Jessica Bartholomew

I will plant an herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and containers in my family's lunches to reduce plastic waste.

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

If possible, I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own travel cup.

I will use laundry detergent that is packaged in glass or aluminum, or an alternative like soap nuts.

I will spend 5 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

I will calculate my ecological footprint, and from the results brainstorm and take action on ways I can reduce my annual footprint.

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 1 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 1 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 1 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot - and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn what these numbers mean and which types of plastics are accepted for recycling in my area.

Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can, making sure to kindly let people know why I'm asking for alternative packaging.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.