Debra Iwerks

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

Leave No Trace means enjoying nature responsibly by minimizing our impact and leaving the environment as we found it, or better. I will spend 10 minutes learning about the seven core principles to minimize my impact while enjoying the outdoors.

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

I will spend 2 minutes learning about nonprofits in my area that tackle sustainability and waste challenges that I could get involved with.

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 spend 10 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 5 minutes learning how data storage works, including where my files are stored (e.g., local device vs cloud) and how that impacts energy use.

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

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.

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.

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

Donating gently used goods not only prevents waste but also strengthens social safety nets. I will donate items at least 2 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.

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.

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.

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 prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.

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.

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 plan to host 2 low-waste lunches or gatherings with family, friends, or colleagues over the next few months to reduce waste. The upcoming holidays are a great opportunity to show off a new low-waste dish!

I will spend 10 minutes learning about the Right to Repair movement and how repair policies influence electronic waste and device longevity.

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 10 minutes learning about ways to ensure my pet’s behavior and care practices protect local wildlife and their ecosystems.

I will spend 10 minutes unsubscribing from unnecessary email lists and deleting old emails to reduce digital storage.

I will spend 10 minutes organizing and deleting unneeded files on my desktop and downloads folder.

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.

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.