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Welcome to Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023 expert in no time!

Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums
Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023
July 1 - July 31, 2023
Rachel Darley's avatar

Rachel Darley

NJDEP-SAGE EcoLogicals

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 590 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    12
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    8.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Rachel's actions

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Eco Deodorant

I will switch to a plastic-free deodorant — whether purchased or DIY'd.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

That Was a Close Shave

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Go Strawless

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Green Beauty

When it's time to buy more, I will replace my beauty products with refillable, sustainable, and/or DIY options.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 1 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Tour A Waste Management Facility

I will spend at least 30 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    With the added mindfulness of reducing your packaging, what have you noticed about the amount and type of single use plastics used for packaging when you shop in the grocery store?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/28/2023 11:15 AM
    Sometimes it comes down to convenience, but there have been other occasions where looking at the packaging for an item and it leaves me flabbergasted. There's so much waste, and it is obvious that how they packaged an item, no thought was put into it. There are also plastic bags available everywhere in produce and the meat section. If we didn't have to worry about leaking meat packages, then the plastic bags wouldn't be necessary (and I know meat eating is a whole other issue). There is also an increase in individually wrapped items, covered in plastic wrapping for the perfect portion size, in plastic that can't be recycled.
    Read More
    • Kathleen Hitchner's avatar
      Kathleen Hitchner 7/28/2023 8:46 PM
      You are so right, Rachel. So many of us (myself included) have opted for convenience in our purchasing habits. Many of the activities we have learned about and carried out during this Eco Challege have inspired changes in our actions. Hopefully many of these actions will become long-term habits.
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    Landfills and recycling centers tell us a lot about our communities and purchasing habits. What did you glean from your tour?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/27/2023 11:32 AM
    There needs to be more education regarding how to recycle. Big companies work against recycling centers. For example, I know that Hefty bags sell clear bags for recyclables (glass/aluminum). Plastic bags will clog up the machines, workers spend time unclogging them or fixing them. If communities were more aware that plastic bags were not necessary, then money wouldn't be spent unnecessarily on these plastic bags and then workers would spend less time having to fix machines clogged by them. I understand that every recycling center is different, but the use of plastic bags for recyclables may be one of the most useless products available to people and yet there is a market for them.
    Read More
    • Kathleen Hitchner's avatar
      Kathleen Hitchner 7/27/2023 2:46 PM
      Absolutely, Rachel! We're IN the environmental protection field, and WE'RE still learning! LOL! Think of the rest of society who are not nearly as interested.
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/21/2023 10:17 AM
    I'm not sure if it's thinking outside the box, or if it's considering how people used to do things before plastics and disposables came into our lives. For example, meal prepping, eating meals that fulfill us and don't leave us wanting for snack items makes a significant impact in plastic waste creation. Years ago, before disposables, people had no other choice but to use what they had and be creative in preserving their food. Nowadays, we have too many choices, and too many companies advertising to us on how using their products will benefit our lives, our pockets, make things easier, simpler, and especially save us time. Back then we didn't have to think about storage containers and what happens after we're done with them (clean them and reuse them!), nowadays, that's how we should be thinking, 'what is/when is the end life of this packaging for this particular product and is it worth it to buy or have it'?
    Read More
    • Kathleen Hitchner's avatar
      Kathleen Hitchner 7/24/2023 3:12 PM
      That is an astute observation, Rachel. We need to adopt the practices people used decades ago, when they had no choice but to re-use what they had. This will help not only the environment but will help to save money.
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom
    What have you noticed about the economic and social impact of switching to steel razors? Was there ever really a need for disposable razors, or do you think it was just a way to sell more things?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/18/2023 6:03 AM
    My steel razor will last me a long while (years!) and the razors themselves will keep if I take care of them properly and once done, I can recycle them. The economic impact in the long haul may not be the largest, but it's a good feeling knowing how many disposable razors I can keep out of the landfills for the next few decades. Disposable razors are convenient and that is the main issue with our plastic pollution... the convenience of throwing something out instead of putting in the effort and time to upkeep. We don't really think about the issues brought up afterward, like the breakdown of products, the landfills filled with these wastes, and even these materials ending up in our immediate environment if not disposed of properly. There's no need for a lot of single-use products or disposable products, but because of the ease and convenience, companies keep producing these products that continue to make them money.
    Read More
    • Kathleen Hitchner's avatar
      Kathleen Hitchner 7/19/2023 10:18 PM
      I agree, Rachel. It's definitely a cash cow for companies to guarantee customers will buy their product again because the product is disposable.
      Read More
  • Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/14/2023 10:05 AM
    Every day is a new day! It is somewhat easier when I am able to WFH, it helps with the temptation in buying snacks in the cafeteria.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How does swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruit or veggies benefit your family?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/13/2023 5:19 AM
    Not only am I not wasting as much money on snacks and single-use plastic items, but obviously fruit and vegetables are healthier for you. It is also a matter of how you pick/purchase your produce, a lot can be pre-packaged in single-use plastics, this is why I bring my own produce cloth bags, don't use any bags at all, or shop at my local farmers markets.
    Read More
  • Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/12/2023 7:06 AM
    Some mornings are better than others. Prepping the night before and packing my snacks in reusable containers helps me avoid the rush of the morning and using ziplock bags for snacks since it's the more convenient/fast/easy thing to do.
    Read More
    • Kathleen Hitchner's avatar
      Kathleen Hitchner 7/19/2023 10:41 PM
      I wash and reuse zip lock bags - there's way too much engineering involved in those to just toss them. After they aren't functional anymore, some companies collect them and other plastic wraps for recycling. Wegmans is one, but there are others.
      Read More
    • Lydia Roe's avatar
      Lydia Roe 7/12/2023 11:18 AM
      So smart! I've been doing this strategy for my dinner leftovers so that they're easy lunch the next day!
      Read More
  • Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/11/2023 7:21 AM
    It's been on my mind to make my own chapstick and use the chapstick containers I have (which is a lot!), this way I can stop contributing to the plastic pollution as those items are difficult to recycle, if at all.
    Read More
  • 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?
    Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/07/2023 5:50 AM
    It has been a couple of years since I have been "anti-balloons", so much so my entire family and friends are all very aware of my dislike, and the damage that they do to the environment. We've all tried different ways to decorate that don't require balloons.
    Read More
  • Rachel Darley's avatar
    Rachel Darley 7/07/2023 5:46 AM
    Little delayed in joining, but I checked some things off that I already do such as using my reusable bags, and using subscription-based detergent/hand soap/dishwasher pods that come in plastic-free packaging.
    Read More