I chose native plants for a strip between my driveway and my neighbors' driveway that has several trees. For low-growing plants, I chose pasque flower, purple poppy mallow, Missouri evening primrose, wild strawberry, and violets that are already growing there in lovely patches. For taller plants, I chose orange coneflower, smooth blue aster, and flowering spurge. Based on my research on PrairieMoon.com, these plants bloom at different times of year, feeding pollinators as well as hosting caterpillars. Wild strawberries are supposed to be a great snack for birds.

I'll share a photo of the pasque flower - excited to have the state flower of South Dakota! If anyone lives in the Sioux City, Iowa area, the Loess Hills Wild Ones is having a native plant sale in mid-May: https://loesshills.wildones.org/

I reduced things like leaving my room lights on all night and started turning off outside lights when they weren’t needed. I also paid more attention to not using really bright lights late at night unless I had to.

My surplus food went to people in my community who needed it, like a local food pantry and a few roommates. It mainly benefited families who might not always have consistent access to meals, so even something small could make a difference.

Choosing to spend money at places like that helps keep money in the community and supports local jobs. It also builds stronger connections because you’re directly helping people around you instead of just a large corporation.

Shortening my showers made me way more aware of how much water I was actually using without thinking about it. Before, I’d just let the water run and not really pay attention to the time, but once I started cutting my showers down, I realized how quickly it adds up. It made me think more about not wasting water and being more intentional with how I use it, even in small ways.