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![Mandi Townzen's avatar](/system/users/avatars/000/124/938/thumb/F1892208-52AB-4E67-8D5E-16847088907C.jpeg?1593182006)
Mandi Townzen
"To try and make small changes and grow and learn"
POINTS TOTAL
- 45 TODAY
- 390 THIS WEEK
- 1,740 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO31disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO10minutesspent learning
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UP TO35pounds of paperhave been saved
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UP TO1plastic bottlenot sent to the landfill
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UP TO39plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO12plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO400gallons of waterhave been saved
Mandi's actions
Family + Pets
Get rid of glitter
Teach my little ones about how microplastics can effect craft time
Bedroom
Reuse old furniture
Not to worry about matching bedroom furniture but more focus on lifetime of how long things last
Kitchen
Choose Unpackaged Produce
I will purchase unpackaged produce at the grocery store or at the farmer's market.
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.
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.
Kitchen
Go Strawless
Each year, the International Coastal Cleanup reports that plastic straws and stirrers are one of the Top 10 most-collected items from their cleanups (top 5 in the US!). I will keep 2 plastic straws and/or stirrers out of the landfill each day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.
Bedroom
Multiple Wears Before Washing
The simple, necessary, daily act of washing our clothes slowly degrades the quality of our clothes due to the friction involved in the process. To extend the life of my clothes, whenever possible, I will wear items multiple times before washing.
Family + Pets
Balloons Blow
Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 5 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.
Bedroom
Ditch Dryer Sheets
Plastic sheets coated in softeners, lubricants, and fragrances, dryer sheets just aren't great for the planet or our bodies. Instead, I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.
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
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 4 disposable cups to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or travel cup.
Kitchen
Switch to Loose Leaf Tea
Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.
Kitchen
Use The Dishwasher
Using your dishwasher doesn't just save water! I will use my dishwasher whenever possible to extend the life of my sponges and dish cloths, and shed less microfibers from them.
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
Eco Deodorant
Conventional deodorant tubes are typically made from plastics #4 and #5, which are rarely accepted for recycling - especially together. When it's time to replace my current deodorant, I will replace it with a plastic-free option.
Bathroom
Sustainable Suds
In the UK, the average person creates 512kg (1,129lbs) of waste in the bathroom over the course of their lifetime - 50% of which ends up in a landfill. As they run out, I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.
Bathroom
Use What You Have
The only thing worse than a single-use item is a zero-use item! I will use (and use up) what I already have in my home before buying something new.
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.
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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Mandi Townzen 7/26/2024 9:22 AMWhat was everyone’s biggest obstacle? -
Mandi Townzen 7/25/2024 5:25 PMOne of my favorite additions to the zoo in the last year is the bottle filling machines in more accessible places for everyone!-
Gillian Lang 7/26/2024 2:17 PMMine too, I was always a little leery of refilling my bottle at the water fountains. I love seeing the numbers going up and knowing that's less plastic waste being generated! -
Kelly Dillow 7/26/2024 11:29 AMI also love this!
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Mandi Townzen 7/25/2024 5:23 PMWhat’s everyone’s biggest struggle to change?-
Gillian Lang 7/26/2024 2:19 PMFor me it's always going to be the challenge of getting fresh fruit, especially berries that aren't in plastic. They are even in plastic clamshells at farmers markets. -
Kelly Dillow 7/26/2024 11:32 AMI did not even make it a goal because I am realistic about my efforts, but the hardest area for me with single use plastic is food. I am all about embracing imperfection, so I don't beat myself up about it. The convenience of pre-cut, frozen, or packaged food lowers the barrier enough for me to eat healthier and ultimately reduce food waste. Maybe next year I will build up enough energy to tackle my food habits! -
Rose Bemo 7/26/2024 9:14 AMI need to get better at taking reusable utensils with me. I've conquered the reusable bags for groceries, this year, I'll focus on utensils. (I found a set at the Refillery that caught my eye)
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Mandi Townzen 7/23/2024 9:18 AMHow long do people on average hold on to their phones before upgrading for a new one.-
Gillian Lang 7/26/2024 2:21 PMWe keep our phones until they break and are no longer able to be repaired. -
Kelly Dillow 7/23/2024 2:41 PMOkay according to google it is 2.5 years. I keep my phones for as long as possible. I bought my phone used and have had it for 3 years and it is starting to struggle, which is such a bummer. I am hoping to purchase a used repairable phone, such as Fairphone, for my next one. It drives me crazy how our electronics are designed to fail and be tossed instead of repaired.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONStudy Recycle My TechBesides reusing materials, what are some other environmental, societal, and economical benefits of recycling our old electronics?
Mandi Townzen 7/23/2024 9:17 AMEconomically if you buy a phone second hand could impact being able to use that product longer and get more life out of it. Also recycling helps to reuse materials where they would not have to use new materials from the earth to produce. -
Mandi Townzen 7/22/2024 12:37 PMThose box meals have become very popular that are sent to your house like blue apron, however there is a lot of plastic involved do you think there are better ways for those companies to do less packaging with same result?-
Kelly Dillow 7/23/2024 2:43 PMJennifer D'Agostino feels very passionate about this! You should chat with her about it sometime.
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Mandi Townzen 7/21/2024 1:43 PMWe are getting to the last bit of the month! -
Mandi Townzen 7/21/2024 1:42 PMRemember on national ice cream day by choosing a cone you can eat the container it’s served in and create less waste! Lol-
Rose Bemo 7/22/2024 4:50 AMWhat kind of animal doesn’t choose a cone?! 🤣
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Mandi Townzen 7/21/2024 1:41 PMLet’s go Oklahoma City zoo! -
Mandi Townzen 7/19/2024 12:23 PMAnyone who works at the zoo utilize public transportation to get to
Work?-
Kelly Dillow 7/19/2024 12:45 PMI do not, but OKC approved a BRT route that will go to the adventure district. This should make public transportation easier for a lot of folks to go to the zoo. Construction on this will start in 2028 which is a bummer, but at least it will happen!
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