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Betsy Hosick's avatar

Betsy Hosick

Sea Turtle Inc.

"To understand how I can reduce my plastics use! I "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,725 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    42
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    42
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    74
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    192
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    332
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    119
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    68
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    112
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Betsy's actions

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 10 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Family

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 30 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community that follows the CDC’s current guidelines for prevention of disease transfer.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Community

Share My Actions

I will make my environmental actions visible by posting to my social media networks.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 60 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 60 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

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

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 27
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Fill a Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY 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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

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

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Travel Eating

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

Lifestyle

Natural Fibers

When available, I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Clean Plate Club

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Travel Toiletries

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me in a TSA-approved reusable quart-sized bag.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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.

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
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/30/2022 7:08 PM
    I found that I do not have a lot of waste and I reuse a lot of things. My biggest opportunity is with sparkling water. I need to invest in a device where I can make my own sparkling water rather than buy it in glass, or cans, or plastic. 

    • Maria Watson's avatar
      Maria Watson 7/31/2022 7:57 AM
      Oh this is cool to see you say this and even shift from a few days ago when you were making sure only buy in non-plastic containers! You’re so cool Betsy!

  • Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/29/2022 8:13 PM
    I found a new challenge today and don’t have an answer and that’s vitamins. I guess I hadn’t really thought about it because I didn’t need to buy vitamins. I would love to hear what others have found in terms of buying vitamins.

    • Maria Watson's avatar
      Maria Watson 7/30/2022 6:23 PM
      Ooohh that’s so true! I just bought some tonight for my husband! 
      Thankfully the container is a #1 and can be recycled but still! 

      There are other vitamin shops that sell in paper bags that are specific to your needs but they are all plastic coated and end up being more waste since it’s separated by day… will have to look more into this for sure 

  • Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/28/2022 7:03 PM
    We are almost at the end of our month… I have learned so much and I have figured out ways to not use plastic…today, however I was really craving sparking water and had some in the frig which were in plastic bottles. I will make a point to find sparking water in cans or glass so when that craving hits I won’t be using plastic.

    • Maria Watson's avatar
      Maria Watson 7/28/2022 7:08 PM
      Yes I love this Betsy!!! SO glad we got to do this challenge for a second year in a row together! You’re amazing!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Natural Fibers
    What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/28/2022 6:59 PM
    When items are made with natural fibers, they are not using plastic or other synthetic things. We all gave to work at reducing plastic consumption so what better way to do it than keeping it off our person. I have clothes that I have worn for the last 20-30 years. They are great quality and last forever! 

    • Betsy Hosick's avatar
      Betsy Hosick 7/29/2022 5:22 AM
      The best part is that all the years, the clothes still fit. LOL

    • Maria Watson's avatar
      Maria Watson 7/28/2022 7:15 PM
      Ugh love this… I hope i can do this too - hold on to them for forever - let me be honest too I don’t buy clothes all that often either since I mostly wear stuff for work! So I keep my things really well off!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Join a Cleanup Effort
    How does working with others to clean up your community make you feel?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/26/2022 5:19 PM
    Our community is a reflection of all of us. So working together to keep the community clean makes me feel proud to show off my neighborhood and makes me want to invite others to visit. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Eating
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/25/2022 6:21 PM
    I was just in Connecticut where my granddaughter was in the hospital and I was staying in a place that had a small kitchen. I stress of eating out, I bought groceries so I could cook in the room. I knew I’d be there for a week and I challenged myself to buy only what I needed and to have no waste. It was good to get my mind off my worry and it was not as difficult as I expected.

    • Betsy Hosick's avatar
      Betsy Hosick 7/25/2022 7:02 PM
      Lauren, thanks so much. It was helpful to do something constructive. The place also had a place to refill water do no need go buy single use water. 

    • Lauren Jessica's avatar
      Lauren Jessica 7/25/2022 6:57 PM
      oh no sorry to hear about your granddaughter! I hope she gets better soon but I'm so glad you were able to challenge yourself to do this and keep your mind busy!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Choose Reusable Food Storage
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/25/2022 6:08 PM
    I use glass to store all of my leftovers. They are easy to reheat and they don’t stain.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Fill a Water Bottle
    Using the links provided, investigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed by this bottling process?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/24/2022 4:54 AM
    The best way I can think of is to not purchase single use water bottles. If enough people stopped buying the water, companies would stop bottling. Also we can contact those same companies to tell them why we are not purchasing their products.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Cook a Plastic Free Meal
    Do an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some resuable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/22/2022 12:32 PM
    I don’t have many single use plastics items, but one I do have is my k-cup. I have used it when short on time instead of making a pot of coffee. I found a reusable k-cup that I can fill with coffee instead of the ones packaged in the store.?it is still made of plastic, but I can use it over and over.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Estimate My Plastic Consumption
    What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?

    Betsy Hosick's avatar
    Betsy Hosick 7/20/2022 8:45 AM
    I was surprised by the amount of plastic I was still consuming. I thought I had done really well, but I guess I was only recycling more instead of using less.

    • Maria Watson's avatar
      Maria Watson 7/21/2022 4:36 PM
      OH!  This is a huge realization…. Honestly I was surprised by that a lot two years ago when I first did this challenge. It worried me because I was like oh man I thought I was being pretty eco-conscious. But, having that awareness and being able to look at it and go ok, what can i do next then to help myself!