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Katherine Malaver's avatar

Katherine Malaver

Maryland Zoo

"The World is changed by your example not your opinion"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 688 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    12
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    10
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    9.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    12
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill

Katherine's actions

Create Your Own Action

Less plastic practices in the events department at the MZIB

Encourage plastic free practices in my department at work.

COMPLETED 2
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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use Reusable Water Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Pets

Homemade Pet Food/Treats

I will prepare my own pet food and treats to avoid plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Pets

Pet Waste

I will spend 60 minutes learning how to compost pet waste at home or research pet waste composting services available in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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!

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

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?


  • Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/31/2019 9:05 AM

  • Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/30/2019 9:09 AM
    I put this photo in my desk at work as a reminder that for now on I will try as possible to carry a plastic free lifestyle and that this plastic free initiative does not end tomorrow. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusable Water Bottles
    Using the links provided, investigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed by this bottling process?

    Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/30/2019 8:39 AM
    First, make this of public knowledge because I don't think people know that this is happening and the big impact in our communities. 
  • 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?

    Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/30/2019 8:38 AM
    First of all by example I can prove to people that reusable cutlery is not only cheaper but also a practical option that does not really need of much effort but to wash your cutlery once you are done with your meal and with that simple small action the impact is enormous.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Skip the Straw
    Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

    Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/30/2019 8:33 AM
    yes, at restaurants for example when I request not to get a straw there is no hesitation and servers fulfill my request without any problem or explanation.    
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Pets All Natural Pet Toys
    In what ways is supplying your pet with all natural pet toys better for your pet, better for you, and better for the environment?

    Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/27/2019 7:26 AM
    They definitely enjoy it a lot and also is healthier, I feel I am contributing to support sustainable companies that get their products from reliable and natural sources and by avoiding packaging I am contributing for a better environment.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusable Bags
    How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

    Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/26/2019 6:33 AM
    This was the hardest part or the challenge for me because I had to remember to bring the reusable bags with me and I still need to get produce reusable bags since right now I am just having fruits and vegetables rolling everywhere in my shopping cart but one step at a time I will make this a permanent habit, another difficult thing was to explain the person at the registry that I really DO NOT need any plastic bags, I don't care if I have to carry some stuff out of the bags is OK,  but I understand their concern and I even had to let them give me the bag because they were so persistent and then take it out in my way out, I guess people still need to get into that plastic free mentality. 

  • Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/24/2019 7:09 AM
    And this challenge is the perfect example of that. Still strong Happy Wednesday :-)

  • Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/23/2019 8:08 AM
    Is hard to make this a habit but I am trying :-)

  • Katherine Malaver's avatar
    Katherine Malaver 7/22/2019 8:57 AM
    I volunteered yesterday for a 5K/10K race in Elliott City in the beautiful Banneker Historical Park organized by Rip it events, I was responsible along with other 3 volunteers of the water station in the mile 1.5 and this was the result by the end of the race, while people tried to stay hydrated in an 100 degree weather thousands of plastic cup ended up in the ground, some people opted for small reusable bottles but the most competitive ones just didn't have time to think in refilling  bottles, others opted for a water backpack that I think worked better for a long race like the 10K but it was just really sad and disappointing  seeing this picture at the end, we definitely need to do better! there are options out there people just need to start use them! I am thinking in emailing the event organizers and bring this to their attention.