Mackenzie Piggott

While global and national actions get a lot of attention, it’s often at the local community level where individuals can have the greatest input and where change is most tangible. But every community is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. I will spend 20 minutes finding out how my neighborhood, town or city is helping the environment and building local resilience.

I will spend at least 10 minutes finding out if my city, region, state, or country offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings Solutions.

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

I will spend 10 minutes finding out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 3.3lbs (1.6kg) a month by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions, and opting out of junk mail.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will research and recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community, including electronics and metals.

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 complete a plastics audit to see where plastics show up in my life and determine how I can reduce the use of single-use plastics.

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in creating or purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.