Sami Wagner

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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

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

I will enjoy 3 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

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

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 Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

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 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 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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 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 30 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

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 take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.