Holly Burt

I will create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of 9. Doing so will prevent 0.34 pounds of food per household member from entering the landfill.

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 spend 15 minutes learning about the Right to Repair movement and how repair policies influence electronic waste and device longevity.

Unnecessary waste is spoooooky! For Halloween this year, I will create a low-waste costume for myself or someone else in my family (pet, child, spouse) and share a photo of the final result in the feed.

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

I will spend 15 minutes learning how data storage works, including where my files are stored (e.g., local device vs cloud) and how that impacts energy use.

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.

Rainwater collection reduces water waste and supports gardens. I will install a rain barrel or collect rainwater to use for outdoor tasks, such as watering plants or cleaning.

Swapping and sharing resources reduces waste and builds community bonds. I will participate in 5 swaps or sharing activities, like borrowing items, attending or hosting a swap meet, or giving away items I no longer need to support a sharing economy with friends, family, colleagues or neighbors.

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

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.

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.

I will spend 15 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.

Leave No Trace means enjoying nature responsibly by minimizing our impact and leaving the environment as we found it, or better. I will spend 15 minutes learning about the seven core principles to minimize my impact while enjoying the outdoors.

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 spend 15 minutes learning about the energy and resource impacts of AI and automation tools and identify 1–2 ways to use them more intentionally.

I will spend 15 minutes unsubscribing from unnecessary email lists and deleting old emails to reduce digital storage.

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.

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. I will spend 15 minutes learning how to support local pollinators and take at least one action—such as planting native flowers or avoiding pesticides—to help sustain resilient ecosystems and harvests.

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.

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.

Donating gently used goods not only prevents waste but also strengthens social safety nets. I will donate items at least 7 times through a local shop or drop box in the next two weeks instead of throwing them away.