Coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums

Plastic Free Ecochallenge 2023

July 1 - July 31, 2023

Joe Power

NJDEP - Eco Ninjas

"Zero Plastics by August 2023"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,805 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1.0

conversation

with a person
UP TO

156

pieces of litter

picked up
UP TO

32

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

215

minutes

spent learning

Joe's actions

Bedroom

Catch Those Microfibers

I will use a microfiber catcher in my laundry, or install a microfiber filter for my washing machine.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Better Gum

I will give up gum or choose gum made from chicle or other plastic-free gum bases.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

Kitchen

Switch to Loose Leaf Tea

Because many tea bags and most sleeves and sachets contain plastic, I will switch to using loose leaf tea.

COMPLETED 30
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Community

Keep My Community Clean

I will pick up 5 piece(s) of litter each day.

COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS

Study

Plastic History Buff

Single-use plastics are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the history of single-use plastics and how it became ubiquitous in our daily lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Kitchen

Minimize Packaging

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

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Family + Pets

Balloons Blow

Although a long-standing festive tradition, balloons are harmful for animals and the environment. I will spend 20 learning about the dangers of balloons and find eco-friendly alternatives to use instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Learn about Environmental Justice

Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 20 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Family + Pets

Sustainable Suds: Pet Edition

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Give Some Green Gratitude

I will give a shout-out on social media to a local company, coworker, friend or family member for their plastic free or green efforts.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

I will advocate for alternatives to single use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, or work.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Learn about Plastic Production

Plastic production, not just disposal, pollutes communities and harms people. I will learn about the impacts of plastic production on humans, animals, communities, and the environment.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Complete a Waste Audit

I will conduct a waste audit - including recyclables and compost - to understand how much waste I create and where I can reduce the most.

UNCOMPLETED
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 20 minutes learning the different meanings the symbol can have.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Bathroom

Pearly Whites

I will switch to a plastic-free toothpaste — whether purchased or DIY'd.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Community

Research Local Waste Sites

I will spend 30 minutes finding out where landfills and/or toxic waste sites are situated in my region and which communities are most impacted by these sites.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Tour A Waste Management Facility

I will spend at least 15 minute(s) touring (virtually or in person) a local dump/transfer station, material recovery facility, and/or landfill to learn about our local waste and waste recovery streams.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Study

Dig into Bioplastics

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impacts of bioplastics and how to properly dispose of them in my city, and I will share this information with 1 friends, family, and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

Landfills and recycling centers tell us a lot about our communities and purchasing habits. What did you glean from your tour?
Joe Power 7/14/2023 6:43 AM
I thought the virtual tour of Burlington's recycling facility was very interesting. I have never seen one in operation before, and I learned just how much goes into it. This is one of those "out of sight, out of mind" things for most of us. We can throw plastics in the recycling bin without thinking much about the end result. For instance, throwing a plastic bag in the recycling may seem harmless when you do it, but then seeing a human have to go into the gears of a waste separator to unclog it makes you think twice. Then of course, the sheer magnitude of products that are processed is astounding. It makes you realize how much we first need to reduce.

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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?
Joe Power 7/14/2023 6:39 AM
It saves me a little money, it saves the community a little money by having to process less plastic at the recycling facility, and it benefits me personally by making me feel good about not creating waste!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Study

What did you learn about how plastic production impacts humans, animals, communities, and the environment? Which of these impacts specifically affects your community?
Joe Power 7/08/2023 1:33 PM
The chilling, "Eight out of every ten babies, and nearly all adults, have measurable levels of phthalates in their bodies." FUN! Phthalates, besides being hard to spell, are also so ever present that it affects every community. I just think about how many dollar stores are around my community. It's another example of environmental racism. Most people depend on these stores for their groceries. Buying cheap is a necessity, and it comes with the burden of having phthalates in pretty much any personal care product. Shampoo and conditioner, chock full of plastic - lather it right on to your scalp and absorb it into your brain.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Bedroom

Which microfiber solution did you choose? How has it changed your laundry routine?
Joe Power 7/08/2023 10:01 AM
I purchased a GuppyFriend. This will be very helpful since my wife wears synthetic fabric scrubs five days a week.

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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?
Joe Power 7/08/2023 9:59 AM
It's very hard to go to an average grocery store and avoid single use plastic packaging. I am fortunately near a store which offers a bulk section, which helps. A lot of foods are also packaged in plastics that are not recyclable, so I'm keeping an eye out for no. 1 and 2 packages when I can't avoid it altogether.

Read More
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?
Joe Power 7/07/2023 1:59 PM
This is a no-brainer - bamboo can compost right in my backyard; a plastic toothbrush will join all the other toothbrushes in the landfill. I would implore others to think about this figure: 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away each year, creating 50 million pounds of waste. If that stat is accurate, 1) that's awful, and 2) there are approximately 1 billion people living in First World countries, and we should be changing our toothbrushes out every 3-4 months, so that means a lot of people are using some skanky year-old toothbrushes...

Read More
- Joe Power 7/07/2023 2:40 PM
  Good point, Karen! My wife does that too!
  
  Read More
- Karen Flanigan 7/07/2023 2:13 PM
  Ha! Or they are using the old ones as scrubbing tools and are in denial that the bristles are now completely flattened...oh, just me?
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Bathroom

Currently most of the packaging for toothpaste is plastic. How can you advocate for more alternatives through your purchasing power and influence in community?
Joe Power 7/07/2023 1:51 PM
In this capitalist society, purchasing power is what matters. I always try to keep this in mind. It's a big part of being vegan - every time I go to the store and avoid animal products, that puts more demand on suppliers to make alternatives. The same applies here. Companies aren't going to make alternatives if their standard products are still selling. One by one, as we make these switches with where we spend, the companies are forced to change if they want to remain competitive. It's important to remember that ten years ago, the landscape for these sorts of things in stores was pretty barren. This changed because more and more consumers said, "no more!"

Read More
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?
Joe Power 7/06/2023 4:21 PM
I think the most important thing to note here is that the chasing arrows symbol was meant to represent Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - in that order. But manufacturers have honed in on the last part so they can keep selling products. There needs to be a communal shift to reduce and reuse. Notably, in the DEP, we have a recycling initiative for in-house recycling, but no reduce/reuse initiative. Oddly, the instructions for recycling on the DEP page do not align with the instructions from the recycling company... It is so confusing at times; it takes so much effort to do the right thing. Further, there is a public-facing part of the DEP's website that encourages recycling. There is some mention of reusing here, but little or no mention of reducing. To create a broader change in our community, I think a start is to encourage the DEP to shift their initiatives to aligning with reducing first.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community

What did you and your family learn about environmental justice? What questions came up for you? What feelings?
Joe Power 7/06/2023 9:31 AM
It ties in with so many systemic issues revolving around race, class, income, etc. And it will only get worse before it ever gets better. Climate change is going to affect communities disproportionately. Dr. Bullard says, "Which communities are vulnerable, which have contributed least to the crisis, but are feeling the pain right now - first, worst, and longest." It's heartbreaking. It makes me feel proud to work for an organization that has an Environmental Justice group to be at the forefront of combatting these pressing issues.

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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?
Joe Power 7/05/2023 4:14 PM
Yes, my family used to release a balloon each year for one of my departed pets. Years ago, I told them of the dangers of releasing balloons, and it was an easy thing to stop once we realized we were honoring one animal by potentially hurting another. I think the image of a turtle with a balloon stuck inside of it is one that can strike a point with most people, because who doesn't like sea turtles? I will be sure to bring up these dangers more when encountering balloons at gatherings in the future.

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