Mary Hanks

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 60 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

I will prepare my own pet treats to avoid plastic packaging.

I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.

I will prepare my own pet food to avoid plastic packaging.

I will use a rubber glove to remove pet hair from clothes, carpets and furniture.

I will devote at least 120 minutes to learning about the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 28), including background, participants, goals, and controversies. The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an intergovernmental, international initiative to find ways to combat human interference with the climate system and is probably the Earth's current best effort to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

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

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.

I want to host a birthday party in nature without harming nature, which means using earth-friendly products and practices; no single-use plastic products will be involved.

I will give a shout-out on social media to a local company, coworker, friend or family member for their plastic free or green efforts.

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

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

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

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

I will find secondhand sources for my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes.

I will spend 20 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

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.

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 30 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

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.

I will calculate my ecological footprint, and from the results brainstorm and take action on ways I can reduce my annual footprint.

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

I will spend 45 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

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

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

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 15 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 30 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 60 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

I will spend 60 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

I will pick up 1 piece(s) of litter each day.