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Danielle Boulware's avatar

Danielle Boulware

Maryland Zoo

"♻️”Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse”♻️"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,171 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    98
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    100
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    248
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    136
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent learning

Danielle's actions

Kitchen

Choose Reusable Food Storage

I will only use reusable containers instead of single-use plastic storage items (such as plastic wrap, single-use sandwich bags).

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

When possible, I will not use disposable bags when shopping, including produce bags.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Plastic Free Lunch Boxes

I will only pack reusable cutlery, drinkware and containers in my family's lunches to reduce plastic waste.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Clean Plate Club

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Cook a Plastic Free Meal

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 10 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Travel Toiletries

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 10 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own travel cup.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Natural Fibers

When available, I will purchase clothing and bedding made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Follow the Chasing Arrows

The chasing arrows symbol we associate with recycling doesn't always actually mean something is recyclable. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Learn about Plastic Production

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Travel Eating

If traveling, I will bring my own snacks and meals in my own containers to avoid the waste of take-out containers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 15 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Estimate Your Ecological Footprint

I will calculate my ecological footprint, and from the results brainstorm and take action on ways I can reduce my annual footprint.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Practice Sustainable Fashion

I will spend 4 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 10 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Do an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some resuable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable?

    Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/21/2023 6:46 AM
    My sister -in-law often talks about making home made pizza. I think I’m going to try this today. Buying less frozen pizza in the cardboard and wrapped in plastic has always been a quick meal for my kids to eat for lunch. Also getting away from the cardboard juice boxes is a goal and costly on my food bill. Fingers crossed on the pizza making tonight.

  • Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/21/2023 6:39 AM
    Going to my local grocery store and the amount of people leaving out with paper bags and paying for them😱Make an investment and buy the Reusable Bags. Food costs are 🤑🤑🤑and the fact you are going to buy a bag that’s going rip🙅🏽‍♀️♻️♻️♻️
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/17/2023 10:27 AM
    This is definitely helpful and easy. Bring the snacks and food you love with you in reusable storage containers. Eliminate the sandwich bags or unnecessary vending purchases. 🤑$$$

  • Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/14/2023 9:00 AM
    Grocery Tip#1 always have your reusable bags😍

    • Sinclair Boggs's avatar
      Sinclair Boggs 7/14/2023 12:28 PM
      My challenge is remembering to put them back in my car for the next time after I put the groceries away! #mombrain

  • Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/14/2023 6:21 AM
    Day 14 of the challenge and I’m showing the kids how to separate our recycling from the trash. Wish me luck🙏🏾

  • Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/13/2023 7:57 AM
    New water bottles for the kids because they are clumsy and broke at camp. Looking at the Hydro Flask🤔
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets
    Had you ever considered the environmental impact of balloons before? How can you share this information with your friends and family to encourage them to avoid balloons, too?

    Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/13/2023 12:33 AM
    I am guilty of having balloons at birthday parties and family events. My kids typically like to keep the foil balloons to decorate their walls in their room. This is a hard one to encourage to friends and family but sharing the outcome of releasing the balloons and them harming wildlife will hopefully sway them. I will make a conscious effort to find alternatives for decorating especially outside knowing the impacts this can have.

  • Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/12/2023 11:35 PM
    Day 13 and I feel like even the smallest changes I’ve made are a still a great improvement towards less plastic use in my family’s life.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Beyond reducing waste, there are many benefits to packing zero waste lunches (for kids or yourself!). What other benefits have you noticed from this practice?

    Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/09/2023 9:58 AM
    During the school year I never realized how many sandwich bags I was using, the amount of money I wasted, and how bad this was. Now the kids are in camp and sometimes take home lunch the reusable sandwich cases are great. Wash and repack. Glad to be saving a few bucks and moving towards a better choices.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    Danielle Boulware's avatar
    Danielle Boulware 7/09/2023 8:51 AM
    I recently bought storage containers for my kid’s cereal and snacks. Wish me luck they don’t spill everything on the floor😉