Iunona Harris

"My mission is to help enlighten people that helping preserve our environment is not only good for nature, but good for our health, well-being and our wallets. Plastic free, zero waste, biocide-free, pollinator-friendly, organic and toxin-free is the way to be! 💚🌎🌳♻️"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
821 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

plastic bottle

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

9.0

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

39

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

55

minutes

spent learning

Iunona's actions

Bathroom

Sustainable Suds

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions with sustainable, unpackaged, or refillable options.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Bedroom

Eco Detergent

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

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

COMPLETED 11
DAILY 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 24
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

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 30 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Plastic History Buff

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

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

Iunona Harris 7/28/2023 4:58 PM
Happy World Conservation Day! ☺️💚🌳🌎

Read More
- Iunona Harris 7/30/2023 6:25 AM
  Yesterday. 😊
  
  Every year on July 28th, World Nature Conservation Day acknowledges that the foundation for a healthy society is a healthy environment. It’s also a day to increase awareness about the importance of protecting our natural resources.
  
  Read More
- Julie Gonsalves 7/29/2023 3:48 PM
  Was that yesterday or today? Happy World Conservation Day!
  
  Read More
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?
Iunona Harris 7/24/2023 7:36 PM
Nearly everything is in plastic. When I buy food in containers that I can reuse, they add to a collection that, if anyone else sees, will think of their grandma during the depression, saving butter tubs for potato salad. I also found that storing onion in these is not as effective, because they're not airtight.

I would love to see grocery stores replace they're plastic tubs with reusable glass containers. They used to do it with milk back in the day... AND the milkman delivered it to you! 😁

How else can I use the sour cream, butter, cream cheese tubs; condiment bottles; cheese plastic wrap, chip bags, individual tea wrappers, coffee bags, clear wrapped potatoes, styrofoam and plastic meat packaging, bottled drinks, individual candy wrappers... Hey, at least bananas are usually plastic-free.

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- Julie Gonsalves 7/27/2023 8:23 AM
  i also buy milk in glass bottles. it seems to last longer too
  
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- Jennifer Daniels 7/26/2023 12:19 PM
  I buy milk in glass bottles, and pay a $2 bottle deposit. It is from Nutcher Milk Company and I find them at my local Savemart. They have all kinds of flavors in addition to the regular varieties like coffee, root beer, stawberry, egg nog at the holidays too!
  
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- Iunona Harris 7/24/2023 7:42 PM
  Sorry about the typos. Autocorrect got me!
  
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Iunona Harris 7/21/2023 4:38 AM
CalRecycle on LinkedIn has some good videos about waste, recycling and littering. ☺️💚♻️🌳 Here's one I enjoyed: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/calrecycle_plasticfreejuly-activity-7085701992630685696-N27E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

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- Julie Gonsalves 7/23/2023 9:43 AM
  Good information Thanks for the information
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

How does swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruit or veggies benefit your family?
Iunona Harris 7/21/2023 4:15 AM
First of all, they're usually a healthier option. Whether you're watching your carbs, fat, gluten, or calories, a fresh and unpacked snack, such as fruit or veggie is a better option. It isn't processed; it isn't wrapped in plastic; it doesn't contain additional allergens; it's usually cheaper by volume or weight.

One exception to the plastic rule are the unnecessarily plastic wrapped produce, such as potatoes, orange slices and or random things. I try to avoid those.

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- ANGIE RAPOSO 7/24/2023 8:45 AM
  I agree on the fact that it not only is a healthier option but if you are counting calories it does help. Plus I think it's better on the pocket book overall.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Study

How has learning about the history of single-use plastic shifted your mindset on plastics and their function within society?
Iunona Harris 7/14/2023 8:50 PM
I'm so glad you asked! 😁 It inspired me to post the following on my social media. If I get through to just one person, I know it will make a difference.

"Why would we pay money for something with the intention of throwing it away??" 🤨🤔

As part of my Plastic-Free July, I "Eco-challenged" myself by reading up on plastics history. The question above was posed in the article (link below). So, why did this question stick out to me? Simple: because I've asked myself the same, exact thing many times.

In my case, I rationalized it by incorporating it into some convoluted philosophical proof:

V1: I spend my hard-earned money 💸 on disposable plastic, such as trash bags, which ultimately end up in the trash 🗑️.

Now, let's shorten this idea:
V2: I spend my money 💸 on trash bags that go in the trash 🗑️.

Can we improve that statement a little more?
V3: I spend money 💸, which goes in the trash 🗑️.

And, drumroll, please...
V4: I throw away my money!!! 💸💰🗑️ 😰

So, if you ask me why I do what I can to be environmentally friendly, my answer is a no brainer: It helps the environment, yes. But it also really helps my wallet. And there is nothing that says you can't have both. ☺️ 💚 ♻️ 💸

To learn about the history of plastics, go to:
https://lnkd.in/gdhahMhr

To join our team for July's Plastic Free Ecochallenge, go to: https://lnkd.in/gW-XCKad

#plasticfree #zerowaste #ecofriendly #sustainability

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- Julie Gonsalves 7/18/2023 8:25 AM
  I agree! Well said. I rather save money.
  
  Read More
Iunona Harris 7/09/2023 7:12 AM
How about those microplastics? 😧 I have already been avoiding glitter in my art projects, balloons (see how your balloon breaks down in a lake: https://youtu.be/fcKafHq4irQ), face washes with microbeads, but there is something that still bothers me: lawn mowing. In Mississippi, where lawn mowing is a necessity, I noticed one major source of microplastics here. Along the freeways, roads and publicly accessible spaces, trash tends to gather. Sometimes from people who litter, but more oftentimes, from stuff flying out of the back of a truck. Many people don't pick up the trash before mowing lawns and just run over it, spraying little plastic pieces everywhere. The next time they mow, the pieces break down further. Before you know it, our outdoor grassy spaces are filled with microplastics. I thought about changing policy: (1) hand out littering tickets to anyone who doesn't secure their belongings in the back of the truck; (2) get volunteer/community service cleanups to pick up as much as possible on a more regular basis ; (3) implement a policy requirement for landscapers/mowers to rake (manually or with machinery) prior to mowing. This way, there will be significantly less plastic outdoors.

What do you think would be the most effective way to implement this? What kind of pushback should we expect? Do you have better ideas? Where else have you seen possibilities to improve?

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- ANGIE RAPOSO 7/27/2023 9:18 AM
  I like the #3 idea. I think that would be something good to implement.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?
Iunona Harris 7/08/2023 6:37 AM
I didn't want to keep relying on single-use plastics at work, so I brought my own. My biggest fear was losing or breaking them. So, I went to my local thrift store and found a bowl, a dish, a cup, a fork, spoon and a knife. They were incredibly cheap. Now I have a set at work for every day lunches and department events. ☕🥣🍽️

Next topic: napkins! ☺️♻️💚🌎🌳

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Bathroom

What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner or refillable bottle options?
Iunona Harris 7/07/2023 11:33 AM
I've been considering this for some time now. My current county doesn't efficiently recycle, so the best options for me are not to have plastic containers in the first place. I found a bar soap at Whole Foods that covers without packaging and is made from natural ingredients. This results in less plastic waste and it doesn't use water. I never understood adding water to soap and shampoo, then charging me for the extra space it takes up.

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