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Matthew Bronson's avatar

Matthew Bronson

Maryland Zoo

"Every little thing makes a difference. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,766 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    6.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    77
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    184
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    26
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Matthew's actions

Community

Advocate for Office Reusables

I will lobby my workplace to have reusable dishes and silverware in order to minimize disposables.

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Host a Watch Party

I will host a watch party with friends and/or colleagues to watch and discuss a movie about plastics.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 15 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Support a Sharing Economy

I will create or support a sharing economy with family, friends, and neighbors.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 4 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 15 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 15 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Family + Pets

Get Rid of Glitter

I will teach my little ones about microplastics while we do a craft project together using glitter alternatives.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 15 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Discover Together

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Natural Fibers

When available, I will purchase clothing and bedding made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Ditch Dryer Sheets

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Homemade or Refillable Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products or choose plastic-free, refillable options.

COMPLETED
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

I will use glass food containers rather than plastic

Using glass containers eliminates the risk of chemicals leaching into food.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Travel Eating

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 4 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Choose Reusable Food Storage

I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Plant a Garden

I will plant an herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

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

Minimize Packaging

I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

COMPLETED 7
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
    Community Advocate for Office Reusables
    What are some of the cases you could make to an employer for why switching to durable dishes and utensils is actually in their best interest as well?

    Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/30/2023 9:58 PM
    Reusable utensils are preferred to use and have long-term cost savings.

  • Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/30/2023 9:57 PM
    What a great year for team Maryland Zoo!

  • Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/29/2023 6:42 AM
    Almost done with July, but looking forward to improving my plastic consumption year round.

  • Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/25/2023 5:43 PM
    Shopped at the farmers market this weekend and forgot bags, bit declined a plastic bag at every shop. Got a few odd looks, especially when by the end when I had an arm full.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Get Rid of Glitter
    How can you and your little one exercise your creativity without creating more plastic waste?

    Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/25/2023 5:39 PM
    Use non toxic, plastic free or reusable supplies.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Discover Together
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/23/2023 8:25 PM
    We need to be aware of the resources we are using

  • Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/21/2023 9:25 PM
    Find yourself a good stainless steel insulated water bottle. It was a game changer for me for ending use of plastic water bottles.

    • Kaitlyn Ulrich's avatar
      Kaitlyn Ulrich 7/22/2023 8:11 AM
      I agree! I haven't used or bought plastic water bottles in ages. I feel bad every time a vendor hands me one.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Advocate For Better Food Packaging
    Single use plastics have become normalized in our society to the point that most people don't see them as a problem. What would you say to a friend, colleague, or family member who may not understand why these disposables are an issue?

    Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/21/2023 9:19 PM
    If you think about how much trash is generated by each person it is staggering. Just think of each person threw away one item how much that adds up.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Balloons Blow
    Had you ever considered the environmental impact of balloons before? How can you share this information with your friends and family to encourage them to avoid balloons, too?

    Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
    I've always thought about the environmental impact of balloon releases, but now I'm starting to think of the waste of balloons in general.

  • Matthew Bronson's avatar
    Matthew Bronson 7/16/2023 5:33 PM
    It's great that airports have water bottle filters.