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MC Mandolia's avatar

MC Mandolia

Maryland Zoo

"I want to help the Maryland Zoo win for the second year in a row!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,121 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    91
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    78
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill

MC's actions

Food

Use Reusable Utensils

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

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Back in the Bowl

I will purchase refillable beauty products.

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

Personal Care

Pretty oh so Pretty

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

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

Food

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Fresh as a Daisy

I will use deodorant either from a bar or a jar or I will make my own.

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

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

Food

Use Reusables at Work

I will use reusable dishes and silverware when eating at work.

COMPLETED 30
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 30
DAILY ACTIONS

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?


  • MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/31/2019 10:32 AM
    Congratulations everyone! I'm so proud of our team :)
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care Back in the Bowl
    Why is it so difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places? How might your experience with this challenge impact your future consumption and choices?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:23 AM
    I think most people feel really removed about the effects our choices make on the environment. Unless you choose to learn more (i.e. by watching a documentary), it's easy to avoid thinking about what happens to our trash, or to not consider it at all. It is unfortunately ingrained in our society that things are meant to be thrown away and that's normal. 
  • 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?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:21 AM
    I am fortunate enough that most of the people in my life already use reusable cutlery. If I get take out, which is rare, I always refuse the single use plastic. I will also share my bamboo utensils with other people to help them avoid using single use plastic. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care Pretty oh so Pretty
    How can you advocate for the importance of reducing packaging to the rest of your friends, family and larger community?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:20 AM
    I talk to the people in my life about the products that I buy, usually stating explicitly that I bought them because they were in bulk or came in a recyclable container. Or if they come in glass, I can explain how I'm using this container for another purpose. So I tend to lead by example. 
  • 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?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:18 AM
    I will definitely keep using travel sized containers! I like using bar soaps, because it's one less item to take up space in the quart size bag for liquids you're allowed to take on planes. If you buy small jars of jam or honey, those make good travel sized toiletry containers for thicker toiletries like lotions or creams. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Natural Fibers
    What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:16 AM
    Clothes that are not made with natural fibers can shed microfibers in your washing machine, which make their way into our water systems and are eventually eaten by marine animals. While you can buy a Guppyfriend washing bag or a Cora ball to collect those fibers, it's helpful to not have clothes shedding those fibers in the first place!
  • 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?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/24/2019 9:13 AM
    Before I go out, I always try to think about what zero waste tools I'll need to bring with me. I typically end up bringing a napkin, travel coffee mug, metal straw, and bamboo utensils. This covers most of the situations I encounter, although I sometimes need a reusable tupperware. I find that when I bring out my reusable items, people typically comment on them. I can then take that as an opportunity to tell them where I bought the items and why I put the effort into carrying them around!

  • MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/12/2019 1:00 PM
    I chose to participate in Plastic Free July because I try to live plastic free throughout the year. I think it's incredible that we participate in this challenge as a zoo, and was shocked by how excited people were last year. I hope we continue to learn more as a community and win for the second year in a row!

  • MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/11/2019 6:07 AM
    I don't know how many of you are getting the emails from EcoChallenge, but in the most recent one, they have a really interesting link. There's an organization called rePurpose that has a 2 minute plastic waste survey, and then you can choose to pay a few dollars per month to offset the plastic you consume. So it's pretty similar to carbon credits. The survey was fun and easy, and I could offset my plastic use for about $2.50 a month. A very cool concept!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusable Containers
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    MC Mandolia's avatar
    MC Mandolia 7/04/2019 4:25 AM
    I think that (unfortunately) one of the more radical ways to think outside of the box with disposable items is to try and find a way to reuse it after its original purpose. Maybe you have to eventually throw away or recycle a yogurt container, but how can you use it in the meantime?