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Mae Huey's avatar

Mae Huey

L.A. Zoo - Angeleno Plastic Eliminators (APE)

""Live simply so that others may simply live" - Gandhi"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,511 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    5.0
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    215
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    48
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    62
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    45
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    26
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Mae's 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

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Lifestyle

KEEP IT UPCYCLE

Post to our Team APE feed about an item that you "upcycled" or "creatively reused" and thereby avoided consuming plastic associated with buying a new item and having that item sent to you/your area!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Discover Together

I will spend 20 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Learn about Plastic Production

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

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

Lifestyle

Buy Only What I Need

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Personal Care

Green Beauty

When it's time to buy more, I will replace my beauty products with refillable, sustainable, and/or DIY options.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 30 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Sustainable Suds

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with a sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

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

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 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

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

Support a Sharing Economy

I will create or support a sharing economy with family, friends, and neighbors.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 2 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Go Strawless

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 19
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 24
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 29
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?

  • 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?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/29/2022 12:25 PM
    I have noticed that in the grocery stores, fresh fruit and prepared salads are put in plastic containers that are hard to recycle.   I can reduce this by putting fruit into my new reusable produce bags, and avoiding prepared salads.  Last week, we also shopped at a farmers market and I brought my own bags for the produce.    The fruit and vegetables from a farmers market also taste so much better than what is in a grocery store.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/29/2022 10:52 AM
    I learned that my family creates a lot of food packaging waste.  It's hard to aovid but cooking at home and shopping at farmers markets would cut down on that waste considerably.    I have been collecting the plastic food packaging now that I know that I can drop that off for recycling through TerraCycle, and I am looking into getting a composter for the food waste.  I put what I can into our green waste bin, and I try not to throw anything out unless it is moldy.  If fresh fruit becomes too ripe, I will freeze it and make smoothies.  Old bread is fine for french toast.  And ripe bananas can be used to make banana bread.

  • Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/28/2022 7:14 PM
    For those looking for a non-profit to donate gently used shoes or clothing items, please consider Soles4Souls.  They partner with non-profits around the world to provide shoes and clothing for those living in poverty.  You can save these items from going into a landfill, and help those most in need.   I visited their warehouse in Riverside a few months ago, but you can ship items to them in a collection box, and there are various other ways to contribute, like holding a shoe drive.  If you want to learn more, please visit their website at soles4souls.org.

  • Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/28/2022 11:06 AM
    There was a good article in the Wall Street Journal last year about how one family reduces its food waste, "Make your Kitchen More Efficient:  A Realistic Guide to Reducing Food Waste."   There are a lot of practical and realistic strategies for reducing food and plastic waste.  Here is the link:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-reduce-food-waste-kitchen-guide-11635541638

  • Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/28/2022 9:31 AM
    My husband made banana bread last night.   It is far more economical than buying it at a bakery or market, and generates no plastic waste.   We were given a bread maker as a wedding present almost 22 years ago.  It has been sitting in its box this whole time.  If it still works, I am going to try and use it to make bread at home, rather than buy at the store.

  • Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/27/2022 12:23 PM
    My daughter is making acai bowls for lunch.    It costs $10 for one at our local juice shop.   By making it at home, we are generating a lot less waste, and spending a lot less money.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Eating
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/27/2022 10:50 AM
    This is easy for me to do, as long as I plan ahead.  I always pack my own snacks when I travel, play tennis, and when I go to work.  This way I am able to eat healthier foods, like fresh fruit, and it helps me resist the temptation of going to the vending machine that is down the hall from my office.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Toiletries
    What is the benefit of using bar soaps or refilling your travel sized containers? Is this an action you think you will keep in your life?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/26/2022 3:41 PM
    The bar soaps would be much easier to transport, and won't spill and make a mess, like liquid hand soap and body wash, and will last a longer than what is in a travel size container.   I have already started substituting bar soaps so that I can reduce my use of plastic.
  • 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?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/25/2022 4:57 PM
    I finally used the calculator, and I was not surprised by the results.  I use way too much plastic, and I have to do better.   Plastic is hard to avoid, but what I have learned during this challenge is that there are alternatives to plastic that are far better for the environment.   All it takes is a strong commitment and dedication to your goals.   We won't be perfect, but every action, no matter how big or small, can make a difference. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Buy Only What I Need
    As you have reduced your spending, what have you noticed about your 'health and safety' purchasing habits? How might this change your longer term purchasing decisions?

    Mae Huey's avatar
    Mae Huey 7/25/2022 11:21 AM
    When I only buy what I need, it is good for my savings account, as well as the environment.