Skip to main content
Kelley Schultheis's avatar

Kelley Schultheis

The Maryland Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 905 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    8.8
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    39
    whole food meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    185
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Kelley's actions

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!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Better Highlighters

Instead of buying new plastic highlighters, I will simply use colored pencils instead for all of my highlighting needs.

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Whole Foods Meals

Prioritizing whole foods is one of the most effective ways to avoid single-use plastic in the kitchen, since most whole foods can be purchased without any packaging. This month, I will prepare 1 whole foods-based meals at home each day.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 15 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

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 20 minutes outside in nature, and share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the Participant Feed.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Fight Local Food Waste

Who says saving money and saving the planet don't go together? Using an app like Too Good To Go or Flashfood, I'll help rescue food from local bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores that would otherwise go to waste.

COMPLETED 4
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
    Community Join a Cleanup Effort
    What was the most unexpected piece of trash that was picked up during your local cleanup effort?

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:34 PM
    We took campers on a hike to pick up trash and one of them found an airtag. That was unexpected and a bit odd.

    • Christine Kitch's avatar
      Christine Kitch 7/31/2024 1:41 PM
      I picked one up too and learned the hard way to make sure you deactivate it!
      1. Press down on the back of the AirTag where the Apple logo is
      2. Twist counterclockwise
      3. Remove the cover and take out the battery
      4. Recycle at a Staples or Apple Store or BestBuy
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom Embrace Imperfection
    How has embracing imperfection impacted your plastic-free journey?

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:34 PM
    Soo . . . I'd like to use more plastic free products, but there are times when that just isn't practical. However, I try to keep doing what I can when I can and hope that each little step helps.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Go For a Walk
    What have you noticed about your mental and/or physical health while going on daily walks? How has it affected other areas of your life?

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:33 PM
    I like when I can start my day with a walk. That doesn't always happen, but when it does it is a good way to transition into the day.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Whole Foods Meals
    Share your favorite whole foods-based meal recipe with us!

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:32 PM
    I enjoy doing overnight oats. They are a quick easy breakfast that uses less packaging than cereal or breakfast bars. Oats (milk or milk substitute) and then I add fruit the next day.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen Fight Local Food Waste
    What was your experience like using these kinds of apps? How can you advocate for more businesses to participate?

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:30 PM
    I've tried the TooGoodToGo app and it is pretty fun. I like that it diverts food waste, saves me money, and is a grab bag of surprise.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Become a Recycling Pro
    What have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?

    Kelley Schultheis's avatar
    Kelley Schultheis 7/31/2024 1:29 PM
    I learned that I can recycle my fitbit at Best Buy. But also I can purchase refurbished fitbits instead of new.