Week 10 (March 9-15): One Meal a Day Without Meat Consumed
Reducing meat consumption has the potential to make a big impact on both personal and environmental health. According to Harvard Medical School, there is evidence to suggest that vegetarianism lowers the risk for heart disease, various cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Read more...
The Next Step
The race isn't over yet! The sustainable activities completed throughout the Get Moving Challenge count towards your checklist items for the Sustainable Duke Green Workplace Certification. With the completion of the Get Moving Challenge, take the next step and complete the Certification by April 20th to be entered into a raffle for the chance to win $1,000 to go towards making your workplace more sustainable! The secondary drawing will win $500 for their workplace and the third-place drawing will win sustainability swag for their entire department. Read more...
Week 9 (March 2-8): Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Using reusable water bottles is a great way to stay hydrated while cutting down your carbon footprint. According to a 2015 National Geographic study, the average American purchased about 346 plastic bottles per year, for a grand total of 111 billion bottles. Given that only 9% of plastics that year were recycled, this trend contributes to a massive issue of global plastic pollution which threatens species diversity, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and creates shocking phenomena like the Pacific Garbage Patch. Read more...
Week 8 (Feb 24 - March 1): Telecommute and Use the Extra Time to be Active
There are many ways today to use technology to improve your work life. One option is telecommuting, which enables staff members to work off-site for all or part of the regular workweek. As long as work tasks are completed on time, telecommuting lets people schedule their workdays however they want. This flexibility allows for planning around family responsibilities, working at whatever pace and in whatever environment is most comfortable, and making time for other things that increase health and wellness, like exercise, time outside, or cooking meals at home. Read more...
Week 7 (Feb 17-23): Carpool or Walk to a Meeting When Driving is an Option
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, is a part of your daily routine, even if you didn't know that. It is part of the natural energy exchange that occurs when you are awake and not eating or exercising. It is the normal active state for virtually all of your ordinary activities. In fact, for highly active people, it comprises about 60% of your metabolic activity. Read more...
Week 6 (Feb 10-16): Conduct a Walking Meeting
An awesome way to incorporate activity and time outdoors into your work life is through walking meetings. A walking meeting is exactly what the name implies: a meeting that takes place over a walk instead of in an office, coffee shop, or stuffy conference room. Read more...
Week 5 (Feb 3-9): Take Stairs Versus Elevator
Taking the stairs is a great way to increase your activity level while saving electricity along the way. It also helps you earn LIVE FOR LIFE dollars! Read more...
Week 4 (Jan 27 - Feb 2): Public Transportation to Work / Home
A fourth option for getting to and from work is using public transportation. Like carpooling, you are sharing a ride with others on public transit, which reduces road congestions and greenhouse gas emissions. Also, many public transportation systems are shifting to run their buses or trains on more sustainable fuel sources. Duke is a leading example of this, since they rolled out their first partially hybrid buses in 2011! Read more...
Week 3 (Jan 20-26): Carpool to Work / Home
If walking or biking isn’t for you, consider carpooling to and from work! Sharing rides with others still gets cars off the road, helping to reduce traffic congestion and emissions in the city. It also helps save money through lower gas costs, less wear-and-tear on your car, and fewer parking fees. Read more...
Week 2 (Jan 13-19): Walk to Work / Home
Though walking to and from work may seem impossible during the cold winter months, there are plenty of ways to ensure that walking and other outdoor exercise can be safe and pleasant all year round. Read more...
Week 1 (Jan 6-12): Bike to Work / Home
The first step in your wellness and sustainability challenge may not involve any steps at all! A great way to decrease your carbon footprint while adding exercise to your day is biking instead of driving to and from work. Read more...