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Andrea Contreras's avatar

Andrea Contreras

Reid Park Zoo

"To continue building my personal sustainable lifestyle and to inspire and encourage my family, friends, and my community to live a more sustainable life in every decision, every day. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,475 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    20
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    25
    petitions
    signed
  • UP TO
    93
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Andrea's actions

Create Your Own Action

Leaning more

I will learn more about some of the suggestions made on this app and look for additional ways to reduce my personal plastic use. I will also look for ways to help my department use less plastic and waste as we conduct our work.

COMPLETED 17
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

Plant a Garden

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Sign a Petition

I will sign a petition in support of a plastic-related initiative in my state/province.

COMPLETED 25
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

Pets

All Natural Pet Toys

I will give my pets natural alternatives to toys like femur bones and antlers, canvas, natural rubber, hemp, rope or cotton toys. Or I will make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

Pet Waste

I will spend 15 minutes learning how to compost pet waste at home or research pet waste composting services available in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

Thrifty Pets

I will purchase my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes from the thrift store.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

Homemade Pet Food/Treats

I will prepare my own pet food and treats to avoid plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors. Why not try using hair conditioner instead of shaving foam for that baby smooth feel?

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Travel Toiletries

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me in a TSA approved reusable quart sized bag.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Takeout Pro

I will use my own containers when ordering takeout.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Family

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

See the Green

I will properly recycle used contact lenses and packaging.

COMPLETED 31
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?


  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/31/2019 8:31 AM
    Today's the last day! I am so proud to see how many people in our community got on board with this challenge. Team Reid Park Zoo is finishing at 7th out of 388 organizations, 6th out of 776 teams, and I am coming in at 15th out of 15226 individual participants! Thank you Plastic Free Ecochallenge for making conservation fun! 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/30/2019 8:33 AM
    I am kind of sad to see this challenge coming to an end. I love how motivated people have remained and the awareness that has happened to move to a more plastic free life. I hope everyone has built some plastic free habits and continues the momentum moving forward. Good job everyone! 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/28/2019 1:26 PM
    There was an appreciate event today at work. I noticed that several people brought their reusable plates, cups, and flatware. It is so awesome to see this culture change. I, unfortunately, was not on top of things and sent stuff to the landfill.  Boo for me, but yay for those that remembered! 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/28/2019 1:20 PM
    As the challenge comes to a close, I'm finding it hard to fight the convenient lifestyle that generations of a plastic society has designed. I will continue doing as much as I can to reduce my plastic use, but I can see where some of the plastic reduction I've done for this challenge will be hard to maintain long term. This experience has certainly been eye opening and it's been positive seeing all the people really getting behind this movement. 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/27/2019 4:28 PM
    What happens when you remove the plastic from the offices? Dishes wars...  Listening to coworkers talk about their dish wars with other staff. 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/23/2019 8:29 AM
    I have used almost all of my sample bar shampoo products from Ethique. Switching to bar shampoo and conditioners was super easy, other than the fact that I can't seem to find them locally. I currently have to purchase them online. Has anyone found any bar shampoo and conditioner in the Tucson area? 

    • Amy Abdai's avatar
      Amy Abdai 7/23/2019 2:18 PM
      Update: Love Beauty & Planet 2 in 1 shampoo/conditiomer bar $4.99 at Target

    • Emily Beckwith's avatar
      Emily Beckwith 7/23/2019 12:40 PM
      I know that Lush at La Encantada has a couple different shampoo bar options - I have tried one of them and it didn't work for my curly hair and was pretty heavily scented, but it's another one to check out!

    • Amy Abdai's avatar
      Amy Abdai 7/23/2019 8:52 AM
      I found a JR Ligetts shampoo bar at Whole Foods, although I didn't like how my hair felt after using it. I haven't been to Natural Grocers yet. Being unable to find shampoo/conditioner bars, toothpaste or deodorant in jars, etc. locally has been difficult for me. I am not sure ordering online is much better, given energy resources it takes to get the products to you. As consumers become more educated about the changes they can make, businesses will need to meet the demand and make these products more widely available.

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/21/2019 12:28 PM
    I do not have a green thumb. The lettuce I planted at the beginning of the challenge has sprouted, but does not seem to be getting any larger. I am supposed to be able to eat my lettuce after 42 days. I don't think that will be happening. This is why I have a hard time growing my own food. I cannot seem to get it to mature. 

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/21/2019 12:23 PM
    I am now ranked # 14, nationally! Woo Hoo!  

  • Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/21/2019 12:20 PM
    There are PVC pipes that were needing to be re-purposed at work so we are using them to make a recirculating splash toy to use for an upcoming water themed event. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Pets Pet Waste
    By composting your pet waste, you are turning waste into nutrients to feed the soil. In what other ways can you turn waste into a resource in your life?

    Andrea Contreras's avatar
    Andrea Contreras 7/21/2019 12:18 PM
    Things like toilet paper tubes, cardboard boxes, and other plant based products have become pet toys/ hiding places for our gerbils which has cut down on the amount of toys I have to buy.