Laurie Thompson

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.

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

Join WashU Sustainability Staff July 20th from 12pm – 1pm to learn more about how single-use plastics are used in research and healthcare and how you can begin to reduce plastic use in your lab or practice.

I will make 1 phone call(s) per day to a public official or company to advocate for planet-friendly policies.

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

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

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

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

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

When available, I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

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

Reducing meat consumption has many benefits; it curtails greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and soil degradation. It will also save an enormous amount of land, water use and will increase biodiversity.