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Ashley Mesa's avatar

Ashley Mesa

Stan State University

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 911 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic bottle
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    8.0
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    37
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    9.0
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    59
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    62
    minutes
    spent learning

Ashley's 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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Glass Bottle Baby

I will replace 1 plastic bottles with glass or stainless steel alternatives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Skip Plastic Bags

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

COMPLETED 14
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

Community

Keep My Community Clean

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

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Try a New Recipe

I will try new recipe(s) or food preparation method(s) each day, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Swap the Snacks

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

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

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 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 6
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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Plant a Garden

I will plant an herb or vegetable garden using as little plastic as possible and to save from the plastic used buying herbs and veggies.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

  • 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?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/26/2023 11:17 AM
    After reading a bit about what else is bad for us, what I thought was interesting was that antibacterial hand soaps are bad because they can create anti-bacterial resistant bacteria. And here I thought washing my hands with it was as beneficial as it gets.

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:25 AM
      nothing is good as plain old soap and water.

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/26/2023 11:24 AM
      I don't like them...I know my daughter says us hand sanitizers...I tell her just wash your hands with soap and water. It works much better.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Bedroom
    Was this an easy or difficult swap for you to make? Did you have any concerns before making the swap?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/26/2023 11:12 AM
    I used a soap alternative. Which was homemade soap and handwashing. Given just on my daughter's cheer uniform. It was hard and in the sense that I definitely don't have enough time to do this with all my clothes.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/26/2023 11:01 AM
    Getting people to use reusable cups and tumblers is something that is becoming more and more popular. Like Hydroflasks, Stanley or Starbucks. They are becoming a great resource for not having to use ne time use straws.

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/26/2023 11:31 AM
      I noticed it at the conference I went to. A lot of people brought their own. Nice to see.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Was this action easy or difficult to do? How did it change your travel experience?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/26/2023 10:58 AM
    This was easy to do for me. As trips always include sandwiches made at home and getting big bags of chips instead of singles. With juices filled in reusable containers.

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • Julie Gonsalves's avatar
      Julie Gonsalves 7/28/2023 9:29 AM
      I prefer bringing my own snacks. If we do stop and I didn't bring my own snack, I tend to go overboard. lol

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/26/2023 11:32 AM
      My kids are grown and now they do the same thing I use to. Carrying your own snacks is helpful and saves money in the long run too@
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself and your family? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/26/2023 8:22 AM
    I feel like if I am more aware of where the things that I buy from are, then it will be easier to make the switch to consistently purchase sustainable products.

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/26/2023 11:34 AM
      I agree. I think more and more people see others like us making small changes and others follow suit.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How do you feel about being more involved in the food preparation process? Joyful, overwhelmed, engaged, empowered? What are the benefits of choosing to process or produce your own food instead of buying it pre-processed?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/21/2023 8:38 AM
    Making my own food feels better than just going out and buying something. Today we're going to make cinnamon bread. I've made it before but a long time ago, so being able to make it again should be fun. Since I have been craving it for a while now and finally have time to make it.
  • 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?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/20/2023 11:05 AM
    I've noticed that the single use plastics and packaging is more or less always in the back of the stores now. Seems as if they want us to not remember them. Usually, the reusable items are a few rows before the single use ones. From what I've noticed. Which really does make me just go to the reusable ones instead.

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/24/2023 8:01 AM
      wow...I had not noticed that but now that you mention in...I see it.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How difficult was this challenge for you? What made it easy or difficult?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/19/2023 11:24 AM
    To me this was a bit more difficult than others only in the sense that I always forget to bring bags with me. But since now I have put a little box of necessities in my trunk with a few reusable bags. It has been relatively easy to be able to go to a store and remembering I have the bags in the back. That way I don't need to continue buying $.10 plastic bags.

    • ANGIE RAPOSO's avatar
      ANGIE RAPOSO 7/19/2023 12:25 PM
      This one has been easier for me since I already try to do these things daily.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    How can you think outside the box (or bag!) when it comes to disposables?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/19/2023 11:21 AM
    We like reusing water bottles. They are small and compact. It allows for them to be able to be put in whatever lunch bag my kids decide for that day. So with the small water bottles we are able to put not just water but fruit drinks as well. To be able to refill them rather than just buying single use juice boxes or caprisuns.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Kitchen
    Besides having access to fresh herbs and vegetables, what benefits will you see from growing your own garden?

    Ashley Mesa's avatar
    Ashley Mesa 7/19/2023 11:19 AM
    Benefits from seeing my own garden grow is being able to see my kids learn from it as well. They don't really know how fruits and vegetables grow so being able to grow our own fruits can really benefit us and them mainly to see what goes into growing food and how much time it takes for them and not just going to the store to get what they have there.