Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2019

July 1 - July 31, 2019

Rachel Wrublik

PAE Engineers

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
938 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

65

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

49

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted

Rachel's actions

Personal Care

Brusha Brusha Brusha

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Family

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 1 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Dam the Flow

I will use a menstrual cup and/or cloth pads

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Discover Together

I will spend 60 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Write Letters or Emails

I will write 1 letter(s) or email(s) per day to a public official or company to advocate for planet-friendly policies.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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
Community Write Letters or Emails

How might thinking creatively help us address big systems problems - like plastic pollution - differently?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 9:47 PM

Angle, perception, and creativity make a big difference in interacting with a world that operates in complex and integrated ways.

Read More
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?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 9:41 PM

Bamboo an alternative to plastic. However, it would be beneficial to have full ingredient disclosure for the bamboo options. Similar to plastics, it will help make informed decisions.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Personal Care Lather Up

What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 9:37 PM

It's usually cheaper to buy in bulk. It's less waste. The choice of container is yours.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Lifestyle Homemade Cleaners

What did you learn by making your own cleaning products? What is the biggest difference in making vs buying?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 9:30 PM

Its easy!! And can be simple ingredients! The all purpose cleaner I made has been working great so far.

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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?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 9:29 PM

Lots of plastics are used! But there are also lots of glass and paper options... I found that it was somewhat easy to cut over half of the plastic waste out of my footprint.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

Single use plastics have become normalized in our society to the point that most people don't see them as a problem. What would you say to a friend, colleague, or family member who may not understand why these disposables are an issue?

Rachel Wrublik 7/31/2019 4:58 AM

Plastics do not biodegrade, are difficult to recycle, if they are recycled they are usually downgraded and can only be recycled 1-2 times, and many carry toxic additives some of which bioaccumulate in our food chains. As a result, plastics are a growing pollutant and health concern. They are becoming pervasive in our land, water, and air.

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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?

Rachel Wrublik 7/30/2019 10:36 PM

It's easy if we are eating at the restaurant and then packing our leftovers in our own containers. It gets more challenging to order something to go and then ask to use your own containers. Particularly if it's the first time an employee heard this request.

I had one experience where the man behind the counter couldn't seem to understand why I wanted to use my own containers. He kept insisting that he had containers that would work. There was a language barrier so this probably added to the communication breakdown.

Advice: persistence and patience. Usually it's successful.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Family Swap the Snacks

How does swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruit or veggies benefit your family?

Rachel Wrublik 7/30/2019 10:13 PM

It's healthier! It usually costs less. And it has less packaging. Sometimes it takes a bit more prep time. Overall, it's been a good switch.

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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?

Rachel Wrublik 7/24/2019 6:16 AM

I could email the major brands I have typically used and let them know I would like a plastic free alternative and that until such options are in place I will continue to make my own toothpaste.

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Rachel Wrublik 7/02/2019 6:12 AM

Take a journey with three plastics bottles in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8
One thing to note - plastics usually can only be recycled once or twice.

Read More