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Kristin Ulvestad's avatar

Kristin Ulvestad

Reid Park Zoo

""We don't need a few people being perfectly sustainable. We need everybody being imperfectly sustainable." -Unknown Let's be imperfectly sustainable together. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 928 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    52
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    25
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    72
    pieces of litter
    picked up

Kristin's actions

Personal Care

Pearly Whites

I will purchase toothpaste in an aluminum tube or in a glass jar or make my own!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Use a Reusable Mug / Collapsible Cup

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own collapsible cup.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join a Cleanup Effort

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Skip the Straw

I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 26
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Pets

Invest in a Pooper-Scooper

I will swap out my single use plastic bags for a pooper-scooper.

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?


  • Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/12/2019 11:01 AM
    I introduced our awesome zoo campers to the Plastic Free Ecochallenge today! They are the future!!!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Pets Invest in a Pooper-Scooper
    How are caring for your pet and caring for the environment connected for you?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 12:04 PM
    Since my pets are animals, caring for them connects to caring for the environment because caring for the environment protects other animals.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care Pearly Whites
    Currently most of the packaging for toothpaste is plastic. How can you advocate for more alternatives through your purchasing power and influence in community?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 12:02 PM
    I can make my own toothpaste (but I am not very handy), or I can purchase toothpaste that is more sustainably made and packages. I just ordered Bite toothpaste bits and am currently waiting for them to arrive. I am almost out of toothpaste and put it on my shopping list before I had an "Aha" moment and deciding to choose a more sustainable option.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Natural Fibers
    What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 12:00 PM
    Clothes made with natural fibers do not contain microplastics, which can be eaten by both aquatic and terrestrial animals, modify the soil quality and even make it into the food that we eat.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Skip the Straw
    Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 11:59 AM
    Yes. I have had wait staff in restaurants thank me for saying "no straw". I have noticed a lot of confusion when I say "no straw" at some places though. Many times I say "no straw" in the drive-thru, but still end up with a straw because the message does not get passed on very effectively.

    • Maria Sainz's avatar
      Maria Sainz 7/05/2019 8:06 PM
      I been saying I do not need the straw to the folks in drive thru windows and that seems to get received a little better, I also dot mention it till I am getting my drink.
  • 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?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 11:48 AM
    It makes me feel great and is so easy. My next plan is to replace my shampoo/conditioner bottles with bars as I use what I have left.
  • 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?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 11:48 AM
    I think the plastic packaging serves the idea of cleanliness to the consumer and protects the producer by somewhat protecting the product so it is less likely to get damaged. Buying local will protect the product better, though, since it will not need to travel so far.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Keep My Community Clean
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Kristin Ulvestad's avatar
    Kristin Ulvestad 7/05/2019 11:45 AM
    It causes me to be more observant of what's around me and the impact our community can have on our local environment.