Philip Watkins

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

I will spend at least 100 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will research and tell 3 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will spend at least 100 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

I will spend at least 100 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

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

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

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

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