Day 1: Meatless Monday

Don't eat meat, dairy or seafood. Eat delicious vegan meals today.
Why is this important? ​Our global appetite for meat involves over 60 billion land animals (cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, turkeys, etc.) that emit 15% of the world's greenhouse gasses (GHGs) and use 80% of all agricultural land. Industrial livestock production, aka "factory farming" is also responsible for many other environmental and ethical violations in order to produce meat as "efficiently” as possible. While there are responsible and regenerative methods for farming available, the reality is that 99% of all animal products in the U.S. come from factory farms. For a glimpse into the lives of factory farmed animals, view this 360 video by iAnimal. 

We get it. Going vegan is not for everyone. You can still make a big difference by reducing your meat, egg and dairy consumption! Buy from small, local, organic, pasture-based farms.
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Did You Know?
  • Beef & the Amazon Rainforest - American's beef consumption is 4x higher than the world average and contributes half of our dietary footprint. Cattle farming & soy farms to make animal feed are the leading causes for the deforestation of our largest rainforest, The Amazon — nearly four times the size of Alaska. Each pound of beef uses 10x as much water and emits 13x as much GHGs as a pound of plant based protein. 
  • ​Food Waste - The world produces enough food to feed 10 billion people (our world pop is now 7.9 billion). Yet over 30% of the food we produce is wasted while 10% of the world's population lives in chronic hunger.  
  • Locally Grown Food - Locally grown food reduces the average distance of 1,300 miles that food travels from “field to plate.” Small, biodiverse farms also preserve our food heritage. Industrial agribusiness cultivates monocultures of high-yield hybrids bred for fast maturation and thick skins to withstand mechanical harvest and transport. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that more than 75% of agricultural genetic diversity was lost in the 20th century. 
  • 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 85% of marine fish stocks are either fully exploited or overfished. You can help by eating less seafood and looking for the sustainable seafood label. Learn more 
Resources: Documentaries to Watch:
​Day 2: Transportation Tuesday​​

Carpool, use public transport, bike, walk, run and move around using greener modes of transportation.  
Why is this important? ​Over 25% of the average American's carbon footprint comes from driving. Every gallon of gasoline emits 20 lbs of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses (GHG) into the air, and the average American drives almost 14,000 miles per year! In many cities where urban sprawl is a big problem, we waste even more gas sitting in traffic. ​In 2015, transportation accounted for 49% of Miami-Dade emissions - a significantly higher percentage than similar-sized cities like Chicago (25%), Washington D.C. (23%), and Denver (20%) who have more effective, and thus more frequently used public transit, walking, and biking infrastructure.

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. 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 directly, however they can still generate emissions indirectly by charging with electricity generated from nonrenewable sources powering the grid. 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 with renewable energy. Solar is an investment that pays itself back in about 7 years, because the money you would have spent on electricity goes towards your solar panels financing plan.  
Resources:
Day 3: Water Wednesday

Find at least three ways to conserve water at home. Learn about issues which affect our access to clean water and managing healthy rivers and oceans. 


Why is this important? ​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 water issues for Florida:
  • Protecting Florida’s Coral Reef, Springs and Biscayne Bay
  • Banning fracking in the Everglades
  • Preventing Algae blooms caused by excess nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff
  • Sea level rise
  • Sewage and septic tank leaks
  • Excess withdrawal (exceeding renewal rate) from aquifer ​
Did You Know?
  • Saving Water with your Diet - The average person in the US uses 80-100 gallons per day in the home, however it takes more than 1,000 gallons of water a day per person to produce the food (and drinks) in the average U.S. diet. The obvious contributors to our water footprint are washing clothes and dishes, toilets and bathing. But the biggest contributor to our water footprint that we can control is our diet. For example, 1 pound of beef requires about 1,800 gallons of water to produce, which includes irrigation of the grains and grasses in feed, plus water for drinking and processing.
  • 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 & Restore - Practice all the Rs for a Minimal Waste Lifestyle! Say no to single use plastic straws, bags, cups or Styrofoam. Try to create as little trash as you can today.
​Why is this important? 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. In all honesty, going Zero Waste is a nearly impossible task in today's society (until we change the systems). However, you can begin by eliminating many single-use items from your life including plastic bags, bottles, straws, and utensils.  

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

Did You Know?
  • Single Use Mindset - 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.
  • Plastic Problems - Over 8 millions ton of plastic waste leak into the ocean every year. 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...to us. 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 U.S. recycling imports because of high contamination rates, so the material has nowhere to go. The best solution is to reduce waste!  
  • ​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 3X faster compared to other types of waste due to increasing worldwide demand and shorter product life spans as technology is constantly updated. 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:
  • Join a cleanup or organize your own cleanup with Volunteer Cleanup. See their guide on how to organize a cleanup.
  • 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.
  • What can and can’t you recycle? Google your municipal recycling service rules and pick-up schedule. Here is the recycling guide fo​r Miami-Dade County residents.
  • How do you safely recycle electronic waste? Check out this electronics recycling guide.
Inspiring Stories: Documentaries to Watch:
Day 5: Civic Friday

Be vocal and exercise your power as a voter and influencer. If you think your individual actions only count a little bit, this is your challenge to amplify your impact through your communities. 
  • Learn who your elected officials are, and write to them. For tips on how to write your letters - See our guide
  • Research which policy actions to support. For example, learn about what is a carbon price. 
  • Tell at least two friends or family members about what you learned this week, and recruit them to also take the Earth Week Challenge
  • Get involved with a local nonprofit or lead a green initiative for your school or work
Why is this important? Creating a sustainable society will require radical changes to decarbonize all key systems that support our livelihood including food, energy, transportation, buildings and economy. We cannot solve this global crisis without change from our largest institutions: governments and corporations. Systems change often occurs slowly due to bureaucracy, special interest groups (who may resist a change which is better for society because it is worse for them) 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. Remember that action happens at every level of government and business - from local to federal! Work at the level that suits you, and remember you are part of a movement. 

