The journey to sustainable living looks different for every household.
Here’s inspiration for your Live Net Zero entry. You can enter up to 3 times with existing and new actions you’re taking.
Start where you are and do what’s possible for you.
Take our quick quiz
In just 10 minutes, find out which sustainable living actions make the biggest impact for your household and get a personalized pathway to reducing your footprint.
This quiz helps you prioritise which actions to take next, based on your answers and footprint drivers in Canada.
Your priority might be to reduce car dependence, improve energy efficiency, minimize food waste, rethink your travel needs, or prepare more plant-rich meals, among others.
How you get around – commuting, public transit and active transport
- Walk, bike or take transit for more trips
- Combine errands and drive less overall
- Carpool or travel with others
- Try an e-bike or cargo bike
- Explore car sharing or an electric vehicle
- Talk to your employer about hybrid/remote work
- Advocate for safer walking/cycling routes or better transit
Photo: Live Net Zero 2024 participants riding their cargo bike.
"I ride my bike year round because it brings me joy and I want to show others what is possible for shorter trips."
–Vicki, Ontario, LNZ 2025 winner
Your food – plant-based meals and less waste
- Plan meals and use what you have
- Store food well and freeze what you can
- Compost food scraps
- Add more plant-based meals
- Choose local/seasonal foods when possible
- Grow herbs or vegetables
- Share surplus food or support food rescue
Photo: Live Net Zero 2025 winner Lily Tabb and her daughter, with a vermicomposter.
At home – energy efficiency and home retrofits
- Seal drafts and reduce energy waste
- Improve insulation or upgrade windows & doors
- Use a smart thermostat
- Explore an energy audit or DIY thermal camera check
- Install an electric heat pump
- Shift from fossil-fuelled appliances to electric
- Explore solar or community energy options
- Encourage your landlord or condo to make efficiency upgrades
Photo: Live Net Zero 2025 winner James Rowley’s home.
"I am a senior on a low yearly income, but I still wanted to help myself and the planet by getting a [heat pump] that honoured my beloved Earth & was a bit easier on my pension."
— Hope, British Columbia, LNZ 2025 winner
Your stuff – share, reuse, repair
- Before buying new, consider what you have
- Shop second-hand
- Repair before replacing
- Borrow, share or swap
- Choose durable, repairable products
- Refuse freebies and single-use items
- Donate, resell or share what you don’t use
- Try a buy-nothing challenge
Photo: Live Net Zero 2025 winner Cassy Midkiff showcasing her thrifted outfit.
Travel, celebrations & fun – holidays and new traditions
- Explore nearby destinations or enjoy a staycation
- Stay longer in one place when you travel
- Give experiences, handmade gifts or meaningful re-gifts
- Borrow gear, games, costumes or celebration supplies
- Host a low-waste gathering
- Take the bus, train or bike instead of flying
- Create traditions rooted in nature, culture, creativity, community
- Volunteer or attend local events to celebrate and spend time together
“Every day, we make choices about what kind of future we want. We vote with our wallets, with the businesses we choose to support, and the ways we engage with our community.”
–Cassy, British Columbia, LNZ 2025 winner
Shift the system – your money, community & making sustainable living more accessible
- Join public conversations about changes you want to see.
- Support policies, infrastructure and incentives that make sustainable choices easier or more accessible.
- Switch to sustainable funds to align with your values
- Ask your bank about its investment practices
- Share what you’re learning with friends, family, neighbours
- Start or join a sharing, repair or other community initiative
We can't wait to hear your household's story!
Read the entry guidelines and create your 100-500 word submission today. You can enter up to 3 times before 28 February 2027.