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Welcome to our brand new monthly sustainability challenges!
I’m starting these as a way to transition into a more sustainable lifestyle without getting overwhelmed. I know there’s a ton of changes I can make, so I’m committing to just making one per month, focusing on it, and making it a habit before moving on to the next.
These are my small steps toward a healthier life and a healthier planet – if we’re both going in the same direction, let’s walk together for awhile 🙂
December 2019 Sustainability Challenge
Our December sustainability challenge is here! (And it’s super simple because I know this is such a crazy hectic time for most of us.)
This month, just pick up one piece of trash every day from the sidewalk, parking lot, street, beach, trail – wherever you see it.
Dan with our small trash haul on our hike to the Nogalito Waterfall in Puerto Vallarta
Goals of the December Sustainability Challenge
I created this month’s challenge with two goals in mind.
The first, obviously, is to pick up a bunch of trash! That’s always going to have a positive impact.
But the second, and more important goal in my opinion, is to train myself to be more aware of the trash I see and walk by every day.
In just the first few days that I’ve been doing this challenge, I’ve noticed so much litter on the streets that I would have completely missed before, just because I wasn’t actively looking for it.
I’ve also found that when I pick up one piece, I’m not just going to walk by the rest, and end up picking up two or three more on the trail or roadside.
The goal of this month’s challenge is to make noticing this trash a habit just as much as picking it up will become.
Don’t forget to join the conversation in the Sustainable Hiking Collective Facebook group!
How to Join the December 2019 Sustainability Challenge
First, join the Sustainable Hiking Collective, our international hiking and sustainability community on Facebook.
Then, join the conversation with like-minded hikers from around the world that are all committed to the challenge, and take part in our weekly check ins.
I recommend putting daily reminder on your phone to remind you to pick up one piece of trash when you’re heading out for the day (for the first week or two, at least, until it becomes a habit and you no longer need it).
Finally, tell us how much trash you picked up at the end of the month so we can calculate our total impact together!
Impact of the December 2019 Sustainability Challenge
At the end of the month I’ll come back to update this section with the total impact of our December challenge.
Right now, there are 24 people in the Sustainable Hiking Collective.
If we all pick up one piece of trash per day until the end of the month, that’s more than 600 pieces of litter off the streets. If 100 people take the challenge, we’ll collect 3,000 pieces!
Check back in at the end of the month to see what the Sustainable Hiking Collective picked up in December (and join us on Facebook if you haven’t already!).
Discover new hiking destinations with some of our favorite hikes around the world:
The Complete Guide to Theth and Albania’s Accursed Mountains
The Phallic-Wonderland of Love Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Hiking Among Active Volcanoes in Izta-Popo National Park, Mexico City
The Epic Four-Day Santa Cruz Trek in Huaraz, Peru
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