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Ryan Barongan's avatar

Ryan Barongan

Polymeric Purge Party

"Not everyone is in the position to save an animal, but everyone is in a position not to harm them."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 287 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    90
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Ryan's 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

Food

Shop the Bulk Bins

I will purchase dry goods from the bulk section of my grocery store, and use my own containers to do so.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food

Start Composting

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food

Plant a Garden

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Use Reusables at Work

I will use reusable dishes and silverware when eating at work.

COMPLETED 2
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

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Natural Paints

I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Travel Eating

If traveling, I will bring my own airplane snacks and eat at local restaurants to avoid take-out containers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Glass Bottle Baby

I will replace 3 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Share My Actions

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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?


  • Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/31/2019 9:48 AM
    I learned a lot just by participating in this contest. I never knew July was plastic free month nor have I seen any advertising on it as well. I have learned my opportunities & will continue to build on what my wife & I already do to minimize waste & benefit mother earth. Next year, I hope the website is more user friendly & easier to navigate around so I can invite all my friends & coworkers. Goodbye July...hello August! ✌🏽💚 🌎 

  • Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/30/2019 4:33 AM
    I’m still on the lookout for food purchasing alternatives with less plastic such as farmers markets, bulk bin items & less packaging awareness such as eggs, protein & snacks.

    • Kathleen Payne's avatar
      Kathleen Payne 7/31/2019 2:21 PM
      Snacks is the most difficult part I think. It is so hard to find snacks or really a lot of food that doesn't come in plastic. :(

  • Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/30/2019 4:33 AM
    I’m still on the lookout for food purchasing alternatives with less plastic such as farmers markets, bulk bin items & less packaging awareness such as eggs, protein & snacks.

  • Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/30/2019 4:33 AM
    I’m still on the lookout for food purchasing alternatives with less plastic such as farmers markets, bulk bin items & less packaging awareness such as eggs, protein & snacks.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusables at Work
    It is often true that we only have control over our own actions and not the collective community. How can you lead by example when it comes to switching disposables for reusable dishes in your community?

    Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/28/2019 4:32 AM
    I’ve been hesitating on this question cause I really don’t know. Our company has moved to more reusable plate ware but I don’t know how to go about informing the community.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care Lather Up
    What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?

    Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/26/2019 2:50 PM
    Less waste. Hopefully it’s more profitable for companies & cheaper for the consumer. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/25/2019 3:47 PM
    We already produce little waste. We have only one trash bag (from the kitchen) in the container at pickup. It would be less than that but then our kitchen would get smelly.  We compost the veggie scraps & our recycle can is full every two weeks. I guess we can be conscious of the items we buy that are packaged.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Eating
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/24/2019 10:37 AM
    The easiest, most convenient way to eat & travel like this was Portland. We saw very few chains & most of the restaurants had the customer sort their waste into different bins such as trash, recycle & compost. We loved how the town is more environmentally conscious & the vegetarian restaurants were so delicious, I didn’t miss beef or chicken for the several days we were there. We do try to eat local when we dine out when traveling but some of the really famous sites unfortunately waste a lot of plastic & paper because they keep the lines moving (ex. Pat & Geno’s Steaks in Philly, Wahlburger in Boston & even Wing King in our hometown in VB uses nothing but takeout boxes & styrofoam cups).

  • Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/23/2019 4:20 PM
    I have a recycling can I’m the office at work. I compost any unused dinner napkins, office paper & paper packaging from our vendors/mail. I separate the aluminum cans & put the rest in the large recycle bin at home. Any broken electronics get dropped off at Best Buy’s recycle bins located at the front of their store. 
  • 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.

    Ryan Barongan's avatar
    Ryan Barongan 7/22/2019 9:28 AM
    Not really. Other than the straw coming out of the turtle’s nose online, not too many people are aware of the issues straws can affect on our wildlife. Many people use straws cause it seems more sanitary than drinking from the rim of the glass when dining out.