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Ellon Ruschell's avatar

Ellon Ruschell

Maryland Zoo

"Less Plastic. More Wildlife."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 576 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    20
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    100
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    40
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Ellon's actions

Food

Use Reusable Bags

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

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 20
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 20
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 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 20
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?


  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/25/2019 3:05 PM
    I’ve done so many clean ups with the conservation club at the MD zoo that I got the urge to pick up this tire while diving in Bonaire. 

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/22/2019 11:38 AM
    Did you see? Mr. trash Wheel is having a challenge called #SoLongSucker, where people pledge to get rid of one single use plastic item they use!

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/20/2019 4:26 PM
    It's not getting rid of plastic but it is getting rid of waste.... I got these Wool Dryer Balls on Prime Day and I'm loving them so far. No more dryer sheets!
    https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B014WOWNAY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/20/2019 12:52 PM
    At a Corvette Car Show today and there were lots and lots of bottled water. But I took my own, huge water bottle and only used that :)

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/19/2019 3:55 PM
    I noticed that another coworker had a slurpee cup every day this week. 
    Me: "You know... they sell reuseable cups..."

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/18/2019 7:40 PM
    Apparently I bullied/shamed a coworker enough yesterday about her packing everything in ziploc bags (that she threw away) that she made it a point to show me the reusable containers that she packed her lunch in today.... Oops!

    #TakingItTooSerious

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/17/2019 8:48 AM
    I enjoy Coke Zero but I always feel bad using the plastic bottles. I know there are things like Soda Stream that you can reuse bottles for soda but do they have them with brand names? I always see "cola" and I'm very specific about my Coke Zero haha. 

    I do try to drink more water but every so often I want that soda!

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/17/2019 8:46 AM
    One plastic item that I cut out of my life a while ago was those plastic K-cups. I use a reusable K-cup and put my own coffee grounds in it! 

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/16/2019 8:53 AM
    At work, I'm noticing a lot of coworkers going out for lunch each day. I realized that this creates a lot more trash than packing my lunch. So not only does packing a lunch end up being a good financial choice (and healthy choice) but it helps to eliminate waste.  

    • Claire Downs's avatar
      Claire Downs 7/16/2019 5:25 PM
      At my old job, I ate out way more and it was killing my budget. So I started writing down a list of what I was craving, what I wanted to buy, then I made it myself! That way I could still enjoy what I wanted, but I could make it healthier and cheaper!

  • Ellon Ruschell's avatar
    Ellon Ruschell 7/15/2019 4:51 PM
    Did a trash/recycling clean up at the zoo yesterday. 3 of us picked up about 50 pounds of trash and 150 pounds of recycling!