Nickoleta Kastros

I will only use disinfectants where recommended and required by my organization's Infection Prevention and Control department.

I will share one idea for making my organization more sustainable on our team's feed.

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.

I will make 1 new healthcare connections at my workplace or beyond to learn from my peers, share best practices, and see if there are opportunities for collaboration.

I will spend 15 minutes learning about the environmental footprint of the healthcare industry, how it impacts health, and ways I can help reduce it.

I will spend 15 minutes learning about what medical device reprocessing is and how it works, including whether my organization has a program, and if so, which items it collects.

I will recognize 2 colleague(s) for their sustainability efforts on our team feed, in-person, by email, and/or through my organization's recognition platforms.

I will donate blood in my community to make sure there are adequate supplies for routine medical services and emergencies.

I will promote a positive environment and uplift others by performing 1 random act(s) of kindness.

I will keep 10 disposable cup(s) and/or bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle, cup, or mug.

I will spend 15 minutes learning about some of the ways my organization makes its laboratories more sustainable and ways we can improve.

I will spend 15 minutes learning about some of the ways my organization makes its operating rooms more sustainable and ways we can improve.

I will seek out the plant forward options in Advocate Health retail facilities in lieu of a meat-forward meal.

I will replace 1 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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

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 pledge to take one action that improves the sustainability of my organization in 2025. It can be an action from this challenge or another action that improves resource stewardship.

I commit to dedicating 15 minutes to exploring my organization's quality improvement resources and examining how quality improvement methodologies can support sustainability projects.

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 volunteer 2 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

I will avoid sending food waste to the landfill by composting my food scraps.