Sonia Lodhi

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

I will spend 30 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 30 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water a day or 330 gallons (1,230 L) a month by installing a toilet tank bank.

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

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

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

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.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, making sure to not contaminate recyclables with non-recyclables.

I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.

I will create a plan to and advocate for solar installation at my business, apartment building, or campus.

I will source 25 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

I will contact a local installer/distributor to see if a solar water heater makes sense for my house.

I will calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce my negative impact on the environment.

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

Spend 15 minutes browsing the new World Climate Hub website, hosted by Deloitte US Sustainability!

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 implementing some other small improvement.

I will start a compost bin where I live.

I will cook 3 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

I will take a walk for 60 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I will commute by carpool 10 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

If you have kids at home, encourage them to create a logo for Deloitte NPSI using scrap paper and any crayons, markers, or materials you have in your home. Email a photo of the final product to Emma Howe (emhowe@deloitte.com) for a chance to be featured in our Earth Month recap email and potential future internal communications!

Sign up for Plant Your Change to round up your purchases and plant one tree for every transaction on your personal credit card. Link to sign up found below!

Spend 15 minutes browsing the new World Climate Hub website, hosted by Deloitte US Sustainability! Link to be added soon.

NPSI will be hosting a month-long giving campaign during April. Donate via the NPSI philanthropy cloud website linked below!

On Wednesday, April 28th, Deloitte NPSI is hosting a panel with senior leaders at the firm to discuss the intersections between climate, health and justice. Invite to be added soon!

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