Kate Dillman
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,103 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0plastic bottlenot sent to the landfill
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UP TO26plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO93plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
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UP TO25pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
Kate's actions
Family
Swap the Snacks
I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.
Food
Minimize Packaging
I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.
Food
Use Reusable Utensils
I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.
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.
Pets
Invest in a Pooper-Scooper
I will swap out my single use plastic bags for a pooper-scooper.
Family
Glass Bottle Baby
I will replace 1 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.
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.
Personal Care
Brusha Brusha Brusha
I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.
Lifestyle
Homemade Cleaners
I will make my own cleaning products at home.
Food
Use Reusable Containers
I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONPets Invest in a Pooper-ScooperHow are caring for your pet and caring for the environment connected for you?
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 6:43 PMI think everything is interconnected. I want my pets to have the greatest lives they can and they can only do that if the environment is also being cared for. My dog loves being outside, but I don't want him in pollution and trash. And I don't want him polluting the environment so I properly clean up his waste. My snake has all natural substrate that I compost, but I am looking for a way to get her substrate that isn't in a plastic bag. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONPersonal Care Brusha Brusha BrushaWhat are the benefits of switching to bamboo toothbrushes? How would you implore others in your community to make this switch as well?
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 8:44 AMI really liked my bamboo toothbrush and need to buy a new one (my dog ate mine). I guess one benefit is when my dog chewed mine up I didn't worry about him eating plastic (he didn't eat anything, just chewed it). I also think since bamboo is easy to come by it would be easy to make them. I think educating people on how they are better for the environment and how they aren't any different for your teeth than the plastic is what you need to do. I think also getting dentists to pass out the bamboo over the plastic is also important. A lot of people only use the brushes given by dentists so start at the source. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Use Reusable UtensilsHow can you be an advocate for using resusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable cutlery, and how can you convince them of the need for change?
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 7:35 AMI think it all depends on education. You can tell someone to use reusables all you want, but if you don't give them a good reason and some facts about it then chances are they'll ignore you. I think it is the season for plastic silverware with all the festivals and picnics. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Use Reusable ContainersHow can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 7:06 AMI don't know if I think outside the box when it comes to my reusable containers. I've always preferred glass containers so I've accumulated lots throughout the years. I do have a plastic container that I got from a restaurant for take home a while ago that I carry with me now to restaurants. The key is not caring about the weird looks I get when I pull it out of my purse. -
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 5:25 AMIf anyone has a solution for dog food, I'd be grateful. I use two 30 pound bags a month and that's a huge mostly plastic bag. I don't just throw the bag away and it typically gets used for a trash bag, but it's still going to sit in the landfill forever. -
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 5:22 AMI'm very glad that I took this challenge and have modified how I live my life. It is by no means perfect at this point, but it's much better. I still use things that I can hopefully find more eco friendly alternatives for. I am, however, not going to stop with just one month and will try to continue throughout the rest of the year. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Minimize PackagingWith 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?
Kate Dillman 7/31/2019 5:18 AMSingle use plastic is everywhere at the grocery store. It has been very challenging to find my normal products without plastic. I've also found that most of it is pointless or just for advertising. Why are there things in bags, inside another bag? Makes no sense to me. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Homemade CleanersWhat did you learn by making your own cleaning products? What is the biggest difference in making vs buying?
Kate Dillman 7/29/2019 5:03 PMI've learned that I prefer making my own rather than buying. It is more time consuming, but I know that my products are eco friendly and safe for me and my pets. I'd rather take an extra 10 minutes out of my day to make a product that isn't all harsh chemicals and reuse a spray bottle rather than pick up something at the store. I've also learned that distilled white vinegar can be used for so many different things. For the longest time, I've only used it to remove mineral buildup on my snake's enclosure. -
Kate Dillman 7/29/2019 4:42 PMI've been renovating my house for almost two years now and doing it without single use plastic or lots of waste in general is hard. Every part comes double or triple bagged. To off set some of this and the overall cost, my dad and I have been reusing, repurposing, and recycling everything we can so I've had very little go to the landfill. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Complete a Waste AuditWhat did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?
Kate Dillman 7/29/2019 4:36 PMI realized most of my waste is actually compostable so I've been researching how to compost at home. More than likely it'll be a home project for next summer, but I've added to my home renovations list. My second biggest waste is cardboard. I'm very grateful that Cuyahoga Falls recycles and takes all if it after my dog finishes destroying all the boxes.