Mike Mercer

A slightly different approach this year that will be all encompassing of my thoughts and behaviors - Use Less, Live More!

I'll report on this site everyday about thoughts and actions that occur throughout the challenge. Some days it will be about food, others about energy, waste or water.

Hope all the thinking doesn't clutter my mind and slow the doing!

My EcoChallenge Blog

October 17th, 2011: Many thanks for your support on the 2011 EcoChallenge. I surpassed my $1,500 fundraising goal and perhaps only missed a single post. Even though this is my final post for this year’s EcoChallenge, it will not be the last of my self reflections relative to living more and using less. Not sure I can turn that little voice off ever again. It doesn’t lead to perfect decisions and actions, but it is a constant and does lead to progressively better decisions and actions. Perhaps what this effort has demonstrated most for me is that our behaviors are heavily influences by those within your circle of friends. It also demonstrated the notion that we are all social beings and that after food, water and shelter, happiness is determined more by the quality of our relationships and less by possessions of want. I feel privileged to count you all among my friends and family and appreciate the richness you add to my life. And, as many of your are want to do, keep me line when I get out of line. Beyond my own challenge, I have enjoyed reading about the experience many others have had. One who carried with her all the trash she generated over the two weeks (she managed to keep the accumulation to purse size thus avoiding the “bag lady” look). One person focused on sharing tools, books, garden food, etc. with neighbors as a way to build community and reduced expenditures for more stuff. Still another gave up meat for the two weeks – the plan wasn’t to be forever, but his family tried many new meatless recipes that they plan on continuing along with less meat. Another simply used the time and challenge to get a winter garden started. Don’t wait for next year’s challenge, just pick one thing you might be interested in and start. Just start. The right time is now.
October 14th, 2011: Day 14 – Why do this stuff? Yeah, the EcoChallenge, inspire individual change, address any of our large scale human health and well being challenges? Certainly there are days that I look out there and seeing our way of life and think, “it’s hopeless!” There is just too much momentum going in the wrong direction and we don’t have near enough solutions to shift the tide in time. Thought I was going for the “bummer trip”? Well think again. Yesterday I came across this Vaclav Havel quote that speaks to my way of thinking about this issue and brings me back to balanced whenever that little niggling of doubt enters in. “Hope is not the conviction that things will turn out well, but the certainty that something is right, regardless of how it turns out.” There a some words of wisdom that can apply to so many aspects of life. Any thoughts?
October 13th, 2011: Day 12 - Nothing outside the norm today. Getting ready to meet Laura and ride home in the rain again. A real constant this year - both Laura and the rain. She is not a drip though. Thought about buying a used couch to have something for guests to sit in while in the living room. The couch was almost new and I felt better about buying used than new - no matter how "green" the new is. This one was a great deal and less than a year old based on the lack of wear. Turns out we'll just use Laura's futon for a while and save a few bucks till the next good deal on a used couch comes along. College days are here again.
October 13th, 2011: Day 11 - Just a long day home. Having my water bottle on the plane was a nice benefit. Had access to agua any time I needed it and saved about a million plastic cups. Not sure why folks can't hang on to the first cup provided with the first service round. Heck, they charge for pillows and blankets now, why not a second cup?
October 13th, 2011: Day 10 - Using less, living more primarily consists of using the stairs at the conference center, vs. the escalator. I move just as quickly up, much more quickly down and I don’t even work up a sweat. Funny, even here at a sustainability conference, the masses take the escalator. Does this speak more to our social nature of following those around us, or to the fact that the track continues to roll with or without us, so the energy impact of walking is nil? For me, taking the stairs is not a response to climate change, but to the utter lack of exercise I am getting at this conference. I have eschewed any public transportation while here. Our hotel is 1.2 miles away. The walk back and forth between hotel and convention center feels good, alleviates the need for morning coffee ( I don’t drink coffee, but would have the need if I did) and gives me a chance to feel the pulse of Pittsburgh. Besides the weather is pretty incredible right now with day time temps at nearly 80 degrees and sunny. Portland always treats out of town guests to the rain. The downtown core is pretty with nice river walks and such, but I'll take Portland any day. Not many bikes to be seen...maybe two or three on my morning walk.
October 13th, 2011: Day 9 - Day 9 flew to Pittsburgh for the 2011 AASHE Conference. Not sure really how to get around this one. Airline travel just spikes my (our…there are 2,000 of us here) carbon footprint. How do I on one hand speak about living more and using less, while using more. Guess that is what makes this effort or life in general, so complicated – conflicting priorities. It is so much easier to just not think about it. Perhaps that is the rub for all of us. It’s just easier if I don’t think about impacts. Culture is kind of that way, it’s the stuff that lies below the surface. It’s is just accepted as what is. Perhaps we have entered a world where thinking about what feels like the mundane is actually maladaptive to our wellbeing. Sorry, too philosophical for this quick read. Till tomorrow.
