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Anna Becker's avatar

Anna Becker

L.A. Zoo Team Angeleno Plastic Eliminators (Team APE)

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 650 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    14
    food items
    properly stored
  • UP TO
    40
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    7.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    12
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    7.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    6.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    176
    gallons of water
    have been saved

Anna's actions

Kitchen

Plastic-Free Produce Storage

Produce doesn't need to be stored in plastic bags to stay fresh! I will learn how to properly store my produce to extend its freshness without single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

Bottled water corporations make plastic bottles, not water. If the tap water in my area is safe for consumption, I will use a reusable bottle instead and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottles a day.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Kitchen

Use Reusable Utensils

Whether I'm at work, on the go, or having food delivered, I will keep 2 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

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.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Use The Dishwasher

Using your dishwasher doesn't just save water! I will use my dishwasher whenever possible to extend the life of my sponges and dish cloths, and shed less microfibers from them.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Go Strawless

Each year, the International Coastal Cleanup reports that plastic straws and stirrers are one of the Top 10 most-collected items from their cleanups (top 5 in the US!). I will keep 1 plastic straws and/or stirrers out of the landfill each day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Use a Reusable Mug

Even just one to-go coffee or tea a week adds up to 52 trashed cups in a year! I will avoid sending 1 disposable cups to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or travel cup.

COMPLETED 24
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
    Kitchen Embrace Imperfection
    How has embracing imperfection impacted your plastic-free journey?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:14 PM
    Embracing imperfection makes plastic free journeys feel less stressful and more approachable. It's overwhelming to think about how much plastic is in our world, and it's easy to fall into feeling like you are not doing enough or failing. One step at a time, a little better is better than nothing at all.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Skip Plastic Bags
    It can be easy to forget to bring your reusable bags to the store with you - especially if you're going somewhere besides the grocery store. What are your favorite ways to remember your reusable bags?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:13 PM
    I put them in my frunk and try to remember to store multiple bags so if I don't bring them back, I still have more!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Use Reusable Utensils
    How can you be an advocate for using reusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable food packaging or eating utensils, and how can you convince them of the need for change?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:12 PM
    I think certain communities and businesses can do a good job using compostable utensils. I think where I see huge issues are in local/family communities. Birthday parties, small gatherings, etc. I think sometimes awareness can be the first step but when its a survival thing (I'm too stressed and this is helping me by taking one less thing off my plate) its really hard to navigate.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Use a Reusable Mug
    Did you encounter any resistance from your local coffee shop when trying to use your own mug? How did you navigate it, and how can you advocate from this to be a more commonplace practice in your community?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:10 PM
    Have not had this be an issue too much but yes it can be less commonplace.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Plastic-Free Produce Storage
    In the United States, 30-40% of all edible food goes to waste. What are some other ways you can reduce food waste in your home?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:10 PM
    Plastic packaging is a nightmare. We've tried to bring reusable bags and buy produce stored in those as opposed to grocery bags. I think its also better to be buying lower amounts as opposed to the bulk shopping that we've become accustomed to. I notice when we purchase food intentionally with planned ideas of meals we tend to use it more appropriately.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Use The Dishwasher
    Although the dishwasher saves time and water, some people enjoy washing dishes by hand for the mindfulness practice it can provide. What are some other ways you can practice mindfulness in the kitchen?

    Anna Becker's avatar
    Anna Becker 7/31/2024 3:04 PM
    I think finding new ways to compost items or store food items can be mindful. Thinking about how to reuse items, or creative ideas for storage, crafts, can be fun. I love adding banana peels to jars in water to feed garden plants outside. Thinking about how to reuse items to care for more living things (compost, plants, etc.) is very rewarding.