Malea Russell

I will use the communication methods I read about to practice effective, compassionate, and nonviolent communication with someone I interact with regularly (i.e., my roommate, parents, co-worker, partner, classmates, or children).

I will spend 30 minutes each day practicing mindfulness.

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

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

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

On average, a tree absorbs 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of carbon dioxide yearly during the first 20 years. To do my part, I will plant 1 trees in my community, public parks, or backyard.

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally). As an example, a plane from New York to Los Angeles (~2,450 miles) generates about 65 tons of carbon dioxide.