Chelsea Besic

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will buy organic cotton and foods grown without the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

I will avoid buying and using 1 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, making sure to not contaminate recyclables with non-recyclables.

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.