Owen Koelmel

I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles

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

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

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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 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.

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

I will plant 3 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

I will commute by carpool 15 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 12.09 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

I will research and tell 2 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

I will spend at least 1 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the 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 replace 11 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will spend at least 3 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by attending a training, workshop, or presentation.