Rushmi Perinpanathan

I will spend 30 minutes researching businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color that I can support when shopping.

I will research and tell 2 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

I will spend at least 40 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

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

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 at least 35 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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

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

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

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will donate to Native American Rights Fund, which protects tribal natural resources and environmental rights and promotes Native American Human Rights.

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

I will spend at least 40 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

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

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Solutions.

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

I will spend at least 40 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

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

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 plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I will spend at least 40 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

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 spend at least 40 minutes researching other Drawdown Transportation Solutions.

I will spend at least 50 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

I will commute by bike 4 mile(s) each 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 spend at least 45 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 5 friends, family and/or colleagues.

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

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

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

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

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

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 spend at least 41 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings Solutions.

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

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.

I will spend at least 30 minutes finding out if my city, region, state, or country offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

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

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 80 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

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

I will spend 50 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

I will spend at least 60 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 spend 45 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

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 host a virtual film screening and discussion about women's and gender equality issues.

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

I will donate 3 Femme Kit(s) to help people who menstruate overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

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

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

Rigaud Mountain is an expansive natural resource that we rely upon to run many of our Outdoor Education courses, here at JAC. It is under extreme pressure from development and mismanagement, and in desperate need of protection. Facing COVID and the Climate Crisis, the need to protect our few remaining local intact forests, is more stronger than ever. We need them, for our health and wellness, and they are disappearing. If you are able, please support this important cause and take a few moments to forward this letter to others who understand its importance. The petition and funding pages are accessible through the "Learn More" button.

I will cut green house gas emissions related to my commute to John Abbott College on Earth day, April 22. I will only use muscle-powered transportation (walk, bike, skateboard) for my commute.