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Cruz Ortiz
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 335 THIS WEEK
- 2,175 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO50disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1food itemproperly stored
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UP TO2conversationswith people
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UP TO72minutesspent learning
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UP TO35pounds of paperhave been saved
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UP TO46plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO21plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO76pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1waste auditconducted
Cruz's actions
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 2 disposable cups to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or travel cup.
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 20 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.
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.
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.
Bathroom
Pearly Whites
Nearly all toothpaste tubes are made from multiple layers of different types of plastic and aluminum, making them impossible to recycle and destined for landfill. When it's time to replace my current toothpaste, I will replace it with a plastic-free option.
Community
Share my "why"
I will record a 15-20 second video sharing why I am taking action for the planet.
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.
Family + Pets
Use Reusable Baby Wipes
I will make better choices for the environment and my baby's bum by using reusable baby wipes most or all of the time.
Family + Pets
Thoughtful Toys
I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!
Family + Pets
Discover Together
I will spend 10 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.
Community
Advocate For Better Food Packaging
I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.
Community
Learn about Environmental Justice
Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 15 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.
Community
Research Local Waste Sites
I will spend 15 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
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.
Family + Pets
DIY Cat Litter
I will swap out my cat's litter for sawdust, mulch, or dirt with baking soda.
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 15 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.
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
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!).
Bedroom
Sunshine Bleached
I will hang-dry my laundry to use the sun as a natural bleach alternative, or use another natural bleach alternative.
Bedroom
Natural Fibers
When available, I will purchase clothing and bedding made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.
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.
Bathroom
Bidet All Day
The average American uses about 141 rolls of toilet paper each year, most of which is wrapped in plastic film. To cut down on my toilet paper usage, I will install a bidet in my bathroom.
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.
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
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.
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!
Kitchen
Plastic-Free Produce Storage
Produce doesn't need to be stored in plastic bags to stay fresh! I will learn how to properly store my produce to extend its freshness without single-use plastic.
Kitchen
Choose Unpackaged Produce
I will purchase unpackaged produce at the grocery store or at the farmer's market.
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 2 disposable plastic bottles a day.
Kitchen
Use Reusable Utensils
Whether I'm at work, on the go, or having food delivered, I will keep 2 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.
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.
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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REFLECTION QUESTIONBedroom Natural FibersWhat are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:58 PMNatural fibers are biodegradable and much more comfortable, in my opinion. Just these two benefits alone definitely have a positive impact on people, animals, and the environment. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBedroom Clean the Dryer VentWhen was the last time you cleaned your dryer's air vents? Was it easier or more difficult than you anticipated?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONBathroom That Was a Close ShaveWhat 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?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:44 PMSteel razors are much better, sturdier and the blades last longer. Yes, there is an initial higher cost and the blades refills are not cheap, but they are more economical long term. And of course, less contribution to the plastic problem. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Use a Reusable MugDid 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?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:39 PMI figured I would encounter resistance. Therefore, I just prepared my own coffee at home and for a lot less! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Plastic-Free Produce StorageIn the United States, 30-40% of all edible food goes to waste. What are some other ways you can reduce food waste in your home?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:36 PMFirst, have a plan for what will be needed for the week and don't buy anymore than necessary. Avoid the big food chains as much as possible and buy in small local markets as much as possible. It is easier to buy only what is needed in this smaller establishments. Large chains have most products already pre-packaged and the consumer often ends up buying more than necessary. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Choose Unpackaged ProduceWhy do you think these produce products started amassing so much plastic packaging? Who is the plastic packaging really serving -- the consumer, the producer, or someone else?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:30 PMI believe most of the plastic used for produce packaging is unnecessary, and I think it benefits the producer as it may be easier to handle and sell the product to the big food chains. But it may also be a way to make the consumer buy more. For instance, I see potatoes often come in bags of 10 lbs. Maybe you only need a couple of pounds, but since it is already packaged in the bag of 10 lbs, you end up buying the 10 lbs. A portion of which usually go to waste. -
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?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:23 PMI place a number of them in my car's trunk right after use. This way I make sure I will have them available for re-use. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Use Reusable UtensilsHow 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?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:19 PMBy raising awareness of the issues with using plastics and other non-biodegradable products. Also, by trying to convince them that packaged food usually costs more and that there are healthier and more environmentally sustainable options like buying fresh unpackaged groceries and cooking our food at home. This way one can avoid plastics used in packaging products while more likely to use reusable utensils. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONKitchen Fill a Water BottleInvestigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed by this bottling process?
Cruz Ortiz 7/25/2024 1:12 PMBy writing to local representatives, and telling friends and family about the offending corporation to boycott their product.