Cole Elliott

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

I will replace manual thermostats with programmable ones.

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

I will install alternative energy systems, such as solar electric systems or solar water heaters.

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

I will use an energy meter to monitor my energy use and identify opportunities to save power.

I will spend 200 minutes researching environmental justice concerns in my region, their causes, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those who produce my food in other regions of the world to make better choices when I shop.

I will enjoy meatless meal(s) and/or vegan meal(s) each day this week.

I will make phone call(s) and/or send emails each day to public officials to advocate for a more comprehensive public transportation system in my region.

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.