Mandy Baily

I will use my current graduate certificate course to learn about and implement (as feasible) more water conservation initiatives in my home and community. I will include my children on what I am learning and encourage them to take part in my homework activities such as household water use estimates and increased rainwater harvesting.

I am increasing passive shade with natives and food producing plants around my home. It's an old block house that quickly traps the sun's heat with direct sun exposure!

I will, with my kids, explore potential uses of solar for things we already use in our household (i.e., rechargeable battery recharger - do they exist? can we create one from our current electric one?)

I will write or call 2 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

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 spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 2 friends, family and/or colleagues.

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water a day or 270 (1,020 L) gallons of water a month per faucet.

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.