Get Crafty and Green
Home projects or team building exercises can take a sustainable twist. As an extension to our April story on making your home more sustainable, we are sharing ways you can have some fun with sustainability. These DIY and craft projects can be fun for you, your team or your family.
Make a scrappy garden
Use your kitchen waste to grow plants for food or fun! Scrappy gardens are easy and can be done with a variety of vegetables. You can grow many items in water – no garden plot needed! Growing food scraps also helps combat food waste.
Missing campus and our Wildcats?
Check out the digital puzzles from Northwestern Athletics. Doing one can be a fun mental health break. Make it at team activity by selecting a puzzle and number of pieces and seeing who can complete the puzzle the fastest. Share the screen shot of your finished puzzle and completion time. You can even create a custom puzzle by uploading your own photograph. Try a virtual option instead of buying new puzzles!
Try to make a sustainable meal from scratch
Challenge yourself or your family to make more plant-based meals. Find and try recipes, and share your favorites with your team. Or host a virtual team dinner or lunch where everyone makes, reviews, and shares a recipe for a vegetarian dish. Opting for plant-based meals reduces your carbon footprint.
Upcycle it
- Got a few wine corks laying around? There are many craft projects you can make from used corks. Check out this link for some ideas.
- Do you have used post-its or paper destined for the recycling bin? Upcycle first by creating origami. Get ideas at Origami for Everyone. Take it to the next level with this bow tie and make your next meeting bow-tie-optional.
- Try this paper-less art option. Using a spreadsheet template, you can essentially create your own paint-by-numbers. See who on your team can create the best (or most unique) piece of art. You can use this free template for Spreadsheet Pixel Art.
Try the Clean Desk Challenge
As we look to return to work, keeping surfaces clear of clutter will be important to allow for proper and regular cleaning. Start now by cleaning up your home desk. A neat desk space can help reduce stress and anxiety in addition to allowing for frequent cleaning. It can also help you to assess your ‘waste’ and think about ways you can use less or look to digital over physical options. To make this a team activity, take pictures before and after and share them with your group. Make it a contest and vote for the ‘most improved.’
Join an activity hosted by sustainNU
Our monthly Sustainability Trivia Night or Environmental Book Club are a good place to start. You can also grab your bike or lace up your walking shoes and participate in the Green Movement Scavenger Hunt. Follow us on social media to stay up to date on future programming.