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Welcome to Plastic Free Ecochallenge!

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Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums
Plastic Free Ecochallenge
July 1 - July 31, 2020
Shasta Bray's avatar

Shasta Bray

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Points Total

  • 0 Today
  • 0 This Week
  • 498 Total

Participant Impact

  • up to
    1
    documentaries
    watched
  • up to
    95
    minutes
    spent learning
  • up to
    106
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • up to
    5
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Shasta's Actions

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 3 piece(s) of litter each day while following the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Complete a Waste Audit

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

Uncompleted
One-Time Action

Community

Share My Actions

I will post to my social media networks about how reducing our plastic use is important for both environmental justice and conservation.

Completed
One-Time Action

Community

Estimate My Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral

I will visit rePurpose website, complete the 3-minute plastic consumption calculator, and explore how I can reBalance my annual plastic footprint.

Completed
One-Time Action

Lifestyle

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.

Completed
One-Time Action

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging, making sure to wash them well before using them.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Say No to Plastic Bags

If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste Meal

I will prepare 1 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Say "No" to Excess Delivery Disposables

When ordering delivery food, I will indicate I do not want any disposable utensils, straws, or napkins.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Feed

  • Reflection Question
    Lifestyle Watch a Documentary
    Which documentary did you choose to watch? What did you learn?
    Shasta Bray's avatar
    Shasta Bray 7/27/2020 4:38 PM
    I’ve been watching the Down to Earth series on Netflix and just finished the episode in London where they highlighted the litter along the Thames River. Interestingly, they shored up one section of the bank with old war ships (barges?) to prevent erosion, which have become nesting structures for birds. 
    Read More
  • Reflection Question
    Community Estimate My Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral
    What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?
    Shasta Bray's avatar
    Shasta Bray 7/03/2020 6:27 AM
    I was surprised that even though I already do a lot to reduce my plastic consumption like using reusable bags, bottles and containers, I was still above the average American when it came to plastic consumption. I really need to look at my consumption of snacks and takeout foods that are in plastic packaging. Cutting down on those items would be better for my physical health, too! 
    Read More
  • Reflection Question
    Food Buy Unpackaged Produce
    Why do you think these produce products started amassing so much plastic packaging? Who is the plastic packaging really serving -- the consumer, the producer, or someone else?
    Shasta Bray's avatar
    Shasta Bray 6/30/2020 11:19 AM
    I think it's all about perception. If you wrap your produce in plastic, consumers think it's protected so it makes them feel safer. It must increase sales, otherwise I doubt producers would go to the extra expense and effort. Of course, plastic is cheap so it probably doesn't cost them much. I try to avoid putting produce in plastic bags by bringing my own reusable, mesh produce bags. Sometimes I skip a bag altogether, if I'm just buying one or two apples, for example. As long as you wash it well before you eat it, it's all the same!
    Read More