Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023

July 1 - July 31, 2023

Megan DiMarcantonio

NJDEP - CSRR SET

"to help be a part of the plastic free global community"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
856 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

15

conversations

with people
UP TO

19

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

36

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

260

minutes

spent learning

Megan's actions

Kitchen

Switch to Loose Leaf Tea

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Numbers Everywhere

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot - and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn what these numbers mean and which types of plastics are accepted for recycling in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

A Sustainable Flow

I will make the switch to sustainable, reusable period products.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Rubber Glove Pet Hair Removal

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

COMPLETED 10
DAILY 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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Invest in a Pooper-Scooper

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Say No to "Flushable Wipes"

Wipes don't break down in sewer systems, but combine with fat to create massive clogs. I will find alternatives to using disposable wipes.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Natural Paints

I will paint rooms in my home with low/no VOC or natural paints.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Discover Together

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 30 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Support a Sharing Economy

I will create or support a sharing economy with family, friends, and neighbors.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Become a Recycling Pro

Contamination prevents what is recyclable from being recycled. I will spend 10 minutes researching which materials are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community and recycle only those items.

COMPLETED 6
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

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 2 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?
Megan DiMarcantonio 7/26/2023 6:17 AM
i never realized how much trash has accumulated in my neighborhood until i started picking up trash daily. i would walk by everyday and notice the amount of trash but never do anything about it. Its almost disheartening because i feel as if i am making no progress with the litter to benefit to community.

Read More
- Victoria Vella 7/26/2023 6:47 PM
  Do what you can, when you can….. it makes a difference and you never know who might see your action and either do the same or decide not to litter in the future.
  
  Read More
Megan DiMarcantonio 7/25/2023 6:03 AM
The other day I went over to PA and got spooked because they gave me a plastic bag and since, in NJ, we no longer use them.. it was almost jarring to see. NJ has been plastic bag free for a while now and it was hard at first to remember my reusable but now its like second nature. I hope the rest of the world catches up to banning single use plastic bags because it really isn't necessary.

Read More
- Sarah Kelly 7/26/2023 6:40 AM
  I received a plastic bag at the ocean city boardwalk in NJ, shame on them!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Bathroom

Even though they are marketed as "flushable," disposable wipes do not disintegrate in water or the sewer system, and actually release microplastics into our waterways. How does it feel to learn this information? What do you want to do about it?
Megan DiMarcantonio 7/10/2023 11:23 AM
Even though flushable wipes do not breakdown. I wonder if wipes labeled as biodegradable are better. I am going to keep my eye opened for specially formulated biodegradable wipes.

Read More
- Victoria Vella 7/11/2023 10:54 AM
  After completing the "get rid of glitter" action, I am worried that "biodegradable" labeling is being used in instances where the material still contains plastic. For biodegradable glitter, specifically, it has to be certified by an independent entity and break down in a certain amount of time in a freshwater ecosystem to truly be biodegradable. So interesting and unfortunate that companies use greenwashing to sell their "green" "ecofriendly" products. Let me know if you find any more info.
  
  Read More