Deborah Hommer

Cheap, single-use items and disposable packaging end up blowing around as litter more often in poor and POC-majority neighborhoods. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.

I will not work more than 8 hour days each day to practice work-life balance.

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

I will create a rain garden or bioswale or use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor watering needs.

I will save up to 8 gallons (30 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

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

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.

I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.

I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will learn about sustainable fashion and begin trying to practice it in my own life.

I will find out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in recycling dumpsters or my curbside bin.

I will save up to .21 lbs (.09 kg) of paper per day by switching from one-sided printing to two-sided when I have to print documents.

I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

I will spend 2 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

I will keep 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.