Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023

July 1 - July 31, 2023

Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini

National Aquarium

"I want to learn more this year and try out some new challenges!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,711 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

58

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

32

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

14

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill

Ginni's actions

Bathroom

A Sustainable Flow

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

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 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Sustainable Flossing

I will reduce the amount of waste I produce from plastic floss by using either natural fibers such as silk or using a "Waterpik" water flosser instead

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Support a Sharing Economy

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

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Kitchen

Cloth Napkins

I will use a cloth napkin for the lunches I bring to work instead of using multiple paper napkins in the break room

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Bathroom

Brush with Bamboo

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Sustainable Suds

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Use a Reusable Mug

If possible, I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own travel cup.

COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Buy Only What I Need

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

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Rubber Glove Pet Hair Removal

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

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

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?
Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/29/2023 4:07 PM
This month I have been paying more attention to my thought process when I want to buy something. Books are my primary 'guilty' purchase. Instead of immediately buying a book I think I will like, I have been borrowing a copy from the library to read first so that I will know whether or not I like it enough to buy my own copy in the future.

Read More
- Jaime Webster 7/29/2023 6:16 PM
  My favorite thing to do is route my walks or runs by each Free Little Library in our neighborhood (we have 11!)....every now and then I find a gem. Lately they've been a bit sparce though so I also picked up a library book this morning. I just can't bring myself to pay for the high price of books these days - esp hardbacks! (I'm stingy tho ;-P ) What if the aquarium started their own "Free Little Library" on M level...that would be AMAZING!!!!!!!
  
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- Katherine Burgueño 7/29/2023 4:32 PM
  I also love little libraries as a source for books. During the period when everything was shut down they were my source of reading material! They are all over the US and are a great way to get to know neighborhoods.
  https://littlefreelibrary.org/
  
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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/29/2023 3:56 PM
The month is wrapping up fast! My main waste-reducing accomplishment this month has been bringing a cloth napkin with me for my work lunches. I used to throw out a bunch of paper towels from washing my hands, cleaning produce, or drying dishes. I am proud to be reducing the trash I generate, and it is a habit I will keep into the future!

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- Katherine Burgueño 7/29/2023 4:33 PM
  Love cloth napkins - and they can be made out of all sorts of scraps of materials. Have them at home and the office!
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Kitchen

How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?
Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/29/2023 3:47 PM
I have been trying to eliminate my need for plastic wrap in particular. I have some silicone covers for cups and bowls that have replaced the wrap for all but my largest mixing bowls. Other times I have stored leftover coffee in a travel mug that has its own lid already, so I can just grab it and go when needed!

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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?
Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/25/2023 1:52 PM
Bamboo is a resource that renews itself rapidly, so it is a great material to use for something that has to be replaced on a regular basis. That makes it great for toothbrushes! After the brush's useful lifetime, the bristles can be removed so the handle can be composted or burned as firewood, unlike plastic handles that remain forever in landfills. Given that they need to be replaced every couple of months or so, that saves a lot of plastic from being discarded!

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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?
Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/25/2023 1:19 PM
Bar soaps and shampoos are much easier to travel with since they cannot spill and do not have to keep within TSA ounce limits. They also tend to last longer since you can use every last scrap instead of leaving some residue inside a bottle. I have already swapped out my body wash and shampoo for soap and shampoo bars, and my next step is to try out leave-in conditioner and body lotion in bar form!

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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/24/2023 8:11 PM
I was organizing some kitchen cabinets and rediscovered these lovely cloth napkins that had been tucked away and forgotten. Now they are in my regular work lunch rotation :)

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- Jaime Webster 7/26/2023 3:15 PM
  I've been trying to get my mom to use cloth napkins for YEARS.... you just can't change the habits of a baby boomer. Ugh. Seriously...its not that hard to wash them?!?
  
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- Patricia Jonas 7/25/2023 4:17 AM
  And the response I got when I started to use them at home was initially “what’s the occasion?” And second response was “that’s a great idea.”
  
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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/23/2023 8:58 PM
I've noticed several times at the grocery store that oranges and grapefruits that are pre-packaged in plastic mesh bags are cheaper than the loose ones I could put in my reusable produce bag. It's tricky to be sustainable when there is such a mark-up for using your own bag! Has anyone else noticed this?

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- Patricia Jonas 7/24/2023 6:02 AM
  It might be that they are different varieties with a cost difference but more likely this is the “discount”
  for purchasing more. I could also speculate that the grocery cost of stocking individual fruit (more time and/or labor) is somewhat higher than simply placing full bags of the same item. But this is just my uninformed thought.
  
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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/20/2023 8:50 PM
I've been trying out different types of Plastic-Free deodorant with mixed results, but so far this brand has been my favorite for fragrance, texture, and ease of use

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- Patricia Jonas 7/22/2023 4:20 AM
  Great to hear that there are options for local purchase. Until recently it was discouraging to have to order eco friendly items online with subscriptions. Having choices in local retailers means there is a growing market/demand for these items.
  
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- Jaime Webster 7/21/2023 7:46 AM
  My favorite is Hey Humans coconut mint scent. I find it at target and walgreens, packaging looks just like Native
  
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- Debra Debra Lee Norton Wear 7/21/2023 4:22 AM
  I love the ads for native. They are very clever. It is good to find a brand that is both eco friendly and that you like
  
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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/19/2023 8:52 PM
My soap saver bag had helped me use every last scrap of my soap bars! I even sewed together a similar drawstring bag to use for my shampoo bar fragments as well.

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Ginni La Rosa-Ponsini 7/18/2023 8:38 PM
For my birthday today a group of my friends from work got me a delightful - and Plastic-Free! - gift of loose-leaf tea tins and a metal strainer. All of it is themed around Dungeons & Dragons, which makes it even better!

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