Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2019

July 1 - July 31, 2019

Taryne Haight - N

Toronto Zoo - Working Plastic Free

"•Continuous environmental improvement•"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
744 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

13

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

6.0

hours

volunteered
UP TO

20

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

1.0

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

23

pieces of plastic cutlery

not sent to the landfill

Taryne's actions

Lifestyle

Buy Only What I Need

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

See the Green

I will properly recycle used contact lenses and packaging.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 1 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

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

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

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

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

Community

Volunteer in my Community

I will volunteer 6 hour(s) in my community.

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

Personal Care

Pretty oh so Pretty

I will purchase beauty products that are packaged in sustainable packaging.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

Pet Waste

I will spend 8 minutes learning how to compost pet waste at home or research pet waste composting services available in my area.

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
Lifestyle Buy Only What I Need

As you have reduced your spending, what have you noticed about your 'health and safety' purchasing habits? How might this change your longer term purchasing decisions?

Taryne Haight - N 7/30/2019 5:22 AM

I take pause before making a purchase to determine if it is a necessity or a nice to have. Having that extra moment of reflection really helps to cut back on impulse/unnecessary purchases.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Volunteer in my Community

How does volunteering enhance your community and/or change your relationship with it?

Taryne Haight - N 7/30/2019 5:20 AM

When I volunteer I get to know more individuals within my community and can become a better member within it. I get to know individuals and what their needs are for the community and am better able to help address those needs.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Raise Money For a Nonprofit

What are organizations in your region doing to address plastic pollution or other related issues? How can you support them?

Taryne Haight - N 7/30/2019 5:19 AM

There are a variety of organizations that I am aware of and help/donate to - one is sorting garbage at concerts to ensure the appropriate waste streams are followed, others a pushing for change at a government level to enact change nationwide.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Keep My Community Clean

How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

Taryne Haight - N 7/30/2019 5:18 AM

I found this a hard challenge to adopt - mainly because it was a behavioural change which takes more time. When I did participate in this I did feel a greater sense of community in the area I had picked up litter from.

Read More
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?

Taryne Haight - N 7/30/2019 5:17 AM

By giving it a second life - remembering to re-use or re-purpose as much as possible before buying new!

Read More
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?

Taryne Haight - N 7/16/2019 5:35 AM

Planning ahead! I had to consciously remind myself to pack my reusable things (water bottle, cutlery) and bring a larger bag (mini-backpack). My friends were impressed with my spoon/fork/knife as they hadn't seen it combined into one reusable tool before.

Read More
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?

Taryne Haight - N 7/16/2019 5:32 AM

No accidental leaking in your bag! Especially when you use bar shampoo and conditioner too.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Lifestyle Travel Eating

Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

Taryne Haight - N 7/16/2019 5:31 AM

Travelling by train made bringing my own food much easier than buying! I also had better/healthier snacks to munch on.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Plant a Garden

Besides having access to fresh herbs and vegetables, what benefits will you see from growing your own garden?

Taryne Haight - N 7/16/2019 5:30 AM

My balcony is a little feels a bit more welcoming! I am very limited on space so have chosen herbs that are useful in my everyday life and will help lighten my bill for fresh herbs at the grocery store. Parsley does not do too well on balcony though.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Estimate Your Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutral

What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?

Taryne Haight - N 7/16/2019 5:28 AM

I am doing better than some, but still have a lot of room for improvement! It's usually the little everyday habits that add up to the worst impact. A change in habit and thinking is needed to break the bad habits.

Read More