Lisa Warman

ACHS

"“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
778 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

17

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

12

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

36

zero-waste meals

consumed

Lisa's actions

Food

Skip the Straw

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Cook a Zero-Plastic Waste Meal

I will prepare 2 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Plant a Garden

I will plant an herb or vegetable garden in my home, workplace, or community garden

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

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 16
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?

Lisa Warman 7/31/2019 1:45 PM

Completing the Plastic Free Eco challenge was eye-opening and frustrating. Knowing ways in which I myself can help to eliminate waste is positive, but walking into a store and examining the choices many manufacturers make with regard to packaging is disheartening. Perhaps next year the challenge will include reaching out to companies that bottle and package exclusively using plastic and urging them to invest in more responsible materials.

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- Jacqui McGrath 7/31/2019 3:01 PM
  
  It's mind boggling to look at the amount of filling the aisles, isn't it?!! I agree that it's a good idea to put pressure on manufacturers to become more responsible. Regulations and policies are needed, too, I'm afraid. I'm eager to see how it goes for Costa Rica as they lead the way in becoming "plastic free" in 2021 - https://educateinspirechange.org/nature/costa-rica-plans-to-be-the-first-plastic-free-and-carbon-free-country-in-the-world-by-2021/
  
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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.

Lisa Warman 7/19/2019 6:27 AM

There are many restaurants in our town that have shifted to paper straws. I am beginning to ask whether if the establishment has paper or plastic straws when I order a drink just to help increase awareness. There are options for restaurants and of course, we as customers have the ability to refuse a plastic straw to push the issue forward.

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- Jacqui McGrath 7/19/2019 6:58 AM
  
  Yes! In my case, I love mineral water. I'll only buy it at restaurants that have it in returnable glass bottles (a fairly frequent local option where I live, thankfully). If they have it in plastic, I put in a request to the manager/owner to make the switch on their sodas from PET to glass.
  
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Lisa Warman 7/13/2019 7:01 AM

We have a super fun group of neighbors, and we get together often for group BBQs out of our townhouse garage/driveway. We usually have about 25 people who come and everyone makes something to share. We always use paper plates and everyone makes a dish to share. Since everyone lives so close, they bring their dish in a bowl or on a serving platter that they take home and wash. Because of this challenge, for our most recent party, I decided I needed to make the investment to eliminate plastic forks and knives from these events, so I bought 25 metal forks and 10 knives. Everyone was not only impressed but this action also brought awareness and appreciation throughout my neighborhood. Sometimes it takes a little financial investment to not only make a tangible statement about reducing our footprint but also to take a step forward to protect our future and start a conversation about how we can all do more.

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Lisa Warman 7/10/2019 9:47 AM

One of my students shared this note with me, and I love that this challenge has made an impact beyond myself:

"Since starting challenge I have noticed that my trash can only is 1/3 full versus completely full being tomorrow is pick up day. I am making my own "beauty supplies", switched to bamboo tooth brushes, and have my friends saving all glass jars, deodorant containers, and candles to recycle. I have saved over $100 by making everything myself."

The point here is that by being more aware of our own actions, we can make significant strides toward awareness for others.

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- Jacqui McGrath 7/11/2019 7:12 AM
  
  That's so awesome!! I hope she or he shares it here or on the ACHS facebook page, too, to inspire even more people
  
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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?

Lisa Warman 7/09/2019 10:06 AM

We have been ordering Hello Fresh for dinners during the week. The meals are packaged in a recyclable box, with recyclable packaging, and provide satisfying dinners with no waste. While some items do come in small plastic containers, I believe the overall reduction of waste is considerable, including food waste.

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Lisa Warman 7/08/2019 9:41 AM

This challenge has changed the way I think and feel when I walk into a store. Over the weekend, I went into Target and felt ashamed and sickened by all of the plastic that is used for EVERYTHING! It is everywhere. I know that each of us can do our part to make smart choices when making a purchase or refusing a purchase, but how are we going to change the way products are packaged? This is more than a 31 day challenge; it is a challenge of a life time.

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- Jacqui McGrath 7/09/2019 8:12 AM
  
  It's a challenge for our lifetime!! There's a tsunami of plastic in the consumer world that is still growing :(
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Minimize Packaging

With the added mindfulness of reducing your packaging, what have you noticed about the amount and type of single use plastics used for packaging when you shop in the grocery store?

Lisa Warman 7/02/2019 6:12 AM

I have noticed that some grocery stores package their produce, while others do not. I have made a conscious effort to only purchase produce from stores that sell items individually. For example, I love Trader Joe's, but some vegetables are pre-packaged. I will not buy these items and go across the street to another store where I can buy single items. In addition to not using individual bags to put my produce in, I have created a container to place my items in by cutting down the sides of a paper grocery bag. This keeps my items together in the cart and off the belt when cashing out. I, of course, will recycle the paper bag after I have used it a few times.

Happy shopping!

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- Jacqui McGrath 7/02/2019 7:27 AM
  
  what a good idea to use a paper bag that way! I've had a set of re-usable mesh produce bags that have held up for years now. I found them at my local co-op. They aren't this brand, but similar: https://credobags.com/product/produce-bags/
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Use Reusable Bags

How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

Lisa Warman 7/01/2019 9:58 AM

What makes this challenge easier is I always keep my reusable bags in my car for shopping. Often, I try to only buy what will fit in one bag. This not only helps reduce my shopping bill but also the potential for waste.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Buy Unpackaged Produce

Why do you think these produce products started amassing so much plastic packaging? Who is the plastic packaging really serving -- the consumer, the producer, or someone else?

Lisa Warman 6/26/2019 3:12 PM

I am not sure why produce is packaged at all. Growing up, we would buy our produce from a greenhouse and everything was placed in brown paper bags. I recently began purchasing "Imperfect Produce." My delivery arrives in a cardboard box with no other packaging. The fruits and veggies are either small or odd shaped, but delicious.

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