Rei Bassiri

At times it may not feel like it's up to us to keep our community clean and healthy, but we all have a role to play. Each day I am outside, I will pick up any litter I see.

One third of all food produced worldwide is wasted, and so is the energy it takes to produce and transport that food. I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu, only buying the ingredients I need and eating what I planned each day.

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).

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.

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.

Understanding cleaning product ingredients and their effect on water and biodiversity is helpful to our consumer choices. I will spend 10 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.

Trees capture carbon and produce oxygen that is essential to life on earth. I will support this important piece of nature by organizing or joining a community group to plant 1 native trees in my community, public parks, office location, campus or backyard.

I wanted to watch a relatively recent documentary explaining the relationship between seafood consumption and the effects it has on the environment. I chose to watch this as I was curious about the implications of overfishing on our Coral reefs after learning about the importance of choosing a sunscreen that is reef safe.

We need to support healthy seafood populations. I will spend 60 minutes learning about sustainable seafood choices, commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean, and share what I learned on the feed.

Pouring cooking oil down the drain can cause damage to waterways and ecosystems. I will learn how to properly dispose of cooking oil to help support healthy ecosystems.

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.

Carbon is emitted into the atmosphere in a variety of ways, including through the foods we eat and food we waste. I will learn about low carbon foods and replace higher carbon foods with them in my diet.

On Monday April 22 from 10:30-2:00pm, the Sustainability Office is hosting an Earth Day celebration! Come and learn about sustainability and climate action initiatives taking place at JAC and in the wider community. Take part in a workshop and pick up some seedlings or house plants!