Many people have asked us, “What is the most effective thing that I can do to make a difference on climate change?” The answer to this question is - there is not one big thing, but there are several big ways you can (1) reduce your own environmental footprint and (2) advocate for systemic change. We created the 7 Day Challenge to help people take the first step toward evolving into sustainable citizens through a process that is fun & easy to understand.  Our goal is to enroll over 10,000 people to take the challenge for Earth Week 2019! Will you join us?
THE 7-DAY CHALLENGE FOR MOTHER EARTH
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  1. Meatless Monday - Don't eat meat or dairy. 
  2. Transportation Tuesday - Carpool, use public transport, bike, walk.
  3. Water Wednesday - Conserve and advocate for your clean water.
  4. Trashy Thursday - Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle.
  5. Payday Friday - Use the power of your wallet to support businesses and nonprofits who care about our planet.
  6. Civic Saturday - Use the power of your voice and your vote. Educate yourself and your friends & family on the issues and which policies to support.
  7. Appreciation Sunday - Spend time in nature. Restore yourself and your connection with Mother Earth. This is what you fight for.  
​​How to Complete the Challenge:
  1. Pledge to take the challenge, and tag two people to join you so the movement can grow.
  2. Follow our guidebook for each day of the week (below). We will send an email with instructions every morning during the challenge to all participants.
  3. Share how you're completing this challenge and why it matters. Post on social media to #earthweekchallenge #bethechange and tag us @bitl.earth.
  4. This is not a one-time challenge. It is a practice that can grow with you, to be repeated again perhaps once a month until it becomes a new lifestyle. Define your goals for becoming a sustainable citizen, and evolve the challenge for your goals. 
Our goal is to get over 10,000 participants to take the challenge this year! Will you help us by sharing the challenge?

Your guidebook for the week

Day 1: Meatless Monday
Don't eat meat or dairy, and try vegan meals today. We also welcome you to take our bonus challenges: Eat local and organic. Don’t waste food. Learn about how you can benefit your health & planet by doing these things.
Why? Our appetite for meat involves over 60 billion land animals (cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, turkeys etc) that emit 20% of the world's greenhouse gasses and use half of all agricultural land. Moreover, this industry is also responsible for cruel practices in order to produce meat as “efficiently” as possible. For a glimpse into the lives of farm animals, view this immersive 360 video by iAnimal. If you include all other food-related emissions - farming, deforestation and food waste - what we eat becomes the #1 cause of global warming.

We get it. Going vegan is not for everyone. You can still make a big difference by cutting your meat, egg and dairy consumption in half! It is estimated that most American adults eat 2x the amount of protein they actually need.  
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Did You Know?
  • Food Waste - The world produces enough food to feed 10 billion people (our world pop is 7 billion), yet 40% of the food we produce is wasted and 10% of the world's population lives in chronic hunger. Learn More 
  • Locally Grown Food - Locally grown food reduces the average distance of 1,300 miles that food travels from “field to plate.” Transporting food long distances uses tremendous energy: it takes 435 fossil-fuel calories to fly a 5 calorie strawberry from California to New York. In addition, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that more than 75% of agricultural genetic diversity was lost in the 20th century. Small, biodiverse farms preserve our food heritage. In contrast, industrial agribusiness cultivates monocultures of high-yield hybrids bred for fast maturation and thick skins to withstand mechanical harvest and transport.
  • Organic Food - Benefits to eating organic food include: more nutritious, fewer pesticides, fresher, and better for the environment. Organically raised animals are not given antibiotics, growth hormones and animal by-products. Help guide to eating organic  ​
  • Seafood Sustainability - Around the globe, fisheries are in trouble. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that eighty-five percent of marine fish stocks are either fully exploited or overfished. Will our appetite for seafood leave behind an empty ocean? The easiest and most important thing you can do is ask the question: "Do you serve sustainable seafood?" Let your favorite businesses know that ocean-friendly seafood is on your shopping list. Learn more 
Resources:
​Day 2: Transportation Tuesday​
Carpool, Uber pool & Lyft line, bike, walk, run and learn about your public transport options. Be conscious of your transportation choices today. We understand that it might not be possible to avoid driving alone the whole day, so just do your best. ​
Why? 25% of the average American's carbon footprint comes from driving. Every gallon of gasoline pumps 24 lbs of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses (GHG) into the air, and the average American drives almost 14,000 miles per year! In South Florida, where urban sprawl is a huge problem, we waste even more gas sitting in traffic. It is not surprising that cars (and air conditioners) are the two biggest contributors to GHG in South Florida. ​In 2015, transportation accounted for 49 percent of Miami-Dade emissions - a significantly higher percentage than similar-sized cities like Chicago (25 percent), Washington D.C. (23 percent), and Denver (20 percent) who have more effective, and thus more frequently used public transit, walking, and biking infrastructure and systems.

