Change It Up!
MONTHLY ACTION: BIRD FEED
Put up a bird feeder in your yard, on a balcony or, with permission, in a community green space. You can make sure it is always stocked with birdseed, suet, and/or fruit.
Download Tool Kit
Want to keep track of your actions? Register now or login!
Register
Login
progress-background
Your Impact
  • yourimpact-icon-water-dark

    434,433

    of you have pledged to use less water
  • yourimpact-icon-habitat-light

    125,302

    of you have pledged to protect natural spaces
  • yourimpact-icon-waste-dark

    191,534

    of you have pledged to reduce waste
  • yourimpact-icon-climate-light

    883,028

    of you have pledged to conserve energy
  • yourimpact-icon-climate-dark

    883,028

    of you have pledged to conserve energy
Why It Matters
whyitmatters-content-1
checklist-pledge-waste
JUST SAY NO: Think about how many receipts you get in a year. Where do most of them go? In the trash or recycling bin, most likely! Save paper by telling the cashier, "No receipt, please." You'll be surprised how much that adds up in a year!
checklist-pledge-waste
MIND YOUR PLASTICS: Encourage your parents to buy products in containers that are recyclable. Remember to look for plastics #1 & 2.
checklist-pledge-waste
BOTTLED UP: Use a stainless steel water bottle and avoid buying bottled water when possible.
checklist-pledge-waste
IT'S A WRAP: Wrap your gifts with newspaper or other re-used materials, and get your friends and family to do the same. When you receive gifts in new wrapping paper, keep it for future use.
checklist-pledge-waste
RECHARGE: Change the batteries on your toys and games to nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable ones, and dispose of all batteries properly.
checklist-pledge-waste
KEEP IT IN THE LOOP: Make sure your house has a recycling bin and post your community's recycling rules on a sign next to it.
checklist-pledge-waste
WASTE NOT: Start a compost pile or worm box in your backyard, neighborhood or school.
checklist-pledge-waste
SMART MAIL: Reclaim your mailbox - reduce waste by stopping junk mail at home. Get taken off the main junk mail lists by contacting the addresses and phone numbers on these sites: www.stopjunkmail.org/sample/kit.pdf and www.41pounds.org.
checklist-pledge-waste
WASTE-FREE LUNCH: Commit to bringing a waste-free lunch to school for an entire week. Keep every lunch trash can empty and save tons of trash - literally!
checklist-pledge-waste
IT'S IN THE BAG: Use reusable shopping bass whether you're at the mall or at the grocery store, and tell store clerks you don't need a bag if it's not necessary.
checklist-pledge-waste
PUT A PLUG IN IT: When washing dishes, turn off the water while you scrub.
checklist-pledge-waste
NOTE THIS: Buy 100 percent recycled paper notebooks. Believe it or not, it takes a huge amount of water to make new paper from trees!
checklist-pledge-waste
WATER SAVER: While waiting for the water to heat up when you wash your hands or face, save the cold water in a container and use it to water your plants or for cleaning.
checklist-pledge-waste
TAPPED OUT: Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
checklist-pledge-waste
STOP THE DRIP: Fix a leaky faucet in your home or school.
checklist-pledge-waste
SUPERVISE THE SPRINKLER: Make sure the sprinkler is turned off during the hottest part of the day, when most of the water is wasted through evaporation.
checklist-pledge-waste
FLUSH NOT: Flush the toilet less often by not using it as a wastebasket.
checklist-pledge-waste
POWER SHOWER: Take charge of reducing your shower time - and the shower times of your entire family - by two minutes per shower.
checklist-pledge-waste
FLIP IT: Turn off the lights whenever you leave a room.
checklist-pledge-waste
ENERGY SAVER: Organize a carpool, ride your bike or skateboard, walk, or take the school bus or public transportation to school.
checklist-pledge-waste
GET PLUGGED IN AND UNPLUG: Remove your cell phone and electronic game chargers from the wall, and plug them into a power strip. Then turn off the power strip whenever those electronics are not in use.
checklist-pledge-waste
LIGHT SWITCH: Replace at least one standard light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) in your household. If your entire house is already lit by CFLs, change a bulb at a friend's or relative's house.
checklist-pledge-waste
+/- 2 DEGREES: Turn up your thermostats two degrees in the heat and down two degrees in the cold. Your body will adjust to the small change in temperature pretty fast.
checklist-pledge-waste
SEND A SIGNAL: Post signs near room exits to remind people to turn off the lights.
checklist-pledge-waste
CLIMB TO THE TOP: Climb the stairs instead of using the elevator! Get fit and save electricity.
checklist-pledge-waste
SPREAD IT AROUND: Tell 10 friends to unplug their cell phones and game chargers from the wall when they're not using them. About 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is used when the products are turned off.
checklist-pledge-waste
LAUNDRO-TASTIC: Once a week, take charge of the laundry. Wash everything on a cold wash (hot or warm washes are rarely necessary) and hang everything to dry instead of using a dryer whenever possible.
checklist-pledge-waste
LINT WATCHER: Monitor your dryer's lint filter. The cleaner your lint filter, the less your dryer needs to work -- ultimately saving energy!
checklist-pledge-waste
DON'T BE IDLE: Ask your parents to turn off their car engine when they're waiting for you -- or any time they're sitting in the car waiting.
checklist-pledge-waste
BOOK SMART: For those books that you probably won't read again, host a book swap where you trade books with friends -- or head to the library.
checklist-pledge-waste
THE BIG CLEAN: Sign up with your friends to join supervised beach, river, lake or forest clean-ups in your area. Then "adopt an acre" in your neighborhood and pledge to keep it clean.
checklist-pledge-waste
CLEAN GREEN: Research ways to make natural household cleaners with your parents.
checklist-pledge-waste
PASS IT ON: With your parents' permission, donate old electronic items that you don't use anymore - keep them out of the landfill!
checklist-pledge-waste
MAKE YOURSELF HEARD: Write an e-mail supporting the habitat, park, or local open space you care about most, and send it to your school paper, local newspapers, or TV stations.
checklist-pledge-waste
LETTER LOBBY: Write a letter to your local congressional representative supporting initiatives to protect your favorite endangered species.
checklist-pledge-waste
HOME SWEET HOME: Build a backyard habitat at home, in your neighborhood, or at school.
checklist-pledge-waste
BIRD FEED: Put up a bird feeder in your yard, on a balcony or, with permission, in a community green space. Keep it stocked with birdseed, suet, or fruit.
checklist-pledge-waste
TREE POWER: Plant 1,000,000 trees for National Arbor Day 2010 (April 30).