Patrick Delgado - Madewell Oakbrook

Participate in the 225 Home Office Swap (April 24/25) OR host one with your Store or DC team OR start one of your own with friends and family! A clothing swap is when individuals contribute their gently-used clothing, accessories, books and more to then swap with others. It's a great way to reduce your consumption, contribute to a circular economy, and renew your wardrobe!

Our 225 Home offices are being cleaned out during April, with items going to FABSCRAP, recycling facilities, and the trash. Be sure to clean out your office area responsibly!

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.

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.

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.

I will become a savvy produce shopper when buying organic and non-organic items.

I will volunteer 5 hours in my community.

I will make a few homemade cleaning products.

I spend 10 minutes analyzing my recent utility bills, which might include electricity, gas, or water to see what my current usage is and determine if I can reduce my energy and water use.

Studies show a grass lawn is water intensive and on average it require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. I will do one or more of the following actions in my yard or community to conserve water and improve habitat: plant indigenous plants, landscape with water-efficient plants, add mulching, replace a lawn, and/or use eco-friendly fertilizers.

I will try a new vegan or vegetarian recipe and share how it turns out on the Ecochallenge feed, or with family and friends.

During the workday, I will schedule time for daily breaks during work days to practice work-life balance.

I will commute by bike 5 miles each day and get my muscles moving while avoiding sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

Each day, I will spend 25 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).

I will replace 2 incandescent light bulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 30 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood, office, or campus (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).

Public transportation reduces pollution, improves community, and creates safe streets. I will use public transit 1 miles per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

The impacts of our waste are far reaching. I will create zero waste for an entire day and share my reflections and learnings on the feed.

When traveling, I will seek souvenirs that support local communities and do not cause harm to the environment or wildlife.