Ruth M. Criger

When it's time to buy more, I will replace my beauty products with refillable, sustainable, and/or DIY options.

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with a sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable option.

When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.

I will plant a herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).

I will switch to a plastic-free deodorant — whether purchased or DIY'd.

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

I will spend 10 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

If possible, I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own travel cup.

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

I will lobby my workplace to have reusable dishes and silverware in order to minimize disposables.

I will talk to the owner or manager of a restaurant I frequent to request that they reduce their use of single-use and disposable plastics.

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

I will spend 1 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

I will spend at least 5 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

I will visit the rePurpose website, complete the 3-minute plastic consumption calculator, and explore how I can reBalance my annual plastic footprint.

I will give a shout-out on social media to a local company, coworker, friend or family member for their plastic free or green efforts.

I will raise money to support a nonprofit dedicated to plastic pollution reduction.

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me in a TSA-approved reusable quart-sized bag.

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 2 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.

I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

I will use reusable dishes and silverware when eating at work.