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Mary McReynolds's avatar

Mary McReynolds

The Florida Aquarium

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,010 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    2.0
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    7.0
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    6.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended

Mary's actions

Bathroom

See the Green

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Enter a Refusal on Remora

Remora is an app to help users reduce plastic consumption, and I hope to enter at least one refusal of single-use plastics every day of Plastic-Free July. Using the app regularly has helped me reduce my plastic consumption because I remember to bring reusable alternatives more often now and look for new ways to reduce my plastic consumption. I hope that through this goal, I will develop some plastic-free habits to use throughout the year, and keep up my streak on Remora!

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Save Jars for Reuse

Pinterest may want you to think that you need a cupboard full of matching mason jars, but reusing what we already have is one of the best ways to reduce our waste. This month, instead of recycling glass jars (such as pasta sauce, pickles, and salsa jars), I will save them to reuse for food storage.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thrifty Pets

I will find secondhand sources for my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use a Reusable Mug

Even just one to-go coffee or tea a week adds up to 52 trashed cups in a year! I will avoid sending 1 disposable cups to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or travel cup.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Sustainable Suds

In the UK, the average person creates 512kg (1,129lbs) of waste in the bathroom over the course of their lifetime - 50% of which ends up in a landfill. As they run out, I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use Reusable Utensils

Whether I'm at work, on the go, or having food delivered, I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Multiple Wears Before Washing

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.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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
    Bedroom Eco Detergent
    Was this an easy or difficult swap for you to make? Did you have any concerns before making the swap?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:22 PM
    So I actually haven't swapped my laundry detergent yet because I haven't ran out. I guess I had a lot more than I thought I did at the start of the month. I did a ton of research into best laundry swaps, and I settled on laundry powder, as every other non-liquid form involves some form of plastics. When I do run out of liquid detergent, I'm going to buy a bulk container of the powder.

    I wouldn't say it's difficult, as I've used powder before, and it's pretty straight forward, but sourcing it is harder. I originally bought it from a local zero waste store, but it was SUPER expensive. I think from now on, I'll have to buy it online (Meliora is very affordable), which I don't love. Other than that, it's great!

    • Krystina Jarvis's avatar
      Krystina Jarvis 7/31/2024 1:29 PM
      Fun fact: Shopping online actually has a lower carbon footprint than shopping in-person! Of course, buying as locally as possible is always great, but don't feel bad for buying essentials online :)
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Multiple Wears Before Washing
    In addition to helping clothes last longer, washing clothes less frequently also saves water by running the washing machine less often. As the climate and water situations change, what are some other ways both your household and our community could become more resilient?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:17 PM
    I really want to learn how to grow my own food, especially regrowing food from food scraps indoors. I tried with green onions, and it sort of worked, but not very well. I did make them last way longer than they would have without trying, so that's a win.

    I also want to make it a habit to reduce water waste. It's hard in a college dorm with shared bathrooms and kitchens, but I've seen people who use buckets to save excess water (e.g., catching the water as you're waiting for a shower to warm up) that they later use for watering plants and other things like that.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Join a Cleanup Effort
    What was the most unexpected piece of trash that was picked up during your local cleanup effort?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:14 PM
    We found a marijuana leaf made of synthetic fabric.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen 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"?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:12 PM
    I think it makes me more grateful for what I have, and this practice encourages me to take better care of the things I own. I have gotten into the habit of fixing my shoes instead of buying new ones (mostly cause shoes are expensive), but I'm now more aware of how I'm caring for these shoes or how I damage them.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Save Jars for Reuse
    What's the most creative way you've reused a jar in your home?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:09 PM
    Since I live in a college dorm without my own kitchen, I have to carry my dishes to the shared lounge to wash them. I have a metal basket that I use, and I attached an old salsa jar to the side of it with wire to carry the brushes with me.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Use a Reusable Mug
    Did you encounter any resistance from your local coffee shop when trying to use your own mug? How did you navigate it, and how can you advocate from this to be a more commonplace practice in your community?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:07 PM
    I went to two, and both were super chill about it. Whenever I order, I ask for what I want and then say, "And could I please get that in this cup?" Easy!

    Most people don't even know you can do this, so I start by telling people. There's pushback sometimes, but one thing you can tell people is that they'll often get a discount for using their own cup (even at Starbucks)!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Use Reusable Utensils
    How can you be an advocate for using reusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable food packaging or eating utensils, and how can you convince them of the need for change?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:05 PM
    I'm part of the Reduce Single-Use team at my school, so my whole job is to convince people to use reusable items! I like to remind people that individual change, even if it doesn't feel like much, is what causes bigger impacts. We have 2 cafeterias, and the smaller one gives to-go plates of food so there's disposable utensils there. We're trying to encourage students to bring their own, and I hope that soon we'll try to get a petition going to make the switch.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Mend and Repair
    Time to brag! Show us a photo of what you repaired and tell us about the experience!

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/31/2024 1:01 PM
    I sewed up some holes in my succulent throw pillow! It was a gift from my parents that I'd wanted to fix for quite some time, and I finally got around to doing it. It was very rewarding to fix it and I'm proud that I was able to mostly keep the original curvy shape.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Sustainable Suds
    What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/16/2024 9:59 AM
    I haven't yet found my favorite brands of bar soaps, so I can't really judge based on pricing or effectiveness. Having said that, I love traveling with my soap bars! I have little soap boxes and I don't have to worry about what amount of liquids is allowed on planes or spills or leaks. When using bars, I also never use too much by accident like sometimes happens with liquid soaps; you just use them till you're clean!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Embrace Imperfection
    How has embracing imperfection impacted your plastic-free journey?

    Mary McReynolds's avatar
    Mary McReynolds 7/10/2024 8:30 AM
    I used to carry a lot of guilt about my plastic consumption. I ended up hoarding garbage in the hopes of finding ways to upcycle or craft with it, and eventually I had to let myself let it go. I wasn't helping anything by stressing myself out with piles of trash in my room that I didn't have a use for but couldn't get rid of. Embracing imperfection has been a huge help for my mental health and allowed me to let go of a lot of guilt. I am now finding more impactful ways to make a difference in the world without sacrificing my mental health or room space!

    • Tango The Loggerhead's avatar
      Tango The Loggerhead 7/10/2024 9:49 AM
      Letting things go because of the "what if..." is very difficult! I'm proud of you for embracing this, and proud of the Ecochallenge for recognizing that we are not striving for perfection!

    • Paige Byrd's avatar
      Paige Byrd 7/10/2024 9:46 AM
      This has been very helpful for me as well, I struggle giving up certain things, or things that are necessary yet contribute to plastic waste. Realizing that I am not going to be perfect in my journey has been very helpful.