Kim Christoffel

I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.

I will repair an item, such as clothing or an appliance, for myself, a friend, family member, or neighbor.

I will keep 5 forks, spoons, and/or knives from entering the landfill by using reusable utensils when eating at work.

I will save up to 4 gallons (15 L) of water each day by turning it off while brushing my teeth.

I will avoid printing 10 pieces of paper by "going digital" and printing double-sided whenever possible.

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will select a greener option when purchasing supplies, such as products that have environmental certifications, less packaging, or other environmental attributes, or come from local vendors.

I will promote equity and support my community by purchasing items at 2 diverse- and/or locally-owned businesses.

I will turn my computer monitor(s) off at my work station when not in use to save energy (I will follow my organization's IT instructions for keeping on, turning off, or restarting computers).

Lighting makes up approximately 10% of hospitals' energy use on average. I will save energy by turning off unnecessary lights when not in use and when I am the last one to leave a space.

I will adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees from usual when I use the heat, and up 2 degrees when I use air conditioning.

I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

I will volunteer 10 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.