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April 1 - April 30, 2024
Mary Hoeschen's avatar

Mary Hoeschen

Medical College of Wisconsin

"To green up my daily activities, and in this way lessen my impact on the world I love. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 923 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    560
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    238
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    2.0
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    34
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    26
    miles
    traveled by bus
  • UP TO
    1,855
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    6.0
    hours
    volunteered
  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    15
    random acts of kindness
    completed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    pint of blood
    donated
  • UP TO
    2.0
    well-being appointments
    made
  • UP TO
    140
    minutes spent
    learning

Mary's actions

At Work

Use Public Transit

I will use public transit 8 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

One Healthcare

Climate Change Impacts on Health

I will spend 60 minutes learning about the ways climate change impacts health.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

One Healthcare

Environmental Footprint of Healthcare

I will spend 60 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

One Healthcare

Random Act of Kindness

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

At Work

Work From Home

I will work from home 4 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

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 27
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Switch to Cold Water

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

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

At Home

Shorter Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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

At Home

Needs Vs. Wants

I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Health & Well-being

Do Nature Activities

I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 20 minute(s) each day. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

One Healthcare

Donate Blood

I will donate blood in my community to make sure there are adequate supplies for routine medical services and emergencies.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

In Our Communities

Volunteer in My Community

I will volunteer 6 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Well-being

Go Get a Check Up

I will make 2 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
    At Work Use Public Transit
    Was using public transit to get to your destination easier or more difficult than you expected? How did your experience using public transit differ from your experience driving in a car? What do you think are the biggest barriers to more people using public transit in your area?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/25/2024 8:51 AM
    Riding the bus is nice, because I can sit back and listen to music or a podcast and watch the world go by.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home Repair an Item
    What was the last item you repaired? How did you do it and what was the outcome? What are your favorite resources for learning how to repair items yourself?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/25/2024 8:33 AM
    I mended a fraying collar on my shirt with some colorful embroidery floss. It's now looking better than ever. #visiblemending
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home Adjust the Thermostat
    What other steps can you take each day to heat and cool your home more efficiently?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/25/2024 8:31 AM
    For cooling, we have planted trees to shade the house from the hot western sun. For warming, we keep the house at 64 if we're home, and wear sweaters. Also, a dog on my lap helps when I'm WFH. :)
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    In Our Communities Volunteer in My Community
    How did volunteering in your community make you feel? What is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/23/2024 6:55 AM
    Volunteering twice this month has been both rewarding and doable! I plan to make it a habit, and have joined the Friends group of my local park.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    One Healthcare Donate Blood
    Why do you donate blood?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/22/2024 7:03 AM
    It's an easy way to help, and having Versiti so close to MCW makes it super convenient. The staff are always friendly, and I don't mind the cookie afterwards!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home Needs Vs. Wants
    How is creativity a necessary ingredient for practicing simplicity?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/16/2024 7:57 AM
    Great question! Creativity can definitely play a role in repurposing items I already have, rather than throwing them away. I've recently learned about 'visible mending' of garments, which is creative, green, and also quite beautiful.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health & Well-being Do Nature Activities
    What did you observe while spending time outside -- through sight, sound, smell and/or touch? How did you feel after spending time outdoors?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/12/2024 1:00 PM
    I decided to take a nice walk to and from work. In those eight miles, I enjoyed the sunshine immensely, and was surprised to see a few butterflies back already. I will definitely repeat this on nice days this spring, but next time with better shoes!

    • James Howard (SW)'s avatar
      James Howard (SW) 4/12/2024 2:28 PM
      That is very ambitious, 8 miles. Mine is 6 one way so a bit much to walk but I hope to fix my bike and ride to work.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home Shorter Showers
    Name some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/08/2024 6:16 AM
    I live in Milwaukee, and have signed up for MMSD's water drop alerts. I have disconnected my house's downspouts from the storm sewer, and created a rain garden. This is all an effort to keep water in place, rather than overwhelming our water treatment facilities.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home Practice the 5 r's
    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?

    Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/08/2024 6:12 AM
    Reusing is something I like to do. I'm a gardener who loves to start her own seeds, and also a coffee lover. I find that coffee bags make great plant pots if you cut off the top, and poke holes in the bottom.

  • Mary Hoeschen's avatar
    Mary Hoeschen 4/05/2024 10:09 AM
    Invite me to anything green, and I'll try to join. Love being outside, hence I love helping the earth in ways I can.