Jean Lawlor

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles

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 set up a visit or a virtual tour of a green roof in my city, and ask about the codes and process for installing a green roof.

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

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 cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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 commute by carpool 15 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

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

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

I will replace or remove from my current diet the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products that are known to contribute to deforestation.

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

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

I will explore the interactive map in the links below to find a supermarket that does not use HFC refrigerants near my home.

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 4 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.

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

I will replace 20 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. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in creating or purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.

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

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Earth Month Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

I will spend 30 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

Through social media, I will raise awareness about gender inequity in education by sharing the information found in the links below.