Andrea McIntosh

I will make a few homemade cleaning products.

I will find out what food programs are in my area and donate food and/or other items that they request.

I will call my elected officials to ask what they are doing regarding equitable gender participation and representation in my region.

I will save up to 6 gallons (23 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers. Tip: Use a timer to practice or count to 60 a few times.

I will try a new vegan or vegetarian recipe and share how it turns out on the Ecochallenge feed, or with family and friends.

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

At least 30% of crops and 90% of flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce fruit. I will plant pollinator-friendly plants in my area to support local pollinators.

Each day, I will track my purchases to identify my spending habits. This will allow me to see what purchases can be reduced.

I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste.

During the workday, I will schedule time for daily breaks during work days to practice work-life balance.

For an upcoming vacation, I will spend 60 minutes planning out a staycation in my region. For reference, one several hour flight releases the equivalent of nearly 14% of the annual emissions from a car.

I will spend 15 minutes each day practicing mindfulness.

Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing or my current investment portfolio to determine if they align with my values.

Access to affordable, nutritious food is a food justice issue. I will advocate for equitable food options at work, campus, or in the spaces I frequent by contacting community leaders and/or doing other advocacy actions.

I will replace 45 minute(s) per day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside exercising, enjoying the sunrise/sunset, gardening, journaling, or practicing gratitude for nature.

I will become a savvy produce shopper when buying organic and non-organic items.

Studies show a grass lawn is water intensive and on average it require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. I will do one or more of the following actions in my yard or community to conserve water and improve habitat: plant indigenous plants, landscape with water-efficient plants, add mulching, replace a lawn, and/or use eco-friendly fertilizers.

I will replace manual thermostats with smart ones.