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Kathleen Reed's avatar

Kathleen Reed

Polymeric Purge Party

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 602 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    9.0
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    10
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    21
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill

Kathleen's actions

Family

Natural Paints

I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Shop the Bulk Bins

I will purchase dry goods from the bulk section of my grocery store, and use my own containers to do so.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Lather Up

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, and conditions with either a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Buy Unpackaged Produce

I will purchase produce items without plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Use a Reusable Mug / Collapsible Cup

I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own collapsible cup.

COMPLETED 7
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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Visit A Waste Management Facility

I will visit a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about the waste stream.

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?


  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/31/2019 4:39 PM
    Although I had thought of different ways to reduce  my plastic use in the past, this challenge made me get creative involving my family and friends, too. It’s been fun and eye-opening!!

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/24/2019 5:51 PM
    I talked with friends at dinner and talked them out of straw use, too.

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/23/2019 12:50 PM
    Sometimes, I can’t think of an alternative. Instead of using plastic pans for painting, I pored the paint in the metal pan, but afterward, I had to use a lot of water to cleanup. Not as convenient, but I guess it works., 

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/22/2019 10:49 AM
    We are painting over the places in our hall way where wall board was removed to deal with plumbing issues. Instead of buying plastic sheets for floor protection, we are using old plastic tablecloths  which we will fold up and save for use on the next project!!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Buy Unpackaged Produce
    Why do you think these produce products started amassing so much plastic packaging? Who is the plastic packaging really serving -- the consumer, the producer, or someone else?

    Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/20/2019 12:40 PM
    I guess the plastic packing serves the seller.  It is more convenient for transporting and stocking of the store. This photo shows my produce source now. The folks own the roadside stand where I can buy fruits and begs in the spring summer and fall. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use a Reusable Mug / Collapsible Cup
    Great job on getting rid of your disposable cup habit! How does it make you feel? What's next on your list to reduce your waste?

    Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/19/2019 6:00 PM
    Ate breakfast at Sheetz. The sandwiches are wrapped in paper which after I shredded it fit nicely in my compost.  I took my own coffe container and my husband took our double walled cold drink cup., effectively no waste at all with this meal!! Tonight’s dinner out, real plates and glass glasses!!! Only paper napkin waste with this meal. 

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/17/2019 4:58 PM
    My husband and I are finishing with the remodeling of our house. Everything comes packed it plastic. We have recycled as much as possible. To finish the look we had decided to replace the hinges and door knobs because everything in the house is brushed nickel and those were brass. While visiting a Restore, we found the perfect door knobs. And they are not packed in plastic!!!! They were also perfect and very reasonably priced! Win win!!!

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/17/2019 8:17 AM
    I had a neighbor stop me at the pool today yo thank me for starting the effort to bring our own silverware to pot lucks. We are making a fun activity so that more people will buy in each month.

  • Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/15/2019 6:25 PM
    Sometimes I reach for the plastic wrap and realize that I have alternatives. Then I dig out a reusable container. I hope that that I can continue on that path.

    • Dustie Bourgeois's avatar
      Dustie Bourgeois 7/16/2019 11:12 AM
      Good point Kathleen!  I'm doing the same thing.  Instead of covering leftover pizza with plastic wrap, I just use an inverted plate.
  • 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?

    Kathleen Reed's avatar
    Kathleen Reed 7/13/2019 12:17 PM
    I found a local farm which sells eggs. I have been saving my egg cartons for them to reuse.