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Gail Brown's avatar

Gail Brown

Reid Park Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 780 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    137
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    25
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    8.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    65
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    20
    minutes
    spent learning

Gail's actions

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!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 10 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Dive Into Expiration Dates

Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 20 minutes learning about the difference between best by, use by, and sell by dates and how to tell if my food is actually expired.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Say No to "Flushable Wipes"

Even when advertised as "flushable" these wipes don't break down in sewer systems, but instead combine with fat to create massive clogs. This month, I will find alternatives to using disposable wipes.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

In addition to refusing and reducing my consumption of single-use plastics, I will pick up 2 piece(s) of litter each day of the Plastic Free Ecochallenge.

COMPLETED 30
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 6
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 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed


  • Gail Brown's avatar
    Gail Brown 7/30/2024 11:35 AM
    While walking my two dogs, Scout and Maddux, I pick up trash in the neighborhood. It helps the neighborhood keep clean and something that I will continue to do after the challenge is over. Very easy to add into your daily walks.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets
    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?

    Gail Brown's avatar
    Gail Brown 7/17/2024 9:57 AM
    I volunteered for a sea turtle program and was taught the harm balloons cause for the turtles. That's been 20 years ago and I don't use balloons ever.