October 13th, 2011: Day 8 – I know you all have been waiting with great anticipation for my next post....ooooh. Sorry was in Pittsburgh with a broken laptop. Some comments about conserving water and the larger whole. There is a double irony relative to saving water in Portland. Every day, I save what water I can: shorter showers, don’t water the lawn, use perhaps a half cup while brushing my teeth, capture shower water to flush the toilet, kitchen sink water is on and off quickly. All really important actions in the South. In Portland, not so much or is it? Our primary water source, Bull Run provides plenty of water and our use of it doesn’t negatively impact some pristine stream or fishery. I recently learned that we use less water today than we did some 10 years ago mostly due to a few less local water intensive industries. So if the system impact of conserving water in the Portland area is non existent, why do it? Why not? I save money. Further, for me mindful consumption of water carries over to the use of other resources that are in short supply. As the Portland Metro area grows, we’ll need to share and conserve water.I think I will continue to be mindful of my water consumption. Simply put, conservation is a value both the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street crowds can get behind.
October 12th, 2011: Day 6 – Ended the evening using less, living more. Invited my parents over for movie night with Laura, Addi and I. They sprung for the pizza and movie, so I used less cash. Hanging out with the whole crew, priceless. Riding around town with Laura is always a blast. I use less energy too…drafting of course!
October 7th, 2011: Day - 5 Had lunch with Lacy, a staff member, she is going vegan for the challenge. After looking at her sandwich and mine, I know mine was better and was perhaps less impactful as a whole. Heavily processed soy base fake turkey, vegan cheese? Yeast and I am not sure what else was in that stuff. Taking in the whole life cycle of our sandwich contents, I am not clear who consumed less resources, but I am clear that I lived more. Lacy wasn't too fond of her sandwich either. Glad people do the vegan thing, however, I nor my taste buds, are ready for such a shift. Took the long ride home last night - one hour of pure bliss (except the parts where I busted a lung training for cyclocross). Lovely sunset, quiet bike path and clear mind. The ideal commute - good for my body and mind. Less is more. Addi made up crab stuffed potatoes from the garden (the potatoes that is) for dinner. Monsterous red potatoes - I think the largest was nearly 2 lbs. Sauteed squash and peppers again. I was definitely living more.
October 5th, 2011: Day 4 - Road home from work in a pouring rain; a real gully washer! I love those sorts of "squishy sock" rides, especially when the temp is above 60 and you know a warm house and change of clothes is waiting at the end. So, lived more and used less. The lived more is obvious...to me. I also used less. Less of what you might ask? Without waiting for me to respond...less brain, you state. Dinner was a used less, lived more affair. Got home and grabbed some peppers and squash from the garden. Another couple drenches like this and the garden is done and rotting. Sauteed them together and threw on some enchiladas Addi made last night, all topped with some chicken from several days ago. The best of fresh and the best of leftovers. Used less money, used less store bought food and lived more eating like a king.
October 4th, 2011: Day 3 - Can't say a whole lot is new on this day. Again used less gas - though more calories in riding my bike to work. Wonder what the carbon calculation is for my having to consume more food to fuel my ride compared to driving the car? That gets into the question of how processed the food is (a big contributor to carbon emissions), type of food, how local, etc. Let's assume, rightly so, that my six mile round trip by bike doesn't take much in the way of calories - at most a couple hundred. Getting out of the shower, I used less towel. Guess someone decided to put mine in the laundry bin. Squeegees just don't work all that well on the body! (living less) Ultimately got another towel. While not much changed today, my "use less, live more radar" was on all day. Feels good to be thoughtful about everyday life.
October 3rd, 2011: Day 2 - Laura dropped me off part way to my cyclocross race and I road the rest of the way in and then home after the race. I think the rain and ride home washed off most of the race mud from my bike. Used less water at home cleaning up and less gas getting around. Nothing like riding in the rain to get that Norwegian like supple skin...? Got home in the evening and starting watching a little Sunday night football. I love football, but at games end I always feel like I could have been more productive with my time. So, decided that I would shut the TV down, save some kilowatts and open a book. Turns out I began reading "A Circumference of Home" by Kurt Hoelting. His personal response to climate change was to only use human powered transportation or public transportation for one year. His reasoning: "This much is clear to me. If I can’t change my own life in response to the greatest challenge now facing our human family, who can? And if I won’t make the effort to try, why should anyone else? So I’ve decided to start at home, and begin with myself. The question is no longer whether I must respond. The question is whether I can turn my response into an adventure." So an adventure of living more and using less it is!
October 2nd, 2011: Ok, day one of Using less, living more. So how did it start? Pretty well, I "used less" daylight and "lived more" by sleeping in. Felt pretty good after a long week. Some might say that I lived less by sleeping and used more daylight wasting time in bed. All a matter of perspective, but since this my challenge, I make the rules. Painted three sides of the house exterior - paid an extra five bucks to get less VOC in the paint. I guess others will live more at some point given my choice. Talk about living more...I was rushing to Laura's house so we could be on time to join some friends for dinner. Was driving a little fast to get there. (not crazy fast mind you). My little challenge entered into my head, saying "slow down, live more and use less gas, everything will be just fine. 10 seconds following my slowing down, a cyclist blew through a stop sign right in front of me. Had I been going the speed I had before, we might have had a cyclist "living less". I think day one was a success all the way around.
September 27th, 2011: Hi all, Getting fired up to start writing about the doing and thinking over the course of the EcoChallenge. This just a test. A writer friend said, "go for 15 minutes and stop." Wow, took 14 minutes just to get that out. Going to be some really rich content coming from me! You have your choice...text w/o typos or stuff that is about as readable as my handwriting. Ready or not, here it comes. Till Sat.

