MARIA ELENA MARTINEZ BARRAGAN

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 15 minutes researching and recycling all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper each day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided.

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

I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 3 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water each day by installing a toilet tank bank.

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.