Alex Gray

Through social media or on the Earth Day Ecochallenge feed, I will share my favorite environmentally friendly habit with my friends, even if it’s not an Earth Day action.

I will scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher and only run the dishwasher when it’s full.

I will replace 1 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

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 avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.

I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When marine wildlife ingest plastic, they have a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 4 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

I will host or participate in a trash pickup at a local river or beach that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about how our oceans support life on Earth by producing oxygen, regulating climate, and providing habitat, food, and jobs.