Joyce Harrison

Travel-size toiletries aren't just more expensive per ounce, they also have a higher plastic-to-contents ratio, and result in over 980 tonnes (2.2 million pounds) of plastic waste each year. If traveling this month, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.

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

The simple, necessary, daily act of washing our clothes slowly degrades the quality of our clothes due to the friction involved in the process. To extend the life of my clothes, whenever possible, I will wear items multiple times before washing.

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.

There are many benefits to enjoying meatless meals - including reducing our plastic footprint. Most meats and dairy products are packaged in plastic, so this month, I will reduce my animal product consumption and enjoy 1 vegetarian or vegan meals each day.

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.

I pick up litter in my neighborhood. A couple who lives on the corner of a street that I don't usually pick up on expressed interest in helping. I spent 45 minutes on Tuesday explaining the SC Aquarium's Litter Journal project. I provided data collection sheets and clipboard, a grabber, and a how-to sheet explaining how to sign up for a Litter Journal account. They will collect litter on that street at least once a month, and already frequently pick up litter on the borders of their yard.