Jackie Potter

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. I will learn about certification labels and buy wood and paper products certified as sustainable or recycled to protect forests and reduce environmental harm.

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!

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.

Wasting food also wastes water, energy, and resources. I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

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.

Small changes can make a big difference for health and sustainability. Using what I learned from auditing ingredients in the products I use, I will replace 1 toxic or harmful products I use with safer, eco-friendly alternatives.

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.

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.

I have either volunteered for the Bike Drive or Donated to or BOTH!