How to Do Your Part to Protect the Environment in Wisconsin

The following content is copied from the Canvas page of the course ENVIR ST 101: Forum on the Environment (sp21). This is a list of personal challenges everyone can do to help with environmental protection.

There are so many things we can do as individuals to help protect our environment. Here is a compilation of a range of different challenges you might choose from for your weekly personal challenge in the second part of the semester. We've grouped a few ideas into categories (some actions are listed under multiple categories). We don't want the challenges to be a financial burden on anyone, so we have tried to include a diversity of options, many of which should not cost money. You can also consider coming up with your own challenges! It's worth considering in your weekly reflection the situations in which these actions might not result in a more sustainable lifestyle - e.g., if you need to drive for 30 minutes to buy your organic produce, that might reduce the positive impact.

Food

• Transporting food long distances can increase its climate footprint. This week, try to reduce the distance your food has been transported by increasing the proportion of locally-grown or raised foods.

• Getting to know the farmers who grow your food is a great way to begin to understand the pathway food takes from the farm to your plate. Visit a farmer's market, such as the Dane County Farmer's Market (Links to an external site.), and say hello to a farmer!

• Agrochemicals used during food production may harm native wildlife, including important pollinators. Organic agriculture reduces the use of these products. This week, try increasing the proportion of organically-produced foods you eat.

• Animal production is one of the most resource- and energy-intensive aspects of our agricultural system. This week, try to reduce the amount of meat or other animal products that you eat.

• A vegan diet can dramatically reduce your impact on the plant. This week, try going vegan.

• Food packaging can add up in our household waste stream. This week, try to reduce the amount of packaging associated with the foods you eat.

• Seafood can have a big environmental impact, but Seafood Watch (Links to an external site.) and other organization help us make more sustainable decisions about the seafood we eat. This week, try to choose more sustainable seafood choices.

• Reducing food waste (Links to an external site.) is a huge way we can help (Links to an external site.) reduce the impact of our diet. This week, try to reduce the amount of food that you end up throwing away or composting.

• When food waste goes to a landfill, those nutrients are lost! This week, look into composting at home (Links to an external site.) or on campus.Links to an external site.

• Buying in bulk is a great way to reduce the impact of food packaging. This week, try reducing your food waste by shopping in the bulk section (at some stores (Links to an external site.), you can bring your own containers, or you can re-use bags you bring yourself).

• Another way to cut down on food packaging is to avoid bagging items unnecessarily. This week, while grocery shopping, try either bringing your own plastic bags to re-use for produce, or don't put the produce in a bag at all. Then, at the cash, bring your own bag instead of using a bag from the store. Many stores even offer a discount for this!

Waste

• We often end up with a lot of materials we don't need while shopping. This week, bring a reusable bag with you when you go shopping, or consider refusing a bag at the cash if it is easy to carry your purchase(s).

• We can reduce our waste footprint at the coffee shop by reusing or refusing items. This week, try to reduce your waste impact by bringing your own reusable mug for drinks or choosing a "for here" mug instead of a to-go cup, and declining extra items you might not need (stir stick, heat protector, lid, double-cupping).

• Takeout or food delivery packaging waste can be surprisingly high. This week, try to (1) reduce the amount of unnecessary materials you receive, (2) find ways to re-use what you do receive, and (3) increase the proportion of materials you recycle.

• Reducing food waste (Links to an external site.) is a huge way we can help (Links to an external site.) reduce the impact of our diet. This week, try to reduce the amount of food that you end up throwing away or composting.

• When food waste goes to a landfill, those nutrients are lost! This week, look into composting at home (Links to an external site.) or on campus.Links to an external site.

• Food packaging can add up in our household waste stream. This week, try to reduce the amount of packaging associated with the foods you eat by choosing food items that have less packaging or packaging that is recyclable.

• Single-use plastics are a major source of plastic pollution to our oceans and lands. This week, try to specifically cut out single-use plastics - that means stir sticks, drinking straws, plastic bags, etc.

• Buying in bulk is a great way to reduce the impact of food packaging. This week, try reducing your food waste by shopping in the bulk section (at some stores (Links to an external site.), you can bring your own containers, or you can re-use bags you bring yourself).

• Another way to cut down on food packaging is to avoid bagging items unnecessarily. This week, while grocery shopping, try either bringing your own plastic bags to re-use for produce, or don't put the produce in a bag at all. Then, at the cash, bring your own bag instead of using a bag from the store. Many stores even offer a discount for this!

• One of the best ways to reduce your impact is to reduce your consumption overall. This week, look for ways you can reduce the amount you buy.

• One of the next ways we can reduce our impact is to re-use the things we do buy. This week, look for ways to re-use things you might have otherwise discarded.

• One way of increasing our re-use of things at a community level is to buy things second-hand. This week, try to look for used versions of items you might have otherwise bought. This could mean shopping for second-hand or vintage clothing, looking for a used version of a tool you need on an online marketplace, or finding something you need through freecycle (Links to an external site.).

• The flip side of re-using things yourself is looking for ways to make sure the things you're finished with have a second life. This week, try to sell or give away items you might have otherwise thrown out.

• If you can't reduce your consumption, or re-use an item, the next best option is to recycle it. This week, educate yourself on recycling practices at your workplace, on campus, at your house, or in your dorm, and take some kind of step to improve your recycling practices.

