EcoChallenge February 2020

February 2020

Do Not Use Single Use Plastic Bags, Plastic Straws, Plastic Silverware, or Plastic Bottles For One Month. 

 
Tips to meet the challenge:
 
1) Pre-position reusable bags in your car or by your keys:
  • Of course when you empty your bags after shopping get them back in the car right away.
  • Print out a Remember the Bag window sign from Hennepin County Recycling and put it by your oil change reminder.
  • Got to the store and forgot your bags? - Go back home.  It's just a month and putting up with a little inconvenience may be the ticket to changing your habits once and for all. 
  • No need to buy reusable bags!  Make them out of old t-shirts (bet you have a ton of them).
2) Also pre-position some real silverware and alert staff when you order to not include plastic utensils:
  • Do you order out when you're at work? - have a set of silverware in your desk.
  • Do you order out when commuting? - have a set of silverware in your backpack, purse, laptop bag or whatever you tend to carry.
  • In many quick serve and fast food establishments it is protocol to include plastic utensils - make your wishes to abstain from this silverware known at the beginning of your order.
3) Create an alert or a screensaver on your phone that asks where is your water bottle:
  • If you aren't used to carrying a water bottle, seek to make a connection in your mind to something that you are used to carrying - like your phone.  
  • Your alert doesn't have to be electronic - it can be a note attached to your phone case. 
  • If carrying around a water bottle isn't your style, make sure you pre-position re-usable water bottles where you might need them like your desk, your car, your gym bag. 
4) Consider using alternatives to other common single use plastic:
  • Wax cloth and wax paper can be used to wrap food instead of baggies and plastic wrap. 
  • Washable silicon zip lock bags can be re-used over and over again.
  • Invest in re-usable cotton mesh produce bags and make sure they are stored with your re-usable shopping bags.
  • Buy things like rice and nuts in bulk and bring your own containers rather than rely on pre-packaged.  Many stores are starting to feature fill your own oil and vinegar and honey stations.  One EcoClub member pledged to drink beer from growlers or tap rather than cans or bottles - another take on buying in bulk rather than single use. 
  • The Tare Market is a local Twin Cities resource for your journey to be zero waste or at least significantly reduce single use plastic.  You can get things like solid shampoo and solid dish soap (no plastic bottles!)
5) Decide that the single use plastics are not available to you:
  • The challenge of curbing your use of single use plastic is that it is EVERYWHERE and it makes purchasing and transporting things you want and need so easy. 
  • Remember the floor is lava game you played as a kid? Pretend those single use plastic items are on fire or coated in acid.  In other words, they are there, but they are simply not available to you.  
This challenge originated after hearing from Angelina Amerigo, current Miss Heart of the Lakes, about her social impact passion, reducing single use plastic.  We were inspired by her message that one person one day at a time really does make a difference.
 
Recycling is important, but most of the world's plastic products aren't recycled or can't be recycled.  New plastic is cheap to make and the inflow is not slowing.  Curbing your personal use of plastic can contribute to slowing the inflow.  True, one person's decision to not use single use plastic won't do much, but to Angelina's point, one person one day at a time will eventually add up when more and more people take up this challenge.    
 
By participating in the Rotary EcoClub EcoChallenge for February 2020, you will curb your reliance on the convenience of single use plastic by finding and using re-usable options. After a month you may never see the need to use a plastic bag, plastic silverware, plastic straws, or plastic bottles again!  
 
Share your progress - the hurdles and the success - with Rotary EcoClub and your family and friends!