Melissa Roberts-Faulkner

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

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 5 random act(s) of kindness.

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 keep 5 disposable cup(s) and/or bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle, cup, or mug.

Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than running a full dishwasher. To save water, I will scrape instead of rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, and only run it when it is full.

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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 make 3 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 refuse 10 of single-use paper or plastic bags each day by bringing my own reusable bags or carrying purchased goods another way.

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the environmental footprint of the healthcare industry, how it impacts health, and ways I can help reduce it.

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

I will take one action to support local wildlife, such as adding a food or water source, creating shelter/habitat, preventing light pollution, eliminating bird strikes, or another action.

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