JESUS TEJADA TORREGROSA

Trees provide food and habitat for local wildlife species, shade our streets and homes, and help keep our air and water clean by capturing pollutants. Buying products that help protect forests makes a difference. I will only purchase wood, furniture, and paper products from ecologically certified sources such as Forest Stewardship Council.

I will volunteer 4 hours in my community.

Renewable energy options are becoming more widespread and accessible. Not only are they good for the planet, they can help save money as well. I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will contact them to advocate for this option in the future.

Energy use and waste is often invisible. I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

Carbon emissions can show up in many surprising ways in our life. I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how lifestyle changes could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment.

We need to support healthy seafood populations. I will spend 100 minutes learning about sustainable seafood choices, commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean, and share what I learned on the feed.

Grass lawns are water-intensive and on average require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. Native plants are water-efficient and help maintain the balance and diversity of local ecosystems. I will plant native species with water-efficient plants to conserve water and improve the habitat, then post a photo on the feed to share.

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.

Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming and ranching in a way that supports life and restores the soil. I will spend 30 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.

I will record a video to share why I am taking action this Earth Month, a sustainable swap I've made, and/or a local conservation effort in my area.

Carbon emissions from air travel is harmful to planetary and human health. Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

I will gather a group of friends, family, neighbors or colleagues to make 2 phone calls to public officials or companies to advocate for planet-friendly policies.

A healthy world needs both our daily actions and support from larger systems. I will spend 60 minutes learning about how I can use my investments and savings to advance environmental sustainability.

I will organize or participate in a trash pickup at a local river, beach, or natural body of water.

Food in the landfill is one of the main sources of greenhouse gasses. I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day by composting my food.

Understanding cleaning product ingredients and their effect on water and biodiversity is helpful to our consumer choices. I will spend 30 minutes learning about how cleaning products affect our water and try making my own cleaning products to reduce pollutants.

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.

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

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.

One kilogram of beef and cheese emits 71kg and 24kg of greenhouse gasses, while 1kg of rice, grains, and legumes emits between 2-4kg. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts emit less than 1kg per 1kg. I will reduce my climate impact by enjoying 2 meatless meals and/or 1 vegan meals each day this week.

I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me this month, to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill. I will post on the feed my reflections, conversations, and actions I will take moving forward.

The waste we create daily can go unnoticed. I will track the waste I create in a day and post a photo log on the feed to see how much I create and where I can make different choices to reduce my waste going forward.

Public transportation reduces pollution, improves community, and creates safe streets. I will use public transit 14 miles per day and avoid sending up to (___) lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

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.

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.