Nick Otepka

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 donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.

I will donate to nonprofits that install clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

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

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

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

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

I will spend at least 5 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 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 use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

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

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Transportation Solutions.

I will take a walk for 5 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

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

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 5 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

I will spend 5 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

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

I will spend at least 5 minutes finding out if my city, region, state, or country offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings Solutions.

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

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.

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 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 find out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

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 replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

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

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.

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

I will spend 5 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

I will spend at least 5 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.

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

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

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.

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 10 minute(s) learning about the climate impact of refrigerants and what climate-friendly refrigerants are by using the links below.

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

I will start a compost bin where I live.

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.