Cassandra Borchers

I will spend 30 minutes learning more about the importance of freshwater + ocean conservation, and how I can reduce my water use. I will share what I learn with people in person, on social media, and on the feed.

Learning in a social setting can inspire connection and change. I will work with a friend or colleague to plan and host a lunch and learn at work, school, in my neighborhood or other location to learn more about an environmental topic important to me. After the lunch and learn, I will share more about it on the feed.

Studies have shown that when we spend consistent time in nature, our health improves, our creativity increases, and our connection to the planet gets stronger. Each day of the Ecochallenge, I will spend 30 minutes outside (in a large or small patch of nature), then share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the feed.

Why buy something I will only use once or a few times if someone nearby has it for me to borrow, and why not share something I have that someone may only need a few times a year? To reduce my consumption and waste, I will create or support the sharing economy with friends, family, colleagues or neighbors.

Plastic bags can be mistaken for food by many wild animals and can end up in habitats that harm wildlife. I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.

I will respect and protect biotic communities by practicing the seven principles of Leave No Trace whenever I am outside.

Bees are vital to ecosystems. To help save the bees, I will learn which local flowers provide nectar and plant them in my backyard or in a pot on my balcony.

Each of us has a water footprint, directly linked to our daily activities as well as the water required in the production of things we use each day. Understanding our water use is important for a healthy planet. I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste, then share what I learned on the feed.

Clean your house out of mismatched dinner cutlery. Bring in reusable metal/ stainless steel dinner cutlery (forks, spoons, knives) to donate to the WSP café in your office. Use the new cutlery to achieve the daily action of reducing plastic use during lunch.

Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than a dishwasher. To save water, I will use a dishwasher and scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.

Millions of tons of plastic is produced each year worldwide. Each day, I will conduct a plastics audit of what I buy and use throughout the challenge (kitchen, bathroom, personal care products, etc.), to see how single-use plastic shows up in my life. I will find plastic-free alternatives to these products and advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, product manufacturers, at work, or on campus.

Eating a plant-based diet is one of the most impactful (and delicious) ways to reduce your environmental footprint. Follow the link below to join WSP's week-long Veg Pledge and eat vegetarian or vegan from 22-28 April. Take it one step further and host a plant-based pot-luck in your office during April!

Learn more about WSP's sustainability journey and what we are doing to reach our climate goals.

WSP's Green Team volunteer program empowers employees passionate about sustainability to lead green initiatives for their local offices and communities. Follow the link below to learn more about WSP's Green Team program and sign-up to join or start one in your office today!

Whether your rent or own your home, signing up with YellowTin taking advantage of their 1:1 concierge service will help you understand the costs, savings, and incentives for everything needed to transition to an all-electric lifestyle! Use the link below to register and earn these one-time action points.