Laura Anne Baird

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

I will keep 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

I will spend 30 minutes learning more about renewable energy alternatives (i.e. solar, wind, biomass) in my region.

I will naturally heat and cool my house, office, or dorm room by opening or closing my windows, curtains, and blinds, and by using fans.

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided when I have to print documents.

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 133 lbs of CO2 a month and 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 5 conversations.

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

I will offer to help 1 person(s) who are in need each day.

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those around the world who produce my food in order to make better choices when I shop.

I will spend 60 minutes learning about restorative justice and conflict resolution opportunities in my own community or state.

I will volunteer 3 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

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

I will make sure I’m registered to vote. While I’m at it, I’ll sign up to help others register too!

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

I will spend 20 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus to reduce pollution in the environment and in local communities.

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

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

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.

We may find more meaning and joy in life when our actions are aligned with our personal values. I will determine what my top 3-5 core values are so that I can better align my actions with them.