Jackie Dohrenwend

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

Synthetic clothing can contain plastic and shed harmful microplastics into our water. I will use a microplastics catcher in my laundry, or install a microplastics filter for my washing machine.

Bees are vital to ecosystems. To help save the bees, I will learn which local flowers provide nectar and plant them in my backyard or in a pot on my balcony.

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.

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When marine wildlife ingest plastic, they have a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than a dishwasher. To save water, I will use a dishwasher and scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.

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.

Itr's estimated over a billion water bottles are thrown away each year. Even if they were recycled, that still uses energy and resources from the earth. I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

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.

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.

Eating a plant-based diet is one of the most impactful (and delicious) ways to reduce your environmental footprint. Follow the link below to join WSP's week-long Veg Pledge and eat vegetarian or vegan from 22-28 April. Take it one step further and host a plant-based pot-luck in your office during April!

Learn more about WSP's sustainability journey and what we are doing to reach our climate goals.

WSP's Green Team volunteer program empowers employees passionate about sustainability to lead green initiatives for their local offices and communities. Follow the link below to learn more about WSP's Green Team program and sign-up to join or start one in your office today!

Whether your rent or own your home, signing up with YellowTin taking advantage of their 1:1 concierge service will help you understand the costs, savings, and incentives for everything needed to transition to an all-electric lifestyle! Use the link below to register and earn these one-time action points.