Nancy Locquet Absillis

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.

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.

I will hand one load of laundry a week outside to dry instead of using the dryer.

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 take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

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

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has prepared an Earth Week event starting from April 20th to April 25th. To celebrate Earth Day, participate in 1 program on April 22nd and write a short reflection in your feed.

Learn about NC's native Diptera that has one of the widest digestive enzyme profiles, allowing for digestion of virtually all human food waste in one to two days: pre-and post-consumer; cooked, raw, or spoiled. Sign up for this workshop and discuss with your team members:

I will pick up any trash that's left in the park on my daily walk. My goal is to leave the park a better place and to minimize the trash footprint in the park. I choose this action because I noticed empty cans and fishing lines when I walked my dogs, which can cause harm to wildlife such as the Blue Heron that frequently visits the pond in that park.

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how people can build with carbon-storing materials - including agricultural byproducts - and discuss it with my peers in person or by posting to social media.

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 plant 3 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

I will support a community garden by volunteering, donating, or advocating for a new or existing one.

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

I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.

I will start a compost bin where I live.

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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

Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and BIPOC-majority neighborhoods. I will avoid buying and using 2 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.

I will source 20 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.