Skip to main content
Karl Horak's avatar

Karl Horak

ABQ BioPark

"Keep the EcoChallenge going year round. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 966 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    52
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    130
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    32
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    51
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    36
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

Karl's actions

Food

Choose Reusable Food Storage

I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Personal Care

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 3 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Go Strawless

I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Fill a Water Bottle

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

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Plant a Garden

I will plant a herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

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?


  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/31/2022 9:01 AM
    I'm rather surprised that I only missed one day of this month's challenge.  Lots of grey circles, though.  That I attribute to the fact that two actions have to do with shopping:  minimize packaging and skip the plastic bag.  Unless I go shopping, I don't check those.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Minimize Packaging
    With the added mindfulness of reducing your packaging, what have you noticed about the amount and type of single use plastics used for packaging when you shop in the grocery store?

    Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/29/2022 9:24 PM
    Single-use plastics are everywhere.  Even our environmentally conscious Co-op has plastic deli containers.  :-(  Today, though, I bought fruits and vegetables at Smith's without a single plastic bag.  Yay!

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/29/2022 9:16 PM
    Nothing plastic-wise to post, so I'm going with a brilliant Hibiscus just to snag 5 pts.

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/29/2022 9:11 PM
    Trailing behind Danielle Pickett by only a handful of points with only two days left.  This one will go down to the wire. 

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/27/2022 9:14 PM
    Lunch today was from the local Co-op's deli... sadly with each of 3 dishes in plastic containers.  But I bought a bunch of nectarines, apples, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, and broccoli without using a single bag, plastic or otherwise.  Just dumped it all into a single large cloth bag.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Choose Reusable Food Storage
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/26/2022 4:05 AM
    I avoid single-use plastic containers mostly by reusing them.  A favorite source is KFC.  They have some really handy sizes and shapes of tough, microwavable containers with lids that they serve their side dishes in. 

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/26/2022 4:00 AM
    Sunday went fine, but Monday I slid off the rails because I ate lunch at the Shark Reef.  Forgot my reusable bamboo straw and had to make do with a plastic straw.

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/20/2022 2:26 PM
    Day-am!  It's hot.  Although the ecochallenge is going OK, I must confess that I'm drinking a cold Perrier from a plastic bottle right now.  After working outside, I'm not going to quibble with heat stroke.  

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/17/2022 2:50 PM
    Double-walled vacuum water bottle full of ice and chilled water was a lifesaver yesterday at the Dragonfly Festival -- 103° by my reckoning. 

  • Karl Horak's avatar
    Karl Horak 7/15/2022 9:28 AM
    Still chugging along; still far behind the team leaders.