Day 26

ECO HERO

SPONSORED BY NATRACARE

The Story of Stuff Project
EcoWatch

OVERVIEW

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”
William Arthur Ward, American Writer.

It’s hard to be what you can’t see. In fact, it can be an impossibly lonely road when you feel like you are forging ahead with no one helping to clear a path in front of you. That’s why we identify role models or heroes who help point us in the right direction and who we can look to in moments of discontent.

From teachers and friends to world-famous activists and established leaders, there are influencers everywhere. Every bold person who questions the status quo and works to shift the paradigm, can be a guide and help you recognize your power!

Today, we’re talking about a specific role model. Someone who stands up to protect our planet’s natural resources and all living species. Someone who understands that humans do not dominate nature, but are an integral part of the environment. Someone who hopes to pass on a healthy and thriving planet to their children and grandchildren. That’s right, today is about the eco-heroes among us.

We read about people everyday that are standing up in solidarity with our planet and against climate change, like Paul Hawken who wrote the New York Times Best Seller Drawdown, or Turning Green co-founder Erin Schrode who is currently doing humanitarian work in Puerto Rico with World Central Kitchen, or Friends of the Earth which offers policy analysis and advocacy campaigns for environmental progress.

What does it take to make a change? Passion, dedication, and a little bit of courage – that’s it!
So, who’s someone that you look up to? Today, we give you an opportunity to discover different people who are setting the stage and forging new paths toward a healthy, sustainable, and just planet. At any given moment we are all asked to be extraordinary, and with that comes responsibility to ourselves and to all humanity. Who’s your Eco-hero?

CHALLENGE

Green

20 POINTS

Think

Inspiration doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it shouldn’t be! There are students on your campus and people in your community who are actively changing the world. Take a minute to think about who they might be and what work they are contributing.

Challenge

  • Find someone on your campus or in your community who has effectively instituted sustainable change. It can be anyone from students to faculty to administration, someone you admire for the work they have accomplished.
    • Who is this person? What have they done to create change?
    • Have a short conversation with them and ask a few good questions. If you can’t reach them to have a conversation, write out the questions that you would have asked them.
    • Share what you admire about them and any hurdles they had to overcome to reach their goals.
    • What did you learn from your conversation?
    • How did it impact you?

Deliverables

Upload a PDF document with your responses. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

Submission Guidelines

  • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
  • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_green.pdf)
  • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
  • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
  • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
  • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
  • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
  • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
  • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

Greener

40 POINTS

Think

There are extraordinary people across our globe who have stepped up to effect change against all odds. Their voices allowed them to start a movement or create that change, and their actions have a ripple effect. This is the power of one!

Challenge

  • On a national or global context, who is a person that you would call out as an eco-hero, a person that you really admire? Identify that person, get to know them and then introduce them to us.
  • Approach this challenge as if you were writing a story for your campus newspaper, the New York Times or a favorite blog.
    • Share the name and a photo of your hero
    • Tell us their story in 500 words; where are they from, what they have accomplished, speak about challenges and obstacles they faced, and why you were drawn to them.
    • What resonated for you from their experience?
  • If you were to meet this person, what would you share about how they have impacted you?
    • Write up three questions you would ask them.
    • See if you can find an email address for the person you chose and tell them how they have inspired you. Bonus points will be awarded for emails sent.
    • Deliverables

      Upload a PDF document with your responses. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

      Submission Guidelines

      • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
      • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_greener.pdf)
      • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
      • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
      • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
      • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
      • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
      • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
      • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
      The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

Greenest

60 POINTS

Think

Do you see yourself as a hero? We do! Sometimes we’re reluctant to acknowledge just how awesome we, ourselves, are. If our task and our responsibility to future generations is to create a healthy, just and thriving planet, we need leaders that have confidence in themselves and others, to move us forward. What can you start today, at this very moment, to be involved in developing a solution to a challenge you see in front of you?

Challenge

Over this past month, you have learned about many themes related to everyday life. You have learned that you have the power to change the world, step by step. (what else can we add about what they learned… power of 1? Collective action?) The time has come for you to identify an issue or cause, that you feel passionate about, one that will prompt you to take action to be that change.

  • Reflect on the past month and identify an issue or cause that you are passionate about, one, that truly resonates.
  • What will you champion? What will you do in the world to help heal our planet?
  • Craft a vision of you as a powerful role-model.
  • Upload a picture of you as an eco hero on the social media platform of your choice and caption it with your quote. Use the hashtags #PGC2017 and #ecohero and don’t forget to tag us @TurningGreenOrg.
  • Deliverables

    Upload a PDF document with your responses and a screenshot of your post. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

    Submission Guidelines

    • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
    • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_greenest.pdf)
    • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
    • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
    • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
    • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
    • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
    • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
    • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
    The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

TODAY’S PRIZES

up to 10 winners from the greener challenge will receive:

Girls:
Natracare Organic Cotton Tote Bag
Natracare Organic Cotton Tampons w/out applicator
Natracare Organic Cotton Ultra Pads
Natracare Organic Cotton Panty Liners

Boys:
Guayaki Yerba Mate Organic Cotton T-Shirt

Everyone:
Acure Organic Green Superfood
Nutiva Organic Hempseeds
Clif Bar Nut Butter Bars (4)
Climate of Hope Book

up to 10 winners from the greenest challenge will receive:

Girls:
Natracare Organic Cotton Make-up Removal Wipes
Natracare Organic Cotton Tampons
Natracare Organic Cotton Ultra Pads Extra

Boys:
Numi Organic Cotton T-Shirt

Natracare Dare to Do by Sarah Outen
LSTN Sound Co. Avalon Bamboo Earbuds
Everyone 3-in1 Lotion
Natracare Dare to Do by Sarah Outen
Nutiva Organic Vanilla Protein
Sambazon Energy Drink