

Brittany Alvarez
"“I cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.” - Jana Stanfield"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 345 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO5.0pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO1.0plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO15minutesspent learning
Brittany's actions
Bedroom
Practice Sustainable Fashion
I will spend 15 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.
Bedroom
Ditch Dryer Sheets
Plastic sheets coated in softeners, lubricants, and fragrances, dryer sheets just aren't great for the planet or our bodies. Instead, I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.
Study
Greenwashing Pro
Greenwashing can fool even the most experienced eco-advocate. This month, I will spend 15 minutes learning what greenwashing is, how to spot it, and what I can do about it.
Kitchen
Shop the Bulk Bins
I will purchase dry goods from the bulk section of my grocery store, and I will use my own containers whenever possible (cloth bags, mason jars, even reused Ziploc bags will do!). When it's not possible to use my own containers, I will wash and reuse the containers offered by the store.
Study
Estimate Your Ecological Footprint
I will calculate my ecological footprint, and from the results brainstorm and take action on ways I can reduce my annual footprint.
Kitchen
Use What You Have
The only thing worse than a single-use item is a zero-use item! I will use (and use up) what I already have in my home before buying something new.
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.
Study
Plastic History Buff
Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.
Bathroom
Embrace Imperfection
Eliminating 100% of all plastic from our lives simply isn't possible. Throughout this month, I will embrace imperfection in my plastic-free journey while exploring and testing new ways to reduce my plastic footprint.
Bathroom
Pearly Whites
Nearly all toothpaste tubes are made from multiple layers of different types of plastic and aluminum, making them impossible to recycle and destined for landfill. When it's time to replace my current toothpaste, I will replace it with a plastic-free option.
Bathroom
Plastic Free TP
Most toilet paper is wrapped in plastic #4, or low-density polyethylene - a thin plastic film that cannot be recycled back into more plastic film. To avoid this plastic wrapping, I will purchase toilet paper wrapped in paper instead, or use a reusable toilet paper option.
Kitchen
Dive Into Expiration Dates
Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 30 minutes learning about the difference between best by, use by, and sell by dates and how to tell if my food is actually expired.
Bathroom
Sustainable Suds
In the UK, the average person creates 512kg (1,129lbs) of waste in the bathroom over the course of their lifetime - 50% of which ends up in a landfill. As they run out, I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.
Kitchen
Is it trash...or a trash bag?
The plastic industry has convinced us that some plastic bags are "trash bags," while others are just "trash." Instead of throwing empty bags away (such as bread bags, pet food bags, etc.), I will reuse them as trash bags.
Kitchen
Take the pre-survey!
Help us make the Plastic Free Ecochallenge the best it can be! Take the challenge pre-survey (and look out for the post-survey at the end of the challenge!) so we can better understand the impact the challenge has and how we can improve in the future. Plus, you'll earn points for completing it! Thank you!
Kitchen
Skip Plastic Bags
Whenever possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags. I will either use my own reusable bags, or keep my items loose.
Community
Keep My Community Clean
In addition to refusing and reducing my consumption of single-use plastics, I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day of the Plastic Free Ecochallenge.
Participant Feed
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REFLECTION QUESTIONStudyWhat did you learn about your ecological footprint by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you? What are some ways you will take action to reduce your footprint?
Brittany Alvarez 7/10/2024 1:01 PMIt's likely my ecological footprint will always be higher than I want it be, which is both disappointing and motivational. Disappointing because I wish I wasn't contributing to the negative impact on our planet, but motivational, because I know I can improve and do better. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBathroomInquiring minds wanna know... Are you a scruncher or a folder?
Brittany Alvarez 7/10/2024 12:47 PMI'm a folder. I believe this method provides better coverage.-
Kelly Dillow 7/11/2024 8:43 AMI am maybe making this up, but I feel like some goofy science show did an episode on this. I don't remember the results though!
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Brittany Alvarez 7/10/2024 12:11 PMDuring my first Plastic Free July I discovered the company Dropps, which sells laundry and dish detergent pods in recyclable cardboard packaging. I've been using them ever since! -
Brittany Alvarez 7/07/2024 7:02 PMAny recommendations for plastic-free floss?-
Gillian Lang 7/10/2024 6:11 AMI found this when I was reading some of the links in the waste audit section https://adropintheoceanshop.com/collections/oral-care/products/silk-dental-floss?variant=43051015602390 -
Krystina Jarvis 7/07/2024 7:54 PM -
Jeanne Poirier 7/07/2024 7:24 PM
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Brittany Alvarez 7/06/2024 4:09 AMWhat are your favorite plastic-free recipes? Bonus points if vegan. 😊-
Gillian Lang 7/06/2024 5:19 AMMy favorite spice is the East African one and I use it to make a vegan kale, sweet potato and lentil stew. -
Gillian Lang 7/06/2024 5:14 AMI love seeing what I can throw together with what's coming out of our small veggie garden plus farmer's market finds. Lately I've been making a very spicy salsa and home made tortillas. My favorite local company for plastic free spices is https://thespicegirlkitchen.com/. she is at farmers Markets in OKC and some stores carry her spices too, they are salt and sugar free and in really cute jars that are so easy to reuse!
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Brittany Alvarez 6/11/2024 12:54 PMLooking forward to everyone's thoughts and ideas on how to cut down on plastic consumption!-
jade hilliard 7/31/2024 5:37 PMMy reflection after the 30 days: use less of it! Though gallon jugs still seem pretty safe to recycle.
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