Shannon Meany

I looked into TerraCycle as a means to recycle things that my town's recycling program won't pick up. It seems it's more of an option for businesses and larger communities rather than individuals and single families, but the premise is pretty cool: you can sign up for boxes to collect things like fluorescent bulbs, 3D printing materials, old action figures, sports equipment, cooking oil, and so much more, then send the boxes back to TerraCycle where they will recycle or repurpose what they receive. The boxes can be fairly expensive ($117 for a small box to collect art supplies, for example), which is why this program is probably best suited for offices, schools, or other larger organizations. This might be a great opportunity to get a neighborhood recycling program going, too! TerraCycle does offer free recycling programs, as well, sponsored by brands like Burt's Bees, Febreze, Hasbro, and PepsiCo, though signup is limited to a few collection areas at a time.

A girl at work and I recently bonded over sustainable initiatives and I was excited to share my participation in the EcoChallenge with her! She told me that all of her friends think she's crazy because of all of the measures she takes to lead a more zero waste lifestyle, which actually highlights the obstacle of public perception when it comes to sustainability. As noted in Drawdown, many see "global warming" and "climate change" as polarizing political buzzwords and not concepts that we should be concerned with as a global community. Social norms are such that someone who wears out-of-fashion clothes might be perceived as weird rather than a sustainability-conscious person who wishes to stay away from fast fashion. I think it's important to be that "weird" friend, though - stay excited and keep trying to educate friends and family members about eco-friendly practices, because the movement is more likely to grow when it's passed around from a trusted source, and environmental consciousness will inevitably lose the negative stigma. And speaking of fashion, the library's recent Project Prom program has me interested in thrifting again! It was something I did a little bit of in high school, and there was a consignment store near my college that I frequented with friends. There were some great finds, and keeping clothes cycling along not only gives them new life, but keeps them out of landfills.   

I've always been intimidated by composting and thought it was one of those things for serious gardeners only. Not the case. I just read this comprehensive beginner composting guide from Sod God and feel inspired to try my hand at it once the weather warms up. You can even start a small bin out of an apartment if you're okay with keeping worms indoors! Even if you're not in need of extremely rich soil for gardening, composting is a great way to keep organic waste out of landfills and cycle it back into nature. 

I've started to make more responsible decisions when I go shopping, particularly when it comes to shampoo, soaps, and other health and beauty products. A quick glance at the ingredients list is usually all it takes (similar to food, if you can't pronounce it, it's probably not great for you or the environment), though markers indicating that products aren't animal-tested, or that packaging is recycled and recyclable, tend to win me over. Natural products can be more expensive than what we're used to, but if you can put in the time, you can also find instructions for how to make your own soaps and shampoos online (or at the library!), which is often cheaper over time. I'm not quite there yet, but exploring natural/aluminum-free deodorant is on my list, so if you have any recommendations or tips, please feel free to share!

The seeds are here! I've never been much of a gardener, but the book Zero Waste by Shia Su got me thinking about all of the benefits of growing your own produce, and I thought I'd give it a try. I used to over-buy whenever I'd go to the store, and I'd find miniature science projects in the  refrigerator every few weeks when I'd stumble upon forgotten fruits and veggies -- things I'd bought with good intentions, but just never got around to using. Such a waste of food and money! A little bit of gardening, even if it's just tomatoes and cucumbers to start, ensures that I can have vine-fresh produce when I need it. Might even pick up a new hobby while I'm at it!

We take so many of our daily conveniences for granted: grabbing Starbucks on the way to work, throwing a couple of shirts into the washing machine when you're just not feeling what's left in your closet, "great" deals like $2.99 for 20 nuggets at Burger King. It's easy to ignore the environmental ramifications of these choices, particularly when we're blinded by the novelty. A trip to Starbucks every morning yields paper and plastic waste in the form of disposable cups for the average consumer who doesn't tote around a reusable coffee mug. Running a washing machine every night for just a few items of clothing uses up more water than holding off and washing 1 full load at the end of the week. 20 nuggets for 3 bucks sounds like a deal, but at what cost to the chickens raised in nefarious conditions? What about when you're tapped out after 7 nuggets and the rest goes to waste?

Sustainable actions start at the individual level, and I'm excited to see what the EcoChallenge will do for me in how I approach everyday choices. I hope that it will allow me to truly think before I do, and I hope that the 3-week challenge will allow me to form better habits. I've specifically chosen to eat meat fewer times per week--I recently read that it takes almost 2,000 gallons of water to produce just 1 pound of beef!--and be more cognizant of my recycling practices. I've already told friends and family about my pledges, which I hope will spark interest and start a chain reaction.