Elyse Zeswitz

I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

I will work from home 3 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

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 explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.

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

I will make an appointment for my annual physical.

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 naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 133 lbs of CO2 a month and 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

What can lack of access to nutritious food affect a community? How can having access to nutritious food help a community become more resilient?

I will spend 60 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

Racial inequity is both a sustainability and justice problem. I will support businesses owned by people of color in my community whenever I shop.

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will spend 30 minutes researching which plants support local native pollinators and plant some in my yard or local community garden.

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

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

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

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.

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

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.