

Karyssa Arnett
"Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society (SIMRS) is a registered charity based in Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We are a group of naturalists dedicated to conducting long-term research and monitoring, providing emergency marine mammal response, and educating the public about marine ecosystems."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 563 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0advocacy actioncompleted
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UP TO2.0community eventshosted or attended
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UP TO10conversationswith people
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UP TO10disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO10hoursvolunteered
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UP TO155minutesspent learning
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UP TO120minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO9.0plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO8.0poundswaste composted
Karyssa's actions
Waste
Use a Reusable Mug
I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to landfills by using a reusable mug.
Nature
Do Nature Activities
I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 20 minute(s) each day to connect with the shared ecosystem in which I live and rely on. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)
Education
Participate in Orca Trivia Night
Get your trivia on! In partnership with Northwest Straits Foundation, Whidbey Island Conservation District is holding a trivia night themed all things Orca, Salmon, and Marine Habitat. Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7pm.
Food
Learn More about Food Deserts
I will spend 20 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh Puget Sound food in my region.
Nature
Organize a Trash Cleanup Event
I will organize a trash clean up effort with friends, family, and neighbors at my favorite local trail or salmon stream to keep trash from flowing downstream via storm drains to Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean.
Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 10 hour(s) in my community to help watershed health that leads to the Puget Sound and/or the Pacific Ocean.
Education
Join the Orca Forum to learn from local researchers
Learn about orca research taking place in the Puget Sound in this workshop put on by Whidbey Island CD in partnership with Northwest Straits Foundation and County Marine Resource Committees. Wednesday, Oct. 14 5:30-7pm
Education
Support local schools with Orca resources
Share with my child(s) teacher or my neighborhood school pre-prepared curriculum resources about the plight of our Orcas and the healthy watersheds they depend on, for remote learning
Education
Educate my family or friends
Spend 20 minutes educating my family/friends about Southern Resident Orca Whales and their endangered food supply.
Education
Help educate young people
Identify, lead and host simple environmental education activities, that help the Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean, for 10 young people I know.
Food
Join a Local CSA
I will sign up for a local CSA (community-supported agriculture) to help keep remaining farmland in farmland, in Puget Sound or Pacific Ocean watersheds, and reduce the trend towards paved over environments.
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.
Waste
Recycle Everything I Can
Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by my local haulers or drop stations in my community.
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to landfills per day by composting my food, which reduces my climate footprint ultimately helping salmon and orcas.
Waste
Reduce Single-Use Disposables
I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate, so long term, it stays out of the Puget Sound and/or the Pacific Ocean.
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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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Recycle Everything I CanWhat have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?
Karyssa Arnett 10/22/2020 10:24 AMI learned that although soft plastics are not accepted in our curbside program, they are accepted by drop-off at our local recycling facility. I find the most difficult part of recycling is making sure containers are washed properly (especially milk containers!). -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Reduce Single-Use DisposablesBringing your own bags and containers to the grocery store, and even to restaurants for leftovers, are a couple of ways to reduce your waste. What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Karyssa Arnett 10/22/2020 10:20 AMInstead of plastic ziplock bags for food/ snack storage I have fabric reusable bags that I use. They're machine washable and way more fun with cool designs on the bags! I also swapped plastic wrap for beeswax wraps which work great to keep food fresh.-
Sydney Dixon 10/27/2020 10:24 AMMy mom makes these! They are the best!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Volunteer in my CommunityWhat is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?
Karyssa Arnett 10/19/2020 9:29 AMSupport local non-profit organizations that work towards Sustainable Development Goals! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Join a Local CSADependable fresh food, better prices (cutting out carbon-heavy supply chain and grocery stores), supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these benefits (or others not listed here) inspires you the most?
Karyssa Arnett 10/14/2020 10:31 AMI love supporting Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild's Box program as it's so great to get seasonal, locally grown food, that is far better quality than what I can receive at the grocery store. It also supports jobs for locals in Tofino and Ucluelet and helps give food security to those in need through the "donate a box" program. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use a Reusable MugMaybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?
Karyssa Arnett 10/13/2020 1:42 PMWith more "compostable" options for take away coffee cups offered at cafes/restaurants it becomes easier to justify single use cups. However we must acknowledge that these biodegradeable options also take energy to both create and destroy, and are often not as environmentally friendly as they are marketed as. I keep a to-go mug in my car, my backpack, and at the office so that I'm rarely ever in a place without one easily accessible. -
Karyssa Arnett 10/13/2020 1:28 PMHey Clayoquot Biosphere Region Team! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and spent some time taking action towards Orca Recovery over the weekend. Don't forget to log your daily activities, you can even do so retroactively if you forget to log in and record from past days. Let's make sure our actions get noticed!