gretchen humbert

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!

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

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

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

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

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

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

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.

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.

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

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

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 3 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

I will replace my pet's shampoo with an eco-friendly shampoo bar or refillable shampoo option.

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.