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KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar

KRISTI GIFFORD

Nebraska Medicine & University of Nebraska Medical Center

"Teamwork makes the dream work"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 215 THIS WEEK
  • 1,076 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    sustainability pledge
    taken
  • UP TO
    60
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    water leak
    reported
  • UP TO
    356
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    33
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    36
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    142
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    188
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    1.0
    tree
    planted
  • UP TO
    2.0
    hours
    volunteered
  • UP TO
    1.0
    local or diverse business
    supported
  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    3.0
    healthcare connections
    made
  • UP TO
    16
    ideas
    shared
  • UP TO
    35
    random acts of kindness
    completed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    well-being appointment
    made
  • UP TO
    39,284
    more steps
    taken
  • UP TO
    212
    minutes spent
    learning
  • UP TO
    2.0
    greener purchases
    made

KRISTI's actions

One Healthcare

Medical Device Reprocessing

I will spend 8 minutes learning about what medical device reprocessing is and how it works, including whether my organization has a program, and if so, which items it collects.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Greening the OR

I will spend 8 minutes learning about some of the ways my organization makes its operating rooms more sustainable and ways we can improve.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Work

Greenwashing

I will spend 7 minutes learning about greenwashing and how to avoid it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Explore My Community

I will learn one new fact about my community each day (history, geography, local wildlife, resources, programs, current issues, goals, etc.)

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Well-being

Learn About Constructive Communication

I will spend 8 minute(s) learning about constructive communication.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Environmental Footprint of Healthcare

I will spend 10 minutes learning about the environmental footprint of the healthcare industry, how it impacts health, and ways I can help reduce it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Support Local Wildlife

I will take one action to support local wildlife, such as adding a food or water source, creating shelter/habitat, preventing light pollution, eliminating bird strikes, or another action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Random Act of Kindness

I will promote a positive environment and uplift others by performing 1 random act(s) of kindness.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

At Work

2025 Pledge at Work

I pledge to take one action that improves the sustainability of my organization in 2025. It can be an action from this challenge or another action that improves resource stewardship.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Adjust the Thermostat

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Well-being

Celebrate a Personal Win

No one person can do everything, but we can all do something. Making one person's worth of difference matters! Share an impact you made related to an Ecochallenge action that you are proud of in the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

One Healthcare Ecochallenge Survey

Your voice matters! Help us improve the One Healthcare Ecochallenge by taking our survey, available starting April 23rd.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Indoor Air Quality

I will spend 20 minutes learning about how indoor air quality impacts health and commit to taking one action to improve indoor air quality in my living space.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Network for Change

I will make 1 new healthcare connections at my workplace or beyond to learn from my peers, share best practices, and see if there are opportunities for collaboration.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Support Diverse and Locally-Owned Businesses

I will promote equity and support my community by purchasing items at 1 diverse- and/or locally-owned businesses.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Support Pollution Reduction

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Plant Trees

I will plant 1 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard. Check out resources for which tree species are best to plant in your area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Volunteer in My Community

I will volunteer 1 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Repair an Item

I will repair an item, such as clothing or an appliance, for myself, a friend, family member, or neighbor.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Drive Less

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, or walking and biking instead.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Learn the Truth about Expiration Dates

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Work

Turn It Off

I will turn my computer monitor(s) off at my work station when not in use to save energy (I will follow my organization's IT instructions for keeping on, turning off, or restarting computers).

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

At Work

Prevent Recycling Contamination

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 16 minutes learning about which items are recyclable both at my workplace and at home since they may be different, and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Work

Quality Improvement

I commit to dedicating 19 minutes to exploring my organization's quality improvement resources and examining how quality improvement methodologies can support sustainability projects.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Creative Solutions

I will share one idea for making my organization more sustainable on our team's feed.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

At Work

Greener Purchasing

I will select a greener option when purchasing supplies, such as products that have environmental certifications, less packaging, or other environmental attributes, or come from local vendors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Work

Stay Connected

I will schedule coffee breaks, lunches, and/or check-in meetings with 2 coworkers to promote connectivity in my workplace.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Practice the 5 r's

I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

One Healthcare

Greening the Labs

I will spend 15 minutes learning about some of the ways my organization makes its laboratories more sustainable and ways we can improve.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Brush My Teeth Without Water Running

