DONNA Szabo

I will replace 6 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.

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

I will refuse 5 of single-use paper or plastic bags each day by bringing my own reusable bags or carrying purchased goods another way.

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

I will pick up 1 piece(s) of litter each day.

I will help others in need and prevent useful items from going to landfill by donating 10 items.

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

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 create or support a sharing economy with family, friends, and neighbors, or purchase items second-hand to reduce resource use.

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

I commit to dedicating 240 minutes to exploring my organization's quality improvement resources and examining how quality improvement methodologies can support sustainability projects.