My partner and I have been in a lot of social situations this month, including a conference, family events, and a funeral.  This has brought us into interaction with a variety of practices, from educational institutions, government buildings, plane travel, restaurants, churches, and personal homes.  Each time we have a chance, we talk about our EcoChallenge.  Generally, it starts when someone offers me some kind of food item and I tell them that I am participating in the EcoChallenge and am trying to take actions each day.  I ask if they can help me by either offering an alternative serving item, such as a durable plate, cup, or silverware, or not giving me a bag or straw.  They always seem interested, if not perhaps a little ashamed.  The food coordinator at this huge church actually thanked us and said that they are going to purchase compostable materials asap and they apologized for their plastic plates and glasses that they were using during the funeral reception.  That felt like we made a difference.

I need to use less paper products. That's the biggest takeaway. I'm pretty good with composting, recycling and using my TerraCycle boxes.