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Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar

Ripsime Nikogosyan

L.A. Zoo Team Angeleno Plastic Eliminators (Team APE)

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 740 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    38
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    100
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    3.0
    minutes
    spent learning

Ripsime 's actions

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

Kitchen

Start Composting

Composting isn't just good for soil! Composting your food scraps and other organic materials decreases your overall trash output, so you don't have to take the trash out as often and extend the life of your trash bags (i.e. use less plastic!). This month, I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school and avoid sending 2 pounds of food waste to landfill each day.

COMPLETED 26
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 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Kitchen

Give Veggie Scraps Another Life

Vegetable broth cartons are not easily recycled and often not accepted for recycling at all. To avoid or reduce my use of these cartons, I will save my vegetable scraps and fresh herb stems to make homemade vegetable broth instead.

COMPLETED 26
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 26
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 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Kitchen

Dive Into Expiration Dates

Just because something is past its "expiration date," it might not actually be expired! I will spend 15 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

Get Scrappy

Get creative in the kitchen (or the garden)! Before tossing food scraps, I'll explore other ways to utilize the scraps and give them another life.

COMPLETED 26
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 26
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
    Bathroom Say No to "Flushable Wipes"
    Even though they are marketed as "flushable," disposable wipes do not disintegrate in water or the sewer system, and actually release microplastics into our waterways. How does it feel to learn this information? What do you want to do about it?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 2:18 PM
    Reach out to the company with facts and studies ask them to look into it and try to stop them producing those wipes.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom That Was a Close Shave
    What have you noticed about the economic and social impact of switching to steel razors? Was there ever really a need for disposable razors, or do you think it was just a way to sell more things?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 2:16 PM
    It was a way to sell more things which creates more waste.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Embrace Imperfection
    How has embracing imperfection impacted your plastic-free journey?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:48 PM
    I reuse every kind of plastic any way possible.
  • 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"?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:47 PM
    By reusing what we have we avoid buying extra things that cause clutter
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Save Jars for Reuse
    What's the most creative way you've reused a jar in your home?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:46 PM
    I wash the jars and place plants or fill them with home made jams and berries.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Is it trash...or a trash bag?
    It's only "single-use" if it's only used once! What are some other creative ways to reuse unavoidable "single-use" items?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:45 PM
    I reuse every single bag in my house. I reuse freezer bags, grocery bags and bread bags. I place trash in the bread bags. I label my freeze bags and reuse them every time.

    • Christine Kitch's avatar
      Christine Kitch 7/26/2024 7:54 PM
      Jeanne I read a post here I think recommending the mailers as homemade ice packs. Fill with water, duct tape it close, freeze.

    • Jeanne Poirier's avatar
      Jeanne Poirier 7/26/2024 7:26 PM
      Was going to say "me too" and remembered the F-n Amazon plastic bubble bag shipped to my husband for two tiny data things and I put the bag in trash - I detest Amazon. I'll pull it out and try to reuse as packaging protection. Christmas will be here before you know it.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Start Composting
    Do an inventory of how much food waste you would save from going to the landfill if you start composting all of the time. What are the added benefits of having compost that is readily accessible?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:42 PM
    I use it in the plants outside my house. I even place it in the water and use that water to water the plants.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Skip Plastic Bags
    It 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?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:42 PM
    When I come home from grocery shopping and unload the groceries I place the reusable bags back in my car right away so I would not forget.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Give Veggie Scraps Another Life
    Making veggie broth from scraps doesn't just reduce waste, it can also save you a ton of money! What are some of the ways you use veggie broth in your kitchen?

    Ripsime  Nikogosyan's avatar
    Ripsime Nikogosyan 7/26/2024 1:39 PM
    Make soups or drink the broth.