Robin MacEachern
7/23/2019 6:53 AM
I will start with my family, and encourage them to bring in cutlery to keep at work so that they will not need to use disposable cutlery when eating.
July 1 - July 31, 2019
Robin MacEachern
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,241 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO110minutesspent learning
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UP TO36pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
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UP TO32plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO62plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO1.0waste auditconducted
Robin's actions
Food
Use Reusable Utensils
I will keep 3 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.
Lifestyle
Homemade Cleaners
I will make my own cleaning products at home.
Food
Buy Unpackaged Produce
I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.
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.
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.
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
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!
Food
Minimize Packaging
I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.
Pets
Pet Waste
I will spend 20 minutes learning how to compost pet waste at home or research pet waste composting services available in my area.
Food
Plant a Garden
I will plant an herb or vegetable garden in my home, workplace, or community garden
Lifestyle
Natural Fibers
When available, I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.
Lifestyle
Watch a Documentary
I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.
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.
Lifestyle
Travel Eating
If traveling, I will bring my own airplane snacks and eat at local restaurants to avoid take-out containers.
Food
Use Reusable Bags
I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce 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 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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Homemade CleanersWhat did you learn by making your own cleaning products? What is the biggest difference in making vs buying?
Robin MacEachern 7/23/2019 6:48 AMI learned that it is very easy to make my own cleaning products, and I already had the majority of the ingredients I needed. I did notice that depending on the product, I did get a better result from the the one I purchased, but for the most part, the one I made did a good job. -
Robin MacEachern 7/22/2019 7:04 AMAs the month is winding down, I'm finding that I'm definitely thinking a lot more about my plastic consumption, as well as looking at various businesses to see how they are using plastics. Some days I slip up, but on the whole, I think that I have been able to reduce how much plastic I consume. I was also pleasantly surprised to use biodegradable cutlery at my niece's birthday party this weekend! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Complete a Waste AuditWhat did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?
Robin MacEachern 7/03/2019 5:44 AMI learned that I create a lot of food waste. In order to reduce the food waste that I create, I need to be more careful when planning meals, and shop for perishable items more frequently instead of trying to meal plan for the whole week. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Watch a DocumentaryWhich documentary did you choose to watch? What did you learn?
Robin MacEachern 7/02/2019 8:47 AMWe chose to watch "Wasted! The Story of Food Waste". Before watching this, I did know that food is wasted every day, but I didn't realize the actual extent of waste. It made me rethink my food purchases and made me more cognizant of the waste that my family produces. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONPets All Natural Pet ToysIn what ways is supplying your pet with all natural pet toys better for your pet, better for you, and better for the environment?
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 8:16 AMMy pet is a big chewer, so giving her natural pet toys makes me feel better if she accidentally ingests them. When the toys are dead, it also makes it easier to dispose of them. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONPets Pet WasteBy 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?
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 8:15 AMSince I am starting a garden, I will be able to use my pet's waste to compost my garden and help my plants to grow.-
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 10:33 AMThanks Adele! I will check that article out. -
Adele Philippides 6/25/2019 10:23 AMThere's a good article about pet waste compositing here! We decided sadly it wasn't for us in the suburbs. It was quite easy to do when we lived in a rural area. We had lots of space away from others.
https://www.thespruce.com/composting-cat-or-dog-waste-2539613
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Travel SmartHow can/did you prepare to be successful in this action? Did you engage in conversation with anyone about your new habit?
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 8:03 AMI began carrying a collapsible straw with me, and when I travel I like to bring a reusable water bottle with me. I mostly engaged in conversation about this with my husband as he got to do the same things, and I wanted to explain my reasons to him.-
Megan Anderson 6/25/2019 12:36 PMTell your husband to sign up too! He can join the National Aquarium team!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Natural FibersWhat are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 8:01 AMPurchasing clothes made from natural fibers has several benefits. It provides an income to the farmers and other workers that produce the fibers needed to create the clothing. The clothing also breathes better when it is hot out and insulates better in the cold. In the long run, it wears betters and lasts longer than the synthetic clothing. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Travel EatingWas this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?
Robin MacEachern 6/25/2019 7:58 AMThis is an easy action to do. I generally prefer to bring my own snacks, saves some money! and I know what I'm eating. I also prefer to eat locally when I travel in order to experience the culture of where I am.