Betsy Atwood

National Aquarium

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
682 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

49

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

25

minutes

spent learning

Betsy's actions

Family

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 10 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

A Sustainable Flow

I will make the switch to sustainable, reusable period products.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Family

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 60 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Eco Deodorant

I will switch to a plastic-free deodorant — whether purchased or DIY'd.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Estimate My Plastic Consumption

I will visit the rePurpose website, complete the 3-minute plastic consumption calculator, and explore how I can reBalance my annual plastic footprint.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Ditch Dryer Sheets

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at 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

How does swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruit or veggies benefit your family?
Betsy Atwood 7/23/2022 6:36 AM
Besides obviously reducing our use of single use plastics, swapping pre-packaged items for fresh fruits or veggies helps encourage my family to make better decisions for our heath. I personally notice I feel full and satisfied longer after eating fruit than if I were to grab a bag of chips.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Lifestyle

Often, single-use and disposable products don't just create more trash - they also contain toxins that are bad for humans. What are some other single-use items that are harmful to humans?
Betsy Atwood 7/19/2022 8:41 AM
Single use items like plastic water bottles contain harmful chemicals that can leech into the water we are ingesting. These chemicals are endocrine disrupters that can have a negative impact on our hormones and reproductive systems.

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- Jaime Webster 7/23/2022 7:29 AM
  And also the plastic films/packaging on microwavable items - people think bc it says 'microwave-safe' it means its non-toxic, but that just means the plastic won't melt - not that it won't leach into your food! Ew.
  
  Read More
Betsy Atwood 7/11/2022 8:18 AM
I am learning so much through these challenges. I definitely have a lot of room for improvement, but I find myself thinking about ways to reduce my plastic usage on a daily basis. I've made some permanent changes already!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?
Betsy Atwood 7/07/2022 2:46 PM
I consume far too much plastic. I am not surprised that the majority of my plastic usage come from food. We eat out (or in) far too often. My husband and I are going to try to be more conscientious of our food options in the future. We will also be purchasing bulk containers to store foods so that we don't have to buy so many single use packages.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Personal Care

Do some research on the toxic side affects of aluminum deodorant. After reading the side effects, can you think of instances where you may have experienced the side effects from this form of deodorant?
Betsy Atwood 7/03/2022 10:16 AM
The toxicity of aluminum deodorants is still debated among the scientific community. I am unsure of whether I have personally been affected by aluminum toxins, but I do feel better using a plastic-free deodorant. It feels cleaner and less "chemical" than my usual deodorant.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?
Betsy Atwood 7/03/2022 10:03 AM
This challenge isn't difficult for me. The hardest part is remembering to bring the reusable bags wherever I go. I made it easier by putting a box in my trunk of reusable bags, Tupperware, and extra water bottles.

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Betsy Atwood 6/13/2022 1:33 PM
Looking forward to reducing my personal use of plastics as well as learning new ways to encourage others to do the same!

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