MAUREEN BISCO

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

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!

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

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.

I will refuse single-use items (e.g., napkins, utensils, condiment packets, lids) from restaurants and establishments when I don’t need them.

I will pack waste-free or low-waste snacks (e.g., fruit, homemade snacks, bulk snacks in reusable containers) when I'm on-the-go, instead of buying individually packaged items.

Reusables only help if we use them! I will set up a system that helps me remember my reusable bags, bottles, containers, or utensils — whether that means keeping them by the door, in my car, or in my bag.

I will choose a secondhand (e.g., thrifted, resold) or refurbished item the next time I shop, instead of buying a new one, to keep valuable resources in use longer.

Before you dive in, take 2 minutes to share your why: What's motivating you to waste less this sprint? Post it to the feed so you (and the rest of us!) have something to look back on when things get busy.

Not sure where to start? Across this sprint, the actions most participants are focusing on fall into three areas: minutes spent learning, pounds of CO2 saved, and plastic items reduced. Browse all five categories, but if you're feeling overwhelmed, look for 🔷 actions tied to these three impacts as your starting point.

The sprint may be ending, but your habits don't have to. Pick 1-2 actions from the past two weeks you want to keep doing, and share your plan in the feed to help it stick.

Donating gently used goods not only prevents waste but also strengthens social safety nets. I will donate items at least 5 times through a local shop or drop box in the next two weeks instead of throwing them away.

Food businesses are major sources of single-use plastic. I will talk to a local café, food truck, or restaurant about allowing reusable containers, more sustainable materials, or cutting down on unnecessary plastic packaging.

Businesses take notice when we show support for their sustainable choices—and so do our friends and neighbors. I will write a positive review for and personally recommend a business that offers low-waste, biodegradable, or refillable options to help others discover it and demonstrate that sustainability is valued by customers.

Too much artificial light can confuse and harm animals, especially those active at night. I will reduce lighting at night or switch to wildlife-friendly fixtures to support healthy habitats.

I will explore alternatives to using a car — such as walking, biking, carpooling, micro-mobility options, or public transit to reduce my carbon footprint. I will use alternative transit 20 mile(s) per day.

Learning or sharing repair skills can keep useful items in use and out of the landfill. I will teach or learn a skill to extend the life of a product — like electronic repair — and share what I did with my community, workplace, or group to encourage others to do the same.

Being a responsible pet owner means keeping our pets safe from harm and minimizing the impact pets have on wildlife by keeping them indoors, never setting them 'free' into nature, and supervising pets when they are outside to prevent them from hunting or disturbing wild animals. I will spend 5 minutes learning about ways to ensure my pet’s behavior and care practices protect local wildlife and their ecosystems.

Giving can be an act of change and inspiration. I will give a thoughtful, waste-free or waste-reducing gift — like a reusable bag, bottle, or bar soap — to someone in my life and share why I chose it.

I will spend 30 minutes organizing and deleting unneeded files on my desktop and downloads folder.

I will schedule a recurring reminder to declutter my digital files, emails, or cloud storage to make it a habit of reducing my digital footprint.

Fallen leaves, logs, and brush provide shelter and food for wildlife. I will leave natural features in my yard or community space to help strengthen biodiversity and soil resilience.