Anna McAllister
7/31/2019 11:20 AM
It's far less expensive to refill my own containers--plus then I can use my regular products, which aren't sold in travel sizes.
July 1 - July 31, 2019
Anna McAllister
"Make a positive difference where I can!"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 927 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO11plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO5.0minutesspent learning
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UP TO19plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO60pieces of plastic cutlerynot sent to the landfill
Anna's actions
Lifestyle
Natural Fibers
When available, I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.
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.
Food
Use Reusable Utensils
I will keep 3 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.
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.
Community
Share My Actions
I will make my environmental actions visible by posting to my social media networks.
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.
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).
Food
Buy Unpackaged Produce
I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.
Food
Minimize Packaging
I will purchase food items with the least amount of packaging.
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.
Lifestyle
Travel Eating
If traveling, I will bring my own airplane snacks and eat at local restaurants to avoid take-out containers.
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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Anna McAllister 7/31/2019 11:21 AMLast day of Plastic-Free July! I love this annual opportunity to take a hard look at my plastic consumption and try new ways to reduce it. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Travel ToiletriesWhat 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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Estimate Your Plastic Consumption and Go #PlasticNeutralWhat did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?
Anna McAllister 7/31/2019 11:18 AMI felt quite cocky about my plastic consumption until I used the calculator, which helped deepen my understanding of how prevalent plastic is in our lives. While I'm doing pretty well compared to other folks in the U.S., I'm a wreck compared to people in other parts of the world. -
Anna McAllister 7/30/2019 11:06 AMPicking figs off my own tree is a great way to enjoy produce without packaging! -
Anna McAllister 7/29/2019 10:13 AMDisheartening to see how limited the composting options are outside the greater Puget Sound area...I went to Spokane over the weekend and, while I noticed that compostable serveware was being used in several establishments, there were no compost bins, so the items just had to be thrown in the garbage. -
Anna McAllister 7/25/2019 10:52 AMHappy to share plums from the tree in my yard with coworkers today so they can also enjoy unpackaged produce! -
Anna McAllister 7/24/2019 1:54 PMA small but happy plastic victory: I made a poached egg in the microwave at work today. Directions said to crack the egg into a bowl of water, poke it with a fork, cover with plastic wrap and nuke for one minute. I experimented: put an inverted plate over the bowl instead of plastic wrap. Success and no plastic! -
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?
Anna McAllister 7/24/2019 1:53 PMThis was super easy and actually helped me make healthier choices. I made sure we had plenty of water for the road, packed snacks and--when we wanted to purchase treats--chose local businesses who gave us our amazing cookies in a compostable paper bag! -
Anna McAllister 7/23/2019 9:26 AMWe spent the weekend on the Olympic Peninsula and visited two beaches while we were there: one directly opposite Dungeness Spit and one at the mouth of the Elwha River (can't remember either of the names!)...I was so happy to see almost zero plastic pollution. The only bit I noticed was a tiny plastic ring on the beach near Elwha. I know that's far from the situation at many other locations but was still so gratified to enjoy our clean, beautiful shorelines. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLifestyle Travel EatingWas this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?
Anna McAllister 7/23/2019 9:14 AMSuper easy. It just takes a little bit of planning. I liked having snacks at the ready, and buying snacks/treats from local businesses so no packaging was involved!