Kristine Lefeber

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 source 50 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 enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

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

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

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 cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

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

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 20 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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

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

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.