Theresa Coles

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips.

I will walk 1 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

Exercise is a great stress blaster! I will exercise for 45 minute(s) each day.

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 60 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

I will avoid buying toxic plastics - including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl - and instead replace them with durable non-plastic options.

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.

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

Here's a freebie action for everyone! If you haven't already, sign up for the SustainableKSA newsletter to stay on top of all of our events, promotions, and news. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/diZbsv!

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 each day that I do this.

I will replace 6 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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 spend 45 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 advocate for local and/or organic food options at work or on campus.

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.

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 improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

I will work from home 5 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.

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.

I will start a recycling program at my workplace, dorm, or elsewhere on campus.

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

Check out the film Creatures of Convenience on CBC Gem for FREE! This is a local film about the the impact our culture of convenience has on the environment. If you liked the film, consider attending our Earth Day event on Thursday, April 22: "In Conversation: Creatures of Convenience," a Q&A session with the film's producer and filmmaker, moderated by KPU instructor Dr. Paul Richard! To complete this action, you only have to watch the film - but we'd love to see you at the event as well! :)

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.