Cristina Gendron

I will conduct a waste audit of my trash and recycling to understand how much waste I create and create a plan for where I can reduce the most.

The only thing worse than a single-use item is a zero-use item! I will use (and use up) what I already have in my home before buying something new.

The simple, necessary, daily act of washing our clothes slowly degrades the quality of our clothes due to the friction involved in the process. To extend the life of my clothes, whenever possible, I will wear items multiple times before washing.

The average paperback book has the same carbon footprint of driving about 7 miles (11 km) in an average car. Instead of purchasing new books this month, I will borrow books, e-books, and/or audiobooks from my local library or library-affiliated apps, or host a book swap with my friends.

I will hang-dry my laundry to use the sun as a natural bleach alternative, or use another natural bleach alternative.

We've all got it - that thing in the back of our closet we keep saying we'll fix "one day." I will make today that day by learning how to mend or repair ripped or broken items in my home - or by finding a local offering to do it for me.

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

Each year in the US, nearly 14.2 million disposable vapes are thrown away, and cigarette butts make up 30-40% of all litter collected during annual coastal and urban cleanups globally. For both my health and the health of the planet, this month I will kick my smoking habit and advocate for better regulations around the sale and disposal of disposable e-cigarettes.

I will calculate my ecological footprint, and from the results brainstorm and take action on ways I can reduce my annual footprint.

One of the best ways we can create change in our communities is simply by talking about it! This month, I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.

I will write or sign 1 letters, emails or petitions per day to advocate for plastic-free or planet-friendly policies.

Every single textile ever made will, at some point, become worn out - and dealing with that waste costs millions of tax dollars every year. I will spend 15 minutes learning about the different types of textile recycling and creating a plan for what I'll do with my clothes and other textiles when they are too worn out to use anymore.

Greenwashing can fool even the most experienced eco-advocate. This month, I will spend 60 minutes learning what greenwashing is, how to spot it, and what I can do about it.

Our tax dollars are subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, making the cost of plastics artificially low and encouraging further plastics production. I will spend 60 minutes learning about oil subsidies and how I can advocate for their elimination.

Help us make the Plastic Free Ecochallenge the best it can be! Take the challenge pre-survey (and look out for the post-survey at the end of the challenge!) so we can better understand the impact the challenge has and how we can improve in the future. Plus, you'll earn points for completing it! Thank you!