Kristen Mankowski

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

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 purchase toothpaste in an aluminum tube or in a glass jar or make my own!

I will volunteer 30 hour(s) in my community.

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

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

I will spend 30 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

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

I will swap out my cat's litter for sawdust, mulch, and dirt with baking soda.

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

I will pick up 30 piece(s) of litter each day.

When hosting parties, invite guests to bring their own plates, bowls, cups, and utensils to reduce the need for disposables. If guests bring dishes, ask them to bring lidded, reusable containers or use a waste free alternative like beeswax wraps for leftovers. I chose this because, especially for kid’s parties and holidays, there is a lot of waste from people who don’t want to do dishes and buy single-use dish/flatware. By asking guests to bring their own, it eliminates the need for single-use items and reduces the amount of cleanup for the host.