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Alexis Gilliam's avatar

Alexis Gilliam

Oklahoma City Zoo

"Animals don't deserve to suffer at our price. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,332 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    62
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    31
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    donation
    made
  • UP TO
    93
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill

Alexis's actions

Personal Care

Brusha Brusha Brusha

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Personal Care

Lather Up

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, and conditions with either a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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

Community

Raise Money For a Nonprofit

I will raise money to support a nonprofit dedicated to plastic pollution reduction.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip the Straw

I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 3 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

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).

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Community

Share My Actions

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

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

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

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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care That Was a Close Shave
    What have you noticed about the economic and social impact of switching to steel razors? Was there ever really a need for disposable razors, or do you think it was just a way to sell more things?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/30/2019 6:46 AM
    There really isn’t a big difference between steel razors and the ones coated in plastic other than the steel is actually cheaper and lasts longer. So in a sense there was never really a good reason to move away from it. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Toiletries
    What is the benefit of using bar soaps or refilling your travel sized containers? Is this an action you think you will keep in your life?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/30/2019 6:45 AM
    You produce so much less waste and those giant shampoo and conditioner bottles or body wash bottles don’t fill up your trash can! 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Eating
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/22/2019 5:16 PM
    This was pretty easy for me. I have a little travel set of utensils that contains a metal fork, knife, spoon, fruit fork, and chopsticks. So it basically covers any meal I might come across. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Natural Fibers
    What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/22/2019 5:14 PM
    Purchasing clothes made with natural fibers is beneficially because these clothes are made from a material that will biodegrade much faster than the synthetic ones. The synthetic fiber clothing is basically plastic sitting in a land fill. Natural fibers also allow your skin to breathe easier than synthetic fibers. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusable Utensils
    How 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?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/11/2019 9:49 AM
    Every fast food restaurant uses plastic silverware. These options are due to cost and convenience. If everyone had a travel set with them in their car or bag it would eliminate this need. I know this industry will never change but it could use a different material such as bamboo. Bamboo grows at an extraordinary rate and is relatively cheap to manufacture into other utensils. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Minimize Packaging
    With 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?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/11/2019 9:44 AM
    Most single use plastics in groceries stores come from just about any food you purchase with the exception of boxed foods and canned goods. This ranges from the plastic wrap around meat products to the little plastic cartons that berries come in. All of these could be replaced with other products. Butchers paper or a reusable mesh bag work just as well. There is plastic constantly surrounding us when there doesn't need to be. We did without before and we can do it again, we just need to get out of this "convenience" mindset. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Travel Smart
    How can/did you prepare to be successful in this action? Did you engage in conversation with anyone about your new habit?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/04/2019 10:50 AM
    I always make sure I have some of my reusable straws in my car or if I'm riding with friends I grab a few before heading out. They all know that I don't use the plastic that's offered and some of them have even switched to a reusable one themselves because I don't let them have them when we go out together. I also tend to carry a reusable water bottle with me wherever I go since most places will let you fill it with water for free anyway. 

  • Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/03/2019 12:16 PM
    I went to S&Bs Burger Joint last night with some friends and found myself needing a to-go container. Surprisingly their containers are made from 100% recycled paper in the United States! I wish more restaurants would follow this lead and ditch the plastic/styrofoam options!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care Lather Up
    What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/03/2019 12:10 PM
    Bar shampoos and conditioners are easier to travel with. Plus most options are made with more natural ingredients. One of my personal favorites is the Jason and the Argan Oil shampoo bar from Lush. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Buy Unpackaged Produce
    Why do you think these produce products started amassing so much plastic packaging? Who is the plastic packaging really serving -- the consumer, the producer, or someone else?

    Alexis Gilliam's avatar
    Alexis Gilliam 7/01/2019 7:54 PM
    Produce packaging started to contain more plastic when it became cheaper and faster to produce than the other options. This packaging serves the producer, there is no additional benefit to the consumer to buy items wrapped in additional plastic. 

    • Karen Wilson's avatar
      Karen Wilson 7/02/2019 12:18 PM
      One of the most disturbing things I've seen is pre peeled oranges in a plastic container in the ready to eat section. Is there really anything wrong with the packaging that nature provided?