Dale Wolbrink

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.

I will spend 30 minutes learning about the costs of fast fashion and begin trying to practice sustainable fashion in my own life.

I will prepare meals at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

I will swap out 8 prepackaged snacks a day for fresh fruits or veggies.

When I need to replace my dish soap, I will switch to a bar or refillable option.

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.

I will replace my disposable razors with steel razors.

I will host or participate in a beach, highway, river, or other cleanup effort in my community.

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

I will replace my plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush.

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

I will use wool dryer balls or another plastic-free alternative to dryer sheets to keep my clothes static-free.

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

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.

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.

I will pick up 2 piece(s) of litter each day.

I will make my environmental actions visible by sharing about them on my social media networks and the Plastic Free Ecochallenge participant feed.

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.

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.