Traci Taylor

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

I will cook 2 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 enjoy 1 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 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 eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

I will spend 30 minute(s) learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.

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

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

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 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 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 replace 3 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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

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

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

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

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

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

I will commute by bike 12 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

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

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

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

Attend Dr. Wallace J Nichols, New York Times best-selling author of, “Blue Mind.” Dr. J will be addressing several topics including the impacts of waste reduction, climate change and the neuroscience behind why we simply feel better when we are in, on, or in view of water. The session takes place on Tuesday, April 13th from 12:00-1:00 PM ET via Microsoft Teams Live.

Attend the event with Shelley Dearhart. M.S. where she will discuss seafood sustainability – what is sustainable seafood, why is it important to our planet, and what you can do to eat sustainably! This session takes place on Tuesday, April 20th from 5:00-6:00 PM ET via Microsoft Teams Live

Attend Dr. Wallace J Nichols, New York Times best-selling author of, “Blue Mind.” Dr. J will be addressing several topics including the impacts of waste reduction, climate change and the neuroscience behind why we simply feel better when we are in, on, or in view of water. The session takes place on Tuesday, April 13th from 12:00-1:00 PM ET via Microsoft Teams Live.