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Sarah deMelo's avatar

Sarah deMelo

Protectors of the Blue - NEAq Staff & Volunteers

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,288 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    96
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    2.0
    documentaries
    watched
  • UP TO
    6.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    6.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    1.0
    waste audit
    conducted

Sarah's actions

Create Your Own Action

Composting

I will collect all compostable scraps from my family meals and put them in the compost bin.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Back in the Bowl

I will purchase refillable beauty products.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Just Say No

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Takeout Pro

I will use my own containers when ordering takeout.

COMPLETED 5
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

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 3 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 32
DAILY ACTIONS

Lifestyle

Support a Sharing Economy

I will create or support a sharing economy with family, friends, and neighbors.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Lather Up

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Watch a Documentary

I will watch a documentary film about waste with family and friends and talk about what we learned.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Community

Host a House Party

I will host a house party with friends and/or colleagues to watch a movie or present a guest speaker on plastics.

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!

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lifestyle

Homemade Cleaners

I will make my own cleaning products at home.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family

Discover Together

I will spend 30 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

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
    Personal Care Fresh as a Daisy
    Do some research on the toxic side affects of aluminum deodorant. After reading the side effects, can you think of instances where you may have experienced the side effects from this form of deodorant?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/31/2019 11:20 AM
    I have been trying a deodorant paste that comes in a jar from Lemongrass spa.  So far, so good!  I’m trying the Lavender Vanilla scent and it smells amazing!!

  • Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/31/2019 11:17 AM
    This is not the end.  This was the beginning of lifestyle changes to be carried for life!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Homemade Cleaners
    What did you learn by making your own cleaning products? What is the biggest difference in making vs buying?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/31/2019 11:16 AM
    I added a little bit of orange essentials oil to make it smell even better!

    Homemade Shower Cleaner
    1. 1 cup white vinegar.
    2. 4 teaspoons dish soap (preferably fragrance-free)
    3. 10 drops tea tree essential oil.
    4. 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
    5. 1 spray bottle.
    DIY Natural › homemade-shower-cl...


  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Keep My Community Clean
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/31/2019 11:12 AM
    This is an action that will continue after this challenge.  I always felt really good after I picked up even a few pieces of trash!

  • Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/30/2019 10:40 AM
    I realized today that with my contiguous effort to reduce my plastic consumption that I am buying more fresh food and less packaged.  Doing this has improved my families diet and I personally have lost 5 lbs this month.  Win, win!!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/30/2019 10:36 AM
    When you actually take the time to stop and look at your plastic dependency and is seriously depressing how difficult it is to purchase everyday items with some sort of plastic packaging.  We need to do better!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Host a House Party
    What are the benefits of hosting a house party related to getting to know your guests, connecting them to the cause you are focusing on, and building your community?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/30/2019 10:32 AM
    I had house guest over and the original intention was not related to plastic reduction but I turned it into a learning experience for many of the guests.  By having this “plastic free” get together and making a point of explaining the issues and ways they can reduce their own plastic dependency it planted a seed and hopefully real changes!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Natural Fibers
    What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

    Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/29/2019 6:36 PM
    Today I wore an outfit I bought that was organic cotton top and linen pants.  Comfy and cute without synthetic fabrics!

  • Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/28/2019 4:15 PM
    It’s Shark Week!! Let’s keep plastic out of the ocean!

  • Sarah deMelo's avatar
    Sarah deMelo 7/27/2019 3:30 PM
    Impromptu parking lot clean up today!