

Karen Schenk
"Lead by example, and invite others to help in the effort to eliminate single use plastic."
Points Total
- 0 Today
- 0 This Week
- 972 Total
Participant Impact
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up to1documentarieswatched
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up to1donationsmade
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up to110minutesspent learning
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up to205pieces of litterpicked up
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up to10petitionssigned
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up to2public officials or leaderscontacted
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up to21zero-waste mealsconsumed
Karen's Actions
Community
Write Letters or Emails
I will write 1 letter(s) or email(s) per day to a public official or company to advocate for plastic reduction policies that are better for both the planet and people.
Lifestyle
Travel Smart
If traveling, I will bring my own plastic free items (water bottle, grocery bags, collapsible food containers, utensils, straws, etc.) with me.
Community
Raise Money For a Nonprofit
I will raise money to support a nonprofit dedicated to plastic pollution reduction.
Personal Care
Just Say No
I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.
Lifestyle
Travel Toiletries
If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me in a TSA approved reusable quart sized bag.
Lifestyle
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
Lifestyle
Natural Fibers
When available, I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.
Family
Natural Paints
I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.
Community
Sign a Petition
I will sign a petition in support of a plastic-related initiative in my state/province.
Community
Join a Cleanup Effort
I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.
Community
Keep My Community Clean
I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day while following the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.
Community
Learn about Local Environmental Justice Concerns
I will spend 30 minutes learning about how plastic pollution affects members of my own community and how organizations in my community are working for change.
Food
Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste Meal
I will prepare 2 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.
Pets
Thrifty Pets
I will find secondhand sources for my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes.
Feed
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Karen Schenk 7/31/2020 5:37 PMDid buy the paint with best intentions to paint two walls of one of the rooms that needs some touch up.... but did not get to the chore yet, so plastic free efforts will continue past July! -
Reflection QuestionFood Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste MealDo an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some resuable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable?
Karen Schenk 7/30/2020 8:29 PMWhile on vacation, it ca be challenging to remain plastic free. When visiting new places we did make sure to support local restaurants. -
Reflection QuestionCommunity Join a Cleanup EffortHow does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?
Karen Schenk 7/30/2020 8:26 PMI had hoped to join a clean-up effort during our Plastic Free July challenge, but was unable to complete pull this goal off. However! i did research ways in which to develop a community clean-up effort along our O'Shaughnessy north of the Zoo, and resources for other community clean-up efforts through City of Columbus. You can visit this link to find resources as well! https://www.columbus.gov/volunteers/ -
Karen Schenk 7/27/2020 9:10 PMHas anyone had any luck with resources for used dog collars and leashes? I have been unsuccessful with online searches.-
Jennifer Ryan 7/29/2020 12:39 PMThe Goodwill has pet dishes sometimes, maybe they have leashes/collars too?
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Karen Schenk 7/28/2020 9:59 PMRachel -
Thanks for the tips! I will give this a try. -
Rachel Handy 7/28/2020 7:38 PMKaren,
Have you tried New Uses? I'm not sure if the store is open right now due to Covid, but in the past I shopped there often for lots of gently used (or new!) items. Another online method you could try might be Facebook marketplace, or even just posting to friends and family to see if anyone has extras lying around not in use. Good Luck!
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Karen Schenk 7/27/2020 9:04 PMMy periodic search for petitions has lead me to many resources and organizations that are working towards change. It is both enlightening to read these articles as well as inspiring and uplifting - many voices can make a difference. -
Karen Schenk 7/26/2020 9:14 PMToday we struggled. We were armed with reusable water containers, but the water was suspect at the hotel, and out of anxst we fell prey to purchasing bottled water. There is tomorrow!!! -
Karen Schenk 7/23/2020 6:21 PMAs I packed for our family road trip, I used an old bottle to fill with lotion. It was not easy, and it was not pretty... but I was successful. HA! It felt good to do this little task and to refill old shampoo and face wash containers. -
Karen Schenk 7/20/2020 8:12 PMTonight is take the trash and recycling to the curb night. While I did not do a complete audit, I will say that we have done well to reduce our garbage and we compost regularly. We recycle far more than we throw away - but ultimately, we need to re-commit to non-plastic packaging. -
Karen Schenk 7/19/2020 3:58 PMMy daughter and I grew a vegetable garden again this summer, and now that the yellow squash and zucchini are coming in, we are vegetable rich. We have been sharing with co-workers at the Zoo and at her place of work. No plastic in the exchanges!-
joy kotheimer 7/20/2020 9:28 AMAs soon as my tomatoes take off I will likely bring some in too!
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Karen Schenk 7/14/2020 7:28 PMManager of the Day duties gave me the extra opportunity to pick up trash and litter... and it was a gorgeous day, so really not a chore at all!-
Alison Edwards 7/15/2020 7:29 PMThis is awesome. I think its so cool that we can lead by example by picking up trash that we see on grounds ( and everywhere else)!
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