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Stephen Vrla's avatar

Stephen Vrla

Detroit Zoological Society

"My mission is to help other people, animals, and the environment and support others in doing the same."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 405 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    conversation
    with a person
  • UP TO
    1.0
    disposable cup
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    10
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    1.0
    pieces plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    3.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    3.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

Stephen's actions

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 10 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 15 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Tour A Waste Management Facility

I will spend at least 15 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 15 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Share My Actions

I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 15 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Invest in a Pooper-Scooper

I will swap out my single use plastic bags for a pooper-scooper.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Learn about Plastic Production

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Plastic History Buff

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 3 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Numbers Everywhere

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot - and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn what these numbers mean and which types of plastics are accepted for recycling in my area.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Follow the Chasing Arrows

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 15 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own travel cup.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Kitchen

Go Strawless

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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
    Family + Pets Invest in a Pooper-Scooper
    How are caring for your pet and caring for the environment connected for you?

    Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/08/2023 10:05 AM
    I think of companion animals as ambassadors to us from the more-than-human world. Providing for my dog's needs reminded me that wild animals also have needs, and protecting the environment is a way that I can help wild animals meet their needs.

  • Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/08/2023 9:56 AM
    My Plastic Free EcoChallenge 2023 started well, but I failed to complete my daily actions and check in about them toward the end of the week. Rather than getting down on myself or giving up, I'm choosing to learn from the experience and apply what I learn to the rest of the challenge. One of the main lessons I've learned is how important being prepared is to consistently completing my daily actions. For example, it's very easy to use reusable bottles, mugs, and utensils if they're all clean and easy to find in the morning, but much more difficult if one of them is dirty or missing.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Keep My Community Clean
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/08/2023 9:44 AM
    Picking up litter makes me feel a deeper sense of belonging to my community, including its human and non-human inhabitants.

  • Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/08/2023 9:04 AM
    Hi DZS Team!

    Congratulations on completing the first week of the Plastic Free EcoChallenge! It's been great to see how many people have joined the team, checked in, and commented in the team feed.

    If you haven't been able to participate as much as you'd intended to, please don't get discouraged! Perfect is the enemy of good, and there is still plenty of time to build some sustainable habits this month :)

    Best,

    Stephen
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Tour A Waste Management Facility
    Landfills and recycling centers tell us a lot about our communities and purchasing habits. What did you glean from your tour?

    Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/01/2023 1:28 PM
    I was struck by how much waste we produce on a daily basis and how much potential there is to reduce that amount. For example, as I was watching the virtual tour of a recycling facility, I saw a lot of single-use plastic packaging. It reminded me how important it is to use reusable containers whenever possible.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Learn about Environmental Justice
    What did you and your family learn about environmental justice? What questions came up for you? What feelings?

    Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/01/2023 11:27 AM
    The resources reminded me that environmental issues are social issues, and vice versa. The main question that came up was, How can I use these and other resources to respond to people who argue that we have to help humans before we help the environment?

  • Stephen Vrla's avatar
    Stephen Vrla 7/01/2023 7:44 AM
    Ready, set, go!
    We are kicking off our eco-challenge TODAY, July 1. How will you help us achieve our goal of reducing plastic waste this month? Will you ditch plastic straws, wash your laundry with eco detergent or pick up litter around your community? There are so many ways to get involved — browse the challenge actions to learn how you can make a difference. Together, we can protect animal habitats, support our environment and pave the way for a greener future.
    Thank you for joining us!