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Mary Hanks's avatar

Mary Hanks

Sustainable Houston

"If I don't save the planet...who will???"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 2,771 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    2.0
    community events
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    100
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    770
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    301
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    12
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Mary's actions

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

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.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Kitchen

Switch to Loose Leaf Tea

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Family + Pets

Homemade Pet Treats

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

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Share My Actions

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

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Homemade Pet Food

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

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Rubber Glove Pet Hair Removal

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Join the COP Cognoscenti

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.

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

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

Kitchen

Plan a Plastic Waste-Free Picnic

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Give Some Green Gratitude

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Host a Watch Party

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

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

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thrifty Pets

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Discover Together

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thoughtful Toys

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Plastic History Buff

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.

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

Follow the Chasing Arrows

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Learn about Plastic Production

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Estimate Your Ecological Footprint

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Complete a Waste Audit

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Practice Sustainable Fashion

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

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

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Homemade or Refillable Cleaners

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 31
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 Become a Recycling Pro
    What have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?

    Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/31/2023 1:28 PM
    I learned specific places to take certain items within my city, and I gleaned valuable information about how and where to recycle plastic film. The hardest part of recycling for me is that recycling things like candy wrappers is quite expensive, and the submission boxes are on the large side; the best way for me to do that is to encourage organizations like schools and churches to make the service available and then use my communication resources to encourage people to collect and drop off their items. Some things are easy for me, though; three major grocery store chains in my area accept plastic film, and I can drop off most other recycling within two miles of where I live.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Switch to Loose Leaf Tea
    Take time to reflect or meditate over your plastic-free cup of tea. Share your thoughts and reflections with us here!

    Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/31/2023 1:20 PM
    It took me a while, but I made the switch. And since much of the loose tea I've acquired comes in decorative metal bins, I don't have the plastic film packaging dangling there as a single-use infraction. :) I also learned that I can brew yaupon holly tea from my own shrub...and while I drink it, I can reflect on the fact that I'm living on territory stolen from its Karankawa indigenous people and that I need to keep up my advocacy for the federal government to honor its treaties with Native Americans.

  • Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/31/2023 7:56 AM
    Well, the official Ecochallenge ends today, but the changes in my behavior will continue! I pledge to keep learning, doing, and sharing. Speaking of which, I want to share this site with great information about recycling plastic bags and film: https://bagandfilmrecycling.org/. I learned about requirements and resources.

    In Houston, stores accepting plastic bags and film include most Kroger, Randall's, Sprouts Farmers Market, and HEB (including Joe V's) branches. Please check the website for details about what is and is not accepted.

    Good luck to us all, and thank you for this opportunity to join with you all to make our planet safer, fairer, and more accessible!

    Love, Mary

  • Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/30/2023 7:37 PM
    It finally cooled down enough for me to sort out the recyclables from the clean-up event we worked earlier. It made me sad that so many alcoholic beverage containers got tossed--many of them just outside an elementary school.

    Our event was on residential streets, so I figure most of the litterbugs probably live in the vicinity and don't give a darn about messing up their own neighborhoods.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Join a Cleanup Effort
    How does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?

    Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/30/2023 10:39 AM
    Working with others is GREAT, mostly because it's fun to spend time alongside affable people who share your values! Also, we can divide the work efficiently and get more done in less time. Planning the event collaboratively is beneficial too: we figured out a route within walking distance, meaning no fossil fuels were used; we opted to use a large box on a cart instead of plastic garbage bags; and we decided to bring the litter home so recyclables could be sorted out instead of everything being tossed in a bin at the end of our route.

    It was a great feeling to be thanked by so many folks who passed us while they were walking their dogs! Best of all, one dog-walker decided to join us as a walk-up volunteer. I'm tired and sweaty and I can only guess at how I smell, but I'm proud of what we did today.

    • Mary Hanks's avatar
      Mary Hanks 7/31/2023 7:41 AM
      Guy, I agree. The more people are exposed to the modeling of a behavior, the more acceptable it seems to them.

    • Guy Tillis's avatar
      Guy Tillis 7/30/2023 10:57 PM
      I feel that with working with others out in the open, it'll stir up the community to also get involved.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Homemade Pet Treats
    How could you reduce your waste even further (i.e. by making pet treats out of kitchen scraps or about-to-go-bad produce)?

    Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/30/2023 10:29 AM
    I almost never have any edible kitchen scraps, since I plan meals and rarely have any food go bad. As it is, I compost what little kitchen waste there is--stems, seeds, suspiciously discolored areas. I've always been a thrifty, mindful cook, and my participation in several Ecochallenges has honed my skills even more.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets Homemade Pet Food
    Does making your own pet food seem like a habit you can keep up in the long term? What else can you do to reduce your use of plastic packaging that can come from taking care of your pet's needs?

    Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/30/2023 10:25 AM
    I can continue to make my own pet food, but I believe my pets prefer their existing diet; plus, their regular food comes in aluminum cans and paper bags, not plastic, so the sustainability gain is not really significant.

    My biggest use of plastic packaging for pet care is the containers that cat litter comes in. Unfortunately, our local stores no longer carry litter in cardboard at a weight limit I can handle, and even ordering online ends up being more expensive than purchasing locally...not to mention the carbon footprint of delivery. (Also, delivery is iffy around here; we have very active porch pirates who'll make off with anything.)

  • Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/30/2023 10:04 AM
    WHEW! I'm beat, and I'm drenched, and I hate to think how I must smell, but I'm glad to have organized and participated in a community clean-up event this morning. We picked up trash and cleared storm drains along a one-mile stretch of residential streets between a major thoroughfare and a park. There's a lot of traffic (for neighborhood streets) along this route, and, sadly, there's a lot of trash tossed as well. It took us about two and a half hours, since we walked the whole event--no use of fossil fuels, yay!

    Lots of folks were out walking their dogs, and many of the humans thanked us. One of them even joined us as a walk-up volunteer and helped us collect litter. Once the heat of the day has somewhat subsided--it's 94 degrees here in Houston at noon--I'll sort out the recyclables from what we collected and trash the rest. Our streets look a lot better now!

  • Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/29/2023 3:38 PM
    My recent advocacy actions include asking banks not to fund corporations and projects that are destroying the Amazon rainforest, asking Amazon (the company, not the river not to sell bee-killing pesticides, asking Home Depot to protect the boreal forest, and signing the United Nations World Food Program to stop waste. Also, I kept some plant grow pots from being single-use plastics by salvaging them from someone's curb so they can be used to give away plant seedlings and cuttings from the yard.

  • Mary Hanks's avatar
    Mary Hanks 7/28/2023 9:26 PM
    In addition to picking up neighborhood litter, today a friend and I disposed of used motor oil by taking it to a designated dropoff point for recycling.