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Andrea Markiewicz's avatar

Andrea Markiewicz

Akron Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,290 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    9.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    70
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    105
    pieces of litter
    picked up

Andrea's 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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 120 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 30 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

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 30 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Plastic History Buff

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 100 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 100 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

See the Green

I will recycle used contact lenses and packaging.

COMPLETED 0
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?


  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/30/2023 7:32 PM
    My other big kitchen switch was getting my produce through Imperfect (now teamed up with Misfit Market). Most of their produce is plastic free and comes to your door in a cardboard box. If there's any extra packaging, it's paper. If it's hot, there'll be an ice pack and insulated bag that they will take back, sanitize and reuse. Not everything is plastic free, but their main mission is to save good food from going to landfills because of imperfections (hence the name). They do note what kind of packaging is used in each product description, which helps me stay on track with my reduced plastic use and eating my veggies.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/29/2023 7:11 PM
    Out of the laundry room, into the kitchen! This is my least accomplished single-use plastic-free room as I have little self control with grocery store snacks, but I have made some changes. First up, I use a dish detergent bar instead of liquid soap. I get mine from Sheets (same place as my laundry detergent). Each bar seems to last me about 1.5 months. Instead of sponges, I use an old wash cloth, or a coconut husk scrubber pad (home compostable!) for stuck on messes.

    • Andrea Robinson's avatar
      Andrea Robinson 7/29/2023 9:27 PM
      This is so amazing! I am learning a lot about all the ingenious ways to save the planet that people are coming up with! Great tip!

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/27/2023 7:31 PM
    Another laundry room switch: wool dryer balls. They work like dryer sheets, but are reusable. They're all over the internet, but mine are Woolous (Wool Dryer Balls – Woolous). I've had the 6 pack for about 5 years and they're still going strong!

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/26/2023 7:34 PM
    I think I've run out of single-use plastic replacements for the bathroom, so let's go to the laundry room. I use Sheets (Laundry Sheets & Cleaning Supplies | Sheets Laundry Club) laundry detergent sheets instead of liquid detergent. It's worked just as well as liquid detergent, and is much more convenient. Each box is made of cardboard and recyclable, as is the box it's shipped in. They even write a little message to you. Plus, Sheets has generously donated samples for the AAZK conference goodie bags, so you should definitely check them out.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/21/2023 6:28 PM
    The last of my bathroom-based plastic-free swaps is feminine care products. I use reusable napkins, of which there are a ton of different options. Check out this article to start: The 8 Best Reusable Menstrual Pads (treehugger.com). It's all about personal preference on this one.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/18/2023 6:42 PM
    Sticking with the bathroom, I found more sustainable liquid hand soap. I usually use Grove (Cleaning & Household Products for a Sustainable Home | Grove Collaborative), but I couldn't find them at Target, so I bought Method (Method Products) instead. I like both of the soaps, but I think I'll go back to Grove if I can find them again, as Method's refills are in plastic (50% recycled, though, and can be recycled again).

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/17/2023 12:15 PM
    One of the easiest plastic-free switches I've made has been to bamboo toilet paper. I currently use Tushy (Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper | Soft & Sustainable — TUSHY (hellotushy.com)), but will probably switch to Who Gives A Crap (Toilet paper that builds toilets | Who Gives A Crap USA) when I need to reorder. Both are plastic-free, packaged in paper, come delivered to your door, donate a portion of their profits to sanitation projects across the globe, and are surprisingly soft. I'm giving the edge to Who Gives A Crap because they are a Certified B Corp (B Lab Global Site (bcorporation.net)).

    • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
      Andrea Markiewicz 7/18/2023 6:36 PM
      I switched over from normal TP in 2019, I think...maybe late 2018. I've only had to order twice in that time (36 rolls per box for Tushy), and I have 2 full rolls left. I think a roll lasts me about a month. I do live alone, though, and tend to use as little paper as possible on my visits to the restroom.

    • Amber Acord's avatar
      Amber Acord 7/18/2023 1:17 PM
      How long have you been using them? And how long does an order last for you? I've been wanting to switch to a sustainable bathroom option and did not want to go as far as the reusable paper options.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/13/2023 7:14 PM
    Another bathroom swap that I've made is my toothpaste and toothbrush. Instead of using toothpaste that comes in plastic tubes, I use Bite toothpaste bits (bitetoothpastebits.com). They have several products (toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, toothbrushes, deodorant, etc.), all of which are plastic-free. The toothbrushes are bamboo. The bits originally come in a glass container that you keep to store them, and refills come in home-compostable pouches.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/09/2023 5:41 PM
    Another easy bathroom swap that I've made is switching from disposable razors to a stainless steel safety razor. I got mine from Rockwell Razors (Rockwell Razors - Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razors (getrockwell.com)), but there are other options out there, too. The razor head is adjustable so you only use the amount of blade that you're comfortable with. They even come with a recycling tin for the old blades. They also sell other shaving products but, unfortunately, not all of them are plastic free.

  • Andrea Markiewicz's avatar
    Andrea Markiewicz 7/03/2023 5:39 PM
    Most of my plastic free changes have centered around the bathroom. One of my favorite shops is Ethique (https://ethique.com/). That's where I get my shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and lotion bars. There's a ton of different shampoos and conditioners formulated for every type of hair, and even have consultants who will help you decide which option is best for you. In celebration of plastic free July, they sent me a link for 20% off your first order: http://prz.io/jox9nrPUg. Full disclosure, I get reward points if you use it.