SF Teaching Zoo Zero Wasters

Most people don't think about grabbing a bottle of water when they are going for a drive and don't have something to drink, so stop at a convenience store to grab a drink. Many of these places don't have water fountains, but I also haven't asked if I could use the water of the fountain machine either? I try to take my water bottle with me at...

Walking across campus today for a meeting, I saw plastic spoons wrapped in plastic bags dropped along the sidewalk. I started to walk past as I was trying to beat the rain, and then stopped, took a step back and started picking them up. I didn't see a place to dispose of them properly, so stuck them in my pocket and took back to the office. One...

It is a warm feeling knowing making a difference and not alone doing it. Having a team around helps to encourage me to want to do more.

Does anyone know if the City of Gainesville or the Alachua County Commission recognizes the month of July as Plastic Free July? That might be something for our Santa Fe Teaching Zoo Zero Wasters to look into for next year. They do this at the very beginning of their commission meetings.

Alachua County residents can get a free wire roll for compost collection at the Public Works office. Here is the link for the information. https://alachuacounty.us/Depts/SolidWaste/Residential/Pages/Composting.aspx

This has been a great eco challenge year. Besides the learning, I've started a garden and am looking forward to harvesting baby loofahs and peppers to eat. I'm also eager to bring my extra seeds to the library to use in their seed bank.

I love this coffee cup! I make my coffee at home and bring it with me to school/work. I just wash it and reuse each day!

We went out for lunch today and I asked for a water cup. Ugh, they only had styrofoam and I can't not drink something when eating! They also provided lids and straw. I wasn't able to catch to not take the lid yet, so I'm sure it was disposed of as it wouldn't be considered sanitary, when we left, as I didn't use the straw or lid. I always worry...

Today I calculated my ecological footprint and was very sad. It's difficult when you live with others that are not completely on board with the changes you want to make.

I have always been quick to use plastic baggies for everything - from lunches to toy parts. I recently purchased several small class containers with lids to replace those bags. I also have a few old jars that I can use to store household items. Although it won't change the worls overnight, I like that my family and especially my grandchildren