Melissa Brady

I will spend 5 minutes researching environmental justice concerns in my region, their causes, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

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

I will spend 15 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.

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 reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and ending unwanted subscriptions.

I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.

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

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

I will replace 8 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

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

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of C02 over the course of the next year.

I will power down my computer and monitor when not using it for more than 2 hours, saving up to (1.1) lbs of CO2 each day that I do this.