Sharon Saxton
4/30/2020 4:34 PM
The last time this happened, I purchased a new reusable bag from the store. I did not have a bag because my husband had taken my bags out of my car and forgot to put them back.
Sharon Saxton
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 346 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO27disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO20lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO75minutesspent learning
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UP TO35plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO14plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO10poundswaste composted
Sharon's actions
Wildlife
Use Reusable Bags
Plastic bags can be mistaken for food by many wild animals. If at all possible, I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases, including produce bags.
Forests
Use a Reusable Mug
If possible, I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.
Oceans
Say No to Plastic Straws
An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When marine wildlife ingest plastic, they have a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.
Food
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.
Fresh Water
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.
Climate
Choose LED Bulbs
I will replace 20 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Climate
Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.
Action Track: Earth Day Together!
Earth Day Action: Share Eco Tips
Through social media or on the Earth Day Ecochallenge feed, I will share my favorite environmentally friendly habit with my friends, even if it’s not an Earth Day action.
Action Track: Earth Day Together!
Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local Organizations
I will spend 60 minutes researching local organizations and businesses in my community, then support one of them by writing a testimonial or positive review, ordering curbside, making a donation to my favorite nonprofit, or supporting them in another way.
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWildlife Use Reusable BagsWhat do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with you? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to create a successful habit of not using plastic bags?
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Venus Pettersen 5/01/2020 12:53 PMOh no. Hopefully he removed them because he used them. But yes, I forget to put them back in the car myself once I've unpacked them.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONOceans Say No to Plastic StrawsWhat single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:32 PMI am currently working on phasing out plastic storage bags. I am slowly purchasing reusable bags made of silicone. They are expensive so I am having to spread out the cost. I use them to freeze food purchased in bulk. The silicone bags are washable and work really well. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFresh Water Use a Reusable Water BottleUsing the links provided, investigate the bottling practices of water corporations. There have been many cases where the water rights of the local people have been violated or even completely disregarded when a corporation decides to bottle water from a particular water source. How can you advocate for those who have been harmed - both humans and wildlife - by this bottling process?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:27 PMThe best way to advocate is to not buy bottled water! I have reusable water bottles for myself and my grandchildren. We load up our water bottles before trips to the park and store. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONForests Use a Reusable MugMaybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:24 PMI make my own tea every day. This allows me to use my reusable mug and opt out of using single use cups. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy CreditsYour utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:23 PMWe receive monthly updates on our energy usage compared to last year. Our energy usage is down! We also receive annual updates on our energy usage compared to our neighbors. It is important to continue to work on lowering our usage. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Share Eco TipsWhat environmentally friendly habit have you most recently implemented? How do you ensure that you are successful in creating or changing a habit?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:21 PMI have started using reusable fabric rounds in the place of single-use cotton balls. I will not purchase single-use cotton balls in the future. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONAction Track: Earth Day Together! Earth Day Action: Research and Support Local OrganizationsWhy is it important to support local organizations and businesses? How does it help to build a more resilient community?
Sharon Saxton 4/30/2020 4:17 PMSupporting our local organizations and businesses helps keep down greenhouse gases from unnecessarily long car trips. In addition, the owners and operators are our neighbors and more invested in the community. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Compost Food WasteNew to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? How will you use your compost once it is ready?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONClimate Choose LED BulbsChanging lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! In what other ways can you exercise your civic duty to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions?