

Sam Peterson
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,565 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO33poundswaste avoided
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UP TO23conversationswith people
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UP TO458minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO35minutesspent learning
Sam's actions
Community
Give Some Green Gratitude
Don't forget to celebrate the good! This month, I will give shout-outs on social media, my office's internal communication channels, or the Participant Feed to a local company, coworker, friend, or family member for their sustainable efforts.
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.
Community
Go For a Walk
Science has shown that focused time in nature calms our over-worked frontal lobe and gives space for the areas of our brain associated with emotions, pleasure, and empathy to take over, providing a sense of calm that is measurable in brain scans and even blood tests. Each day this month, I will spend 10 minutes outside in nature, and share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the Participant Feed.
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.
Bedroom
Rethink Returns
While most stores offer lenient return policies, what actually happens to all of those returns? I will spend 30 minutes learning about what happens to returns and how I can make better purchasing decisions to avoid returns in the future.
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!
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 30 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.
Study
Recycle My Tech
There's value in our old electronics! This month, I will properly recycle any old laptops, tablets, cell phones, or other electronics I have lying around so the raw materials can be reused and reduce demand for virgin materials - thereby also protecting critical wildlife habitat for animals such as gorillas and forest elephants.
Participant Feed
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Sam Peterson 7/31/2024 4:16 PMCongratulations to all on another great challenge! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBedroomHow has learning what happens to returns influenced how you make purchasing decisions?
Sam Peterson 7/30/2024 10:20 AMI knew the situation was bad but it's worse than I thought. The solution is to buy less in general (and manufacture less - another kettle of fish!) so I will continue trying to limit consumption to needs only. -
Sam Peterson 7/29/2024 2:40 PMWorked on a little make-do-and-mend over the weekend to convert a long-sleeved shirt into something more useable in the Texas heat. The sleeves will be repurposed for cuffs and collar on a future project.-
Jeanne Poirier 7/29/2024 5:00 PMCreative mending/repair sewing of clothes - especially those favorite clothes, is one of my greatest joys.
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Sam Peterson 7/26/2024 12:31 PMOne more week to go! Time for a strong finish! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunityThere are many pros and cons to social media use in today's society. How can you mindfully use social media as a tool for connection and sharing your values with your community?
Sam Peterson 7/25/2024 10:09 AMI stay off social media myself but I appreciate its utility for bringing communities together, educating people, and promoting helpful initiatives like the zero waste movement. The challenge is making sure users have critical thinking skills and know how to spot misinformation. Better regulation would help! -
Sam Peterson 7/23/2024 10:57 AMLast night I saw a commercial from the American Plastics Council touting the benefits of chemical recycling. Not falling for that greenwashing, thank you! -
Sam Peterson 7/22/2024 1:25 PMTo any bakers out there, what is the best alternative to cling film / plastic wrap for wrapping pastry or pie dough when it needs to chill in the refrigerator? Do beeswax wraps or silicone bags work just as well? -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunityHave you noticed a difference in how your community, friends, and family members use plastics since you've shared your own actions?
Sam Peterson 7/19/2024 10:24 AMI'm proud that my family has embraced sustainable habits and come to me for tips on reducing waste. They get just as annoyed about the burden disproportionately falling on the consumer instead of the manufacturers. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBedroomCompared to your previous experiences with decluttering, how was this experience with sustainable decluttering different?
Sam Peterson 7/18/2024 2:15 PMI enjoyed seeing a material improvement in a friend's life first-hand rather than donating items to anonymous places like Goodwill. -
Sam Peterson 7/17/2024 2:31 PMDue to a wacky schedule today I had a microwave meal for lunch for the first time in years. I was able to recycle most of the packaging and used a regular fork but it was not enjoyable. Definitely incentive to avoid future lunch emergencies!