Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2019

July 1 - July 31, 2019

Eve Fox

Woodstock Day School Summer Adventure

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
161 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

6.0

pieces of plastic cutlery

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

4.0

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

2.0

zero-waste meals

consumed

Eve's actions

Food

Skip the Straw

I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Travel Eating

If traveling, I will bring my own airplane snacks and eat at local restaurants to avoid take-out containers.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Visit A Waste Management Facility

I will visit a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about the waste stream.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Travel Smart

If traveling, I will bring my own plastic free items (water bottle, grocery bags, collapsible food containers, utensils, straws, etc.) with me.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Lather Up

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, and conditions with either a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Takeout Pro

I will use my own containers when ordering takeout.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste Meal

I will prepare 1 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 3 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Pearly Whites

I will purchase toothpaste in an aluminum tube or in a glass jar or make my own!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors. Why not try using hair conditioner instead of shaving foam for that baby smooth feel?

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Just Say No

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Brusha Brusha Brusha

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

UNCOMPLETED
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
Personal Care Just Say No

Do some research on polystyrene and polyvinyl. How many items in your house already contain these toxins?

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:09 AM

Ughhhh. far many more than I'd like...

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Personal Care Pearly Whites

Currently most of the packaging for toothpaste is plastic. How can you advocate for more alternatives through your purchasing power and influence in community?

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:09 AM

I made my own toothpaste recently and store it in a small mason jar. It was not hard. I feel like the primary way to advocate for alternatives is via social media and by talking to local vendors about my concerns re plastic.

Read More
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?

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:08 AM

Just a way to sell more things, clearly!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Skip the Straw

Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:07 AM

I see a lot more metal straws and paper straws out there.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Use Reusable Utensils

How can you be an advocate for using resusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable cutlery, and how can you convince them of the need for change?

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:07 AM

I am working on the vendors at our local farmers market to stop using disposables. Our market is going to just start providing metal utensils that we sterilize and reuse. I have reached out to Mother Earth about doing the same at their cafe in Kingston (but gotten no response...)

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste 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?

Eve Fox 7/04/2019 6:06 AM

I have started buying oats in bulk to make granola rather than buying granola in a plastic package. I've started simply buying carrots loose in bulk in my own reusable bags to avoid the plastic package. I've stopped buying anything in a plastic clamshell and avoid the shrink wrapped produce in favor of just plain old cucumbers, peppers, etc. If it's in plastic, I just don't buy it anymore. I have also switched to buying tea loose in bulk rather than in an individual tea bag or pouch in a cardboard box. Tastes better and is cheaper to boot.

Read More