Comments

From: Laura Vincent: I believe in you completely!
From: Nick Rothenberg: Here's to Minimizemike!
From: Scott Muir: Go Mike! I am living eco-vicariously through you... while trying to be a good steward on my side of the planet as well!
From: Jordan Epstein: I'll be looking forward to those posts. Go Mike!
From: Michele Tobenkin: Worth the donation to get email from you everyday!
From: Eric Pippert: Save the world by not showering. Improve the neighborhood by frequent showering. What a dilemma you face. Best Wishes - Mr. Roper
From: Jim Mercer: Good luck Mike! Jim & Diane
From: James Lillis: Mike: Keep up the good work. Jim
From: Daniel Cutugno: from Dan & Michelle Cutugno
From: Jane Blomstrand: Good luck with your challenge, we will be cheering for you..... xoxoxoxoxo The most wonderful aunt and uncle.....
From: Dawn Schneider: Good work Mike, keep inspiring all of us to do better!!
From: Eugenia Howard: Hang in there Mike. We are proud of you. Pulling for you, Genie and Don
From: Mike Mercer: Day 3 - Can't say a whole lot is new on this day. Again used less gas - though more calories in riding my bike to work. Wonder what the carbon calculation is for my having to consume more food to fuel my ride compared to driving the car? That gets into the question of how processed the food is (a big contributor to carbon emissions), type of food, how local, etc. Let's assume, rightly so, that my six mile round trip by bike doesn't take much in the way of calories - at most a couple hundred. Getting out of the shower, I used less towel. Guess someone decided to put mine in the laundry bin. Squeegees just don't work all that well on the body! (living less) Ultimately got another towel. While not much changed today, my "use less, live more radar" was on all day. Feels good to be thoughtful about everyday life.
From: Tami Boardman: Hey Mike - I'm enjoying your musings! Keep up the good work! Tami
From: Greg Blomstrand: Good luck Mike, see you next month!
From: Steven Fedje: Have more fun!
From: Marsha Lang: Thanks for being a guide and inspiration.
From: Lacy Cagle: Just wanted to set the record straight, Mike: our lunch was the only time during this entire EcoChallenge that I've eaten fake meat or fake cheese, and then only because that was the only option available. Overall, this vegan challenge hasn't reduced my ability to live more, but directed it in a different direction. The sweet potato black bean chili, sundried tomato pesto pasta, vegan tomato soup and green curry I've made at home have all been incredibly nutritious, delicious and very low-impact on the planet! :)
From: Bernie Sims: Go Mike! See you soon - on the 26th as I recall. Bernie

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My EcoChallenge(s): Use Less, Live More!

My Fundraising Goal: $1500

My Pledge Tally: $1850

$1850

$1500

My Pledgers

Laura Vincent
Nick Rothenberg
Scott Muir
Jane Mercer
Al and Sheri Jorgensen
Jordan Epstein
Michele Tobenkin
Bruce Irvin
Eric Pippert
Jim Mercer
James Lillis
Daniel Cutugno
Jane Blomstrand
Dawn Schneider
Eugenia Howard
Gary Meddaugh and Tricia Harding Meddaugh
Rhonda Bishop
Tami Boardman
Greg Blomstrand
Martha Richards
Steven Fedje
Marsha Lang
Bernie Sims
Marc Gaudin
Kathy Foote
Kris Alvarado