Christine Craddock

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 20 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

I will use a microfiber catcher in my laundry, or install a microfiber filter for my washing machine.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 20 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.

I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).

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

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

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

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

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.

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

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.