Did You Know?
  • Public Transportation - An estimated 79% of South Florida’s commuters drive alone, while only 3% of South Florida’s commuters use public transportation. Public transport saves the U.S. 4.2 Billion gallons of gasoline annually. Investing in public transportation would help the environment and reduce traffic.
  • Air Travel - Air travel is one of the highest polluting industries, and carbon emissions are projected to triple by 2050 as demand for air travel rises as the world gets richer. Some technological innovations like biofuels, lighter materials and aerodynamic designs may help make future airplanes become more energy efficient.
  • Electric vehicles - Electric vehicles do not generate emissions, however they may still be charged with electricity generated from nonrenewable sources used by your public utility company. In Florida, more than two-thirds of our electricity is generated from natural gas while less than 3% comes from renewable sources. When purchasing an electric vehicle, homeowners often consider pairing it with a solar panel system on their roofs to charge their cars. Solar is an investment that pays itself back within about 7 years by reducing the cost of electricity bills. Both are larger investments to consider for the longer term! Also please do not buy a new car until you really need one, because automobiles require a lot of energy and materials to produce.
Resources:
Day 3: Water Wednesday
Become mindful about your relationship with clean water today. Find ways to minimize your wasteful habits. Learn about your local water issues, so you can advocate for them. Be thankful for having clean water!
Why? Water is life. Take notice of every time you use it to brush your teeth, shower, cook, flush your toilet, wash dishes, wash clothes or water your lawn. How much do you depend on access to affordable clean water? Clean water is a human right, yet that right is being threatened for the future. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will run short of fresh drinking water. Climate change increases the odds of worsening drought throughout the world. In South Florida, sea level rise and other sources are contaminating the Biscayne aquifer that supplies 7 million people.
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Key local issues include:
  • Protecting Florida’s Coral Reef
  • Banning Fracking
  • Algae Blooms  
  • Sea level rise
  • Sewage and septic tank leaks
  • Turkey Point nuclear plant pollution
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Did You Know?
  • World Water Wars - The devastating civil war in Syria was catalyzed by the longest drought in the region's modern history? The World Economic Forum predicts that in the near future, wars around the world will be fought over dwindling access to fresh water.
  • Water privatization occurs when private corporations buy public water utilities. This undermines the human right to water as private corporations make decisions based on profitability rather than universal access.
  • Using the Law - ​One of the most effective tools for protecting our water resources is the legal system. Miami Waterkeeper is a local non-profit that initiates state and federal legal action against actors who are harming South Florida's water resources and surrounding Bay. Support their legal fund 
  • Fracking -  involves drilling deep into the ground and injecting a mixture composed of water, sand, and chemicals into the well in order to fracture or dissolve the surrounding rock to harvest gas and oil.  Fracking creates a major risk for water contamination due to accidents and leaks. Hundreds of cases of water contamination due to fracking have been reported around the country, including studies of carcinogens leaking from drilling and fracking waste pits.
Resources: 
Day 4: Trashy Thursday
Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Re-purpose, Recycle & Rot - All the R's for a Zero Waste Life! Be conscious of your consumption habits today. Say no to plastic straws, bags, cups or styrofoam. Bring your reusable bottle and bag, and ask shops to fill that instead. It's day #4 of our 7-day challenge, and you're halfway there!
​Why? Our society discards a tremendous amount of trash with little regard for the energy and materials used in its creation or the effects it has on the environment. Massive plastic trash islands circulate in all of the major oceans and degrade into tiny microplastics. All this plastic is consumed by sea animals, making their way up the food chain. We are hurting other animals, and this will in turn hurt us. 

In all honesty, going Zero Waste is a nearly impossible task that requires extreme diligence and the privilege of free time to do so. However, you can begin by eliminating many single-use items from your life - plastic bags, bottles, straws, and utensils. Reduce single-use purchases, reuse what you have, recycle as a last resort, and compost whatever you can.

Most Americans fill a 64 gallon bin of trash every week. What if you could minimize that to a small bag per week?   

