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Melissa Dude's avatar

Melissa Dude

The Florida Aquarium

"Inspiring all generations to take action and care for our planet."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 951 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    15
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    3.0
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    19
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    81
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    140
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    52
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

Melissa's actions

Study

Numbers Everywhere

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot - and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn what these numbers mean and which types of plastics are accepted for recycling in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Plastic Free Lunch Boxes

I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and containers in my family's lunches to reduce plastic waste.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Clean Plate Club

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 4 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Travel Eating

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

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

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 18
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 15
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

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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

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 20
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
    Study Numbers Everywhere
    Were you surprised by what the different plastic identification numbers mean? How can this information help you become a better recycler?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/20/2023 7:42 AM
    Knowing what can be recycled helps processing plants in the long run by making sure there is no contaminated loads.
    Different city, counties and even municipalities have different recycling rules. Knowing the difference of what I can recycle at home vs works is hard but I know it helps in the process of recycling.
  • 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?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/20/2023 7:39 AM
    1. less packaging and bulk to travel with - refilling smaller sized travel items saves space!
    2. more money for me - travel sized items are expensive!
  • 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?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/20/2023 7:36 AM
    Less money spent at the grocery store buying useless items!
  • 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?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/20/2023 7:35 AM
    My Kids are well aware of the need to use reusable packaging. My friends also make a difference especially when we have group functions.
  • 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?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/20/2023 7:34 AM
    I advocate for these individuals by making sure my family and friends are aware of the need to utilize refillable water bottles or at least when purchasing bottled water to make sure that it is from a sustainable source.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Join a Cleanup Effort
    How does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?

    Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/11/2023 9:44 AM
    I love when people come together to take action for the planet. The overall feeling that you are contributing to something for the great good really makes me proud.

  • Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/07/2023 9:12 AM
    July 5, after fireworks cleanup

  • Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/07/2023 9:11 AM
    4th of July shopping- brought my own bags!

  • Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/07/2023 9:07 AM
    This has been a great start! Lets keep the momentum going for the next 3 weeks!

  • Melissa Dude's avatar
    Melissa Dude 7/07/2023 9:07 AM
    Hi All- I hope you have challenged yourself this week to make small changes. We still have 3 weeks to go so keep up the great work!