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Erika Murphy's avatar

Erika Murphy

The Maryland Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 790 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    21
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    16
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    15
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    10
    pounds
    waste avoided
  • UP TO
    7.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Erika's 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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Meatless Meals

There are many benefits to enjoying meatless meals - including reducing our plastic footprint. Most meats and dairy products are packaged in plastic, so this month, I will reduce my animal product consumption and enjoy 2 vegetarian or vegan meals each day.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

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

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

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!).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 20 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 11
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

Bottled water corporations make plastic bottles, not water. If the tap water in my area is safe for consumption, I will use a reusable bottle instead and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottles a day.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Say No to "Flushable Wipes"

Even when advertised as "flushable" these wipes don't break down in sewer systems, but instead combine with fat to create massive clogs. This month, I will find alternatives to using disposable wipes.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Clean Plate Club

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Plant a Garden

I will plant an herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Dive Into Expiration Dates

Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 30 minutes learning about the difference between best by, use by, and sell by dates and how to tell if my food is actually expired.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 01 plastic straws and/or stirrers out of the landfill each day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 11
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 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 7
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 Ditch Dryer Sheets
    Often, single-use and disposable products don't just create more trash - they also contain toxins that are bad for humans. What are some other single-use items that are harmful to humans?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/31/2024 4:57 PM
    Not only can single use items be toxic to humans and the environment, but so is the creation! Workers who work in factories that work with plastic have been found to have microplastic particles in their lungs, leading to lung problems due to prolonged exposure
  • 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"?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/31/2024 4:53 PM
    I’m certainly not a “minimalist” but I hate clutter! Clutter can increase stress and anxiety levels for a lot of people. Reusing and repurposing the items you already have can improve mental and physical health of your home
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Share My Actions
    Have you noticed a difference in how your community, friends, and family members use plastics since you've shared your own actions?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/31/2024 4:45 PM
    Sometimes talk is cheap! Leading by example and having your friends/family seeing reduced plastic use in action is the best way to influence others
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Clean Plate Club
    How easy was this swap for you? Did you have any concerns before making it?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/26/2024 6:49 AM
    Super easy! Especially when you find a brand and scent that everyone in the house likes
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Clean the Dryer Vent
    When was the last time you cleaned your dryer's air vents? Was it easier or more difficult than you anticipated?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/26/2024 6:49 AM
    New (ish) home buyer✋🏼One of the first things we did was clean out the air vents!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Travel Toiletries
    What is the benefit of using bar soaps or refilling your travel sized containers? Is this an action you think you will keep in your life?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/26/2024 6:47 AM
    No brainer, but less waste! Bar soap is also a dream to travel with- light weight, doesn’t have to be in your liquids bag and environmentally friendly!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom Declutter Sustainably
    Compared to your previous experiences with decluttering, how was this experience with sustainable decluttering different?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/12/2024 5:20 PM
    Focusing on upcycling/repurposing/ reusing items allowed me to get my creative juices flowing and discover some new uses for items I thought had no need for anymore
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Plant a Garden
    Besides having access to fresh herbs and vegetables, what benefits will you see from growing your own garden?

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/08/2024 10:57 AM
    One of my favorite parts of having a garden in the backyard is the satisfaction of being (somewhat) self sustainable and being able to keep plants alive enough to produce food!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Meatless Meals
    Share your favorite "Meatless Monday" recipe with us!

    Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/08/2024 10:56 AM
    What's everyones favorite plant based substitute? We LOVE the impossible brand in our household - "chicken" nuggets, burgers, tacos, etc!

    • C O'Donnell's avatar
      C O'Donnell 7/08/2024 3:15 PM
      Morningstar chikin patties and nuggets, pulmuone (at H mart) for meat alternatives like onigiris and fried rice!

    • Katharine Mantzouris's avatar
      Katharine Mantzouris 7/08/2024 12:55 PM
      I will have to try those, Shannon and I really liked the buffalo "chicken" nuggets from morning star but they seemed to have gotten rid of them and changed their formula too

  • Erika Murphy's avatar
    Erika Murphy 7/08/2024 10:53 AM
    Don't forget to hydrate this week with your reusable water bottle!