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Linda Kram's avatar

Linda Kram

Saint Louis Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,200 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    27
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    50
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    5.0
    donations
    made
  • UP TO
    398
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    67
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Linda's actions

Community

Donate Zero Waste Period Products

I will donate 5 zero waste period kits to young people with periods so that they can reduce their waste and the financial burden of menstruation while continuing their education.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 20 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Give Some Green Gratitude

I will give a shout-out on social media to a local company, coworker, friend or family member for their plastic free or green efforts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 20 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 10 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Get Rid of Glitter

I will teach my little ones about microplastics while we do a craft project together using glitter alternatives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Discover Together

I will spend 10 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thoughtful Toys

I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Say No to Styrofoam

Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can, making sure to kindly let people know why I'm asking for alternative packaging.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Plastic History Buff

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 5 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Study

Follow the Chasing Arrows

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Learn about Plastic Production

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Buy Only What I Need

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 20 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Natural Fibers

When available, I will purchase clothing and bedding made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Bathroom

recycle dental tubes and products

My dentist has started using Terracycle to recycle toothpaste tubes, floss containers and plastic toothbrushes. I am saving them to drop off.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Brush with Bamboo

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 17
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 17
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?


  • Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:39 PM
    The eco-challenge reminded me of what I was doing, both good and bad. It challenged me to look at things going forward in a greener way.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Follow the Chasing Arrows
    Recycling right requires both systemic change and personal and community awareness. How can you expand what you've learned about the chasing arrows symbol to encourage broader changes in your community?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:35 PM
    By making sure to point them out and suggesting people make use of them.
  • 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?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:33 PM
    I found they aren't always good indicators of recyclability. Also, sometimes they are hard to see. Here, if the plastic is black, the numbers can't be seen by the machine, so they can't be recycled, no matter what number they are.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Dig into Bioplastics
    What did you learn about bioplastic production and disposal? Did anything surprise you? Are bioplastics accepted by your city's waste management?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:28 PM
    Bioplastics are not accepted in the single stream waste management here. They are not as much of a solution at this point as I thought they would be,
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Plastic History Buff
    How has learning about the history of single-use plastic shifted your mindset on plastics and their function within society?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:26 PM
    Plastic is a relatively new phenomenon. You would think it would be easy to go back to the way things were before plastic, but its more complicated than that. For example, if you forget to bring a cloth bag to the grocery, they default to plastic, and you have to insist on paper or ask them to just put the groceries in the cart. They really scoff at that.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Learn about Plastic Production
    What did you learn about how plastic production impacts humans, animals, communities, and the environment? Which of these impacts specifically affects your community?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:21 PM
    The production of plastics uses fossil fuels and that impacts the planet. The waste produced when plastics are produced are also harmful and enter the food web. So, it's not just the plastic itself.

    • Anna Reeve's avatar
      Anna Reeve 7/31/2023 8:09 PM
      This is one big topic that I have individually fought in my head about. This also isn’t something you would regularly think about unless diving into the topic - thanks for making it a main point in your comment! It reminded me to always pay attention to ALL details.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Get Rid of Glitter
    How can you and your little one exercise your creativity without creating more plastic waste?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:18 PM
    My grandchildren and I played in the natural playscape in Forest Park. They had a blast.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Discover Together
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:17 PM
    It's becoming too late to turn back. I want a world that is safe and clean for my grandchildren and the children of all the world.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Thoughtful Toys
    Does your child play differently with natural or repurposed toys than with other toys? If so, how?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:16 PM
    The toys of natural materials are often more open ended and I'm not as concerned when the toys are chewed on.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Give Some Green Gratitude
    In what ways is social media an effective tool for sharing your values?

    Linda Kram's avatar
    Linda Kram 7/31/2023 7:14 PM
    I can put my feelings on social media and they are picked up by all my friends and family at once.