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Karen  Benson's avatar

Karen Benson

The Florida Aquarium

"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 TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    31
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    31
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    253
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    207
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    106
    plastic straws
    not 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.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Pearly Whites

I will switch to a plastic-free toothpaste — whether purchased or DIY'd.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Travel Toiletries

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 1 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Ditch Dryer Sheets

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 5 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

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 QUESTION
    Bathroom Travel Toiletries
    What 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:51 PM
    I see this remaining in my life. It easy and saves money. I hope more people feel the same way.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Pearly Whites
    Currently 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:49 PM
    I 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 QUESTION
    Bathroom That Was a Close Shave
    What 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:42 PM
    I 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 QUESTION
    Kitchen Skip Plastic Bags
    How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

    Karen  Benson's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:38 PM
    Not 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 QUESTION
    Kitchen Fill a Water Bottle
    Using 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:33 PM
    I am really not sure how I want to answer this, however I will think about how I can make a difference.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Minimize Packaging
    With 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:30 PM
    There is still a lot of packing in plastic. I don't see many items package using other means.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Plastic Free Lunch Boxes
    Beyond reducing waste, there are many benefits to packing zero waste lunches (for kids or yourself!). What other benefits have you noticed from this practice?

    Karen  Benson's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:28 PM
    Eating healthy meals and less processed food.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Cook a Plastic Free Meal
    Do 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's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:26 PM
    Several 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 QUESTION
    Community Share My Actions
    Have you noticed a difference in how your community, friends, and family members use plastics since you've shared your own actions?

    Karen  Benson's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:21 PM
    Yes, happy to say they are being more conscientious about eliminating plastic.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Ditch Dryer Sheets
    Often, 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?

    Karen  Benson's avatar
    Karen Benson 7/31/2023 8:19 PM
    The most harmful single use plastic to humans is a plastic straw.