Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10: Overall Project Reflection

SMART goal

My SMART goal: Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.  Over the course of the project I added the "consume 8 glasses of water a day" part because I wanted to challenge myself and drink more water through out the day.  

Successes 

Overall I believe that I was successful reaching my goal.  I was able to use a reusable water bottle the majority of the time and I significantly increased the amount of water I drink during the day.  I have also started drinking less soda, coffee, and sports drinks because they are no longer convenient.  

Challenges

I faced many challenges during this lifestyle change.  I found it the most difficult to stick with my goal when I was traveling and out of my normal environment.  I also had a difficult time drinking 8 glasses of water a day at the beginning but as with any lifestyle change it takes time.

Future
In the future I plan on sticking with this lifestyle change.  Using reusable containers and drinking more water has too many benefits to go back to the way I used to do things.  

Benefits
My personal benefits include: saving  money, saving on waste, less headaches, drinking less soda and sports drinks, and improving my overall health.   

 Behavior Change
I learned a lot about behavior change in general from this project.  I learned that it takes time and focus in order to change a behavior.  It took me awhile to steer away from bad habits and I had to constantly remind myself of my goal.  I also learned that if you stick with something it will continue to get easier until it is a new habit.

Environmental Benefits 

When deciding not to drink out of plastic bottles I also decided not to be a part of the following problems:


Americans will buy an estimated 25 billion single-serving, plastic water bottles this year. Eight out of 10 (22 billion) will end up in a landfill. 
-- Container Recycling Institute


Worldwide 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year. 
-- OneWorld 


1.5 million barrels of oil is used annually to produce plastic water bottles for America alone - enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year. 
-- Earth Policy Institute 

By drinking out of reusable containers I am lowering my carbon footprint and negative impact on the earth!

I Will Continue! 
I will continue to use reusable containers to drink water and coffee! I will also strive to drink 8 glasses of water a day.  

Recommendations
Stick with your goals and follow through! 
I suggest that everyone use re-usable water bottles to cut down on the amount of plastic we use and abuse.

  Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10 hosted by http://ecochicwithamy.blogspot.com/

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal
Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.
Successes
I got back on track this week with my goal and was able to drink 8 glasses of water everyday! I also was able to use re-usable containers on most occasions this week.

Challenges
I had only a few draw backs this week using plastic containers. I purchased a soda one day because I was really craving a Mountain Dew and I also purchased a coffee from Caribou on Monday.
Feelings
I was really happy with myself this week after my poor performance last week.  I was still traveling because of the Thanksgiving Holiday but I stuck with my goal for the most part.  It was fun to tell my family and friends from home about my goal and about what we are learning in this class.  Overall, I think I had a good week.


What I Learned

I have learned that even if I do poorly one week I can turn it around.  I am happy that I have started this goal and I think it is something I can try and do for the rest of my life.  I have improved my health, saved money, and reduced my carbon footprint.  I also am planning on doing more things to be more eco-chic in the future.


Plans for Next Week
For the upcoming week, I plan on keeping my current SMART goal: I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sportsdrinks, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water each day.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.

Successes

I didn't do a very good job this week but I noticed that I was more aware of the mistakes I was making then I would have been in the past.  This week I was away for three days at a basketball tournament.  

Challenges

This was my worst week with my goal since I started.  We had our first long road trip for basketball and I couldn't help but notice how many paper products I wasted.  At half time of the games I would use paper cups to drink water and after the games our coaches gave us bottles of gatorade.  I should have turn down the gatorade and just drank water but after the game I was craving something with calories.  We also ate out a lot so I would get a paper cup with my subway ect.  

Feelings

At the time when I was using non-reusable products I just brushed it off but after the weekend I felt really guilty for abandoning my goal.  However, I want to reach my goal more than ever now.  It is harder to do when you are away from your normal environment but I can do it if I try a little harder and have some self control.

What I Learned

I have learned that a goal is harder to reach if you are away from your normal environment and when you are around a group of people who are doing the same thing you are doing.  All of my teammates were using paper cups so it became easier for me to use them too.  On my next road trip I plan on doing a much better job.  

Plans for Next Week

For the upcoming week, I plan on keeping my current SMART goal: I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sportsdrinks, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water each day.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8 hosted by http://ecochicwithamy.blogspot.com/

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.

Successes

This past week went really fast! I was very busy but I was still able to drink 8 glasses of water a day.  It is getting easier and easier for me to remember.  I think that It will eventually become another routine for me.  I was also able to use my reusable water bottle for most of my beverages. 

