I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS
Kitchen
Go Strawless
I will keep 3 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own reusable straw.
COMPLETED 31
DAILY ACTIONS
Kitchen
Swap the Snacks
I will swap out 2 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.
COMPLETED 24
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 28
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.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
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 29
DAILY ACTIONS
Bathroom
Homemade or Refillable Cleaners
I will make my own cleaning products or choose plastic-free, refillable options.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Bathroom
Green Beauty
When it's time to buy more, I will replace my beauty products with refillable, sustainable, and/or DIY options.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Kitchen
Cook a Plastic Free Meal
I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.
COMPLETED 29
DAILY ACTIONS
Family + Pets
DIY Cat Litter
I will swap out my cat's litter for sawdust, mulch, or dirt with baking soda.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Family + Pets
Thrifty Pets
I will find secondhand sources for my pet's water/food dishes, collars or leashes.
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
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.
UNCOMPLETED
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 2 friends, family, and/or colleagues.
UNCOMPLETED
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
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
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.
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
Family + Pets
Homemade Pet Treats
I will prepare my own pet treats to avoid plastic packaging.
COMPLETED 25
DAILY ACTIONS
Community
Advocate for Office Reusables
I will lobby my workplace to have reusable dishes and silverware in order to minimize disposables.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Bedroom
Sunshine Bleached
I will hang-dry my laundry to use the sun as a natural bleach alternative, or use another natural bleach alternative.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Bedroom
Catch Those Microfibers
I will use a microfiber catcher in my laundry, or install a microfiber filter for my washing machine.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Community
Learn about Environmental Justice
Using the action resource links below, my family will spend 30 minutes learning about environmental justice, causes of environmental injustice, and how plastic waste disproportionately impacts already vulnerable communities.
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
Community
Advocate for Plastic-Free Dining
I will talk to the owner or manager of a restaurant I frequent to request that they reduce their use of single-use and disposable plastics.
This month has been inspiring! I am so proud of the immense impact we were all able to make with daily changes to our lifestyles. This Ecochallenge has shown how small, eco-friendly acts can lead to widespread benefits for the environment. I have learned so much from this experience and hope that one day, through continued collective efforts, we can truly make the world plastic-free!
I am so happy to see these water bottle refill stations all over the Georgetown University campus! They even tell you how many plastic water bottles you save as a collective.
Do an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some resuable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable?
One single-use plastic product I have used in the past is Ziploc bags. A reusable alternative to this is thermoses or other metal or glass food storage containers. If I switched all the single-use products in my family's kitchen to reusable products, my family would then be contributing significantly less to plastic landfill waste. On a larger scale, this could lower how much plastic enters oceans, reducing wildlife entanglement and microplastic biomagnification.
Every time we make a meal for ourselves, we can leave some of the fruits or vegetables we chopped up (like carrots or apples) for our pets. These leftover fruits and vegetables can be frozen overnight, creating a healthy and eco-friendly treat for our pets!
I wash and hang my ziplocs to dry with clothespins on my cabinets so I get many more uses out of them! I just found one with a date and I've been using it for at least 7 years!!!!
Swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruits and veggies not only benefits the environment but also benefits our health! By avoiding prepackaged snacks, we are creating healthier snack options that serve as vital sources of nutrients. Fresh fruits and veggies are also naturally low in fat, calories, and sodium, further aiding our physical well-being.
What did you learn about your ecological footprint by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you? What are some ways you will take action to reduce your footprint?
I learned that we would need 2.9 Earths if everyone lived like my family and me! I was surprised by how much of my ecological footprint went into my house and goods. However, I was not surprised that the United States overall has an even higher average Earth requirement. Some ways I will take action to reduce my carbon footprint are carpooling with my neighbors to school, finding ways to make my house more energy efficient with renewable energy sources, and reducing and reusing goods more often.
I have been making toys for my dog out of old clothes, and I can definitely see the difference in how she treats them! She is more excited to play with these repurposed toys because she sees me making them in front of her, allowing her to feel special. She loves them so much that I have started making her clothes out of old cloth, as well!
What you will need: an old t-shirt & a pair of scissors Instructions: 1) Flatten out an old t-shirt on a table 2) Cut off the shirt sleeves and keep them aside (you will use these like rubber bands to tie each end of the toy) 3) Cut off the top portion of the t-shirt (where the neckline is) and cut along the side seams of the t-shirt to separate the front and back pieces. You should end up with 2 large, rectangular pieces of cloth. 4) Cut 8 strips from the top to the bottom of the shirt (vertical strips). Note: you are cutting 4 strips per rectangular piece. 5) Hold the strips together just like you would hold hair for a ponytail at one end. Use one of the cut shirt sleeves as a rubber band and tie it around the strips like a ponytail. 6) Separate out the strips into 4 pairs (2 strips per pair). Braid the pairs like a fishtail braid (Take the outside pairs and cross them over the middle. Now these pairs should be on the inside. Take the next set of outside pairs and cross them over the middle. Repeat until you get to the end of the strips). Here is a video on fishtail braiding: https://youtu.be/upgtN6R1HbE. 7) Use the other cut shirt sleeve as a rubber band to tie around the end of the braid. You should now have a complete braided pet toy!
This is a great video for how to make pet toys from a t-shirt: https://youtu.be/bm7ez7QJ_Fs. It is not exactly the same one as what is shown in my picture, but you can use it to visualize the above instructions.
What a great idea! I bet you that the smell of our clothes or her clothes is more appealing than the smell of unfamiliar plastic toys. Could you post a picture? I'm trying to make a toy for my dog Teddy,
My family and I learned that environmental justice mandates that every person in the community is involved in providing support to those in need. Often, people use NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitudes to justify the protection of their polluting habits at the environmental expense of others, and this can be frustrating when trying to find environmental solutions that represent each group equitably. We learned that by educating ourselves and others about environmental justice, we can shed light on the importance of addressing environmental problems together.
Beyond reducing waste, there are many benefits to packing zero waste lunches (for kids or yourself!). What other benefits have you noticed from this practice?
In addition to reducing waste, packing zero-waste lunches helps you start a conversation with people who notice your actions. For example, when I brought reusable utensils, water bottles, and food containers to school, I was able to talk with my friends about the benefits of using reusable items, sparking interest in others to do the same.
I was surprised that not all products with recycling symbols on them are actually recyclable, which means that I have been recycling more materials than I should be. This has made me more aware of the amount of waste I am creating since not all of these waste products will end up being recycled, highlighting the importance of reducing and reusing products before considering recycling them. This information will help me ensure that I only recycle lower-identification-number plastics so that I do not unnecessarily clog the recycling system.
So true, Anika! I used to do the same, but when I learned that an entire batch could be contaminated and eventually end up in the landfill, I started to be more critical about what I recycle. I've also learned that it depends on the waste facility or company as well.
