HOME/COMMUNITY

• Compost! Teach a kid how to do it at home and then what to do with it when the compost is "cooked "  

• Take a water bottle with you when you leave the house each day - it will become second nature to have it with you, just like your keys or cell phone 

• Teach your kids to garden and then have them invite a friend to help

• Host a community BYOV (Bring Your Own Veggies) harvest party to share the bounty 

• Recycle EVERYTHING - one person's trash is another person's treasure   

• Cook meals from scratch using local, seasonal ingredients 

• Learn the stories behind the food and share with anyone who will listen   

• Teach a child to eat in season and how to cook 

• Replace paper towels with a cloth kitchen towel - one towel can replace 60 rolls of paper towels
   
• Keep your windows covered on a sunny day to reduce the need for air conditioning and keep energy usage down  

• Support your local farmers, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and buy local, seasonal food directly from the source 

• When people talk sustainability, everyone thinks farmers - what about buying ocean-friendly fish? Even if you do not live near the sea, follow these tips when considering Farm raised fish: YES: Catfish & Tilapia. NO: Salmon and Shrimp. For more information download a Seafood Watch card from Monterey Bay Aquarium, "Seafood Watch" - they have just launched an app for the iPhone and Android too!

BUSINESS

• Office composting? Save coffee grounds and tea bags, ask the greenest person in the office take them home for composting    

• Telecommuting, video conferences and webinars help to sustain business relationships and our environment
   
• A trained environmental consultant can help find cracks in your business and food system. This is an investment in our global future!

SCHOOL

• Have lunch at your child's school and inquire about the food and where it comes from. If you don't like what you are served, start a Food Revolution!
   
• Get involved or recruit a local chef to join Chef's Move to Schools, one of Michelle Obama's programs to fight childhood obesity. This program helps chefs get involved by adopting a local school and working with teachers, parents, school nutrition professionals and administrators to help educate kids about food and nutrition.
   
• Attend or host a movie screening of Nourish, Fresh or another of the enlightening documentaries that encourage better food 

• If your local school does not have a garden, get involved and plant one. There are many benefits, including supplying fresh, healthy food for the students and the abundance can be donated to local organizations or sold by the kids to provide funds for school events.

CONSUMER

• Reduce your paper usage, choose direct deposit, online banking, and paperless statements

• Take your own reusable bags to all stores, not just grocery stores - also most grocery stores have specific recycling bins for "filmic" plastic bags, bring your along for recycling
   
• Purchase recycled paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, copy paper)

• Purchase concentrated, green cleaning products or make your own

• Shop local - support small local businesses, farmers markets and frequent restaurants that support local farms and businesses 

• Less is more - only buy what you need

TRANSPORTATION

• Unload your trunk, the lighter your load the less gas you consume - save some money too!

• Make your next car a Hybrid or alternative fuel model
   
• Shut your engine! Idle cars create pollution and can burn up to
  8 lbs of gas per hour

• Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation