Rajiv Gupta

I will spend 5 minutes learning about nonprofits in my area that tackle sustainability and waste challenges that I could get involved with.

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 2 products with plastic and packaging waste.

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.

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.

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

Positive reinforcement goes a long way in fostering sustainable change. I will celebrate someone’s effort to reduce waste — whether big or small — by acknowledging their success in the feed or on social media and encouraging them to keep going.

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

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

Having reusables ready and integrated into my daily routine can help to avoid single-use plastic while out and about. I will put together a kit with items like a mug, water bottle, utensils, or tote bag to take with me when I leave the house.

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 create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of 2. 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 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.

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.

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

A clean community benefits everyone. Each day I am outside, I will pick up 10 pieces of litter daily to keep my community clean and share what I find in the event feed.

Swapping and sharing resources reduces waste and builds community bonds. I will participate in 1 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.