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Megan Anderson's avatar

Megan Anderson

National Aquarium

"Sustainable behavior change - one day at a time!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,969 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    31
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1.0
    public official or leader
    contacted
  • UP TO
    26
    zero-waste meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    1.0
    conversation
    with a person

Megan's actions

Personal Care

Just Say No

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

COMPLETED 23
DAILY 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 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Start Composting

I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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 26
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

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Buy Only What I Need

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

COMPLETED 27
DAILY 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

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

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

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?


  • Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/31/2019 4:28 AM
    Whew!  We did it! Great job to all the amazing people and teams!! Spoiler alert- we are all winners.

  • Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/30/2019 5:35 AM
    Two days left! I'm starting to get sad that this month of fun is ending but I'm excited about what we all take away from it. I have hope that composting is going to stick!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Start Composting
    Do an inventory of how much food waste you would save from going to the landfill if you start composting all of the time. What are the added benefits of having compost that is readily accessible?

    Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/29/2019 10:05 AM
    I haven't noticed a huge difference in reducing our trash but I do notice what products make a lot of waste - it helps me make better grocery shopping decisions if I'm more aware the food waste because I spend the extra time composting it.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Watch a Documentary
    Which documentary did you choose to watch? What did you learn?

    Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/29/2019 10:02 AM
    We watched Bag It today. It was a decent documentary although a bit outdated at this point.  I wish is spent more time focusing on successes and what people did in a community to achieve those successes.

  • Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/27/2019 4:10 AM
    5 days left! Where did this month go. Really impressed and inspired by everyone around me.
  • 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?

    Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/18/2019 5:31 AM
    Sometimes I take a different tactic. Avoiding disposables also come with eating healthier, buying in bulk which can be cheaper, and going to farmers markets which can be fun.

  • Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/16/2019 5:50 AM
    Halfway through the month! Composting is going great!
  • 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.

    Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/15/2019 8:05 AM
    I've noticed a shift in some large retailers but not a large shift in the actions of those around me. 
  • 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?

    Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/15/2019 8:02 AM
    We go through a lot of pasta - I can easily make sure that the boxes are fully cardboard and do not contain plastic. I can also look into making my own mac and cheese sauce mix so that I can quickly make mac and cheese for the kids without those single use foil packets. Yogurt has always been a challenge - I have some really picky eaters and I often have to choose between them eating nutritious food vs. single use plastic. I'd love it if anyone else has found a good solution or has any tips around this. It seems like everything that comes in snack size is so much more appealing to my kids.

  • Megan Anderson's avatar
    Megan Anderson 7/13/2019 4:20 AM
    It’s a little harder to remember to check in on the weekend but the actions are still top of mind