Shannon Delano-Rainey

Producing 1 kg of beef emits as much greenhouse gas as driving 150 miles, meanwhile, 1 kg of veggies or grains leaves a much lighter footprint! This week, I’ll shrink my climate impact by having 0 meatless meals and/or 1 vegan meals each day.

Learning by doing empowers youth. I will conduct an environmental audit — such as a home energy or waste audit — alongside a young person to teach them practical sustainability skills and see what I learn from them as well.

Being a responsible tourist means not disturbing wildlife and choosing eco-friendly tour operators and destinations that prioritize wildlife conservation and respect animal welfare. I will spend 15 minutes researching ways to travel responsibly to ensure my adventures support, rather than harm, wildlife and their habitats.

Cutting back on refined sugar can improve energy, mood, and overall health. I will limit my intake of sugary snacks and drinks by reducing refined sugar in meals or snacks each day.

Idling cars wastes fuel, contributes to climate change, and pollutes the air in our communities. I will turn off my engine when waiting in my car to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions.

Reducing plastic use starts with awareness, and there are amazing innovations in materials to replace plastic! I will conduct an audit of the plastic products I use daily and identify items I can replace with sustainable alternatives.

Many common products contain harmful chemicals. I will spend 15 minutes researching chemicals found in products I use, and I will make a list of products I'd like to replace with safer options.

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!