If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.
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
Personal Care
Sustainable Suds
I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with a sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable option.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Family
Discover Together
I will spend 60 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Food
Skip Plastic Bags
When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.
COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS
Community
Become a Recycling Pro
Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 20 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.
COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS
Pets
DIY Cat Litter
I will swap out my cat's litter for sawdust, mulch, or dirt with baking soda.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Pets
Homemade Pet Treats
I will prepare my own pet treats to avoid plastic packaging.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Community
Say No to Styrofoam
Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can, making sure to kindly let people know why I'm asking for alternative packaging.
COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION
Lifestyle
Complete a Waste Audit
I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Personal Care
Say No to "Flushable Wipes"
Wipes don't break down in sewer systems, but combine with fat to create massive clogs. I will find alternatives to using disposable wipes.
COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS
Personal Care
See the Green
I will recycle used contact lenses and packaging.
COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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
Pets
Other species can teach us important lessons about ourselves and life in general. What has your cat taught you?
Toothless was a stray living on my university's campus before we took him home, so he has a pretty adaptable and "go with the flow" nature. We're going to start making the switch to a more eco friendly litter soon. We use clumping clay litter right now, but use Petco's refillable scooping station so we're at least not getting another huge plastic container every time we need to stock up. We have also swapped from regular poop bags to compostable ones! Obligatory cat tax photo below 🐈⬛
Take a moment to estimate how many disposable daily contacts you may have used over the years. What would be your impact now of switching to a contact brand with a longer lifespan?
I have worn contact lenses since the 7th grade. I don't use daily lenses, I change my lenses about once a month. That's still a lot of plastic material that I've tossed out over the years! Now that I've learned about the TerraCycle programs sponsored by BioTrue and Bausch & Lombe, I'm excited to join them both AND plan to ask my eye doctor's office to join as a local drop off point so that others can recycle their eye care products more easily!
2 gallons of hand picked, locally grown blueberries >>> 1 pint wrapped in single use plastic 🫐😋 check out Bachman Blueberry Farm in Bush, LA! #weekendplans
Stopped at my local corner store on the way home today and was pleasantly surprised to see they now offer paper bags to bag groceries! Made sure to let the cashier know that a plastic free option was much appreciated and that I hope they continue!
I learned how to make bar soap a couple of years ago, and haven't bought a bottle of body wash since! Looking into more sustainable options for the rest of my bath and body routine now, liking the idea of refillable a lot!
At 47kg/yr, I waste much less plastic than the average American (80+ kg/yr) but my plastic waste still adds a significant amount to our global problem. Learning new ways to lower my plastic use and implement changes in my daily habits!
