Sydney Wells

I will spend 15 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.

I will spend 10 minutes learning about the experiences of trans, femme, and/or nonbinary people.

I will volunteer 5 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.

I will save up to 15 gal (56 L) of water a day or 450 gal (1,680 L) a month by installing a low-flow showerhead.

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

I will spend 40 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home or dorm room.

I will spend 30 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.

I will replace 3 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

I will offer to help 2 person(s) who are in need each day.

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and POC-majority neighborhoods. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.