Mary Ann Kingsley

Maryland Zoo

"Toward a more circular economy"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
325 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

26

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

40

minutes

spent learning

Mary Ann's actions

Bathroom

Brush with Bamboo

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

COMPLETED
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

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Study

Recycling right requires both systemic change and personal and community awareness. How can you expand what you've learned about the chasing arrows symbol to encourage broader changes in your community?
Mary Ann Kingsley 7/28/2023 6:29 AM
The chasing arrows video was really informative - probably my best take-home of this Plastic Free July. It puts the onus of improvement on the plastic packaging companies that are intentionally misleading about recycling. It advocates for new regulations and policies to get these companies in line.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Bathroom

What are the benefits of switching to bamboo toothbrushes? How would you implore others in your community to make this switch as well?
Mary Ann Kingsley 7/28/2023 6:09 AM
Using bamboo feels more like a luxury than a constraint. I use the "truthbrush" and it is very nicely made.

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Mary Ann Kingsley 7/21/2023 1:22 PM
It's never too late to start the challenge, right?

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