Claire Downs
"My mission is to use this month to reinforce the plastic-free habits I already employ and add new plastic-free habits I do not. I also want to focus on expanding my outreach, helping friends and family go plastic free, and advocating for plastic-free policies in my community."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 831 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO130minutesspent learning
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UP TO4.0petitionssigned
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UP TO33pieces of litterpicked up
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UP TO20plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO19pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
Claire's actions
Pets
Thrifty Pets
I will purchase my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes from the thrift store.
Pets
Try a Pet Shampoo Bar
I will replace my pet's shampoo with an eco-friendly shampoo bar.
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!
Community
Sign a Petition
I will sign a petition in support of a plastic-related initiative in my state/province.
Community
Visit A Waste Management Facility
I will visit a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about the waste stream.
Food
Start Composting
I will start a compost collection at home, work, or school.
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.
Community
Keep My Community Clean
I will pick up 3 piece(s) of litter each day.
Community
Host a House Party
I will host a house party with friends and/or colleagues to watch a movie or present a guest speaker on plastics.
Food
Use Reusable Utensils
I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.
Food
Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.
Personal Care
Tim Taylor Your Beauty Products
I will lessen my plastic impact by making my own makeup.
Personal Care
Pretty oh so Pretty
I will purchase beauty products that are packaged in sustainable packaging.
Food
Make Your Own
I will try new recipe(s) or food preparation method(s) each day, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.
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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Claire Downs 7/31/2019 1:40 PMWe're so close to our goal!!! Max out tonight everyone and we can hit 100k!!! -
Claire Downs 7/24/2019 6:54 AM8 days left and 21,505 points to go until we hit 100k...think we can do it?? I guess after this post it will be 21,500 :-D
To paraphrase our fearless leader, let's focus on checking in every day, answering reflection questions, and posting to the feed. I find that sharing ideas, helping people with challenges/questions, and having my own challenges/questions answered is one of the most rewarding parts of the entire week. I'd also add that we should focus on those one-time challenges!! It's a really great way to think big picture, and think of what other changes we can make for the rest of the year.
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Claire Downs 7/19/2019 5:14 AMI have a question for everyone...so I'll have clothes, mostly shirts, that get those tiny little holes in them after I've had them for a while and washed them x times. My question is, what should I do with them? It seems a shame to send all that perfectly good fabric to the landfill, but I can't exactly wear a nice blouse with holes in it...-
Sinclair Boggs 7/21/2019 2:20 PMI cut up some of my old shirts that had holes and made reusable rounds for taking off make up, applying toner etc. -
Peter Martin 7/20/2019 11:10 AMSewing or patches - Ive had bum around clothes for hundred years and Ill sew the holes closed - granted I dont really care what I look like but some people do!
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Claire Downs 7/17/2019 5:50 PMOmg homemade falafel, hummus, tzatziki, borahni, and roasted chickpeas!!! I love cooking plastic free. Most of the veggies came from the Druid Hill Park farmers market today, specifically urban farms less than 10 miles away!!
Lesson of the night: broiled eggplant skins are absolutely delicious.
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Claire Downs 7/16/2019 5:23 PMHalfway through July with 58k points...think we can break 100k, Maryland Zoo team??? Factoring in second-half one time actions, I bet we can make it happen! -
Claire Downs 7/15/2019 7:20 PMFinally tried to make my own yogurt after a year!! 2% milk plus a little bit of yogurt. Mix it with honey, lemon juice, apricots, and voila! After a bit of work, it came out pretty good....if I take extended sick leave though we'll all know why 😅
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Claire Downs 7/14/2019 5:54 PMFinally figured out how to get plastic free seafood!! Shout out to Captain Trey's on York Rd. Also figured out that the olive bar has mozzarella cheese, so now I have plastic free cheese as well!!
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Sinclair Boggs 7/15/2019 1:29 PMGood tips! I've noticed that seafood shops in general tend to use more paper bags and brown paper for packaging too.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONPets Try a Pet Shampoo BarIn what ways does your pet make your life happier, more interesting, or more rewarding?
Claire Downs 7/10/2019 6:45 PMMy dogs are so sweet and cute and they have some of the biggest personalities I've ever seen. They make me smile every time I get home, even if they're just still sleeping on the couch. They make me smile and laugh, even when I feel like I have no reason to do either.
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Claire Downs 7/09/2019 7:15 AMI had a bit of a set-back type of weekend, friends. Over the weekend I was traveling to Ashville, NC, and I started off strong: refusing a straw at the airport bar, having a nice chat with the waitress about silicone straws. I even remembered to bring my own straw and water bottle!
When there, I forgot to ask for a cocktail without a straw, but to be fair, it's hard to know which cocktails come with straws and which don't! And I feel a little pretentious asking preemptively, "in case it comes with a straw, I don't want one." I think Plastic Free July is a great ice breaker because there is a reason for the request other than giving your server a hard time, but it's something I'm still working on. Anyone else have any similar hang-ups or suggestions?
I have decided I'd like to make myself a plastic-free travel kit that I can just through in my suitcase any time I go away. It would contain one's standard toiletries (shampoo bar, Bites, bamboo tooth brush, etc.), but also a collapsible water bottle, straws, maybe even some type of reusable coffee cup. Anyone else have anything I should add?-
Claire Downs 7/09/2019 7:18 AMOh, and I'll throw in my reusable silverware as well, though I might have to get something different in order to go through TSA. I also want to start bringing my own snacks through - I always love skittles when I travel, and I can get them in bulk at the grocery store in my own tupperware
Thanks for the suggestion! -
Lori Nitchals 7/09/2019 7:16 AMA collapsible silicone covered bowl for leftovers is what I have added to travel kit in addition to all you mentioned.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Keep My Community CleanHow does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?
Claire Downs 7/07/2019 5:48 AMWhen I was an intern at the Maryland Zoo, I would go for runs around Druid Hill Lake and pick up trash along the way. I remember thinking to myself, doing things yourself is so much better than going to a politician and getting things done for you.
Then I actually got a job in grassroots activism and campaigning for environmental and consumer protections. Through that I realized, picking up trash is all well and good, but it's a treatment, not a cure. Through campaigning and organizing, I could get more trash cans placed out there, better recycling programs, jobs could be created to keep the park clean, all the way down to banning the plastic and trash that created the waste to start. Picking up litter reminds me of that wholistic approach, and thinking about ways I can prevent the trash from ending up there in the first place.
It reminds me that the power of the community is greater than the individual, and it reminds me to cut down on the trash I produce as well.