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.  A big problem is that many environmentalists do not vote. Indeed, even in recent nation-wide elections, over 15 million individually identified 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.
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Carbon Price: a significant solution you can support
Carbon Price has been referred to by different names, most commonly known as a carbon "tax", "price" or "dividend". The core concept is the same – charge a price per ton for the CO2 emissions of industry polluters. Many market economists believe 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 climate change 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.  

How You Can Help - Write your elected officials to let them know you support a carbon price. 
  • To support action at the U.S. federal level, learn about the bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. You can use the Citizen Climate Lobby’s form to write to Congress about supporting this carbon price bill. You can use their template as a beginning point, however it is much more impressionable if you take the time to write a more personal note using your own words.​
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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 fossil fuel industries.
  • Corporate Sustainability Goals - Ask corporations to commit to more ambitious environmental goals e.g. 100% renewable energy, sustainable product supply chain and greening its building facilities.
  • Green New Deal - Bold legislation introduced to U.S. Congress promoting a vision for 100% renewable energy, green jobs & justice.
  • Universal Basic Income, 4-Day Work Weeks, Work From Home - Promoting a more balanced lifestyle may have climate benefits.

​​Resources:
  • Find out who your elected officials are based on your address. If you live in Florida, use this website.
  • Try our letter writing activity for Civic Friday - see doc
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Individuals are part of communities. Your actions can ripple out into society. That's how movements are formed.
Day 6: Shop Green Saturday 

Reflect on how you can support more sustainable products and businesses. Some ideas include:
  • Go out to support a small business who also cares about the planet. For example, go to a farmers market. 
  • Spring clean your home. Keep only the things that are essential or bring you joy. Donate or sell the rest.
  • Think about your most frequent purchases and whether they could be switched out with greener options.
  • Research which corporations are minimizing their environmental impact, so you can support them.
  • Donate to an environmental group you believe in. ​
  • BONUS: If appropriate, talk to a Manager at one of your favorite local businesses about how they can make their business more sustainable. 
Why is this important? ​It is easy to place the blame on other entities larger than us, but between 60- 80% of the impacts on the planet are driven by 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! 
  • The first way you can help is by buying less non-essential things. For example, buy less clothes, drive fewer miles, fly less, don’t overheat or over-cool your home.
  • Secondly, learn about the corporations who are environmentally and socially responsible. These are the companies you want to support. 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. 
  • Thirdly, consider which products can be switched out with more sustainable options.

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!

Ways to spring clean green:
  1. Use non-toxic cleaning products. Vinegar, water and baking soda can handle most daily cleaning needs. Use natural fiber sponges and cleaning agents that are biodegradable, phosphate-free, chlorine-free, and unscented.
  2. Reduce paper use. Use rags instead of paper towels and wash them for reuse. Buy post-consumer recycled paper and recycle it when you’re done.
  3. Repair instead of replace. Spring is wonderful time for a fresh start. But think twice before you throw out that perfectly good pair of shoes or piece of clothing from “last season.” The longer you use an item, the less virgin materials are needed to replace it.
  4. Minimize lawn care impacts. A lawn has significant environmental impacts. All that watering, fertilizing, mowing and pest control exact a toll on the planet. So minimize how much of your yard is devoted to lawn. And consider a smart device like the Smart Garden Hub, which can help save up to 50% of the water you sprinkle on a lawn.
  5. Manage your heating and AC for energy efficiency.

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 - 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. Their spread has resulted in human rights abuses, endangering species, and contributing to global warming through 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 to use domestic oils. See WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard to check up on companies. It requires a little time and research, but it is worth it.
  • Carbon offsets - 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.
  • The Good News - There is a growing wave of companies that are championing environmental initiatives. Nearly 100 major corporations 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!

​Resources:
Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” - Anna Lappé
Day 7: Nature Sunday

Congratulations Eco Champions! ​You've reached day 7 of our challenge! Spend time in Nature, and rebuild your sense of connection to our Mother Earth.
  • Do a meditation where you reflect upon all the things you are grateful for our planet and the actions you resolve to continue in your life from this week’s challenge.  
  • Make a trip to your local park or one of Florida's natural treasures - the Everglades, the Florida Reef and the many Florida Springs. 
How you treat Nature is how you treat yourself, for we are intricately connected."
Try this meditation & imagination exercise:

Breathe deeply the clean air that fills your lungs.
Soak in the golden, warm rays of sunlight.
Gaze upon the greens of our trees, and
the blues of our rivers, oceans and skies.

Think of the tremendous biodiversity of species that we share this planet with.
Feel awe for the splendor and miracles of our planet.
Remember how our planet nourishes our every need,
and how our actions can either restore or deplete our planet's power to give.

Can you fall deeply in love with our Mother Earth?
Thank her for all her gifts which make life possible. 
Accept your responsibility and power in protecting her gifts. 

Unplug from the digital world.
Tune in to your inner wisdom.
What makes you feel healthier, more peaceful and more joyful? 

Think about all that you learned and the actions you took this week.
​Can you carry forward these changes to form new mindsets and habits?
Resources:

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Congratulations and thank you for taking this challenge for our beautiful planet! Please join us again next year for Earth Week Challenge.

​Remember to keep practicing, because every day is Earth Day!

Sincerely,
The Before It's Too Late Team

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