Lori Marchbanks
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 960 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO15pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO3.0plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO53plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO15minutesspent learning
Lori's actions
Bathroom
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.
Bedroom
Catch Those Microfibers
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.
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.
Bedroom
Ditch Dryer Sheets
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.
Bathroom
Green Beauty
Globally, packaging manufacturers make about $25 billion each year on plastic beauty and personal care packaging. That's a whole lot of plastic - nearly all of which ends up in landfills. When it's time to buy more, I will replace my beauty products with refillable, sustainable, and/or DIY options.
Bathroom
Eco Deodorant
Conventional deodorant tubes are typically made from plastics #4 and #5, which are rarely accepted for recycling - especially together. When it's time to replace my current deodorant, I will replace it with a plastic-free option.
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.
Kitchen
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.
Bathroom
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!
Community
Keep My Community Clean
In addition to refusing and reducing my consumption of single-use plastics, I will pick up 2 piece(s) of litter each day of the Plastic Free Ecochallenge.
Family + Pets
Balloons Blow
Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 10 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.
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.
Kitchen
Is it trash...or a trash bag?
The plastic industry has convinced us that some plastic bags are "trash bags," while others are just "trash." Instead of throwing empty bags away (such as bread bags, pet food bags, etc.), I will reuse them as trash bags.
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?
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Lori Marchbanks 7/31/2024 3:04 PMIt can be fun to decorate your refillable water bottle! Way cuter than an ugly plastic one...
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REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Use What You HaveBesides 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"?
Lori Marchbanks 7/31/2024 9:31 AMApril helped take stock of the Zoo's supplies so we don't do duplicate orders and we use what is on hand.-
Gretchen Lira 7/31/2024 9:39 AMApril is such a good helper! I love her t-shirt as well!!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Skip Plastic BagsIt can be easy to forget to bring your reusable bags to the store with you - especially if you're going somewhere besides the grocery store. What are your favorite ways to remember your reusable bags?
Lori Marchbanks 7/31/2024 9:01 AMVery easy to bring my own bag! I keep a little one in my purse and many in different spots of the car. -
Lori Marchbanks 7/25/2024 3:02 PMApril works hard to be sure she uses the correct bins for the correct items. Sometimes half the battle is figuring out where and how to recycle something. -
Lori Marchbanks 7/17/2024 12:43 PMTrying to stay energy efficient in the Admin building is important, especially since we all want the AC to work! April likes to help keep the door closed as people go in and out all day...
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Noelle Stobbe 7/17/2024 1:20 PMOh my gosh I love this!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFamily + Pets Balloons BlowHad you ever considered the environmental impact of balloons before? How can you share this information with your friends and family to encourage them to avoid balloons, too?
Lori Marchbanks 7/17/2024 12:37 PMYes I have and it turns out to be even worse than I expected it to be. From animals ingesting them to adding to the ocean pollution to getting tangled in power lines, they are all around bad for the environment.