. Budgeting has really helped me keep my possessions limited to things I need and only a couple things that I need for hobbies I like to do.

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- Angelo Zazzarino 4/15/2024 9:05 PM
  I really like this! I recently sorted through my closet and donated the clothes that I don't like or wear anymore and it felt so good to know they are going to someone that needs them and I am not encouraging over consumption.
  
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Violet Sims (104) 4/15/2024 9:16 AM
I love campus ecochallenge!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

How can practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation be helpful to the health of the environment?
Violet Sims (104) 4/10/2024 5:24 PM
When we are mindful about ourselves, others, and the environment, we are more likely to take actions that positively benefit everybody. If you look at the world in a loving, kind, mindful way; you will see solutions to problems that you didn't before.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

How is creativity a necessary ingredient for practicing simplicity?
Violet Sims (104) 4/10/2024 12:22 PM
Creativity can help make great things out of very little material. When I was little I often wanted new toys and treats, but since my mother was low income, I often had to make do with what I had. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood have nothing to do with new toys, clothes, or food, but playing with the plants and animals in my backyard, climbing trees, and running around outside with my friends. Creativity can turn a little into a lot very quickly.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our planet and other people?
Violet Sims (104) 4/09/2024 9:48 AM
Eating meat is expensive considering the resources and climates needed to farm them. Eating meat, while not necessarily bad (and can be beneficial) for healthy individuals, can be detrimental to those with heart disease. Because heart disease runs in my family, it is healthier for me to avoid red meats. Meat farming also can be considered inhumane and causes excess carbon emissions when done incorrectly. A solution to this is moving cattle farming to desert climates where the waste can bring life back into the soil and the carbon can then be absorbed by the new grasslands.

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