Dare to take up the DOT Challenge
Become a part of the DOT community and download the DOT Challenge app. Each day, the app will challenge you to Do 1 Thing that will positively impact the longevity of our planet.
For example, today’s DOT may challenge you to say no to plastic straws. By accepting this challenge, you’re committing to the environment that you will no longer contribute to plastic ending up in landfills and oceans.
Imagine the impact if your family and friends also took up the challenge. That is what the DOT Challenge app is all about – giving you the knowledge on how to affect change and the ability to challenge others to do the same.
The DOT Challenge Categories
The DOT Challenge encompasses four vital categories:
Water
Implementing water-saving techniques saves money and diverts less water from our dams, lakes and rivers. Conserving water can also reduce water and waste-water treatment costs, along with the amount of energy needed to manage them. This, in turn, lowers energy demands and helps minimise air pollution. We all need to be more concerned with water efficiency – not just in dry or drought stricken areas. As our population grows, demands on our water resources increase. There are many ways to use household water more effectively. Homes with high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances save about 30 percent of indoor water used and yield substantial savings on water, sewer, and energy bills.
Waste
Everyone’s talking about how much food we eat, but less about the food we don’t. The amount of global food waste produced could feed billions of people. Unfortunately, that wasted food often ends up in landfills, turning into methane gas that heats up the atmosphere. Wasting food is also a waste of the production resources and energy that went into its manufacture. We must act with urgency and be more careful about consumption and reduce our daily food waste. We also need to reduce food packaging. Food packaging makes up almost two thirds of packaging waste: meaning more waste and more methane gas. Individuals can do something about this problem: it begins with awareness.
Conservation
Did you know that the FDA doesn’t actually regulate the ingredients used in most personal care and of these products contain chemicals that are potentially dangerous to humans and the environment. Some products hygiene products such as makeup, perfume and body lotion. And many also contain palm oil, an important environmental resource that we’re using up too quickly. Before beautifying, take a look at the safety information for some common personal care items. Then choose items with ingredients that are friendlier on your body and the environment (and support the companies who make them).
Energy
Most of our energy use comes from fossil fuels like petroleum and coal that provide electricity and gas to power our growing energy needs. These resources are non-renewable which means that we will eventually run out. Conserving energy not only helps to conserve resources but also translates into financial savings. When we drive our cars, wash our hands and turn lights on, we usually don’t stop to assess the amount of resources we are using. We also don’t stop to think that we are depleting resources that are not boundless.