Chris Porter

King Conservation District

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
134 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

15

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

30

minutes

spent learning

Chris 's actions

Transportation

Contact my elected officials

If in Washington, I will contact my elected officials to communicate the need to create an annual Orca Protection Endorsement for all recreational boaters in Puget Sound, ensuring boaters are educated on limiting their Orca impacts

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Drive Less

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips thus avoid sending exhaust particles and tire pollution into stormwater that impacts Orca and salmon health.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Looking for yards and spaces that support pollinators in the community

I want to connect neighbors and identify spaces and yards that are supportive of pollinators. I will take pictures and post on social media, and, with the permission of the home owner, add their names to the posting and pictures.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Participate in a Cover Crop Planting at Hillside Gardens Parking Plots

Participate in one of three upcoming Cover Crop Planting Days Join World Relief at Paradise Parking Plots community garden to prepare their garden beds for winter! Even through a pandemic, the seasons continue to change and the soil still needs to be protected from winter rains. During this work party they will be tilling garden beds, amending with compost, and planting winter cover crop.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go by Bike

I will commute by bike 10 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 0.0 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere AND avoid sending exhaust particles and tire pollution into stormwater that impacts Orca and salmon health.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 5 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Organize a Course

I will organize one of Ecochallenge.org's discussion courses on food sustainability - 'Menu for the Future' or 'Hungry for Change', with my family, friends, coworkers, or classmates.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Food Deserts

I will spend 30 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh Puget Sound food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean since the Puget Sound is connected to all!

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Locally-Sourced Meals

I will source 1 meal(s) per day from local Puget Sound producers.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Start or Tend a Garden

I will tend to a garden each day, or work on starting one to keep my food local, minimize my climate carbon footprint and therefore reduce my impact to the Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Go by Bike

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience differ while walking, riding transit, biking, or driving?

Chris Porter 11/17/2020 2:10 PM

Everyday when I bike around King county, I learn or see something that I did not see before: Birds, bee nests, a house that is in a state of disrepair and abandoned. Waterways that had escaped me before and nesting grounds for birds. Projects being worked on to restore habitats by removing noxious and invasive weeds. Walking around the neighborhood and seeing yards that are pollinator friendly or have a big lawn and have the potential of being so much more.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Contact my elected officials

How can you spread your affinity for boating and paddling, whilst supporting the natural resource you rely on for that enjoyment? What are laws for, if not to protect those without a voting voice?

Chris Porter 11/17/2020 2:07 PM

There are a few areas around Seattle that allow access to water for paddling, canoeing, and kayaking. Promoting those sites as access points to connect with nature and the environment.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Start or Tend a Garden

Have you ever had a significant experience in nature that altered your perspective or focus? If so, please describe it.

Chris Porter 11/17/2020 2:05 PM

While scuba diving, it occurred to me how vulnerable the ocean is. How what we do above the water so greatly impact life in the sea, waterways, and rivers. The dying orcas that would allow smaller fish to hide and live place them at risk, as the coral dies and changes the Ph of the water and the composition of life.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Smart Seafood Choices

Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

Chris Porter 11/08/2020 1:38 PM

I have not used the Seafood app to better source the seafood my family eats. Having this app will allow me to be a better steward of sustainable seafood. I love trout, shrimp, halibut, cod, rockfish, and salmon.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

In what ways does your community practice food sovereignty and what would happen if you could not access those foods?

Chris Porter 11/08/2020 1:28 PM

Local Farmer's markets, grocery stores committed to having local grown produce in the stores, and grocery stores giving produce to food banks before it expires.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Organize a Course

How can you use Ecochallenge.org's programs to help mobilize your community to take action toward a sustainable future?

Chris Porter 11/08/2020 1:24 PM

We have a local farmer's market, but there is no effort to get markets to give back to environments by supporting pollinator gardens across the city or in a neighborhood.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Locally-Sourced Meals

If you were to only eat what is in season locally, what would be the hardest food item for you to give up?

Chris Porter 11/08/2020 1:12 PM

Summer fruits would be hard to give up. There is such a diversity of fruits, and we live in a time with expanded markets bring increased local and international fruits that have historically not been in local markets.

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Chris Porter 10/27/2020 2:55 PM

I joined the challenge because it is how my life is going. I have decided to further engage with the environment around me. IT started with beekeeping and expanded into developing the land around the house as a habitat. I further decided to plant native plants that would support more pollinators and added Mason bees. I soon realized that more bumble and digger bees were arriving on the property and that a humming bird and Stellar Jay nest was in and around the property. It solidified the belief that one person can make a difference and when we support nature, it gives back with a beautiful display.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Food Deserts

What are the implications of access to nutritious food for a community?

Chris Porter 10/27/2020 1:38 PM

When communities work to end food deserts, then the healthy and safety of the community improves. Access to food is one aspect, but access to nutritious food should be the goal. Convenience stores conveniently leave out nutrition for quick access to expensive food with little or no nutritional value. No community should have to survive on that.

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