Grace C

Spark-Y

Points Total

0 Today
0 This Week
155 Total

Participant Impact

up to

10

zero-waste meals

consumed
up to

1.0

pounds of CO2

have been saved
up to

3.0

disposable cups

not sent to the landfill
up to

4.0

plastic bottles

not sent to the landfill
up to

4.0

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill

Grace's Actions

Personal Care

Practice Low-Waste Hair Care

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, and conditioners with a bar, refillable option, or I will make my own.

Completed
One-Time Action

On-the-go

Use A Reusable Mug or Collapsible Cup

I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill per day by using a reusable mug or bringing my own collapsible cup.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

On-the-go

Skip the Straw

I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill per day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

On-the-go

Use Reusable Water Bottles

I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Swap the Snacks

I will swap 2 prepackaged snacks for unpackaged fruits or veggies or homemade or bulk items each time we need more.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Cook Meals with Zero Plastic Waste

I will prepare 3 meal(s) at home each day without using any items packaged in single-use plastic.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Feed

Reflection Question
Personal Care Practice Low-Waste Hair Care

What are the economic and personal benefits of switching to bar soap/shampoo/conditioner, refillable bottle options, or making your own?

Grace C 2/20/2023 2:21 PM

Hair type: medium-thick hair, past shoulder-length with a light wavy texture.

Okay, here's the thing. I tried bar shampoos before and I never got over the waxy texture it leaves in my hair. I even gave it a two-month period for my hair to adjust.....and.....still waxy hair. The other thing I need to consider is our different hair textures. We have different thicknesses, porosity, and texture patterns. When I tried bar shampoo, I used Chargin Valley, their selection is organic and quite lovely. It just did not work out for me. I do however use bar body soap- love them!!

Let me know what bar shampoos you've tried and if they worked for you, I'm willing to try them again! Feel free to also shout out your favorite bar soap companies (extra shout-out for small businesses)!

Read More
- Sarah Anderson 2/21/2023 9:42 AM
  
  Hi Grace! I also want to try out the bar shampoo but haven't yet because I think it will have the same effect for me. I am running out of my bottle now and hoping to look into sustainable alternatives.
  
  Read More
Reflection Question
On-the-go Use Reusable Water Bottles

Can you think of any scenarios where using your own bottle is harder? How can you make sure not to get a disposable bottle in that case?

Grace C 2/10/2023 11:13 AM

If I'm out and about, I forget to bring my water bottle. Then when I get thirsty I will purchase a plastic bottle out of convenience and dehydration. Most times, I despise carrying too many things at once. I wish there was a collapsable water bottle I could keep in my purse.

Read More
Reflection Question
On-the-go Skip the Straw

Have you noticed a shift in your community as more messaging about reusable straws becomes mainstream? Cite some examples.

Grace C 2/10/2023 11:11 AM

Most people I engage with don't use a straw. Unless they go out to eat, that's where I notice plastic straws the most. I do notice people declining straws or simply not using them.

Read More
Reflection Question
On-the-go Use A Reusable Mug or Collapsible Cup

Great job on getting rid of your disposable cup habit! How does it make you feel? Are there any situations where you still struggle to use a reusable mug?

Grace C 2/10/2023 11:09 AM

This focus is on the scholars I teach. I am removing the disposable cups from their accessibility. They better bring a water bottle- ha!

Read More
Reflection Question
Food Cook Meals with Zero Plastic Waste

Do an inventory of your kitchen to see how many single-use plastics you've used in the past. What are some low-waste or reusable alternatives to these commonly used products? What would your impact be if you switched all the single-use products from your inventory to reusable? Are there any items where it would be difficult to avoid plastic waste?

Grace C 2/10/2023 11:01 AM

I love cheese! But cheese is hard to find unwrapped in plastic. Usually, I buy bulk blocks of cheese and wrap it in beeswax wraps. The wax does a great job of keeping the cheese fresh. If you got alternatives, let me know!

Read More
- Ruth McGuire-Schoff 2/10/2023 5:00 PM
  
  Where do you buy it? So far I haven’t found any cheese not wrapped in plastic.
  
  Read More
- Annie Deutsch 2/10/2023 11:53 AM
  
  I also struggle with cheese! Especially since it's just myself and my partner at home, I don't think the 2 of us could go through a large portion of cheese before it goes bag, so the small plastic wrapped servings is what we normally do as well.
  
  Read More
Reflection Question
Food Swap the Snacks

How does swapping out prepackaged snacks for fresh fruit or veggies or homemade or bulk items benefit your household?

Grace C 2/08/2023 10:06 AM

Its cheaper when you buy fruit in bulk, and it motivates me to use them before they go bad!

Read More