Samuel Torres

When we explore natural spaces around us, our connections with them change. I will spend 500 minutes exploring a new area around my neighborhood, office, or campus (e.g., park, water body, nearby trail, community garden, green space, etc.).

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. Buying products that help protect forests makes a difference. I will only purchase wood, furniture, and paper products from ecologically certified sources such as Forest Stewardship Council.

Studies have shown that when we spend consistent time in nature, our health improves, our creativity increases, and our connection to the planet gets stronger. Each day of the Ecochallenge, I will spend 30 minutes outside (in a large or small patch of nature), then share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the feed.

I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me this month, to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill. I will post on the feed my reflections, conversations, and actions I will take moving forward.

The waste we create daily can go unnoticed. I will track the waste I create in a day and post a photo log on the feed to see how much I create and where I can make different choices to reduce my waste going forward.

I will look for sustainable palm oil products with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSP) label. I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation and opt for ones that help sustain healthy communities and forests.

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming and ranching in a way that supports life and restores the soil. I will spend 300 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.

The impacts of our waste are far reaching. I will create zero waste for an entire day and share my reflections and learnings on the feed.

Using my voice can help create a more sustainable and just world. I will contact 50 local, regional, or national decision makers to advocate for public policy that protects forests and improves their ability to sequester carbon and nourish biodiversity.

Food in the landfill is one of the main sources of greenhouse gasses. I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day by composting my food.

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.