Barb Litchfield

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

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

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.

Sometimes protecting nature requires feeling connected to nature. I will invest 60 minutes in exploring and appreciating a natural area in my region, whether a forest, wetland, coastal area, or somewhere else.

We installed solar panels on our roof and are waiting for the local county and Duke Energy to inspect them. We hope to have them working within the next 2 weeks so that we get most of our energy from the Sun. We will also bank extra energy we’ve accumulated with Duke so that when we need it we can draw upon it.

The cotton that’s included on bottles of supplements can be reused for a variety of things: removing makeup, sopping up spills among others. When I open a new bottle I take out the Cotten and put it aside to reuse

I walked in a parklike area with someone who knows a bit of history of it. We located quartz stones and talked about how developers wanted to put a road through it. Hopefully development won’t happen as it provides a walking/biking trail that people love to use.

Our mailbox is a mile away. I haved biked or walked to it and back home instead of driving

I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

I spent about over an hour walking in the woods looking for morel mushrooms. I actually found 3. I will post a picture My neighbor coached me on how to clean and cook them. I did as she suggested and three of us had a taste. Not bad!

We bought a few pieces of new furniture and donated a couch and two recliners to Goodwill

I will find out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

I’ll go to my mailbox by bike 2 to 3 times a week. And I will not collect it everyday. It’s a waste of time and gas.

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

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

We use canvas bags for grocery shopping. Keeping them in the car is a good way to remember them, Also, I recycle the plastic bags I use to carry vegetables. I just put them back in the canvas bags to use again. Then I don’t need to take a new one and struggle with finding the correct end to open it!

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

We explored hiking trails in Baker Mountain in Catawba County, NC today. We were delighted to see many mountain laurel trees at their peak. There was a ranger there who gave us good information on the trails. All in all I hiked 2.81 miles enjoying the misty morning