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Deb Fisher's avatar

Deb Fisher

The Maryland Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,170 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    63
    food items
    properly stored
  • UP TO
    27
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    74
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Deb's actions

Community

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

Study

Numbers Everywhere

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot - and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn what these numbers mean and which types of plastics are accepted for recycling in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Better Highlighters

Instead of buying new plastic highlighters, I will simply use colored pencils instead for all of my highlighting needs.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Sunshine Bleached

I will hang-dry my laundry to use the sun as a natural bleach alternative, or use another natural bleach alternative.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Save Jars for Reuse

Pinterest may want you to think that you need a cupboard full of matching mason jars, but reusing what we already have is one of the best ways to reduce our waste. This month, instead of recycling glass jars (such as pasta sauce, pickles, and salsa jars), I will save them to reuse for food storage.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

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.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Clean the Dryer Vent

Every time we tumble dry our laundry, our clothes' lifespans get a little shorter. The lint trap is evidence of the shedding fibers and our clothes slowly losing their quality. The less time our clothes need to be in the dryer, the longer they'll last. So this month, I will clean my dryer's interior and exterior air vents to help the dryer work more efficiently (and extend the life of the dryer!).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Mend and Repair

We've all got it - that thing in the back of our closet we keep saying we'll fix "one day." I will make today that day by learning how to mend or repair ripped or broken items in my home - or by finding a local offering to do it for me.

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 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

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 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Dive Into Expiration Dates

Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 15 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

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 26
DAILY 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 26
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?


  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/27/2024 4:41 AM
    Still clearing out my home- recycling items at Goodwill today, and the recycle center

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/21/2024 7:24 PM
    Love getting soda at WAWA. Because the lids on their fountain drinks have a built in drinking spout, no straw is ever needed!

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/14/2024 7:28 PM
    Continued downsizing this weekend. Posted multiple items on Facebook marketplace and the items all found a new homes! Not the landfill!

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/12/2024 4:20 PM
    Today I took a few young children for fast food- we avoided straw use!

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/10/2024 5:25 AM
    As I continue my downsizing, I donated some furniture to someone on the Nextdoor web site who was moving to Maryland from Kenya

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/09/2024 12:33 PM
    Recycled old electronics, and floppy discs at Staples today.

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/08/2024 7:42 AM
    dropped off more yard waste to the recycle facility in Harford county
  • 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?

    Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/07/2024 6:12 AM
    I carry my reusable bags into the grocery store

    • Mackenzie Blevins's avatar
      Mackenzie Blevins 7/07/2024 7:51 AM
      Leaving a stash in my car, or going to Aldi, where bags cost money, and single use plastic is not even offered, has been a good way to remember.

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/06/2024 6:08 AM
    I take ny yard waste to the local recycle facility where it is recycled into mulch

  • Deb Fisher's avatar
    Deb Fisher 7/06/2024 5:57 AM
    I’m downsizing at my home and I’m offering my items for free on social media to avoid landfill dumping