Margaret Friend

Gorillas are on the line! Will you answer the call? Electronics are connected to gorillas via an ore called Coltan. Coltan is refined into Tantalum which coats capacitors inside e-gadgets and makes them energy efficient. This ore is found in great quantity in the Congo, home to the critically endangered gorilla and chimpanzee. The U.N. has reported that in the past five years the eastern lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90% owing to these mining operations and related poaching of gorillas for bushmeat. Recycling your cell phones helps save these animals by raising funds for gorilla conservation and reducing the demand for Coltan. You can donate your old cell phones, smartphones, ipads, ipods, tablets, GPS, smartwatches, digital cameras and all the cords and cables that come with them. Any condition is fine. A electronics donation box can be found right outside the Zoo's ticket window. BE SURE TO WIPE YOUR DATA AHEAD OF TIME.

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

Science has shown that focused time in nature calms our over-worked frontal lobe and gives space for the areas of our brain associated with emotions, pleasure, and empathy to take over, providing a sense of calm that is measurable in brain scans and even blood tests. Each day this month, I will spend 20 minutes outside in nature, and share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the Participant Feed.

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

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 15 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

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

To extend the life of my ink cartridges, I will set my printer default to draft mode to use less ink or toner per print job.

Greenwashing can fool even the most experienced eco-advocate. This month, I will spend 10 minutes learning what greenwashing is, how to spot it, and what I can do about it.

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

I will replace my pet's shampoo with an eco-friendly shampoo bar or refillable shampoo option.

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.

Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can, making sure to kindly let people know why I'm asking for alternative packaging.

I will give my pets natural alternatives to toys like femur bones and antlers, canvas, natural rubber, hemp, rope or cotton toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

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.

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