1. SWITCH YOUR BROWSER TO ECOSIA

Join the 15 million people using Ecosia.org as their search engine. They’re a carbon-negative organization that donates 100% of its profits to climate action, and 80% of that goes to planting trees in some of the harshest places on Earth. So consider putting your internet searches to better use and help the planet grow greener.

2. SHOP IN YOUR OWN WARDROBE

Find new outfits from stuff you already own. If you find something you won't ever wear again, you can cut it up and roll it up to use as a substitute for paper towels. If they're too cute to be cut up, donate them to Goodwill, Buffalo Exchange, DSNY, Salvation Army or ThredUp.

You can do this!

3. FIX, DON’T REPLACE

The fix is in! Instead of tossing out a broken item, restore it to its former glory! For electronics, check out ifixit.com for a step-by-step guide on how to repair literally any device. Post before and after pictures and tag us on social media to show how you're making a difference in your own home.

4. RECYCLE OLD ELECTRONICS

Everyone has old electronic products hanging around the house; from old cell phones to used batteries, and they can be difficult tothrow out responsibly. Today’s your chance to dispose of them in a sustainable way. The convenient locations below all accept e-waste:
- Best Buy
- Office Depot
- DSNY
- GrowNYC

5. MAKE DIY NATURAL CLEANER

Mr. Clean ain’t got nothing on you! Create your own cleaning products by getting the download from the resources below:
- 7 DIY Green Cleaning Products You Must Try: Natural, Eco-friendly and Zero-Waste
- DIY Natural General Cleaner

Got a lifehack for some DIY cleaning products? Share them on your social media and tag us.

6. SHOP AT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKET

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-Oh have you tried this local Swiss chard? 

Check out your closest farmers’ market to see what locally-sourced, organic foods you can start buying there instead of at your traditional grocery store. Find an old favorite vendor or try something new. Also, when you’re there, try to pick the perfectly tasty less pretty produce that others won’t, so they don’t go to waste!

7. USE (VEGAN) HYGIENE BARS

We don’t really understand why liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner in plastic bottles exist. These vegan bars not only work brilliantly, but they also feature all natural ingredients, use no plastic, are organic, cruelty free, and Rainforest Alliance Certified. Click to find over 20 different scents.

8. START COMPOSTING

Check out the CEMfg Compost 101 workshop and see how you can start composting. Come for the composting tips, stay for the witty banter and informative Q&A session.

For an easy kick-off, just start collecting your food scraps in any container, keep them in the fridge or freezer to avoid any possible odors, and either take them to a food scrap collection site or see if your neighborhood has curbside collection. It’s so easy to have such a great impact!

9. GO VEGAN 1+ DAY A WEEK

Where’s the beef? Not here, not today. Do like the NYC mayor does and hop on the vegan train! We’re going plant-based for at least 1 day a week. If you’re already vegan, then congrats! You’ll still get to try these great recipes for a new favorite to add to the rotation:
- Scrambled Eggs w/ tomato & spinach - vegan (tofu)
- Vegan French Toast
- Lentin Ragu - vegan
- Rosemary Focaccia bread
- 5 Easy Vegan dinners
- Vegan Fish and Chips
- Micro Merengues

Share your vegan delicacies with us on social media and encourage others to try them, too!

10. SHOP LOOP PROODUCTS

Imagine zero-waste versions of your everyday essentials from your favorite brands. That’s Loop.

Why own a product's packaging (and have to throw it away when you're done), when all we really want is the stuff inside? With Loop, temporarily place a refundable deposit to borrow the packaging, and they’ll professionally clean and reuse it once you've finished. Shop your favorite products in zero-waste packaging at upcoming participating Walgreens & Kroger locations.

11. SUBSCRIBE TO THESE FOOD-SAVING SERVICES

Momma always said beauty is on the inside. Well, our friends below might not have the prettiest produce, but they’re helping reduce food waste across the country by selling perfectly fresh and delicious food that normally would get thrown away. Check out these for a subscription to produce delivery:
- Misfits Market
- Imperfect Foods

And check out this great app that gets you huge discounts on food from eateries that are about to close for the day and still have a bunch of food left that would otherwise just get thrown away. It’s a genius invention, really.
- Too Good to Go

12. SWITCH TO A HIGH-PRESSURE, WATER-SAVING SHOWER HEAD

Yep, you read that right. For as little as $22, you can start seamlessly saving water every day without jeopardizing the luxury of high-pressure showers. Swap out your shower head today by checking these out:
- Tree Hugger
- Home Depot

Once you’ve done so, remember to donate your old one to any charity shop, including the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

13. GO SOLAR WITH WILDGRID

Going solar has never been so easy. With the assistance of our friends at Wildgrid, you can go solar with the click of a button. Whether you’re a homeowner, an apartment tenant, want panels or not, Wildgrid gets you the best deals to lower both your carbon footprint and your electricity bill.

14. SWITCH TO ZERO-WASTE PRODUCTS

Find your next favorite purchase, without the guilt of plastic packaging at one of these zero-waste stores.  Because sometimes, retail therapy can do good for the planet, too:
- Package Free Shop - an ecosystem of brands on a mission to make the world less trashy.
- Precycle NYC - reduce your environmental impact by reducing food and packaging waste.

If you know of any others in your area, post about them and tag us on social media.

15. TRY THESE WASTE-FREE RECIPES

Channel your inner Alton Brown and get cookin’!  Check out these tasty, waste-free recipes and see if you classify any of them as “Good Eats:'“
- No Waste Raspberry and Apricot Ice Cream Cake
- Broccoli Stalk, Kimchi & Zucchini Tangle with Honey Tamari Almonds
- Celery Root, Celery Heart, and Celery Leaf Salad
- Firecracker Vegan Lettuce Wraps
- No waste carrot Top and Spinach Dip
- Vegetable Broth from vegetable food scraps

While you’re at it, check out ways to reduce food waste through preservation here to take your sustainable eating to the next level. You can also get “The Zero Waste Cookbook” of 100 waste-free recipes here.