Did You Know?
  • Americans throw away enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the earth 300 times! And that is just a fraction of the waste we produce.
  • Over 8 millions ton of plastic waste leak into the ocean every year. It is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050...yikes!  
  • Recycling isn’t the best solution - As of January 2018, China stopped accepting our recycling imports with contamination rates over 1% (which is practically all of it because we are bad at recycling), so the material has nowhere to go. The best solution is to reduce waste! Learn more about the recycling dilemma   
  • ​Electronics waste - A United Nations study reported that 44.7 million tons of e-waste was discarded in 2016, and only 20% of it was disposed of properly. Electronic waste is currently growing three times faster compared to other types of waste due to increasing worldwide demand and shorter product life spans as technology is constantly updated and improved. As consumers, we must break the upgrade habit and keep devices for longer, consider repairing before replacement, and safely dispose of our old tech. Find out the different ways to recycle old electronics 
Resources:
  • What can and can’t you recycle? Google your municipal recycling service rules and pick-up schedule. Here they are fo​r Miami-Dade County residents.
  • For inspiration, learn from role models for zero waste lifestyle such as Lauren Singer and Bea Johnson. Our favorite resource is the Trash is For Tossers blog .
Day 5: Payday Friday
Use your money wisely to support the businesses who align with your values. Learn about which businesses are minimizing their environmental impact. Donate your money or time to environmental causes you believe in. ​Ask your local business what they are doing to make their business more sustainable.
Why? It is easy to place the blame on others, but between 60-80% of the impacts on the planet come from household consumption. If we change our consumption habits, it would have a huge effect on our environmental footprint, budgets and even happiness. Minimalism is a movement that is growing in popularity, because people realize that simplifying their lives and uncluttering brings more happiness by allowing us to focus on the most important things - which aren’t things! Your first move should always be to reduce your own waste. Buy less things, drive fewer miles, fly less, don’t overheat or over-cool your home. Then, learn about the companies who are reducing their environmental impact and leading social responsibility. The traditional view of a corporation’s fiduciary duty is to increase profits to its shareholders, however more consumers and investors now believe that businesses also need to care about improving society. 

Ways to shop green:
  • Items made with recycled materials.
  • Sustainably sourced wood. Make sure that any products made from new timber - from garden chairs to paper and envelopes – carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label.
  • Sustainably produced food. Choose organic food and MSC-certified seafood. Also choose processed foods – like margarine, frozen dinners and ice cream – from companies that use certified sustainable palm oil.
  • Energy-efficient appliances and equipment.
  • Biodegradable cleaning products. These have fewer negative impacts on the soil and water system.
  • Reduce bags and packaging.
  • Choose fibers with low water consumption such as linen and recycled fibers.
  • Buy less!
We love these businesses:
  • 4ocean removes one pound of trash from the ocean & coastlines for each bracelet made out of recycled materials that they sell 
  • Zero Waste Cartel sells plastic-free home products and plants one tree for every order 
  • Patagonia actively works to make more sustainable products and recycle worn wear. They also donate at least one percent of sales or 10 percent of pre-tax profits—whichever is more—to environmental groups
  • LeanOrb is a South Florida startup that provides biodegradable food service packaging and utensils in wholesale!

Did You Know?
  • Fast Fashion - The fashion industry has a disastrous impact on the environment. People around the world collectively consume more than 80 billion items of clothing each year, and those items are increasingly seen as disposable. On average, each American throws away roughly 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles per year, equivalent in weight to more than 200 men’s T-shirts. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world's carbon footprint and is the second greatest polluter of local freshwater in the world when untreated toxic waste waters from textile factories are dumped directly into rivers. Huge quantities of fresh water are used for the dyeing and finishing process for all of our clothes. It can take up to 200 tons of fresh water to dye one ton of fabric. Also, cotton needs A LOT of water to grow. Up to 20,000 liters of water are needed to produce just 1 kg of cotton. On the other hand, synthetic fibers release microplastics into the water system when washed. Learn more about the environmental impacts of the fashion industry. 
  • Palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil at 66 million tons annually. Oil palm trees are a highly efficient crop, but they’ve been grown at the expense of vast stretches of thriving forests in Southeast Asia, and their spread has resulted in human rights abuses, species declines, and dangerous emissions of carbon dioxide released from deforestation. Palm oil can be found in half of all supermarket products, from frozen pizzas, to processed foods, body creams, soaps, makeup, candles and detergents. How can you help? Write product manufacturers, and ask them why they aren’t using domestic oils. See WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard to check up on companies. It requires a little time and research—which is worth it for products you are eating, bathing in, and rubbing on your skin.
  • The Good News - There is a growing wave of companies that are championing environmental initiatives. Nearly 100 companies including Apple, Facebook, Google and Ikea have committed to 100% renewable energy goals through the RE100 initiative.
  • Charitable Giving - Over 70% of nonprofit giving comes from individuals. On this day, we challenge you to find out more about the many exceptional environmental organizations and donate to support our shared mission to create a healthier future. You can donate to our organization Before It's Too Late. We appreciate your support!
  • Carbon offsets are an option for individuals and businesses to counteract their carbon impact by funding projects that reduce carbon emissions, such as planting trees or installing solar panels. However buying carbon offsets requires some research to verify authenticity. See this NRDC article: Should You Buy Carbon Offsets.

​Resources:
  • CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) runs the most comprehensive collection of self-reported environmental data from companies in the world, with scoring metrics on corporations’ initiatives aimed at addressing climate change, forest health and water security. Its network of investors and purchasers, representing over $100 trillion, along with policy makers around the globe are requesting companies to disclose to CDP.  Learn more about CDP. 
  • B Corporation (also known as Benefit Corporation) certification is a third party standard that requires companies to meet social, sustainability and environmental performance standards, meet accountability standards, and to be transparent to the public. See the 2018 BCorps Business Leaders in Environmental Performance.
Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” - Anna Lappé
Day 6: Civic Saturday
It's day 6. You're at one of the most important challenges - it's about shifting our power and our future! Your challenge today is to be vocal and exercise your power as a voter, consumer and influencer. Educate your friends and family about environmental issues and solutions. Learn who your elected officials are. Demand change by contacting your government leaders, large corporations and local businesses. Use social media to spread the message. Tell at least two friends today about what you learned this week, and recruit them to also take the 7 day challenge.
Why? Creating a sustainable society will require radical shifts in all major systems that support our livelihoods including food, water, energy, transportation, buildings and economy. We cannot solve this global crisis without change from our largest institutions: governments and corporations. Systems change often occurs too slowly due to bureaucracy, counterproductive lobbyists and political gridlock. A key solution to combat this inaction involves grassroots movements. It’s natural for people to feel that their individual actions aren’t enough to affect change, however: (1) Never underestimate the power of a motivated individual and (2) When united, individuals become movements.

Did You Know? Polls show that voters consistently rank environmental issues among their lowest concerns in every election. This is a huge problem. Politicians want to win elections, and if environmental issues are a low priority for voters, they will be a low priority for policy makers. Yet polls also show that tens of millions of Americans strongly prioritize progressive environmental policies – the real problem is that these people do not vote. Indeed, even in recent nation-wide elections, over 15 million individually identifiable environmentalists have stayed at home on Election Day. Environmental Voter Project is a nonprofit whose mission is to get more environmentalists to vote in every election.

Carbon Price: the single most significant business-policy solution you can support
This idea has been referred to by different names, most commonly known as a carbon "tax", "price" or "dividend". The core concept is the same - Put a price on the CO2 emitted by industry polluters. Many market economists agree that pricing carbon is the most efficient and business-friendly way to reduce emissions and promote a more rapid transition to green industries. Without a carbon price, polluters are making unfair profits by passing off the costs of the environmental damage they are causing to society at large. This ends up magnifying the cost paid by society, because prevention is much cheaper than paying to fix a problem after it’s gotten really bad.  
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How It Works - Governments set a price per metric ton based on the estimated societal costs of that carbon and apply it to industries that emit CO2. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, a carbon tax also generates revenue. Governments can distribute the revenue to taxpayers or use it to fund clean energy programs and help those who might lose their jobs in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

How You Can Help - Write, call or visit your elected officials to let them know you support a carbon price. 
Other Big Ideas That Combat Climate Change 
  • Fossil Fuel Divestment - Ask your institutions (company you work at or invest in, college or university, religious organization, retirement fund) to divest its investment portfolios from investing funds in fossil fuel industries.
  • Corporate Sustainability Goals - Ask corporations to commit to environmental goals e.g. 100% renewable energy, sustainable product supply chain and greening its building facilities.
  • Green New Deal - Bold legislation introduced to Congress promoting a vision for 100% renewable energy, green jobs & justice.
  • Universal Basic Income and 4-Day Work Weeks - Promoting a more balanced lifestyle may have climate benefits.

We recommend that you do your own research on which policy and business actions to support. Remember that action happens at every level of government and business - from local to federal!  The key is to generate more noise on the things that matter. Write directly to the decision makers, spread the word to educate others, and support nonprofits who are organizing action on key issues. 

​Resources:
  • Find out who your Representative is based on your address. If you live in Florida, use this website.
Day 7: Appreciation Sunday
Congratulations Eco Champions! ​You've reached day 7 of our challenge! Treat yourself and spend time in nature. Breathe the crisp air that fills your lungs. Soak in the golden rays of sunlight. Gaze upon the greens of our trees and the blues of our lakes and oceans. Feel awe for the splendor of our planet. Remember how it nourishes our every need. Fall in love with our Mother Earth. Say thank you for all her gifts which make life possible. In the process, connect to your own spirit and inner wisdom. What makes you feel healthier, more peaceful and more joyful? This may seem like the simplest challenge, but it may be the most important. After all, how can you fight to protect Nature without realizing the beauty of her gifts? 
How you treat Nature is how you treat yourself, for we are intricately connected."
Resources:
  • Download our favorite free meditation app called Insight Timer with the largest & most diverse library of guided meditations that can be filtered by topic & length​​
  • What are your "MVP" Most Valuable Parks in your city? Name it, share it and help take care of your public green spaces.
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Congratulations and thank you for taking this challenge for our beautiful planet! Please do the 7 Day Challenge again to grow your practice into new habits.

Sincerely,
The Before It's Too Late Team

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