Cynthia Kanno

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

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

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.

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

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

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 make my own cleaning products or choose plastic-free, refillable options.

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 try new recipe(s) or food preparation method(s) each day, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.

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

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

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

I will replace 1 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 10 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

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

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

I will spend at least 30 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 2 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

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