Challenges

I purchased one coffee this week but that is the only non-resuable item I used!  I have a long basketball roadtrip coming up and we will be gone for four days.  I am worried that I will forget to drink 8 glasses of water when I am away from my usual routine.  I also will need to be carful about taking free water and gartorade that I am offered which will be a challenge to turn down.

Feelings

I am happy with the progress that I have been making and I plan on sticking with my goal even though It will be tougher this upcoming week.  Wish me luck! :)

What I Learned
I have learned that by drinking more water I feel better overall and get less headaches.  I have also learned that by cutting down on my consumption I am saving money and improving my health as well as helpling the environment.  Win-Win!
Plans for Next Week

For the upcoming week, I plan on keeping my current SMART goal: I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sportsdrinks, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water each day.

Fun Fact
 I will be traveling on an airplane this Thursday and I found that when you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane.

Blogged for Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7 hosted by

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.

Successes

I was able to drink 8 glasses of water everyday this week! But believe me it was a struggle.  I had to leave myself reminders on my phone in order to get it done on the weekend but I feel like it will only get easier from here on out. I was also able to use a reusable container almost every time I drank something this week.

Challenges

We had our first basketball road trip this weekend and it was really hard to turn down plastic bottles.  They give us water and gatorade after every game.  It was hard to turn down the free gatorade because as a college student I almost never turn down free food.  I did use a plastic glass at the hotel without realizing it also.

Feelings

Overall, I am very happy about the progress I made this week.  I drank 8 glasses of water each day! I feel like it will continue to get harder to turn down plastic containers the more I travel with the team.  Hopefully, I can stay true to my goal.

What I Learned

I learned that making a change isn't always easy but it is worth it.  I have had fewer headaches because I am staying more hydrated.  I am also drinking less soda and coffee because I am always drinking water.

Plans for Next Week

For the upcoming week, I plan on keeping my current SMART goal:

I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sportsdrinks, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water each day.

Check out the hydration calculator and see if you are hydrated!
I tried it and it said that I needed to drink 16 glasses of water a day based on my weight and the amount of time I spend exercising each day.

Blogged for Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sports drinks and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.

Successes

I was able to drink 8 glasses of water 5 out of seven days this week.  When I am in class and at school I tend to drink more water becuase I always have my water bottle with me but I struggled on Friday and Saturday to drink enough water becuase I was busy and not on my usual schedual.  

Challenges

I sliped up four times this week buying a soda, orange juice, and two coffee's at the coffe shop.  I am disappointed that I did this and I know I can do a better job next week.  I also had a hard time drinking 8 glasses of water on the weekend because I was out of my normal schedual. 

Feelings

Overall I am happy with my progress this week.  I drank a lot of water but I am disapointed with the amount of plastic containers I purchased.  Not to mention I spent $7 buying those drinks when I could have been drinking free water.

 

What I Learned

I noticed that I am drinking a lot more water which means I am drinking less soda and coffee.  I get caffine headachs and I am trying to cut back on the amount of coffee and soda I get to get rid of these cravings.  So far my SMART goal has been very helpful in that sense.  It is cool how changing one seemingly simple thing can change other things in your life for the better.

Plans for Next Week

For the upcoming week, I plan on keeping my current SMART goal: 

I will use reusable waterbottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, sportsdrinks, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water each day.

Blogged for Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy 

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

My SMART goal:  Over the next ten weeks 10 weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, gatorade, and juice and I will consume 8 glasses of water a day.

Successes:  I did a really good job this week on the first part of my goal.  I only used a non-reusable container once this week! I have not managed to drink 8 glasses of water a day yet but I am doing better than I did last week.  I have been saving money and have almost cut soda out of my diet.

Challenges: It was challenging for me to drink 8 glasses of water a day.  I always ended up forgetting and trying to drink a lot of water before bed but then I would have to get up twice a night to go to the bathroom.

Feelings: I was proud of myself for reaching the first part of my goal this week! On the other hand it was frustrating that the second part was so challenging for me.  However, this was my first week with my new goal and I am confident that once it becomes a routine I will be able to reach it.

What I learned: I learned that even seemingly simple goals can be hard to meet when they are not a part of your everyday routine.

Next Week: I plan on sticking with my revised goal and improving on it by my next weekly update! :)

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

My SMART goal: Over the next ten weeks 10 weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, gatorade, and juice. 
I feel like I am acheiveing my SMART goal.  I have had a few draw backs but overall I have used a reusable container for my beverages.


