7 day Challenge

Energy Audit

Electricity: about 231 pounds of CO2/week

water: 568 gallons per week

Natural Gas:444.444 pounds of CO2 per week

Heating Oil: N/A

Vehicles:5.255 pounds of CO2 per week

Rail Travel: 2.1 pounds of CO2 per week

Bus: 6.6 pounds of CO2 per week

Day 7: The word wasn’t spread

consumption

water-  3 cups of coffe, a few cups of water and milk, many toilet flushes, hand washing and teeth brushing. 

food- eggs with truffle oil(kind of gross, my mom put to much in), Chicken Marengo, and Pecan pie.

electricity-  Lights, tv and xbox were on for most of the day. 

gasoline- none

money-  $5.45 for two slices of pizza

reduction- I reduced water usage by taking another bucket shower. I didn’t really reduce my electricity, but at least I remembered to turn the lights off when I went outside. 

sustainability- I tried spreading the word to a few of my friends today, but they didn’t want to listen. They gave me a hard time, but at least I informed them that even reducing a few things can really make a difference. Hopefully they will keep that in mind. 

peers- People are seem as though they are slipping up on the last few days, and realizing making changes in everything is a little to hard. I think people have realized that just making one change, like reducing shower time can make a difference. 

Day 6

1. Consumption

water - Camelbak, toilet, brushing teeth, washing hands.

food - Waffles, pb&j, apple, plum,worst mexican food ever at Acapulco in JP.

electricity - xbox 360, 1 light, turned computer off, iphone

gas - heat, drove to school and took bus home

money- Some was spent on MW3

2. Reduction - I didn’t really reduce anything today. It was my birthday and I kind of splurged. I feel bad and I want to keep making this changes, but I failed today.

3. Sustainability - I would like to continue reducing my water usage as well as electricity. I feel as though these changes are are easy to follow and I think I could do a better job.

4. Following - I learned that other people were keeping up their reduction and saving water and heat. It was cold out today and they are using blankets.

Day 5: Technology Thursday

1. Consumption

water - milk, 2 camelbaks, bucket shower, washed hands, flushed toilet

food - pancakes, pb&j sandwich, danish, apple, fried turkey, salad, broccoli, cranberry sauce

electricity - xbox 360, 1 light, turned computer off, iphone

gas - heat, drove to school and took bus home

money- none

2. Reduction - 

I am continuing to use my bucket shower for this challenge, which is about 3> gallons. I also am not using any of the lights when I walk around anymore to save energy. I am wearing extra layers instead of turning up my heat on high.

3. Sustainability - 

I haven’t been on Facebook basically at all during this challenge. I think I can continue to do this because it is a huge waste of time and makes people procrastinate. I won’t keep taking bucket showers, but I will continue to turn lights off when I’m not in that room.

4. Following -

I took the water footprint calculator test and was surprised at how much the average American uses their water, and makes me conscious about how much I’m using from now on. People I’ve been following have been finding ways to keep warm without the heat like wearing sweaters and blankets, and all that good stuff. 

Day 4: Waterless Wednesday

1. Consumption

water - full camelbak, cup of coffee, cup of cranberry juice, I collected rain water to use for my shower but if that doesn’t work, I’m going to use my bucket

food - bagel with peanut butter, ham and cheese sandwich, cap cod chips, apple, steak

electricity - xbox 360, 1 light, turned computer off, iphone

gas - heat, drove to school and took bus home

money- none

2. Reduction - 

I am sticking by my ‘If it’s yellow, let it mellow’ rule. I also am not using a lot of lights. However, I still eat meat because it tastes delicious.

3. Sustainability - 

I should probably drink more water in the future. I can continue not leaving a lot of lights on and staying off Facebook while doing homework, since it is a detriment to people’s schoolwork. 

4. Following -

A lot of people have been reducing their shower time, and have also been walking to school instead of taking the bus. Maybe I can do this when it is nice out. Also, some people can save water using my ’If it’s yellow, let it mellow’ rule. :)

Day 3: Try Hard

water -2 camelbaks, 2 cups of tea, 1 bucket shower, hand washing, toilet flushing(if its yellow let it mellow new rule), juice

food- I ate a lot today. Bacon egg and cheese, apple, cheese crackers, a few french fries, BLT, 3 oreos, baked fish, shrimp, squash and rice

electricity- I stopped using the high wattage light fixture and switched over to the energy efficient one. I turned my computer off when it wasn’t in use.

gas- bus to and from school

money- I spent nothing

2. Reduction -  I reduced my electricity usage today. I attempted to do my homework by candle light, but that soon became very difficult as it got darker. I turned only one light on opposed to the three I normally have on. I have continued to reduce my water used in the shower by taking a bucket shower. 

3. Sustainability - 

I definitively will continue using this energy efficient bulb as well as turning off lights. It is such an easy thing to do, which I just never did before. I have also closed my windows completely so that heat wont escape. Before some windows were open so the heat from the furnace would escape. I have continued using minimal water in the shower but I doubt I could do this forever.  

4. Following -

People have continued to keep there shower times down and that has inspired me to continue doing my shower method. I have also been inspire to try to not use facebook until I’m done with all my homework. People are realizing what changes are just impossible to continue doing and which ones they can make in their lives. 

Day 2: No Money Monday

1. Consumption

water- Two full camelbaks, two cups of tee, bucket shower, and a load of laundry. 

food- Oatmeal, toast, apple, plum, PB&J, Cape Cod Chips, Rice and Beans. 

electricity- I tried to keep most of the lights of in my house. The computer has been on for about 4hours. I lost the little LED light I was trying to use at night. 

gas- About 3 miles worth of gas were used. I had a doctors appointment. My dad drove me in his Prius. swag

money- I spent nothing so a day well done.

2. Reduction -  I spent no money today, but I didn’t need to since I had plenty of food. I ate no meat today and had rice and beans for dinner. The rice would have been easier to cook if someone invented that rice faucet I thought of in class. I kept most of the lights of in my house and took another shower by using only a bucket of water. I don’t stink. 

3. Sustainability - I don’t think that I could continue doing the one bucket shower thing, but I definitively could eat less meat. It was easy and I feel full. I realized yesterday that I leave a lot of lights on as well as my computer and I have been making a conscience effort to turn them off. 

4. Following - 

I have learned that most people take extremely long showers and my average 4minute shower is outrageously short. I don’t understand how you can spend 45 minutes in the shower without getting pruney. People have been making efforts good efforts and lets see if we can all go hard tomorrow on Try Hard Tuesday.