Katrin Werlen

I will take a walk for 60 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 2 friends, family and/or colleagues.

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

study the energy efficiency of electric cars including battery life, power production and disposal at end of lifetime.

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

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 spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

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.

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

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

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 120 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

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

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 calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce my negative impact on the environment.