Community Engagement

• One of the best way to make changes while building connections with others is to be active in your community. This week, volunteer at an environmentally-related event.

• Getting involved on campus can be rewarding! This week, attend a meeting or an event of an environmentally active campus groupLinks to an external site..

• One of the most important ways we can make change is through making our voices heard. This week, reach out to a politician (Links to an external site.) at any level of government - e.g., municipal, state, federal - to let them know about an environmental issue that is important to you. Here is a guide from the APA on writing to a member of congress (Links to an external site.). If you're feeling really ambitious, consider organizing a letter-writing party with your friends. Or, instead of writing, you can call your representative.

• Another way to make change is by getting involved directly with politics. This week, look into ways to get involved with a political party. This could mean volunteering, attending an event, or even joining the party.

• Knowledge is power. This week, educate yourself about an environmental issue by attending a public event.

• One of the most important things you can do to fight climate change, or other environmental problems, is to talk about it (Links to an external site.). Katharine Hayhoe has a Ted Talk about this idea. This week, make it a priority to talk about an environmental issue with people in your life - this might be coworkers, classmates, friends, or family.

Energy

• Transportation can be a big contributor to our energy, climate change, and air pollution impact. This week, choose walking or biking over fossil-fuel powered modes of transport (bus or car) when possible.

• Biking is a great way to decrease our environmental impact while also getting exercise. This week, enhance your bike power by using Madison BCycle (Links to an external site.)or the RedBike bikeshare program (Links to an external site.), or checking out the UW Bicycle Resource CentreLinks to an external site. and maybe tuning up your bike.

• When you can't bike or walk, using public transit can help decrease your impact. This week, take the bus instead of driving when possible.

• After driving less, there are many ways you can decrease the impact from driving a car. This week, if you drive a car, look for ways to save fuel while driving (Links to an external site.).

• Another way to reduce the impact from your car is to carpool. This week, look for opportunities to share your ride.

• A direct way of saving energy at home is to adjust your thermostat (Links to an external site.). This week, see if you can keep it a bit cooler (if heating) or warmer (if using air conditioning).

• Laundry can be a big energy and water sink, but there are lots of things we can do to reduce this impact (Links to an external site.). This week, see how you can improve the sustainability of your laundry routine.

• Wisconsin has a Focus on Energy program, where you can get energy-saving tools for free, such as advanced power strips or LED bulbs! This week, order a pack for your home (Links to an external site.).

• Reducing standby power or "phantom power" is a quick way to decrease our energy impact. This week, take steps to reduce standby power (Links to an external site.) in your life.

• Seeing is believing. This week, if you're feeling ambitious, get together a group of at least 6 people and arrange for a free tour of Madison's Blount Generating Station (Links to an external site.).

Biodiversity

• Spring brings beautiful wildflowers! This week, find and identify five wildflowersLinks to an external site. that grow in this area.

• Lichens are wacky and wonderful organisms (Links to an external site.). This week, go for a walk in the woods (or somewhere around trees), and use the Lichens of WI guideLinks to an external site. to try to identify lichens.

• Trees are a precious natural resource. This week, go for a walk in your neighborhood or in a natural area, and use one of the WI DNR-recommended (Links to an external site.) guides to try to identify trees - the WI Urban Tree key (Links to an external site.) is a simple one to start with.

• Get outside! This week, visit a state park, forest, or recreation (Links to an external site.) area.

• Learning about invasive species can help us preserve local biodiversity. This week, learn to identify some of the local invasive species. This guide (Links to an external site.) is more in depth, or this one (Links to an external site.) is a simple starting point.

• We're lucky to have beautiful natural areas right on campus! This week, visit the Lakeshore Nature PreserveLinks to an external site.. You might attend one of their eventsLinks to an external site. or there are all sorts of volunteerLinks to an external site. opportunities there.

• The UW-Madison Arboretum is another beautiful natural area. This week, visit the ArboretumLinks to an external site., whether it is for an eventLinks to an external site., to volunteerLinks to an external site., or just to explore on your own.

• Learning about the natural world around us is a great way to connect with nature. This week, explore sightings in or around Madison on iNaturalist (Links to an external site.), and log at least one sighting of an organism on the site.

Water

• Water bottle filling stations and fountains make it easy to reduce plastic water bottle waste around campus. This week, only use reusable water vessels (bottles, glasses, mugs).

• Laundry can be a big energy and water sink, but there are lots of things we can do to reduce this impact (Links to an external site.). This week, see how you can improve the sustainability of your laundry routine.

• Read up! This week, read (or start reading) a book about water, as recommended by the Water@UWLinks to an external site. group.

• Turn off the tap! This week, if you're someone who typically lets the sink run continuously while doing dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, etc., turn off the tap to save water (Links to an external site.).

• Every little bit counts. This week, see if you can reduce water usage while showering or bathing.

• You have a right to clean and safe water. This week, find and read (Links to an external site.) a recent water quality report for Madison (look for the Madison water utility).

• We are lucky to be living right next to some beautiful lakes and waterways. This week, spend some time enjoying Lake Monona, Lake Mendota, Lake Wingra, Lake Waubesa, Cherokee Marsh, the Yahara River, Wingra Creek, or another nearby waterway.

• Straight to the source! This week, take a free tour of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District’s wastewater treatment plant (Links to an external site.) (they run the first Friday of each month at noon, or by appointment).