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Rachel Haywood's avatar

Rachel Haywood

Team Red Panda

"Landfills give me the heeby jeebies. Tackling recycling and environmental safety one day at a time!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,155 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    40
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    29
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    34
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    45
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    34
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    167
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent learning

Rachel's actions

Kitchen

Fill a Water Bottle

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 29
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 29
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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

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

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Invest in a Pooper-Scooper

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Thoughtful Toys

I will only buy cloth, wooden or plant-based natural rubber toys. Or make our own toys from recycled items found in our home!

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

Bathroom

Travel Toiletries

If traveling, I will reuse my old travel tubes to refill with my soaps or only bring bar soaps with me.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Homemade Pet Treats

I will prepare my own pet treats to avoid plastic packaging.

COMPLETED 29
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

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 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Sustainable Suds: Pet Edition

I will replace my pet's shampoo with an eco-friendly shampoo bar or refillable shampoo option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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 29
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom
    How can you advocate for the importance of reducing packaging to the rest of your friends, family and larger community?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/29/2023 6:59 PM
    I always love bringing my family and friends to the local farmers markets because a lot of my vendor-friends make the most amazing zero-waste health and beauty products.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:29 AM
    I've been to some local restaurants that don't offer straws anymore but when I can, I try to bring my own reusable straws with me when I go out.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study
    Were you surprised by what the different plastic identification numbers mean? How can this information help you become a better recycler?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:29 AM
    I've always thought that the recycling numbers were only used by the recycling facilities--before now I'd been recycling most of my plastics as long as I cleaned them out, regardless of the number. I will pay closer attention now to avoid recycling something hazardous.
  • 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 Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:23 AM
    I hate using balloons around my own house because they're not biodegradable for the lawn, but also not good for my dog. I always tell my family that balloons are also a waste of money so I try to get them to skip the balloons as party decorations.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets
    Does your child play differently with natural or repurposed toys than with other toys? If so, how?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:21 AM
    My (fur) baby plays more aggressively with the toys that I try to make from household objects but they're also easier to replace because I have more items around the house to make more toys with.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bathroom
    What is the benefit of using bar soaps or refilling your travel sized containers? Is this an action you think you will keep in your life?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:18 AM
    Bar soaps are great because, if made well, they contain skin-loving ingredients and are almost completely zero-waste.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Study
    How might styrofoam be an environmental justice and/or environmental racism issue in your community?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 11:15 AM
    Lower-income areas of the city are almost forced to use styrofoam as their only packaging option because the cost of more eco-friendly options is too expensive. Styrofoam alternatives should be more widely available!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 10:46 AM
    I often reuse some disposable items like shower razors multiple times so I don't have to replace them as often.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets
    How are caring for your pet and caring for the environment connected for you?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 10:35 AM
    If I don't pick up after my dog in the yard, the grass will die. Also, I try to use natural bath soap on my dog because she has sensitive skin and the natural soap is better for the septic system.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Family + Pets
    In what ways does your pet make your life happier, more interesting, or more rewarding?

    Rachel Haywood's avatar
    Rachel Haywood 7/28/2023 10:32 AM
    My dog, Greta, is a very welcomed member of the family. She is an energetic dog that gets me and my sister to exercise more outside, she's able to calm everyone down when we're stressed out, and I love the feeling and reward of taking care of her in the mornings when we get to spend some quality time together during breakfast.