Karen Benson
"To inspire others to take make a change in habits which will contribute to improving the environment!"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,260 TOTAL
participant impact
-
UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
-
UP TO31conversationswith people
-
UP TO31pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
-
UP TO253plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
-
UP TO207plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
-
UP TO106plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
Karen 's actions
Kitchen
Plastic Free Lunch Boxes
I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and containers in my family's lunches to reduce plastic waste.
Kitchen
Cook a Plastic Free Meal
I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.
Kitchen
Minimize Packaging
I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.
Kitchen
Skip Plastic Bags
When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.
Bathroom
That Was a Close Shave
I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.
Bathroom
Pearly Whites
I will switch to a plastic-free toothpaste — whether purchased or DIY'd.
Bathroom
Travel Toiletries
If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.
Kitchen
Swap the Snacks
I will swap out 1 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.
Bedroom
Ditch Dryer Sheets
I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.
Kitchen
Go Strawless
I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.
Community
Share My Actions
I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.
Community
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.
Kitchen
Fill a Water Bottle
I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
-
REFLECTION QUESTIONBathroom Travel ToiletriesWhat is the benefit of using bar soaps or refilling your travel sized containers? Is this an action you think you will keep in your life?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:51 PMI see this remaining in my life. It easy and saves money. I hope more people feel the same way. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBathroom Pearly WhitesCurrently most of the packaging for toothpaste is plastic. How can you advocate for more alternatives through your purchasing power and influence in community?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:49 PMI started using toothpaste which comes in a glass jar. It wasn't the best. I went back to the tubes. I have to say this one stumps me. There is a saying, pick your battles, this one might not be my battle. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBathroom That Was a Close ShaveWhat have you noticed about the economic and social impact of switching to steel razors? Was there ever really a need for disposable razors, or do you think it was just a way to sell more things?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:42 PMI think diposable razors are still a matter of convenience for the travelers and hospitality industry.
Yes, it is a way to sell more things. Convenience is a big selling point for just about everything. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Skip Plastic BagsHow difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:38 PMNot too difficult, I try to bring reuseable bags onto stores. When, I can't, I repurpose the plastic bags for lunch box liners or small trash bin liners. I have to be clever and not do self ck out at Green Wise. If I get ck'd out by a clerk, I can ask for paper. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Fill a Water BottleUsing the links provided, investigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed by this bottling process?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:33 PMI am really not sure how I want to answer this, however I will think about how I can make a difference. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Minimize PackagingWith the added mindfulness of reducing your packaging, what have you noticed about the amount and type of single use plastics used for packaging when you shop in the grocery store?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:30 PMThere is still a lot of packing in plastic. I don't see many items package using other means. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Plastic Free Lunch BoxesBeyond reducing waste, there are many benefits to packing zero waste lunches (for kids or yourself!). What other benefits have you noticed from this practice?
-
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Cook a Plastic Free MealDo an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some resuable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:26 PMSeveral years ago, I eliminated plastic containers for storage. I should start bringing one of my reusable silicone containers to restaurants to bring home left overs. I could impact less plastic to go containers from going onto recycle bins or garbage. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Share My ActionsHave you noticed a difference in how your community, friends, and family members use plastics since you've shared your own actions?
Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:21 PMYes, happy to say they are being more conscientious about eliminating plastic. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBedroom Ditch Dryer SheetsOften, single-use and disposable products don't just create more trash - they also contain toxins that are bad for humans. What are some other single-use items that are harmful to humans?