![Lydia Roe's avatar](/system/users/avatars/000/268/798/thumb/Franny._Trenton_Trees_4.23.jpg?1689186110)
(I also LOVE Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimerer, and I plan to read or listen to the audiobook for her first book, Gathering Moss, too. The author is an Indigenous knowledge keeper and a college-educated ecologist.)
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Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown Ecochallenge expert in no time!
"To support our collective future via sustainable action"
Low-Flow Fixtures
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.
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.
Onshore Wind Turbines, Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.
Alternative Cement
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.
Family Planning and Education
I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.
Temperate Forest Restoration
I will plant 1 trees in my community, public parks, or backyard.
Multiple Solutions
I will support a community garden by volunteering, donating, or advocating for a new or existing one.
Tropical Forest Restoration
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
Multiple Solutions
I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.
Public Transit
I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.
Peatland Protection and Rewetting
I will spend 30 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.
Multiple Solutions
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.
Biochar Production
I will spend 30 minutes learning about biochar and how it can help sequester carbon.
Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders
I will spend 30 minutes researching and shopping from 3 businesses owned by women, people of color, or immigrants.
Electric Cars, Hybrid Cars
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.
Conservation Agriculture
I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices.
Composting, Reduced Food Waste
I will start a compost or worm bin where I live.
Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by participating in a training, workshop, or presentation.
Plant-Rich Diets
I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meals each day of the challenge.
Indigenous Peoples' Forest Tenure
I will donate to Native American Rights Fund, which protects tribal natural resources and environmental rights and promotes Native American Human Rights.
Recycling; Recycled Metals; Recycled Plastics
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.
Bioplastics; Reduced Plastics
I will avoid buying and using 2 single-use plastics and instead replace them with durable options.
Recycling
I will practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.
Small Hydropower, Micro Wind Turbines, Microgrids
I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.
Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics
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.
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?