

Connor Upchurch
"Win for the planet"
Points Total
- 0 Today
- 0 This Week
- 810 Total
Participant Impact
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up to5bags of littercollected
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up to32milestraveled by bike
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up to82milesnot traveled by car
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up to139pounds of CO2have been saved
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up to1community eventshosted or attended
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up to16disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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up to120minutesspent learning
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up to780minutesspent outdoors
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up to16plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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up to5treesplanted
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up to8poundswaste composted
Connor's Actions
Nature
Plant Trees
I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard to combat climate change and reduce stormwater impacts to Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean.
Water
Ditch the Lawn
I will replace my lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape and save the water, money, and time I used to spend cutting the grass.
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and stop using fertilizers so my footprint in my ecosystem doesn't harm the Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean downstream.
Water
Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants
I will prevent harmful storm-water runoff to the Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream, and downstream in Puget Sound and/or the Pacific Ocean, by using a reusable water bottle.
Waste
Pick up after my pets
I will pick up pet waste on every walk and once a week in my yard, since stormwater otherwise carries it to the Puget Sound and/or the Pacific Ocean.
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
Pick up Trash
I will pick up and properly dispose of litter on a daily walk through my neighborhood, since stormwater will otherwise carry it to the Puget Sound and/or the Pacific Ocean.
Waste
Use a Reusable Mug
I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to landfills by using a reusable mug.
Community
Remove invasive weeds
Recruit 2+ friends/family/neighbors and together remove invasive vegetation from our home/apartment building/neighborhood that is in a watershed upstream of downstream salmon and orcas.
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.
Nature
Do Nature Activities
I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 30 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.)
Nature
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.
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.
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.
Transportation
Go by Bike
I will commute by bike 16 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 26.44 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere AND avoid sending exhaust particles and tire pollution into stormwater that impacts Orca and salmon health.
Food
Meet My Local Farmers
I will visit my nearest Puget Sound farm to learn about locally produced food and the quality of life of all involved in producing it to make better choices for Puget Sound when I shop.
Food
Learn More about Food Deserts
I will spend 60 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh Puget Sound food in my region.
Community
Depave my Community
I will look for areas of excess pavement in my community that can be converted into greenspace that helps downstream salmon and orcas, and bring my community together to start planning a depave project.
Feed
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Reflection QuestionWater Mulch the Base of Trees and PlantsWhere are your nearest natural bodies of water? How might they be affected by runoff?
Connor Upchurch 11/05/2020 7:09 PMI live in the Chico Creek watershed in central Kitsap, which empties to Dyes Inlet (Puget Sound). Chico is across the road from me, approximately 150 yards away, though a seasonal stream passes closer to my home on the opposite side. This seasonal stream is a tributary to Chico, with the confluence a quarter mile East of my property. Runoff can contribute sediment and fecal coliform, as well as roadway pollutants like copper and oil to these salmon-bearing streams. Runoff can also raise stream temperatures to unlivable conditions for fish and other stream critters (benthic invertebrates). -
Reflection QuestionWater Ditch the LawnWhat is the main water source in your region?
Connor Upchurch 11/05/2020 6:42 PMSurface and ground water from precipitation. Kitsap County, I believe, is only 1 of 3 in WA state that receives no contribution of freshwater from mountain snowpack. Wells supply most municipalities and residences; however, Bremerton is uniquely supplied by a majority of surface water from the Union River reservoir. -
Reflection QuestionWater Eco-friendly GardeningWhat are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.
Connor Upchurch 11/05/2020 6:15 PM(Quantity) Groundwater is in demand. Because Kitsap County relies on rainfall only for aquifer recharge and stream flows (no snowpack), conservation of freshwater is critical. This is not only for human use; summer stream flow during our region's dry months is sustained by groundwater seep/percolation. Without sustained flows, salmon cannot survive their freshwater journeys.
(Quality) Additionally, pollution is of great concern in our freshwater bodies, and consequently, the surrounding estuarine environments and nearshore habitats (i.e. shellfish grounds). -
Connor Upchurch 11/05/2020 6:06 PMThe challenge doesn't end because the points do; keep on fighting the good fight.-
Connor Upchurch 11/12/2020 2:12 PMYeah, man!
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Connor Upchurch 11/04/2020 12:32 PMCover bare earth with mulch, such as arborist wood chips or fallen leaves, to promote soil health and prevent erosion. Don't have a mulch source? Fall is the time to find folks trying to get rid of fallen leaves. Even better, arborists and landscapers are often looking for an alternative to taking their wood chips to the dump (what a shame...) and would be happy to drop them at your location, instead!
Sign up for this free service and get your own woodchips! https://getchipdrop.com -
Reflection QuestionFood Learn More about Food DesertsWhat are the implications of access to nutritious food for a community?
Connor Upchurch 11/04/2020 12:23 PMChildren without access to nutritious foods and primarily relying on heavily processed food items may not even be able to identify common fruits and vegetables. Ultimately, when presented with the opportunity to purchase and consume fresh produce, these younger people (maybe adults now) will not be familiar enough with healthy ingredients to choose them over the heavily processed diet they are accustomed to. It is a perpetuating cycle that inevitably leads to deteriorating health as one grows older. -
Reflection QuestionTransportation Drive LessHow has your access to various kinds of transportation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?
Connor Upchurch 11/03/2020 4:02 PMI grew up, like many, relying on a privately-owned vehicle (POV) to get me from place to place. Our national infrastructure has been designed around the highway and the car. Now, I'm happy to live only 8 miles from work; many days I commute on my bicycle. Nonetheless, errands & shopping still require me to drive. I support the development of mixed-use communities and transition to cleaner transportation.
https://www.cnu.org/resources/what-new-urbanism -
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?
Connor Upchurch 11/03/2020 12:54 PMOver the last five years, I've spent countless hours researching local (and even national) recycling options. While many "waste" streams do have recycling options, I have been disappointed to find that a number of our most common disposables (clam shell packaging and other thermoform plastics!!!) are not accepted in Kitsap. I believe King County does accept the clam shells in curbside recycling, but that doesn't solve our issue on the peninsula. This has been the most difficult part of my recycling initiatives - trying to find facilities that will accept these common items. I was happy to discover that Terracycle, a national and now global company (out of NJ), offers dozens of recycling options for conventional and nonconventional items. I send in all of my empty dog food bags to them for free! Guaranteed to be recycled, not dumped in the ocean or in other countries!
https://www.terracycle.com/en-US
#RecycleEverything -
Reflection QuestionWaste Use a Reusable Water BottleWhile water bottles are needed for health and safety in certain places, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. What are the barriers to you using reusable bottles and tap water instead of bottled water? How could you make this a permanent habit?
Connor Upchurch 11/03/2020 11:47 AMI am fortunate to have tasty well water at home and, as a backpacker, long ago became used to carrying a reusable water bottle. If I travel, I always bring my water bottle with me. When flying, TSA allows empty water bottles on the planes. For me, making this a permanent habit comes down to planning. Just as you pack a lunch or make sure to grab your wallet, don't forget the water bottle! If your tap water doesn't taste great, you can buy a relatively cheap filter for your faucet or add some lemon/flavor drops to it. -
Connor Upchurch 10/31/2020 11:08 PMNice weather today for garden work. Finished my second to last raised bed and harvested some seed. The cosmos are still blooming strong with some remnant lacy phacelia and the remaining bumblebees were all over them!