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Chevy Griffin's avatar

Chevy Griffin

Columbus Zoo Staff & Volunteers

"To have a more sustainable lifestyle by striving toward zero waste."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 585 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    110
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    30
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    27
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    5.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    21
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Chevy's actions

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

Family

Glass Bottle Baby

I will replace 5 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.

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

Lifestyle

Naked Bins

I will either line my trash cans with repurposed newspaper or paper bags, or I will not line my trash cans at all.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

COMPLETED
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 3
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 9
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

Community

Share My Actions

I will make my environmental actions visible by posting to my social media networks.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Estimate Your Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Use Reusable Containers

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

COMPLETED 7
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?


  • Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/31/2019 5:02 PM
    I find myself feeling very guilty when I find myself with single use plastic or non sustainables; I need to recognize when I can make improvements without being harsh and also commend myself when I do well and try to keep it up.  This was one month of great insight and just a baby step of a long journey in the right direction.

  • Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/29/2019 5:18 PM
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Discover Together
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/25/2019 5:51 AM
    When we watched 4oceans informational and I talked about how harmful straws and plastic are for sea turtles and the ocean I got a lot of that’s a shame and good for thems but it didn’t seem to affect anyone’s mindset except my 8 year old.  I’ll keep doing my part and educating the kids who are more apt to start a sustainable lifestyle unlike the old folks who are harder to change (although I can still try)
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Estimate Your Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral
    What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/25/2019 5:48 AM
    There is soooo much plastic!!  Outside of going to a bulk bin store it’s almost unavoidable :(
    The kids cereal is in a plastic bag inside a box!  I can but the bagged cereal and omit the box which is definitely helpful toward the environment but doesn’t avoid the plastic part.  I think I’m going to try shopping at fresh thyme to reduce some bulky packaging.
  • 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?

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/25/2019 5:45 AM
    Volunteering at the local metro park to clean and spread the word, post to social media (my twitter account is public), I put stickers from organizations who work toward specific causes on my water bottle to show support and start a conversation.
  • 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?

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/25/2019 5:42 AM
    Using reusable utensils is so easy if you have a little holder to put them in; just throw them in the dishwasher with the other dishes and put clean ones in the holder for the next day.  Plus if you’re already taking ANYTHING with you ie good or drink then how hard is it to take 1 more thing?
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family Thoughtful Toys
    Does your child play differently with natural or repurposed toys than with other toys? If so, how?

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/25/2019 5:38 AM
    My 2 kids have wood baby blocks from when I was a baby!!!  I particularly love Melissa and Doug wood toys.  We’ve got PLENTY of toys so I’ve been trying to advocate for less stuff and more activity or donation based gifts for birthdays and holidays.

  • Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/24/2019 4:25 AM
    Since I’ve been using paper bags for trash liners my trash cans have been excessively stinky 

    • joy kotheimer's avatar
      joy kotheimer 7/27/2019 6:55 AM
      I think some use some essential oil drops and baking soda to help, but trying to keep wet items from contributing to the smell. composting definitely helps keep food scraps out of the trash, and stinky noncompostables in our home go straight to the trash toter

  • Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/21/2019 4:17 AM
    Just signed up with grove collaborative; getting a glass spray bottle for cleaning and a cleaning concentrate which reduces plastic and is eco friendly, baby straws, walnut scrubber, and much more. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Keep My Community Clean
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Chevy Griffin's avatar
    Chevy Griffin 7/19/2019 6:55 AM
    It’s easy to pick up trash in high populated areas like the Franklin county fair and the community pool but hasn't been as easy in the neighborhood and parks which kind of says something...where there are a lot of people there is a lot of trash :(