Alejandra Garcia

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

I will create a rain garden or bioswale or use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor watering needs.

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

I will host a watch party to screen a documentary about an issue that matters to me.

I will raise money to support Ecochallenge.org or another nonprofit.

I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

I will spend 30 minutes researching environmental justice and environmental racism concerns in my region, who is affected by them, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

I will enjoy 1 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.

I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.

I will practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace when doing nature activities alone or with family and friends.

I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

I will use an energy meter to monitor my energy use and identify opportunities to save power.

I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.

I will spend 60 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.