Madison Yocks

Missouri Botanical Garden

"Just a horticulturist doing her part to save the world."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
860 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

36

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

29

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

4,130

minutes

spent outdoors

Madison's 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 120 minutes outside in nature, and share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the Participant Feed.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

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.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Eco Detergent

Ditch the plastic jugs, artificial dyes, and harmful ingredients! When it's time to replace my current laundry detergent, I will switch to a natural laundry detergent that is packaged in glass or aluminum, or an alternative like soap nuts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Is it trash...or a trash bag?

The plastic industry has convinced us that some plastic bags are "trash bags," while others are just "trash." Instead of throwing empty bags away (such as bread bags, pet food bags, etc.), I will reuse them as trash bags.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Better Gum

Ever wonder how gum can stay chewy for so long without ever breaking down? Yep - it's plastic! This month, I will give up gum or choose gum made from chicle or other plastic-free gum bases.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Save Jars for Reuse

Pinterest may want you to think that you need a cupboard full of matching mason jars, but reusing what we already have is one of the best ways to reduce our waste. This month, instead of recycling glass jars (such as pasta sauce, pickles, and salsa jars), I will save them to reuse for food storage.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Get Scrappy

Get creative in the kitchen (or the garden)! Before tossing food scraps, I'll explore other ways to utilize the scraps and give them another life.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

Whenever possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags. I will either use my own reusable bags, or keep my items loose.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

Bottled water corporations make plastic bottles, not water. If the tap water in my area is safe for consumption, I will use a reusable bottle instead and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottles a day.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thoughtful Toys

I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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

Does your child play differently with natural or repurposed toys than with other toys? If so, how?
Madison Yocks 7/30/2024 4:13 AM
I actually bought these items for a friends child, and they were all thrifted besides one set of colorful wooden blocks that I had purchased. While it was sustainable to give the thrifted toys new life, he was much more enamored with the wooden blocks! I thought the Paw Patrol themed toys I found at our local Goodwill would definitely take the cake. However, it was much more enjoyable for him to play with these blocks as he was able to build stables for his horses as he never could before! This also encourages creativity and shows just how much a little goes a long way. While his parents tell me he enjoys his Paw Patrol set, I will be on the lookout for more blocks, and hopefully score some Lincoln Logs at a secondhand store soon!

Read More
Madison Yocks 7/29/2024 6:40 AM
I joined this challenge to give myself more awareness into the world of sustainability. By doing these daily actions I have become much more aware of sustainable practices and how to incorporate them into my every day life. It is a very rewarding feeling knowing that such simple tasks are really making a difference, no matter how small!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Bathroom

What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?
Madison Yocks 7/24/2024 4:06 AM
I think there are many benefits to switching from bottled products to bar soaps and conditioners. My personal favorite brand to utilize this with is Lush. They make sustainable, clean ingredient soaps with eco-friendly packaging. I think the benefits to these include being easier to travel with since there is much less water added to bar soaps, they last much longer because of this, this in return saves money down the line, and the ingredients are healthier for your skin and hair. While there are many more benefits to using bar soaps, this was more than enough for me to make the switch! Just remember to use up what you have first, before going out and buying more products.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

How difficult was this action for you? Is this something you'll be continuing after this challenge ends?
Madison Yocks 7/24/2024 3:58 AM
This challenge really wasn't all that difficult to complete. I was surprised with how many sites I could find with information about reusing kitchen scraps. Through this process I ended up finding some really great recipes and they are all sustainable too! My favorite recipe that I also found was the easiest was a vegetable broth using frozen scraps. I use vegetables in every meal and have always felt terrible about throwing out the scraps since I do not have the option for composting. However, this challenge has made me realize just how easy it can actually be!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

Why do you chew gum? What habits could replace and meet your reasons for chewing gum?
Madison Yocks 7/16/2024 7:39 AM
I chew gum for the sake of everyone else around me- especially after my morning coffee! I am a naturally anxious person and when I am particularly stressed I tend to grind my teeth. Having gum in lessens the harm on my teeth as it gives them something else to do. I have been looking into mastic gum and this challenge finally made me order some! I had no idea I was eating microplastics everyday- how terrible! I switched to an all natural gum that helps strengthen my jaw, doesn't contain harmful ingredients, lasts way longer, and is made sustainably. I am eager to try it out!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

It can be easy to forget to bring your reusable bags to the store with you - especially if you're going somewhere besides the grocery store. What are your favorite ways to remember your reusable bags?
Madison Yocks 7/16/2024 7:35 AM
My favorite way to stop forgetting my reusable bags is by leaving them in my car! I have a bag of reusable bags that sits in the back of all of my families vehicles just in case we make an unplanned grocery store visit. Even my boyfriends work truck has a few in the backseat, you never know when they will come in handy!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

It's only "single-use" if it's only used once! What are some other creative ways to reuse unavoidable "single-use" items?
Madison Yocks 7/16/2024 7:06 AM
Other ways to reuse "single use" items is by finding a new life for the product. If you can't think of a way to use it, then try to give it away to someone who can! It is always better to at least try then sending straight to the landfill. Luckily we have a "free table" at MBG that I utilize quite often! Another way I have found to share these items is on "buy nothing" Facebook groups. It always feels better to help out someone in need rather than throwing away more trash. One mans trash is another mans treasure!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

What's the most creative way you've reused a jar in your home?
Madison Yocks 7/16/2024 7:02 AM
The most creative way that I have reused a jar in my home is using it as a propagation station of course! I only purchase my pasta sauce, pizza sauce, and salsa in glass containers to help lessen my impact on landfills. I then use these jars to water propagate plants to share with my friends! I also started purchasing some of these products at the Tower Grove Market where most of the vendors will actually take the jars back to reuse.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

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?
Madison Yocks 7/16/2024 4:08 AM
I love going on walks! I feel much more refreshed overall and I have noticed that I sleep much better at night if I take a walk right before bed. I also feel as though my eating habits have benefited as I snack much less before and after my daily walks. I have felt slightly more energized at work the last week or so as well. I have seen no negative impacts from my daily exercise and I plan to make this a permanent habit!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Bedroom

Was this an easy or difficult swap for you to make? Did you have any concerns before making the swap?
Madison Yocks 7/10/2024 4:24 AM
This was a fairly easy swap to make. After learning about all of the harmful chemicals in laundry detergents I decided that I was going to try to make my own out of ingredients that I trust. I was mostly worried that a homemade detergent wouldn't be able to get all the dirt out of my work clothes, but I was pleasantly surprised! The hardest part was making it through the stockpile of laundry pods that I had accumulated over the years! It took a while, but finally after I got through all of my pre-owned detergent, I was able to DIY my own liquid detergent batch with castile soap, borax, and a few other ingredients. I like it so much more than the store bought because I get to choose the scent, it lasts much longer, and it isn't harmful to my health!

Read More