Brian Conkey

Resilience in water systems means being able to adapt, recover, and thrive through change. I will spend 5 minutes learning how people and communities build water resilience and reflect on how I can apply this knowledge.

Conserving water helps protect this precious resource. I will shorten my showers to 5 minutes to save water and reduce energy use - each time saving up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water!

Dishwashers can save water — if used wisely. I will only run the dishwasher when it’s full and skip the pre-rinse to reduce water and energy use. If I don't have a dishwasher, I will turn off the tap as often as possible while washing dishes.

Access to clean water is a basic human right, yet many communities worldwide lack it. I will spend 5 minutes learning about water justice issues and who is most affected, and share one insight in the feed.

Green teams strengthen resilience by creating shared responsibility. I will join or help start a green team in my workplace, school, or community group to support sustainability and collaboration.

Growing food builds resilience by connecting us to the soil and reducing reliance on long supply chains. I will grow edible plants—such as herbs, vegetables, or grains—in my home, balcony, or community space, strengthening both my food security and local biodiversity.

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. I will spend 10 minutes learning how to support local pollinators and take at least one action—such as planting native flowers or avoiding pesticides—to help sustain resilient ecosystems and harvests.

Native plants provide food and shelter for local wildlife and help ecosystems adapt to change. I will choose native plants for my yard, balcony, or community space instead of non-native or ornamental species to support biodiversity resilience.

Extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods can disrupt lives and upend our communities. I will take proactive steps to prepare for extreme weather by safeguarding my home and creating or updating an emergency plan and kit with essential supplies, evacuation routes, and contact information.

I’ll take a short pre-survey to share what motivated me to join — and earn 15 points! (If I already took the survey by email, I’ll just mark this action complete to get my points.)

Bringing people together helps strengthen bonds. I will organize and host a gathering, such as a potluck, coffee meet up, or shared meal, for friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors to foster connection and community spirit.

Swapping and sharing resources reduces waste and builds community bonds. I will participate in 1 swaps or sharing activities, like borrowing items, attending or hosting a swap meet, or giving away items I no longer need to support a sharing economy with friends, family, colleagues or neighbors.

Sharing our talents can benefit those around us. I will offer my skills or services that contribute to local self-sufficiency, such as teaching a repair skill or helping with a neighbor's garden.

Water is one of the most visible ways climate change impacts our lives. I will spend 10 minutes learning how climate change affects water in my region and explore actions that can help people and ecosystems adapt.