Everyday Actions for a Sustainable Future

Protect Biodiversity
Climate change is causing mass plant extinctions. Protect biodiversity on your property and community. Landscape with native plants. Garden for bees and other pollinators.

Help Stop the Plant Extinction Crisis 
There are many imperiled plants not yet on the endangered list. Research and identify these plants in your area, then grow them on your property to prevent their extinction. Donate their seeds to other growers or local seedbanks. Protect and restore the plants’ natural habitats.

Stop the Use of Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides
Ending the use of air, land, and water polluting substances protects plants, terrestrial environments, and waterways from petrochemical-based products like plastics, synthetic fragrance chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, and more. These and other toxic substances have short and long-term health consequences for all life. Neonic pesticides are poisoning pollinators and threatening our food supply. Choosing safe and sustainable alternatives will save your health and ecosystem. 

Farm and Garden Organically
Commit to organic farming and gardening to protect your family, your water, and your community from the health impacts of toxic chemicals. Also use toxic-free lawn care products and organic lawn care professional services. 

Stop the Rise of Invasive Species
Detect and help eradicate invasive plant species on your property and other local critical habitats. Demand that federal agencies combat the spread of invasive species on government managed properties.

Create More Protected Habitats in Your Area
Loss and degradation of habitat are major contributors to biodiversity loss. Help fight the extinction crisis by creating and protecting natural habitats and restoring the connections between protected areas to provide adaption pathways or wildlife corridors for plants and wildlife to travel across.

Drive Less
Transportation is one of the biggest contributors to CO² emissions. Walk, bike, take public transportation, or carpool. If you must drive a gas car, keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure—it saves gas. Switch to a low carbon or electric vehicle as soon as possible.

Eat Less Meat and Dairy
Growing animals for food is costly and inefficient due to the energy, water, and grain agriculture it consumes, as well as the transportation it requires. Cutting meat and dairy out of your diet also reduces methane emission, which is known as a “super pollutant.”

If you do eat meat or dairy, go organic, which ensures the animal products you eat are not fed antibiotics or hormones and guarantees that their living conditions are less polluting to the environment.

Eat More Vegetables
Consuming more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains will lower your environmental impact because plant foods produce less greenhouse gas emissions and require less land, energy, and water than animal-based agriculture.

Eat Locally Grown Food or Grow Your Own
You can make a difference just by your food choices. Buy locally grown and produced food or grow your own. Learn more about storing your foods in plastic bags. Eat the most perishable food first. Store foods like herbs or asparagus in the refrigerator with their stems submerged to keep them fresh for longer. Save foods by making juice and soups and freezing them. 

Compost Food Waste
Composting is great for the environment as it reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills. Composting also creates nutrient-rich soil and introduces beneficial organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that decompose organic material. Because of aerobic decomposition, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

Use Energy Wisely
Change to energy-efficient light bulbs and energy-efficient appliances, but also turn off lights when leaving the room and unplug appliances not in use. Gas-powered lawn mowers are big polluters. Try to switch to an electric or solar model lawn mower this season.

Use Your Voice and Devices to Make Change 
You can make change on the local, state, and federal levels by contacting your representatives and organizations like the EPA to decarbonize, safeguard biodiversity, secure our food, ban the use of toxic pesticides, and prepare for pressing challenges. Urge the government to take climate action now. Use your voice, devices, and lifestyle choices to achieve the social changes we need for our future. 

Support and Strengthen Conservation 
Remember that it is our duty as citizens to participate in government and vote. Demand that Congress pass strong legislation to accelerate our transition to clean energy and safeguard all we love.