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Kelly Thorvalson's avatar

Kelly Thorvalson

South Carolina Aquarium

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 815 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    4.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    5.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    105
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    140
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    5.0
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic bottle
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    29
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Kelly's actions

Family + Pets

Discover Together

I will spend 15 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Advocate for Plastic-Free Dining

I will talk to the owner or manager of a restaurant I frequent to request that they reduce their use of single-use and disposable plastics.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Plastic free dining

I will dine in/support restaurants that don't use single-use plastic.

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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 9
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

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

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 20 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 60 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY 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 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Bring reusable containers to restaurants for leftovers

Most restaurants have plastic or styrofoam to-go containers so I like to bring my own to avoid using single use containers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 10 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Eco Detergent

I will use laundry detergent that is packaged in glass or aluminum, or an alternative like soap nuts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Eco Deodorant

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Sustainable Suds

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.

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

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

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

COMPLETED 5
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?


  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/31/2023 7:48 PM
    New laundry detergent! I already use powder detergent in a box but going to try this for less chemicals. Yay for plastic free choices!!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Sustainable Suds
    What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?

    Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/31/2023 1:32 PM
    Trying a new shampoo bar! Haven't loved the ones I've had in the past so hope I like this one 😊

    • Dominique Hunt's avatar
      Dominique Hunt 7/31/2023 2:06 PM
      I like that this comes with a tie on it. Can easily hang from a shower caddy. Thanks for sharing!

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/31/2023 1:27 PM
    No plastic packaging or produce bags! 🌎❤️ Unfortunately, still have to deal with plastic stickers/tags.

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/28/2023 12:57 PM
    Just got this new dish soap - excited!

    • Kate  Byrd's avatar
      Kate Byrd 7/31/2023 2:21 AM
      Will you let me know if it works for you? My parents gave me a Costco sized jug of dish soap when they moved and I’m down to the dregs. I’ve been looking for bar dish soap.

    • Linda Rowe's avatar
      Linda Rowe 7/30/2023 10:08 AM
      You can also get this at the local store WildCraft in West Ashley near Earth Fare!

    • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
      Kelly Thorvalson 7/28/2023 1:07 PM
      Zerowastestore.com
      Free shipping if you spend $50.
      I needed to stock up on a few things to took advantage of that!

    • Erica Minyard's avatar
      Erica Minyard 7/28/2023 1:00 PM
      Where did you purchase it?

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/16/2023 4:13 PM
    Thanks to all my rockstar colleagues for the great work on the ecochallenge! This illness is kicking my @$$ but I hope to be back at it soon. Keep it going, team! 👍🏼💙🌎

    • Krystina Jarvis's avatar
      Krystina Jarvis 7/16/2023 9:31 PM
      I was sick during last year's challenge and it was so rough with all the plastic in the middle of a plastic free challenge! Feel better soon! 💙

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/12/2023 6:30 PM
    Got stopped in my tracks this week on the ecochallenge by getting sick - the only thing I was capable of doing was helping with my daughter's car that broke down. Sounds like a county song, right? Tomorrow I'll try to do some online research to knock out some actions. :)
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Give Some Green Gratitude
    In what ways is social media an effective tool for sharing your values?

    Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/08/2023 5:22 PM
    Social media is a great way to give a shout out to green businesses and appeal to others to support them.

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/08/2023 5:01 PM
    Love Maybank Publuc House because they have terrific food and use all reusables! We only had to ask for no straw in a cocktail.

  • Kelly Thorvalson's avatar
    Kelly Thorvalson 7/05/2023 9:16 PM
    I was out of town for the first 5 days of July so didn't check in until I returned but I tried to travel plastic free for the entire trip!