Susan Quintenz

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 calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.

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 complete a plastics audit to see where plastics show up in my life and determine how I can reduce the use of single-use plastics.

I will spend 5 minutes researching cattle feed and manure management, or visiting a dairy farm to learn about their farming practices.

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.

I will avoid buying and using 1 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

Record and share a video describing your aha moment during Drawdown Ecochallenge through the resource link.