Elizabeth Lunceford

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

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

I will start a compost bin where I live.

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

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

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

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

I will spend 30 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.