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Paige Ransford's avatar

Paige Ransford

Zoo New England

"Establish new habits and behaviors to lead to a more sustainable and green lifestyle"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,059 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    conversation
    with a person
  • UP TO
    5.0
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    25
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    74
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    29
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Paige's actions

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

Family

Plastic Free Lunch Boxes

I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and tupperware-like containers in my children's lunches to reduce plastic waste.

COMPLETED 25
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 28
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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Pets

Pet Waste

I will spend 5 minutes learning how to compost pet waste at home or research pet waste composting services available in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Advocate For More Food Packaging Options

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

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
    Food Minimize Packaging
    With the added mindfulness of reducing your packaging, what have you noticed about the amount and type of single use plastics used for packaging when you shop in the grocery store?

    Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/31/2019 5:46 AM
    I am getting better and better at "balancing" all the hard-to-carry-not-in-a-bag veggies!

    • Andrea Lewicki's avatar
      Andrea Lewicki 7/31/2019 11:46 AM
      I've used my reusable bags in the store to juggle loose items. Then I just take them out for scanning and put them right back in the bag.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/30/2019 7:56 AM
    My household can definitely reduce the most in the takeout container arena! Between bags from Dunks and leftover containers from restaurants, we are making some big changes to REDUCE!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
    Single use plastics have become normalized in our society to the point that most people don't see them as a problem. What would you say to a friend, colleague, or family member who may not understand why these disposables are an issue?

    Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/28/2019 7:44 AM
    Beyond explaining to people the importance of this, I’ve had more luck giving them concrete ideas about what they can do and the tangible changes I’ve made in my everyday life. 

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/28/2019 7:28 AM
    Got my sister to be more sustainable! Not an easy feat!

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/27/2019 9:11 AM
    I am so proud to be part of the awesome ZNE  team!

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/26/2019 1:15 PM
    I am really disheartened about all this excess packaging that came with an item I received!


    • Erica Farrell's avatar
      Erica Farrell 7/27/2019 2:35 PM
      Bahhh. I feel the same way.  I saw this thing on amazon the other day allowing you to choose the least plastic packaging for your orders. We need to look into that!!!  I ordered plastic free bar soap the other day and it arrives in a plastic bag!!  Garrhhhhh!

    • Andrea Lewicki's avatar
      Andrea Lewicki 7/27/2019 7:17 AM
      I feel your pain! I order so much stuff for Animal Care and more of it than I would like comes packed this way. It is so frustrating.

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/24/2019 5:21 AM
    Wow! So excited to see we’re at 3rd place!

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/22/2019 8:53 AM
    Discouraged this weekend with the heatwave and seeing so many people using disposal straws! 

  • Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/17/2019 1:14 PM
  • 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?

    Paige Ransford's avatar
    Paige Ransford 7/11/2019 7:27 AM
    This isn't specific to pet waste, but I use the collected water from my dehumidifier to water my plants!

    • Erica Farrell's avatar
      Erica Farrell 7/11/2019 6:45 PM
      I use the water from washing  produce to water house plants and this summer we’re using the doggie pool to water the garden!!!

    • John Linehan's avatar
      John Linehan 7/11/2019 10:26 AM
      I use the water in my clothes washer.