North Dakota Stewards

Becoming a Steward of North Dakota

All of us can be North Dakota Stewards! We can work together to promote North Dakotan values in ways that protect our environment for not only us today but also for future generations. Furthermore, many actions that promote environmental stewardship can also save money!

To become a North Dakota Steward and earn an ND Steward certificate:

1) Read through the list of actions and mark any action that you currently do or pledge to start doing. Some of these may seem too much for you and that is okay! If all of us pledge to do a little, we can make a big impact.

2) Each action is worth one point. Add up your total score after going through the list of actions. If your total score is 30 or higher, you are officially a North Dakota Steward! Congratulations!

3) If you did not achieve a score of 30 or higher, don't worry. Go back over the list and identify some actions that you think you could tackle or would be ready to include in your lifestyle. Maybe after you have reassessed how you can participate in you will achieve a higher score.

4) After submitting your survey with a score of 30 points or higher, you will receive an email with an ND Steward certificate, complete with the official ND Stewards logo that you can proudly display!

Thank you for helping to protect our great state of North Dakota.

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* 1. Waste reduction stewardship

Save and reuse gift bags and wrapping.

Choose to recycle.

Say no to coffee pods.

Switch to reusable dryer balls instead of dryer sheets.

Switch to reusable cleaning products that are chemical free and washable.

Use cloth or other reusable wipes to clean instead of paper towels.

Use old clothes as rags rather than discarding them.

Return plastic plant containers to the nursery.

Say "No thank you" to straws, plastic cutlery, and extra packaging.

Bring your own reusable coffee cup to the coffee shop.

Subscribe to the newspaper online to avoid extra paper.

Switch to a shampoo bar rather than a bottle.

Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.

Switch to pet food in recyclable containers (e.g. cans versus plastic pouches).

Set up a backyard compost bin and use it.

Choose to use cloth diapers.

Switch to non-disposable feminine hygiene products.

Switch to homemade cleaning products.

Cook and make your own food to skip excess packaging and take out waste.

Choose to purchase items secondhand, instead of new, when possible.

Pledge to avoid single use dishware and utensils.

Recycle plastic grocery bags at appropriate locations.

Hem clothes when damaged instead of throwing them away and buying new clothes.

Reuse containers rather than buying storage containers (e.g. use an old cool whip container rather than purchasing a new Tupperware container).

Familiarize yourself with the specific materials that are / are not accepted at your local recycling facility.

Bring your own containers to take home leftovers when dining out.

Borrow books and media from your local library instead of purchasing new copies.

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* 2. Electricity and energy usage stewardship

Lower your winter thermostat by 1 degree.

Replace or clean your furnace filter every three months.

Replace your most commonly used lights with LED versions.

Install motion detectors for outdoor lights.

Turn off lights when you leave the room, even if just for a moment.

Unplug unused TVs and electronics from the wall, or turn off the power strip, to stop electrical draw when not in use.

Put a lid on your pans when cooking to use less heat/energy to cook your food.

Close your windows when the air conditioning and heat are on.

Run a winter ceiling fan clockwise to keep the warm air down.

Run a summer ceiling fan counter-clockwise to pull up the warm air.

Choose the microwave, stove top, or toaster oven instead of the oven when possible to use less electricity.

Avoid opening the oven door when checking on food and use the oven window instead.

Purchase a programmable thermostat.

Pledge to buy for efficiency (e.g. EnergyStar appliances, LED lighting, vehicle mileage, etc.).

Set water heater to 120 °F or lower.

Plant deciduous trees that lose leaves on the south and west side of your house to provide summer shade and winter sun.

Plant coniferous trees on the north side of your house to protect it from winter winds.

Air dry clothes on a line or drying rack to reduce energy usage.

Use windows and fans instead of air conditioning.

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* 3. Water saving stewardship

Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or washing your face.

If washing your vehicle at home, only use the water to pre-rinse and post-rinse and wash the vehicle on your lawn to avoid runoff.

Wash only full loads of laundry.

Upgrade to a dual flush or low-flow toilet in your home.

Wash your dishes in a full dishwasher when possible.

Collect the "I am waiting for the shower to warm up" water for use in your garden, landscaping, or rinsing dishes in the kitchen.

Add compost or organic materials to your landscaping or plants to help retain water.

Water your outdoor plants or lawn in the morning or late evening to avoid evaporation.

Place a brick or toilet tank bank in your toilets so that less water is stored in your toilet tank bank. This will allow for less water to be used to flush your toilet.

Install a rain barrel to water your lawn and garden.

Fix any leaking faucets, toilets, or pipes.

Switch to low-flow shower heads.

Install a low-flow aerator on your most used faucets.

Add a moisture sensor to your automated lawn-watering system.

Plant native grasses and plant species that do not require intensive amounts of water.

Water your lawn less.

Plant perennial flowers, plants, herbs, fruits, and vegetables in your flower beds instead of annuals. Since perennials regrow every year on their own, they require fewer resources than annuals.

Minimize fertilizer and herbicide chemical use on your lawn; the excess washes into our waterways.

Mulch lawn clippings into your lawn or garden instead of bagging and discarding lawn clippings.

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* 4. Transportation stewardship

Bike, walk, or carpool to work one day each week.

Bike or walk for small errands when possible.

Consolidate errands into one trip (i.e. "trip chaining").

Empty your car trunk of excess weight.

Ensure tires are properly inflated for maximum fuel mileage.

Properly maintain your car for maximum fuel mileage.

Take public transit in place of a regular car trip twice a week.

Set guidelines for when and where you let your car idle and be conscious of the amount of time spent idling your vehicle.

Pass on the drive thru at restaurants, coffee shops, pharmacies, etc..

Plan to upgrade your fuel efficiency when you purchase a new vehicle.

Switch to slower shipping options when ordering online.

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* 5. At home stewardship

Commit to appliance repairs.

Commit to retain, repaint, or refinish rather than replace when possible.

Commit to reusable or recyclable building materials when you purchase them.

Eliminate grass space that needs mowing by planting trees, shrubs, and perennials native to North Dakota.

Use an electric or push-reel mower to mow your lawn instead of gasoline.

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* 6. Food stewardship

Make a grocery shopping list to avoid food waste.

Plan out your meals for the week.

Purchase foods that have no or little packaging that will be wasted.

Choose locally produced meat.

Choose locally produced vegetables and fruit.

Purchase a share in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm.

Pledge to combat food waste in your home, your place of work, and at the grocery store.

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* 7. Community stewardship

Talk with your family about the ways you create waste and consume energy, and find ways to reduce those amounts.

North Dakota Stewards

Becoming a Steward of North Dakota

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* 1. Waste reduction stewardship

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* 2. Electricity and energy usage stewardship

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* 3. Water saving stewardship

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* 4. Transportation stewardship

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* 5. At home stewardship

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* 6. Food stewardship

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* 7. Community stewardship

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* 8. Other stewardship ideas

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* 9. What is your name?

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* 10. Please provide an email address where we can send a pdf of the North Dakota Stewards Logo for you to proudly display.