Successes: I feel like I am drinking more water and cutting down on the amount of waste I produce.  I never noticed how often I purchased plastic containers and I feel like I am saving money too! 


Challenges: I had a few draw backs this past week.  I wanted a "hot apple blast drink" from Caribou and I purchased one and didn't use a reusable container.  I also purchased an orange juice from the school store and it came in a plastic bottle.  

Feelings: I felt greedy when I bought the drink from Caribou because I knew I was going against my SMART goal but I did it anyways.  I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought.  This same feeling of guilt occurred when I purchased my orange juice.  But overall I thought I did a good job. 


What I learned: I learned that by not drinking out of plastic containers I am saving a lot of money and reducing the amount of waste I produce.  I also am drinking less soda and sports drinks and that is good for my health because it lessens the amount of sugar I consume.  


Next Week:
I plan on making my goal more challenging by adding drinking up to 8 glasses of water a day.  As of now I have not been keeping track of the amount of water I drink so this will be a challenge for me.  We will see how it goes! :) 

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Eco-chic with Amy

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

My SMART goal:

Over the next ten weeks 10 weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, gatorade, and juice.

I feel like the first week of my SMART goal has been going smoothly.  I purchased a new water bottle and I have only used a non-reusable container once this week.  

Successes: I did forget my water bottle one day this week but instead of buying a plastic one I just used a empty glass that I had in my locker.  I have been drinking a lot more water since purchasing my water bottle and I have noticed that I have had less headaches! I have always had a problem with headaches and migraines and I find that the more water I drink the less likely I am to get one.  

Challenges: I accidently bought a coffee at the coffee shop the other day and I didn't bring my reusable coffee cup.  I didn't realize until after because it is such a habit for me.  I will just have to keep trying!  I also attended a meeting and they were passing out free bottles of water.  I was thirsty but I made the choice to turn it down.  

Feelings: I was proud of myself for bringing my water bottle most days but when I forgot and bought my coffee I was disappointed in myself for not remembering. At the same time I thought I made the right choice in turning down the bottle of water at the meeting.  It was a small sacrifice but it was worth it. :)

What I learned: I learned that even a small thing such as carrying around a water bottle can be hard because it is one more thing to remember.  I hope that eventually it will just become a habit.  

Next Week: I plan on keeping the same goal for next week and doing my best not to forget to use a reusable container.  I will also try and drink more water throughout the day.  Wish me luck!!

"Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy"

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1: My SMART Goal

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks 10 weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, gatorade, and juice.

How is this lifestyle change Eco-Chic? 

This change will reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases that result from manufacturing water bottles and it will cut down on the number of plastic bottles in stuck in landfills .  

 

This change will not only benefit the environment but it will benifit me personally.  I will drink more water becuase it will no longer be convinent to buy a soda or sports drink.  It will also save me money.  I spend a lot of money on soda, gatorade, juice and coffee.  This change will help me focus on drinking water. 

Why is this lifestyle change important to me?

This change is important to me becuase I need to do my part to help the environment.  I think this will be a relativly easy habit to get into and it is something I can do for the rest of my life.  I have used a reusable water bottle in the past for water but I think the most challenging part of my goal will be to refrain from buying soda and gatorade.  I also will need to remember to bring a reusable bottle for my coffee.  Im excited to start this change and see how it will benifit my health and save me money.  I think it is a win-win situation!

Making the change!

Starting NOW I am done using plastic bottles!

I also blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1 Linky Party hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy. 

Welcome to Jordanne's Jungle!

Hi! My name is Jordanne Even and I am from Detroit Lakes Minnesota.  I am a Community Health major with a psychology minor.  I also play basketball for UMD. This is my first time blogging and so far it has been a lot of fun.  My blog will focus on what I learn through the semester concerning the environment.  I am very excited for this class!

There are 6 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change
5. Read 'n' Seed
6. Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post is has been labeled with all five kinds of posts. You will also see the number of each kind of post in my Labels Gadget at the top of the page. (Place labels gadget below blog header but above blog text). All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.

The members of my web group are:

1. Jordanne@Jordanne's Jungle 
2. Karly F.@Karly's Karing Habitat  
3. Maggie F.@Maggies Environmental Lifestyle 
4. Hailey G.@Hailey's Healthy Environment  

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe gadget in the gadget column. You can also follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. I am subscribed to all the blogs in my blog list gadget. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete Profile."

Thank you for reading my post! Have a great day. :)

Blogged for the Welcome Linky Party  hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy .