Vanessa Ruiz Garcia

PCC Sociology Ecopanthers

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
343 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.7

pounds

waste composted
UP TO

275

minutes

of additional sleep
UP TO

125

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

370

minutes

spent outdoors

Vanessa's actions

Health

Happiness

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Healthy Sleep

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 60 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Practice Gratitude for Earth

I will spend 15 minutes per day outside, practicing gratitude (prayer, meditation, journaling, etc.) for Earth and my natural surroundings.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Go for a Daily Walk

I will take a walk each day.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Compost Food Waste

I will avoid sending up to .42 lbs (.19 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Sign Up to Vote

I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

Why is voting important to creating a just, sustainable, and thriving world? In what other ways can you actively participate in important decision-making?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/29/2024 10:21 PM
Voting can seem unimportant if you aren't seeing the changes you want in your community... but that is the exact reason of why you should vote! Your vote alone can seem so small but there are plenty of other people who think just like you! They may want to see the same changes as you do, and as your vote adds to the pot, policies and laws can change. Making a difference in what you want to see for your future includes your thoughts and your vote.

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- Sarah Simon 10/29/2024 11:06 PM
  Thank you for sharing this perspective, Vanessa! I totally agree that each vote adds to a larger impact. It’s inspiring to think about how our individual choices can contribute to meaningful change in our communities.
  
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Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/28/2024 2:13 PM
I have seriously enjoyed my time walking and sitting in nature. Writing down gratitude wether it be from my walk or my day can put things in a more possitive perspective. I see the good in the day and that can cut down on the anxiety and the overwhelmed feelings. Starting a compost has been fun too as I put things together! This challenge has opened new doors of how to contribute and appreciate my community and general day!

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Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/22/2024 5:49 PM
Today I got to walk for a little over an hour by myself! It felt so good to walk outside and just breath in the fresh air. I took in appreciation for Fall that is finally upon us. Some leaves were still bright and green, others were already orange and red. Yay for a walk and double for being in the forest! :)

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Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/20/2024 8:05 PM
I have begun collecting all of the scraps from feeding my family their meals, into a bin for my first time composting! I never thought I would be one to start composting but I really look forward to what begins now!

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- Malonie Snyder 10/21/2024 7:24 AM
  That's incredible Vanessa! There are so many items you can put in your compost bin other than food scraps. To learn more, check this out What is Compostable? 103 Things You Can Compost Right At Home (sustainablejungle.com)
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity

Fresh air and movement are good for our entire being and can help us think more clearly and creatively. How does taking a walk each day affect yourself and/or your work?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/14/2024 10:08 PM
When I take the time for myself to have peace and quiet outdoors, I feel completely refreshed. Walking, sometimes it gives me the stamina to keep going when things feel too hard. A walk is all it takes to clear my head or emotions that cloud my thinking to see clearer and make better moves in my life. I notice an instant connection to my body when it's in motion to practice mindfulness :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste

New to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? How will you use your compost once it is ready?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/14/2024 10:04 PM
I started collecting for my compost pile, and I noticed that I threw so much away I don't actually need to. I already have a plan on what I am going to build this week as I begin this journey! I plan on using the compost pile to turn out nutrient rich soil I can then plant with. My goal is to really understand farming on a gardening level for now to begin growing my own vegetables and fruits.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature

Kathleen Dean Moore says that a sense of gratitude leads to a sense of moral obligation. Do you agree? How can we cultivate a sense of gratitude as individuals, and as a society?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/13/2024 10:18 PM
Gratitude for me lies in the world itself- the planet. Without it we would not have a home! With a moral obligation to preserve the world we occupy and so many before us, it's highly important to come together. I feel like there are things every day that can cause division and arguments, but we can come together collectively as human beings to love our world and each other. I think all it can take is one universal problem (literally the universe in this case) to bring the people together.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

Consider how many hours of sleep you get now. How would you like to shift your sleep patterns? What are you finding works for you to be successful in this action?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/13/2024 10:11 PM
I would like to allow myself the opportunity to sleep a full eight hours every night. I find that doing something I find soothing like: meditation, night yoga, or reading in a warm bath, puts me in the right mindset to sleep.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health

How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?
Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/08/2024 3:08 PM
When someone practices gratitude they are able to work with a positive and productive mindset along with others. People are more present when they feel grounded and grateful. A positive person who feels grounded attracts others which leads to endless potential and creativity to better the world.

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Vanessa Ruiz Garcia 10/07/2024 7:30 PM
Today was tough but I still look for the things I am grateful for :) 1. My beautiful children and their little hugs that heal. 2. The sunshine and the warmth and comfort it gives me. (I call it self-photosynthesis lol) 3. I am so grateful for the chance of another day and all the love I have around me.

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