Timothy Morgenthaler is participating in the One Healthcare Ecochallenge 2025!

One Healthcare

One Healthcare Ecochallenge 2025

April 1 - April 30, 2025

Timothy's points

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
150 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

0.7

pounds

waste composted
UP TO

4.0

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

90

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

25

minutes spent

learning

Timothy's actions

At Home

Sustainable party design

I will put time and effort into creating our son's wedding in a way that maximizes use of sustainable and/or recyclable things

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Indoor Air Quality

I will spend 5 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

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 1
DAILY ACTION

At Home

Learn the Truth about Expiration Dates

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health & Well-being

Do Nature Activities

I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 15 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 1
DAILY ACTION

At Home

Choose LED Bulbs

I will replace 4 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per 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

Dishwasher Efficiency

Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than running a full dishwasher. To save water, I will scrape instead of rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, and only run it when it is full.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

At Home

Compost Food Waste

I will avoid sending food waste to the landfill by composting my food scraps.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

At Home

Sustainable party design

I will put time and effort into creating our son's wedding in a way that maximizes use of sustainable and/or recyclable things

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
At Home

New to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? How will you use your compost once it is ready?
Timothy Morgenthaler 4/23/2025 1:11 PM

I still find this difficult and not as effective as I would like. It is tedious. I'm thinking I will either need a new compost set up, or I may abandon this effort.

Read More
- Suzanne Hansen 4/23/2025 2:33 PM
  
  Are you composting in your backyard? I'm a lazy composter. I basically dump my stuff in and pull the compost out from the bottom of the container occasionally. Here's some more info: Backyard composting | Hennepin County
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
At Home

What other ways do you save energy and water at home? What has helped you make these changes part of your routine?
Timothy Morgenthaler 4/23/2025 1:10 PM

Some things, like this, only require behavior changes. At other points, one needs technological changes. One thing I've done over the past years that is very effective (and measurable in $$) is to use a smart thermostat, seeking cold nights, but more permissive daytime temperatures.

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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?
Timothy Morgenthaler 4/23/2025 1:07 PM

I am planning to use a timed drip system this year in our vegetable garden instead of a broadcast sprinkler. I think this will use less water and will be more efficient and targeted, perhaps reducing weeds while ensuring healthy vegetable growth.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
At Home

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?
Timothy Morgenthaler 4/23/2025 1:06 PM

I repaired and improved 5 birdhouses in my backyard. They are wood, and need to cleaned out every spring, but they are old and had loose items, and some of the holes had been made larger by incorrect species birds. For those, I placed metal plates over the holes that have the correct diameter for bluebirds and finches.

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