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Laura Newman's avatar

Laura Newman

Maryland Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,220 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    29
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    12
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    75
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made
  • UP TO
    12
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill

Laura's actions

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 9
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

A Sustainable Flow

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Switch to Loose Leaf Tea

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Pets

DIY Cat Litter

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Discover Together

I will spend 15 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 21
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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Proper Bioplastic Disposal

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 3 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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

Pets

Homemade Pet Treats

I will prepare my own pet treats to avoid plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Pearly Whites

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

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

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

Lifestyle

Support a Sharing Economy

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

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 3 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

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
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Laura Newman's avatar
    Laura Newman 7/30/2022 9:49 AM
    This was one of those challenges that seems like it's going to be super easy, and it was! Once I remembered and planned ahead enough to be prepared. Packing my own snacks definitely cut down on one-use plastics and saved money!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    Take time to reflect or meditate over your plastic-free cup of tea. Share your thoughts and reflections with us here!

    Laura Newman's avatar
    Laura Newman 7/30/2022 9:34 AM
    Switching to loose leaf tea has definitely led to me drinking more of it! Instead of just making a single cup with pre-bagged leaves, I've been making entire pots.

    • Robyn Jones's avatar
      Robyn Jones 7/30/2022 10:29 AM
      It's really interesting how you notice the taste difference between loose leaf and bagged, and sorta had you research a variety of them. For example, I didn't know there's a major difference of making green tea when it comes to loose leaf. One experiment I tried was straight from the Himalayas and different amounts of raw sugar, and also without sugar (learned from a few sources) verses India. Unfortunately the Himalayan one didn't end well, however the Indian came in handy during the winter season.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

    Laura Newman's avatar
    Laura Newman 7/27/2022 6:35 AM
    This can be a tough challenge because of the prevalence of plastic grocery bags! I also had to really remind myself to have reusable bags with me. I've gotten a lot better about remembering!