Judi Bennett

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

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

When available, I will purchase clothing and bedding made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

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.

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 6 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 30 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

I will switch to a plastic-free toothpaste — whether purchased or DIY'd.

I will hang-dry my laundry to use the sun as a natural bleach alternative, or use another natural bleach alternative.

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.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 60 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.