Nicole VanderLaan

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

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.

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

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

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 write or sign 3 letters, emails or petitions per day to advocate for plastic-free or planet-friendly policies.

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 10 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

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.

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

I will spend 15 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 purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

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 spend 10 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 10 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.