Laurie Leary

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, and/or trans and nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

I will spend at least 15 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.

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

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 60 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

I will plant 10 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

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

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

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 spend at least 10 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

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 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 replace manual thermostats with smart ones.

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 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 research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 45 friends, family and/or colleagues.

I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.

I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.

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

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 spend at least 15 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

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

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 spend 20 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

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

I will research and tell 1 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

I will source 10 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 take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

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

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

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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