Melanie Henrich

I will give my pets natural alternatives to toys like femur bones and antlers, canvas, natural rubber, hemp, rope or cotton toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

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

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and tupperware-like containers in my children's lunches to reduce plastic waste.

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 10 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

I will swap out 4 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

Wipes don't break down in sewer systems, but combine with fat to create massive clogs. I will find alternatives to using disposable wipes.