Brie Hatton

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.

An estimated 50,000lbs (23,000kg) of contact lenses end up in sewage sludge in the US each year. This month, I will learn how to recycle used contact lenses and packaging or switch to wearing glasses instead.

When I'm ordering takeout, I will bring my own containers for the restaurant to fill.

Most conventional shower curtain liners are made from polyvinyl chloride (or PVC), which contains chlorine, phthalates, and plasticizers, and typically need replaced often. When it's time to replace my shower curtain liner, I will replace it with a plastic-free option and research the best ways to care for it.

When we wash our clothes, the heat and friction causes our clothes to wear down, releasing microfibers into the water stream. To combat and prevent these microfibers as much as possible, in addition to following best laundry practices, I will use a microfiber catcher in my laundry, or install a microfiber filter for my washing machine.