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Alaska Kellum

The Maryland Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,175 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    14
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    14
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic bottle
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    3.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    3.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    125
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    63
    minutes
    spent learning

Alaska's actions

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 15 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Pearly Whites

Nearly all toothpaste tubes are made from multiple layers of different types of plastic and aluminum, making them impossible to recycle and destined for landfill. When it's time to replace my current toothpaste, I will replace it with a plastic-free option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Eco Detergent

Ditch the plastic jugs, artificial dyes, and harmful ingredients! When it's time to replace my current laundry detergent, I will switch to a natural laundry detergent that is packaged in glass or aluminum, or an alternative like soap nuts.

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!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

That Was a Close Shave

Who says we need 5 blades and a ribbon of shaving cream on every $5 razor blade cartridge, when a single blade causes less irritation and costs 92% less? This month, I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Say No to Styrofoam

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.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Go For a Walk

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 10 minutes outside in nature, and share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the Participant Feed.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Use What You Have

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.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Clean the Dryer Vent

Every time we tumble dry our laundry, our clothes' lifespans get a little shorter. The lint trap is evidence of the shedding fibers and our clothes slowly losing their quality. The less time our clothes need to be in the dryer, the longer they'll last. So this month, I will clean my dryer's interior and exterior air vents to help the dryer work more efficiently (and extend the life of the dryer!).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

In addition to refusing and reducing my consumption of single-use plastics, I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day of the Plastic Free Ecochallenge.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Recycle My Tech

There's value in our old electronics! This month, I will properly recycle any old laptops, tablets, cell phones, or other electronics I have lying around so the raw materials can be reused and reduce demand for virgin materials - thereby also protecting critical wildlife habitat for animals such as gorillas and forest elephants.

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 8 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Take the pre-survey!

Help us make the Plastic Free Ecochallenge the best it can be! Take the challenge pre-survey (and look out for the post-survey at the end of the challenge!) so we can better understand the impact the challenge has and how we can improve in the future. Plus, you'll earn points for completing it! Thank you!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Travel Toiletries

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.

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

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 10 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

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

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Embrace Imperfection

Eliminating 100% of all plastic from our lives simply isn't possible. Throughout this month, I will embrace imperfection in my plastic-free journey while exploring and testing new ways to reduce my plastic footprint.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

A Sustainable Flow

Pads and tampons are typically made with plastics, and about 41 million pounds of menstrual products end up in landfills every year. This month, I will make the switch to sustainable, reusable period products.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Choose Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase unpackaged produce at the grocery store or at the farmer's market.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Study

Greenwashing Pro

Greenwashing can fool even the most experienced eco-advocate. This month, I will spend 15 minutes learning what greenwashing is, how to spot it, and what I can do about it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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
    Bathroom Pearly Whites
    Currently most of the packaging for toothpaste is plastic. How can you advocate for more alternatives through your purchasing power and influence in community?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 1:40 PM
    I had bought these before but didn’t realized that you can buy refills for the tin containers they come in. I think making the refills more prominent on shelves would help switch people over and also talking about how easy they are to use compared to having to squeeze out the bottom of the tube.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Eco Detergent
    Was this an easy or difficult swap for you to make? Did you have any concerns before making the swap?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 1:37 PM
    It was actually easy as my store on the corner carried them. Before making the swap, I worried about the cloths not being as clean as needed.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Embrace Imperfection
    How has embracing imperfection impacted your plastic-free journey?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 12:35 PM
    I had to admit that it's hard to be plastic free when you have finical barriers in your life. I can't go to the butcher all the time and sometimes I have to just buy what's ever the cheapest to stay in budget. It's a slow process to adapt your income to being plastic free.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Buy Only What I Need
    As you have reduced your spending, what have you noticed about your 'health and safety' purchasing habits? How might this change your longer term purchasing decisions?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 12:33 PM
    I've been trying not to buy juke food or beer as much as it's not "healthy". I also haven't been buying stuff that is pseudo science when it comes to health, like work out drinks.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Follow the Chasing Arrows
    Recycling right requires both systemic change and personal and community awareness. How can you expand what you've learned about the chasing arrows symbol to encourage broader changes in your community?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 12:19 PM
    I learned that when you recycle spray bottles you should remove the sprayer because those can normally not be recycled due to them having mixed plastics and metal. Some arrows also indicate that you need to rinse out the glass or plastic containers before putting them in a bin. I think it would be good for my community if we gave guidelines to our neighbors about what they can and cannot recycle. That way, things don't pile up in our ally and we don't have to call 311 when nob recycles are put on the curbed and left.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Greenwashing Pro
    As you were learning about greenwashing, were there any companies you previously supported that you now think might be greenwashing us? How can you tell?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 12:06 PM
    I got a bottle of coke recently that said it was 100% made of recycled PET plastices and I thought that was great. But thinking more of it, this really only makes a dent as plastic bottles are still thrown out all the time. Committing to cans or bottles would have been the better step in going green.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Use What You Have
    Besides the economic benefits of using the things we already own, how can this practice impact our lives in other ways and influence the way we interact with "things"?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 11:25 AM
    I had better control this month not making impulse buys or made an effort to see if I already had things I needed in my kitchen before buying. I didn't really see the need for "things" I thought about purchasing when I looked around my house at what was already there.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Say No to Styrofoam
    How might styrofoam be an environmental justice and/or environmental racism issue in your community?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 11:22 AM
    My community lacks places where you can by non-packaged produce and meat but we have a lot of carry-out places. A lot of those places do have styrofoam cups and containers. Some places are switching over to cardboard, but they tend to be the more high end coffee shops. Styrofoam is cheap and when you don't have a lot to spend, it's what your food will be packaged in.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Numbers Everywhere
    Were you surprised by what the different plastic identification numbers mean? How can this information help you become a better recycler?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 11:19 AM
    I was surprised that 7 is just any plastic that don't fit into the other categories. I looked into what type of plastic my city will pick up from the curb and I learned that they won't pick up large litter buckets. That has to be taken to the dump.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study Plastic History Buff
    How has learning about the history of single-use plastic shifted your mindset on plastics and their function within society?

    Alaska Kellum's avatar
    Alaska Kellum 7/31/2024 11:17 AM
    I learned that companies started to market bottled water to fill in the gap when people started to stop drinking sodas. Tap water is way cheaper to produce and even cleaner. I always preferred tap but now I am really trying to remind my friends and family that bottle isn't better.