Kathryn Schroeder

Preserving food through freezing, drying, or fermenting helps food last longer, reduces waste, and ensures supplies during difficult times. I will preserve or store food during the challenge to strengthen household and community resilience.

Composting turns waste into a resource, building soil health and cutting methane emissions from landfills. I will compost food scraps at home, school, or in my community, which avoids sending up to 0.42 lbs (0.19 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day.

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 1 meatless meals meals each day.

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.)

Stories connect and inspire us. I will share 1 resilience stories—either from my life, my community, or from a leader or culture I admire—through conversations, social media, or the event feed to help others see resilience in action.

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. I will spend 5 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.

Sharing builds common understanding. I will share 1 definitions of resilience that resonate with me—through conversations, social media, or the event feed—to help others explore what resilience means.

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.

Shared projects at work strengthen teams and build organizational resilience. I will host or join 1 cleanup events with colleagues, classmates, or group members to improve our environment and strengthen collaboration.

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.

Mulching helps soil hold water and reduces runoff. I will mulch the base of trees or other plants at home, school, or in my community to improve water retention and soil health.

Everyone’s water needs and use are different. I will create an action that works for my life and supports water resilience—and make my commitment public by sharing it in the feed to inspire others.

Rainwater collection reduces water waste and supports local needs. I will install a rain barrel or collect rainwater to use for outdoor tasks, such as watering plants or cleaning.

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.

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.

Too much artificial light can confuse and harm animals, especially those active at night. I will reduce sources of outdoor light or switch to wildlife-friendly fixtures to support healthy habitats.