
Jennifer Lord
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,580 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO18whole food mealsconsumed
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UP TO106pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO5.0plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO3.0plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO31plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO11conversationswith people
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO245minutesspent learning
Jennifer's actions
Bathroom
Plastic Free TP
Most toilet paper is wrapped in plastic #4, or low-density polyethylene - a thin plastic film that cannot be recycled back into more plastic film. To avoid this plastic wrapping, I will purchase toilet paper wrapped in paper instead, or use a reusable toilet paper option.
Study
Divest and Reinvest
Does your savings account, retirement account, or investment account support the fossil fuel (and plastics) industry? This month, I will spend 60 minutes investigating where my investments (and where my bank's investments) are going, divest from the fossil fuel industry, and reinvest in ways that are more in alignment with my values.
Bedroom
Rethink Returns
While most stores offer lenient return policies, what actually happens to all of those returns? I will spend 60 minutes learning about what happens to returns and how I can make better purchasing decisions to avoid returns in the future.
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.
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!).
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.
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.
Study
Borrowed Books
The average paperback book has the same carbon footprint of driving about 7 miles (11 km) in an average car. Instead of purchasing new books this month, I will borrow books, e-books, and/or audiobooks from my local library or library-affiliated apps, or host a book swap with my friends.
Bedroom
Mend and Repair
We've all got it - that thing in the back of our closet we keep saying we'll fix "one day." I will make today that day by learning how to mend or repair ripped or broken items in my home - or by finding a local offering to do it for me.
Bedroom
Recycling Textiles
Every single textile ever made will, at some point, become worn out - and dealing with that waste costs millions of tax dollars every year. I will spend 30 minutes learning about the different types of textile recycling and creating a plan for what I'll do with my clothes and other textiles when they are too worn out to use anymore.
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.
Study
Investigate Oil Subsidies
Our tax dollars are subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, making the cost of plastics artificially low and encouraging further plastics production. I will spend 30 minutes learning about oil subsidies and how I can advocate for their elimination.
Study
Dig into Bioplastics
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 5 friends, family, and/or colleagues.
Kitchen
Go Strawless
Each year, the International Coastal Cleanup reports that plastic straws and stirrers are one of the Top 10 most-collected items from their cleanups (top 5 in the US!). I will keep 1 plastic straws and/or stirrers out of the landfill each day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.
Kitchen
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!
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.
Bedroom
Proper Clothing Care
All those symbols on our clothes, sheets, and towels actually have meanings! To ensure that I'm caring for my clothes properly, I will spend 60 minutes learning what the care symbols mean and laundry best practices to make all of my textiles last as long as possible.
Kitchen
Visit the Butcher
I will purchase meats and cheeses from the deli counter or a butcher shop, and use my own containers to do so.
Bathroom
A Greener Shower
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.
Kitchen
Shop the Bulk Bins
I will purchase dry goods from the bulk section of my grocery store, and I will use my own containers whenever possible (cloth bags, mason jars, even reused Ziploc bags will do!). When it's not possible to use my own containers, I will wash and reuse the containers offered by the store.
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.
Kitchen
Dive Into Expiration Dates
Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 40 minutes learning about the difference between best by, use by, and sell by dates and how to tell if my food is actually expired.
Study
Greenwashing Pro
Greenwashing can fool even the most experienced eco-advocate. This month, I will spend 30 minutes learning what greenwashing is, how to spot it, and what I can do about it.
Study
Complete a Waste Audit
I will conduct a waste audit of my trash and recycling to understand how much waste I create and create a plan for where I can reduce the most.
Bedroom
Declutter Sustainably
While it can be tempting to throw away (or drop off at Goodwill) any and everything that no longer brings us joy, there are so many options that are better for the planet! This month, I will declutter my home and properly dispose or re-home the things I no longer want.
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.
Community
Host a Watch Party
I will host a watch party with friends and/or colleagues to watch and discuss a movie about plastics.
Community
Research Local Waste Sites
I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.
Community
Tour A Waste Management Facility
I will spend at least 30 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.
Study
Buy Only What I Need
I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.
Community
Share My Actions
One of the best ways we can create change in our communities is simply by talking about it! This month, I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.
Kitchen
Whole Foods Meals
Prioritizing whole foods is one of the most effective ways to avoid single-use plastic in the kitchen, since most whole foods can be purchased without any packaging. This month, I will prepare 1 whole foods-based meals at home each day.
Participant Feed
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Jennifer Lord 7/28/2024 8:47 AMFor my milk lovers, I recently discovered that the Pomegranate Market has milk that is packaged in glass bottles! This is huge for me, because I have been debating cutting back on my milk intake because of all the plastic bottles. But now, I don't have to worry as much! The bottles can be shipped back to the company for cleaning and reuse.