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Matt McQuinn's avatar

Matt McQuinn

NYPA

"To do better."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,658 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    2.0
    community events
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    7.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made
  • UP TO
    325
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    6.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    119
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Matt's 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

Family

Glass Bottle Baby

I will replace 6 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate for Office Reusables

I will lobby my workplace to have reusable dishes and silverware in order to minimize disposables.

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

Research Local Waste Sites

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Use Cloth Diapers

I will replace single use diapers with reusable cloth diapers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Use Reusable Baby Wipes

I will make better choices for the environment and my baby's bum by using reusable baby wipes most or all of the time.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Thoughtful Toys

I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Host a Watch Party

I will host a watch party with friends and/or colleagues to watch and discuss a movie about plastics.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

DIY Cat Litter

I will swap out my cat's litter for sawdust, mulch, or dirt with baking soda.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Proper Bioplastic Disposal

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 1 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Raise Money For a Nonprofit

I will raise money to support a nonprofit dedicated to plastic pollution reduction.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 1 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

A Sustainable Flow

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate for Plastic-Free Dining

I will talk to the owner or manager of a restaurant I frequent to request that they reduce their use of single-use and disposable plastics.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Pearly Whites

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Discover Together

I will spend 205 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Use Reusables at Work

I will use reusable dishes and silverware when eating at work.

COMPLETED 31
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 31
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 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 31
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 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Support a Sharing Economy

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

COMPLETED 31
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
    Personal Care A Sustainable Flow
    Disposable tampons and menstrual pads are often quite expensive. What are the economic and personal benefits of this switch for you?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:47 PM
    I don't personally benefit but I know there are many benefits to the women in my life. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care That Was a Close Shave
    What have you noticed about the economic and social impact of switching to steel razors? Was there ever really a need for disposable razors, or do you think it was just a way to sell more things?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:40 PM
    If I'm being honest I prefer a disposable razor but I'm willing to suffer. I don't shave that much anyway. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Homemade Cleaners
    What did you learn by making your own cleaning products? What is the biggest difference in making vs buying?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:36 PM
    It's amazing how many DIY options you can find online. When you make them you know exactly what goes into them. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Proper Bioplastic Disposal
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:32 PM
    It's the irreversible damage that's most concerning.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Advocate for Office Reusables
    What are some of the cases you could make to an employer for why switching to durable dishes and utensils is actually in their best interest as well?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:30 PM
    While the upfront cost for reusables might be more disposables cost more in the long run and are worse for the environment. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Advocate for Plastic-Free Dining
    What was your strategy in talking with your favorite restaurant's management? Did you find it to be effective?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:29 PM
    I started a conversation about how much better I think leftovers/take-out taste when packaged in non-plastic containers. They agreed but we'll see if it made a difference or not. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Thoughtful Toys
    Does your child play differently with natural or repurposed toys than with other toys? If so, how?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:23 PM
    I find they tend to have to be more gentle with toys made from natural materials, both from a durability perspective but also because natural toys tend to be heavier than those made from plastics. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Use Reusable Baby Wipes
    In what ways do you model choices that align with your values to your little one? In what other ways could you model values-aligned choices?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:20 PM
    It's a big deal to make sure we set the right example. We try to be thoughtful about what types of products and practices we expose our daughter to. Taking a hard line when other might turn their heads is often not easy but we feel it's the right thing to do. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Use Cloth Diapers
    In what ways is diapering your child with cloth diapers better for your child, better for you, and better for the environment?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:15 PM
    It actually helped with potty training and got us out of having to use them more quickly, which led to less waste in general.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Glass Bottle Baby
    How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself and your family? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?

    Matt McQuinn's avatar
    Matt McQuinn 7/31/2022 8:10 PM
    I take my commitment to work with me every day and try my best to apply a sustainable mindset to many of the decisions I make while on the job.