EcoMom Challenge

1. Flex Your Buying Power.
   Make change with your dollars by supporting healthy and sustainable products and companies.
2. Eat locally grown food.
   Supporting local farmers is healthier for you, your family, and the local economy. Buying locally produced food reduces or eliminates waste generated by packaging, storage and transportation. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.
3. Drive More Efficiently - or Just Less.
   Car pool, don’t idle during drop off/pick up, drive a hybrid, drive less. Driving just 10 miles less per week saves 20 billion pounds of CO2. Less time in the car means more time for something more enjoyable.
4. Use Non-toxic Products
   Protect yourself, your family, and our environment from hazardous chemicals found in common  household cleaning and personal care products. The average home contains over 150 toxic chemicals that have been linked to increased asthma, allergies, cancers, endocrine and behavioral disorders.
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot (compost).
   Cutting down on garbage just 10% can save 1200 pounds of CO2 and save money in waste management fees. Consider the packaging when making a food purchase. Buying in bulk whenever possible will save you money and help reduce waste.
6. Make your home more energy efficient.
   Maximize energy efficiency with weather stripping, thermostat management and turning lights off.
7. Re-think your Laundry Plan.
   Washing less, using cold water, and line-drying saves you time and energy and saves over 500 pounds of CO2 and over $600 per year.
8. Be water wise.
   Fill your garden with native plants and water mornings or evenings. Fix any leaky faucets.  Don’t leave water running when brushing teeth, washing hands or doing dishes.
9. Plant something.
   A tree, a flower, or a garden, all of which absorb CO2 and remind us of the generosity of nature.
10. Spend time in nature.
    Being outside is good for mental and physical health, and reminds us to protect and preserve our natural surroundings.

Sustain Your Self, Sustain Your Family and Sustain Our World. It is all connected.