Save the Florida manatees and our waterways!

I learned that women are disproportionately likely to suffer from plastic toxicity which is incredibly frustrating and demoralizing. However, I also watched an inspiring video on Nzambi Matee who makes pavers out of plastic waste and was a 'Young Champion of the Earth' Award winner. As she says, "You have to be True to your Why."

There seem to be a lot of various plastics that aren't necessary. I purchased some reusable bags in different sizes to replace using the produce bags from the store, but so many items are wrapped and double-wrapped in too much plastic.

So many things are individually packaged using plastic. You don't realize how much waste you produce that will not easily biodegrade! Trying to buy in bulk is a good way to reduce putting all those little packages into a landfill

I think many people would embrace reusable straws if they became more readily available. Restaurants would be a great place to start, particularly with their large-scale sanitizers, which would be able to clean them thoroughly between guests. This would give people a chance to try a reusable straw out, while also reducing the number of straws...

Switching to reusable bags rather than plastic is a relatively easy switch to make in my daily life. These days there are so many fun and unique reusable bag patterns! And I always get compliments on my ZooTampa giraffe tote :)

The benefits of a sharing economy are sharing resources and reducing waste. By sharing our unused stuff we are keeping items out of the dump and avoiding unnecessary upurchasing. It is a more responsible use of our resources. Today, I took the time to learn how to and repair an old notebook for my daughter that can be used at college.

I've had a good month, after a bit of a slow start. My household has made some changes which I hope will make maintaining this momentum easier. We have some natural cleaners, I've switched to a metal razor, and I've invested in more loose leaf tea. I've gotten into the habit of carrrying a reusable restaurant leftovers to go container with me...

GOOOIIINNNGGG GGGGREEEEEEEAAAAT!!!

To all my ecofriendly peeps out there...thank you for being a part of the Plastic Free July challenge. Your efforts truly matter!

HI! We're almost there. As July winds down, I would like to thank everyone for their continued commitment and your efforts to make a positive impact on the world. There's still one last day to be a part of something big and meaningful this summer - by joining the Zoo's Save the Florida manatees and our waterways. After tomorrow you can...