I will save up to 4 gallons (15 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Choose Clean/Renewable Energy

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Work

Report a Leak

I will prevent water from being wasted by reporting one or more leaky faucets, toilets, or other water leaks to my organization's facilities team for repair.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Use A Reusable Mug/Bottle

I will keep 2 disposable cup(s) and/or bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle, cup, or mug.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

In Our Communities

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 10 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Well-being

Taking Steps to Promote Well-being

I will increase my step count by 1000 each day and will take breaks from sitting by briefly getting up and moving once per hour during the day.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Well-being

Go Get a Check Up

I will make 1 appointments to support my health and well-being (primary care provider, dental, vision, etc.)

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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
    In Our Communities
    How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/24/2025 6:59 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Benefits of trees (and other plants) include: Stress reduction. Reduced symptoms of depression,Stronger memory retention. Fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress, Improved symptoms of attention-deficient disorders (ADD/ADHD), Higher productivity and improved concentration in schools and workplaces, Higher levels of creativity, Fewer symptoms of dementia, Higher intellect, Better self-esteem, Greater quality of life overall.



  • KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/24/2025 6:46 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Have you done your One Healthcare Ecochallenge Survey yet?
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    One Healthcare
    How did performing random acts of kindness make you feel? Were you surprised by any of the responses you received from recipients?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/23/2025 6:31 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    It helps boost my mood, lowers stress, and just makes me feel good. You just never know how much a simple act of kindness can mean to a person; it can change their whole day. Sending a card to tell a friend they were appreciated made them emotional and made their day.

  • KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/23/2025 6:19 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    I hope everyone had a beautiful Earth Day yesterday!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Work
    What are some of the benefits you've noticed from connecting with colleagues at work?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/20/2025 2:27 PM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Networking, work friendships, employee satisfaction, mentoring

    • Arielle Hoisington's avatar
      Arielle Hoisington 4/21/2025 6:28 AM
      • DIY Enthusiast 🔨
      I personally find work to be more enjoyable when I have coworkers that I connect with. Thank you for sharing!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home
    Which of the 5 R's was easiest for you? Which was the most difficult? How did practicing the 5 R's help you reduce more waste than recycling alone?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/18/2025 11:12 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Easiest was recycle, I don't think any was particularly difficult, there is just always more you possibly could do. Bring reusable bags/totes when shopping, reusing items for alternative purposes, donating things you will not use, refusing straws/receipts/plastic bags etc
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home
    Do you live in an area that is water secure or with water scarcity? What other actions do you take to use water more efficiently?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/18/2025 10:57 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Water secure. Turn off the water when brushing my teeth (or if not necessary to be on at other times), shower vs taking a bath, running a full dishwasher versus washing dishes in the sink, check for leaks...
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    One Healthcare
    What surprised you most about the healthcare industry's impact on climate and health? What is one action you can take to make a positive impact?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/18/2025 10:48 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Health care organizations are significant contributors to global warming. Recycling whenever possible at work, digital copies versus paper, carpooling to work.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    One Healthcare
    Did you learn anything that surprised you about the environmental impact of operating rooms? What are some barriers to greening ORs, and how can departments work together to help overcome these barriers?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/18/2025 10:42 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Failure to separate infectious waste from clean waste poses a great barrier to recycling. There is a dramatic increase in the amount of waste labeled as infectious, thereby requiring special red bag disposal and incineration. The three pillars of environmental sustainability, “reduce, reuse, recycle,” are disproportionately applied in operating rooms (ORs), mainly because much of the waste generated in ORs cannot be reused.

    • Suzanne Hansen's avatar
      Suzanne Hansen 4/18/2025 3:07 PM
      Absolutely! Once the waste is in the bin, it can't come out, so proper sorting is so important! Thank you for mentioning this!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    In Our Communities
    How did volunteering in your community make you feel? What is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?

    KRISTI GIFFORD's avatar
    KRISTI GIFFORD 4/18/2025 10:39 AM
    • Exercise Lover 🤸
    Like I was a part of the community, it gave me a sense of purpose and also made me feel even more grateful. To help your community become more sustainable you can support local restaurants, travel by bike or foot when possible, sign up for a CSA