Teresa Vela-Hayes

Beyond BYOBag Warwick

"To incorporate 5-10 new plastic-free practices into my regular daily routine."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
860 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

5.0

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

84

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

14

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

waste audit

conducted

Teresa's actions

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 4 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Takeout Pro

I will use my own containers when ordering takeout.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Lobby for Reusables

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

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

Personal Care

Brusha Brusha Brusha

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

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

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

Create Your Own Action

Get The Word Out

I pledge to post one photo, showing a simple thing everyone can do to help reduce plastics and other wastes, every day for a month on my Facebook and Instagram pages.

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?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/31/2019 7:26 PM

I'm grateful to Sustainable Warwick for allowing me to participate in this challenging challenge! I learned a lot from all of your posts. I met my goal and I have set some new goals for after the challenge ends. Thank you, thank you! It's been fun too!

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Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/26/2019 7:03 PM

Today is Day 3 of the challenge I set up for myself. I committed to posting a picture every day for 31 days on my Facebook and Instagram pages showing a simple change everyone can make to help reduce plastic and other waste. I'm getting good responses which feels good. This was my way of extending this ecochallenge which has really inspired me to do more and to pay more close attention to my actions.

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- Christy Erfer 7/29/2019 10:59 AM
  
  OK, just sent FB request. I love the items you have posted so far!
  
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- Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/28/2019 5:34 PM
  
  Christy, send me a friend request on Facebook or follow me on Instagram (tvelahayes). I'd copy my posts here but it's already taking me some time getting them on both those sites each day.
  
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- Christy Erfer 7/27/2019 9:14 PM
  
  Teresa, that’s a great way to extend your challenge and reach out to your friends! Would love to see your posts. Wishing you the best with that!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Takeout Pro

How could you mitigate issues that may arise if the restaurant does not want to let you use your own containers at first?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/22/2019 7:14 PM

Find out what their objections or obstacles to complying are and then try to find a solution that works for both of you. One thing I do often, though it's not exactly using my own containers, is ask to have my take out packaged in something the restaurant has but which they don't normally use when handing out their food. If I order a sandwich at a deli/restaurant that usually packages their sandwiches in a styrofoam or plastic container I'll ask for them to wrap it in foil when I place my order. Most restaurants have foil and so far the ones I have asked have agreed to do it for me.

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- Christy Erfer 7/30/2019 8:29 AM
  
  I do the same, for "doggy bags" also. Been trying to get the deli to wrap the sliced meat or cheese in butcher paper. Chester Shoprite has done this twice for me, but when they are busy I don't ask. The long line behind me is a little intimidating. (I'm a wimp) I need to remember a flat container next time, ask them to put the price tag on the lid.
  
  If you try this, let me know where you shopped and if they are agreeable. Thanks!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Lobby for 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?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/20/2019 7:50 PM

It's cheaper than buying throw aways over and over.

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Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/20/2019 7:47 PM

Thanks for the great idea Christy! I used it to wrap up and freeze my homemade buttermilk waffles this morning. A sheet of waxed paper and an old, saved tin is much better than using a lot of aluminum foil like I usually do.

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- Christy Erfer 7/20/2019 9:36 PM
  
  By the way, those waffles looks delicious!
  
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- Christy Erfer 7/20/2019 9:35 PM
  
  Nice Teresa! I bet they won't stick together when you want to pop one in the toaster. I have refrigerated food like this, but have not frozen food. Please let me know if they freeze well with this method!
  
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Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/15/2019 6:24 PM

Received my package from A Drop In The Ocean today. I'm psyched! All their packaging is recycled. Their delivery containers can be returned to be reused.

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- Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/17/2019 6:45 PM
  
  Yes, one is shampoo and the other is conditioner! Isn't that great? I only ordered the trial size but they hold more than I expected. I haven't looked into the exact process but you can ship back those metal bottles and they refill them.
  
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- Christy Erfer 7/16/2019 9:24 PM
  
  Teresa, is that shampoo in metal bottles?
  
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- Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/16/2019 6:54 PM
  
  I loved the shampoo and conditioner! Now I have to research the company some more to see where their products come from. Still wish they weren't from across the country though!
  
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- Christy Erfer 7/15/2019 9:01 PM
  
  Let us know what you think of the quality of the products please!!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit

What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/15/2019 6:19 PM

Taking the waste audit at the same time as committing to lining my garbage cans with newspaper was key to producing less waste. I used less materials, wasted less food, went the extra step in order to keep my trash can manageable.

The audit also brought my family on board, kind of as a joke on me, but it worked nonetheless. There was a lot of "don't throw that out or you'll be on Mom's waste list!"

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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?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/13/2019 6:59 PM

I was feeling good taking the "survey" because it seemed like I was doing a great job avoiding plastics but I was surprised to find, at the end, that I still had a lot of work to do! It made me think more deeply about all the little plastic wrappers I use that I kind of forget about.... Kind bar wrappers, Chunky bar wrappers, frozen burrito wrappers, chip bags ... I guess I cut out all the big plastic bottles but now I have to concentrate on the smaller things.

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- Christy Erfer 7/13/2019 9:53 PM
  
  It really opens your eyes when you take stock like that. I did a month long challenge a few years ago, saved every bit of plastic that would normally have gone in the trash or recycling. What a pile... just for me! My husband didn't want to play along ;) I try to reuse as many bags from chips, cereal, frozen vegs. as I can and haven't bought ziplock bags in 4 years. Although I still wind up with a bag here and there sneaking into the house with cookies from a friend or some such thing. I try to reuse those a few times.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Personal Care Brusha Brusha Brusha

What are the benefits of switching to bamboo toothbrushes? How would you implore others in your community to make this switch as well?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/10/2019 7:52 PM

I'm going to be providing my family with bamboo brushes. Since I'm the one who purchases the toothbrushes for the household I'm pretty sure they'll start using them!

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- Christy Erfer 7/13/2019 9:31 PM
  
  Teresa, this is my most recent purchase. $13 for 12 brushes. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1FKFES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 I love that they come in recycled paper packaging. I'm trying not to buy everything on Amazon anymore... but it's a struggle to find this kind of thing locally. Maybe that bulk goods store in our future will carry bamboo toothbrushes too!
  
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- Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/13/2019 6:53 PM
  
  Christy, where do you purchase your bamboo brushes. I haven't found them to be cheaper where I have shopped for them.
  
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- Christy Erfer 7/11/2019 9:41 PM
  
  Teresa, Good for you! I've been using a bamboo toothbrush for over 4 years and the added benefit to no plastic is that they are much less expensive.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Lifestyle Naked Bins

Does changing the lining of your waste bin change the kind or amount of trash you produce?

Teresa Vela-Hayes 7/09/2019 7:11 PM

Using newspaper liners keeps me from being lazy like when I might want to throw away a compostable item because the compost collection can is overflowing and I don't feel like trekking to the compost bin to empty it! With newspaper I know that the damp compostable item is going to seep thru and might make a mess which will, in the end, be a bigger job.
It always seems to come down to the same thing, changing habits, reconditioning your thinking. Taking a short walk in the fresh air to dump the collection can is really not hard, though my conditioned brain tries to tell me it is.

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- Christy Erfer 7/11/2019 9:44 PM
  
  Oh brother, I totally agree Teresa. I will push down the veg scraps to compress them as they are wilting in the container on my counter and go through such gyrations to avoid walking outside to dump it. Good to know I am not alone! Hahaha!
  
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