I will give my pets natural alternatives to toys like femur bones and antlers, canvas, natural rubber, hemp, rope or cotton toys. Or I will make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!
Completed One-Time Action
Personal Care
Pearly Whites
I will purchase toothpaste in an aluminum tube or in a glass jar or make my own!
Completed One-Time Action
Lifestyle
Share My Actions
I will post to my social media networks about how reducing our plastic use is important for both environmental justice and conservation.
Completed One-Time Action
Lifestyle
Travel Eating
If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.
Completed One-Time Action
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.
Completed One-Time Action
Lifestyle
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
Completed One-Time Action
Lifestyle
Homemade Cleaners
I will make 3 of my own cleaning products at home.
Completed One-Time Action
Lifestyle
Complete a Waste Audit
I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.
Completed One-Time Action
Community
Estimate My Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral
I will visit rePurpose website, complete the 3-minute plastic consumption calculator, and explore how I can reBalance my annual plastic footprint.
Completed One-Time Action
Food
Buy Unpackaged Produce
I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging, making sure to wash them well before using them.
COMPLETED 10 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Minimize Packaging
I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.
COMPLETED 14 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Plant a Garden
I will plant a herb or vegetable garden in my home, workplace, dorm room, or community garden.
Completed One-Time Action
Food
Make My Own
I will try new recipe(s) or food preparation method(s) each day, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.
COMPLETED 21 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste Meal
I will prepare 1 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.
COMPLETED 22 DAILY ACTIONS
Food
Use Reusable Containers
I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).
Now I can’t wait till I do my next load of laundry! My totally plastic-free detergent strips just arrived. One little strip dissolves and washes an entire load. Then, I have a dryer that I never use. I hang the clothes outside, where they dry in about 5 minutes and smell great.
This is a shout-out to everyone who participated in this year’s Challenge, the Reid Park Zoo team and all across the country. It’s heartening and encouraging to see so many people who are aware of and doing their best to reduce plastic waste and really, waste of all resources. Thank you, all participants; you give me hope! Keep up the effort!
I donated blood today. The Red Cross provided bottled water for after. I knew I had my refillable water bottle in the car, so I just waited till I got back there to drink. In addition to the plastic trash issue, it takes 3 times the amount of water in the bottle just to CREATE the plastic bottle. Ugh!
Oops, I meant to mention that I put the finished pesto into several repurposed small plastic tubs. Pesto freezes just fine, so I don’t have to use it all at once.
Unlike my other struggling or expired plants, basil copes with all this hot weather just fine. I harvested from my very healthy basil plant and made pesto this morning. That made me think I’d better figure out how to make sourdough pizza crust so I can make a killer pizza for dinner!
For those who might not be aware that you don’t have to accept plastic bags at supermarkets, etc. If they won’t put your purchases in your own reusable bag, you are permitted to bag your items yourself. Just ask the cashier to put those items loose in the cart so you can do it.
Rounding down on the end of the month, I have found this year’s challenge to be much easier. Last year I was traveling for a large part of the month, staying in Airbnbs, shopping for food, etc, in random stores, buying more prepared food. Reusable containers were a challenge, as was recycling. This year I’ve been able to avoid a huge amount of plastic and/or other single use stuff. The takeaway message? Avoid convenience food you don’t prepare from scratch at home.
We had saved the squeakers from a couple of ex-stuffed toys, so I sewed them into an old T-shirt and knotted one end. Chica doesn’t care that it doesn’t look cute!
Here for public entertainment is the entirety of my husband’s, our dog’s (shed fur and heartworm med pkg), and my trash for the past week. The bathroom basket has a similar number of tissues, and that’s all. The biggest part of our recycle bin is newspapers (since we currently can’t give them to the zoo!). In addition, one glass bottle, one glass jar, a few soy creamer and almond milk cartons, and a couple of plastic containers (cherry tomatoes, grapes). A couple of plastic bags from produce will be recycled at the supermarket. Composter gets all the food scraps.
Thank you, Carrie! Our recyclables were picked up just yesterday, but we’ll start saving them for the Zoo. Hooray! Um, where’s the commissary? (Send email if you want.)
This is amazing Sally and Art! The Zoo will take your newspapers, though, you have to drop them off at the commissary, but probably not wise while it's raining.
I’ve been very happy with the no-waste dishwasher pellets I bought (in a cardboard box). Now my laundry detergent is getting low, so I ordered a package of small, plastic-free laundry “sheets” I’ve been seeing advertised. Hope they get the clothes clean!
Carrie Dean 7/23/2020 12:51 PMThis is amazing Sally and Art! The Zoo will take your newspapers, though, you have to drop them off at the commissary, but probably not wise while it's raining.