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Mary Ellsworth's avatar

Mary Ellsworth

Save the Florida manatees and our waterways!

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 625 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    32
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    15
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    32
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill

Mary's actions

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Ditch Dryer Sheets

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bedroom

Eco Detergent

I will use laundry detergent that is packaged in glass or aluminum, or an alternative like soap nuts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Complete a Waste Audit

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 9
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 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 2 plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Support a Sharing Economy

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

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/23/2023 11:01 AM
    When walking in my neighborhood I am always a little bummed when I see trash on the ground. Hopefully by picking up litter as I walk I am providing a better experience for the next person or animal enjoying the outdoors.

  • Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/22/2023 11:05 AM
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    What are the benefits of a sharing economy? How could a sharing economy change the dynamics you have with friends, family and/or neighbors?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/19/2023 11:54 AM
    As a new mom, my friends and family have been so generous sharing their secondhand baby items. The items I have received have helped me as I navigate my new day to day and also served as a tangible representation of my communities support.

    • Joanna Caputa's avatar
      Joanna Caputa 7/29/2023 7:49 PM
      I belong to a Buy Nothing group in my area and I have found that moms of young children are some of the most generous gifters when it comes to sharing with other moms.
  • 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?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/19/2023 10:54 AM
    Disposable utensils are convenient but often provide a worse user experience than regular metal silverware. The thin plastic is much more likely to break during use. Bringing a set of utensils in your bag also allows you eat a surprise snack on the go if the opportunity presents itself.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/17/2023 7:11 AM
    Using reusable bags is one of the more accessible plastic free habits, but it still takes effort to remember to bring them each time you shop.
  • 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?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/15/2023 11:41 AM
    When possible purchasing items secondhand is a great way to reduce your impact. Secondhand furniture often has a lot of life left and can be found affordably online or in consignment stores.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom
    Often, single-use and disposable products don't just create more trash - they also contain toxins that are bad for humans. What are some other single-use items that are harmful to humans?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/14/2023 5:57 AM
    Single-use disposable products are an inefficient use of resources so it is best to avoid them whenever possible.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom
    Was this an easy or difficult swap for you to make? Did you have any concerns before making the swap?

    Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/14/2023 5:52 AM
    Making the swap to a more eco friendly dish detergent is much easier than it was several years ago as there are many more alternative products on the market. Dropps was having a 25% off sale so I stocked up since we were running low on dishwasher pods. Looking for sales or buying in bulk can reduce costs of swapping to more sustainable cleaning products.

  • Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/13/2023 10:12 AM
    "Keep My Community Clean" is my favorite plastic free daily challenge. Picking up litter each day is a small concrete act which keeps trash out of our local waterways and reminds me of my ongoing commitment to an eco-friendly lifestyle.

  • Mary Ellsworth's avatar
    Mary Ellsworth 7/11/2023 5:58 AM
    Happy Plastic Free July!!