Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023

July 1 - July 31, 2023

Brent Charest

Zoo New England

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,400 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

31

pieces of plastic cutlery

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

28

advocacy actions

completed
UP TO

28

conversations

with people
UP TO

32

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

114

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

102

minutes

spent learning

Brent's actions

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 1 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Discover Together

I will spend 10 minutes educating my family on the basics of living a reduced/no-plastic lifestyle.

UNCOMPLETED
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

Thrifty Pets

I will find secondhand sources for my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Advocate for Office Reusables

I will lobby my workplace to have reusable dishes and silverware in order to minimize disposables.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Ditch Dryer Sheets

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Plastic Free Lunch Boxes

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

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 4 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Advocate for Plastic-Free Dining

I will talk to the owner or manager of a restaurant I frequent to request that they reduce their use of single-use and disposable plastics.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Try a New Recipe

I will try new recipe(s) or food preparation method(s) each day, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Rubber Glove Pet Hair Removal

I will use a rubber glove to remove pet hair from clothes, carpets and furniture.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Say No to Styrofoam

Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can, making sure to kindly let people know why I'm asking for alternative packaging.

COMPLETED 28
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Buy Only What I Need

I will not buy anything except items required for health and safety.

COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

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?
Brent Charest 7/31/2023 4:20 PM
Zero waste meals require a bit more planning, but I actually like that part. It makes me want to be more intentional with other areas in my life.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Family + Pets

We know you want to - tell us about why your pet is so awesome!
Brent Charest 7/31/2023 4:16 PM
Finn and Munch are our two tuxedo cats who love food and treats. Finding random whiskers around the house is the funniest part of my day.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?
Brent Charest 7/27/2023 3:14 PM
It wasn't difficult to remember to bring my own packed meals and snacks when traveling, since I usually make a packing list and just added those items to it. Finding creative ways to carry them so they wouldn't get smushed was the more challenging part, but this is an action item I can continue long after July.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Study

How might styrofoam be an environmental justice and/or environmental racism issue in your community?
Brent Charest 7/26/2023 7:03 PM
Environmental racism typically targets the poor and uneducated, meaning they are more likely to have to come into contact with styrofoam, be near plants that manufacture it, or landfills where it's disposed.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

How do you feel about being more involved in the food preparation process? Joyful, overwhelmed, engaged, empowered? What are the benefits of choosing to process or produce your own food instead of buying it pre-processed?
Brent Charest 7/19/2023 3:33 PM
It's more arduous in the beginning, but I like getting creative in the kitchen. It's a good way to save money, too, shopping at local markets as opposed to the pricier convenience of highly processed food.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?
Brent Charest 7/13/2023 10:20 AM
I usually go up and down the street after trash/recycling day, since litter inevitably ends up on the ground. Today, I saw a neighbor wheeling in their bins and we waved, and then they picked up a few stray pieces near them. Nothing like being inspired by others with a common goal!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Study

As you have reduced your spending, what have you noticed about your 'health and safety' purchasing habits? How might this change your longer term purchasing decisions?
Brent Charest 7/12/2023 3:51 PM
Buying only what I need hasn't been as challenging as I thought; it's made me realize how often I buy something out of habit, not necessity. Not contributing to fast food/fashion/consumerism feels really good, especially knowing the positive impact it has on the planet.

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