In the Home

Rethink your routines to waste less where you live.

Our homes are where daily habits add up — what we buy, eat, use, and throw away. By reducing food waste, conserving energy and water, and choosing to repair rather than replace, we can cut down on waste at its source while saving money and protecting the resources we all depend on.

Turn Off Lights and Electronics

I will turn off lights, electronics, and appliances when not in use to save energy.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Slay Energy Vampires and Save

Smarter House: Shrink Your Dorm Footprint
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DAILY ACTION
⭐ Plan Meals for the Week

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Meal Planning 101: A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Meal Prep

UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
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DAILY ACTION
⭐ Create an Eat First Area

I will create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of (___). Doing so will prevent 0.34 pounds of food per household member from entering the landfill.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Avoid Food Waste with an 'Eat This First' Shelf

Print out a 'Eat First' label.
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ONE-TIME ACTION
⭐ Reimagine Leftovers

I will learn how to repurpose my leftovers into new meals and share my meal makeover ideas in the feed.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Don't Throw That Away! 10 Creative Ways to Use Leftovers

The best way to reheat all your leftovers.
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DAILY ACTION
Design My Grocery Routine for Less Waste

Groceries are one of the biggest sources of single-use packaging that generates waste. I will redesign one part of my grocery routine (e.g., bulk bins, loose produce, refill options) to replace (___) products with plastic and packaging waste.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

(Video 9:29) Zero Waste Grocery Shopping for Beginners

Plastic-Free Grocery Shopping Guide
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ONE-TIME ACTION
Conduct a Personal Waste Audit

To better understand how I can waste less, I’ll track how much waste I produce in a day (or week), paying attention to packaging, food containers, food waste, and single-use items. I’ll reflect on what surprised me most and what I could do differently in the feed.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

How to perform a personal waste audit

(Video 2:07) How a waste audit can help your waste-less journey
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ONE-TIME ACTION
Take Shorter Showers

I will shorten my showers to 5 minutes to save water and reduce energy use - each time saving up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water!
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Tips for Saving Water in the Shower and Bath
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DAILY ACTION
Repair Instead of Replace

I will repair at least one item that is broken, but is repairable. This might be items like garden tools, sewing machine, small appliances, wood furniture, electronics, clothing, and more.
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ACTION RESOURCES:

Sample of Electronics, Musical Instruments, and Appliances Repair Guides - Check your Public Library
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ONE-TIME ACTION
CREATE A CUSTOM ACTION

Ideally, you’ll choose at least one measurable goal so that you can measure your success but there are no limits on what you can choose—so exercise your creativity!

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