Margo Ashmore

"Excited to put a lifetime of learning and relationships to work finding and executing force multipliers to help those who are alarmed/concerned about climate change move to action beyond our individual footprints. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
833 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

70

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

6.0

zero-waste meals

consumed

Margo's actions

Food

Swap the Snacks

I will swap 1 prepackaged snacks for unpackaged fruits or veggies or homemade or bulk items each time we need more.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Plastics 101

Read Plastic-Free Challenge emails

I will read through the three emails each week to learn more about plastic and get ideas on how to use less.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Upcycling plastic bags into rugs or other useful items

I learned to crochet with plastic strips (cut a bag into one long spiral strip, strips can be tied together) when I was a kid. Had to re-learn. Shared the experience with others and it brought back memories for some, and others just thought it was cool. Think I'm onto something! Posted it to Facebook, too. Will be working on this "daily."

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

At Home

Choose Natural Clothing Fibers

I will purchase clothing made with natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, or wool, rather than synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic or spandex.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Plastics 101

Know the Numbers

The numbers #1-7 on plastics tell us a lot and can help us be better recyclers. I will learn more about what the symbols on plastics mean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Share My Actions

I will make my low-waste actions visible by posting to my social media networks.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Pets

No new trash bags

I avoid new trash bags when scooping used litter. Any bag that has been used once (salad, chips, other foods from the store) serves for the daily scooping, and larger bags from various sources (packaging) are the required double bag and in fact are used for all of my garbage. I don't buy trash bags ever.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Plastics 101

Estimate Your Plastic Footprint

I will complete a plastic consumption calculator to learn about my plastic footprint.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Contact My Legislator about EPR

I will learn about extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies for packaging and share my position with the legislators who represent me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Support a Sharing Economy

I will support the sharing economy by joining a community tool exchange, toy library, or buy nothing group.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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?

Margo Ashmore 2/29/2024 7:18 AM

Today's the last day of the challenge. It has inspired not only the actions we have taken, but the act of writing about our experiences, modeling and other ways of helping others be aware of their plastic use without directly shaming. I'm guessing there will be a lot of time spent reflecting on where to go from here, but meanwhile, our everyday task will be to continue the modeling and trying new actions. We're up for the next environment-related challenge, whatever that might be! We found out that at least some of us like to compete.

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Margo Ashmore 2/26/2024 7:00 AM

Today's email about cleaning products: I wondered about "Magic Eraser"-type products which work extremely well. Magic Erasers are made from melamine foam, using a compound called formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer. Melamine dishware used to be popular for its indestructibility. Sounds like Magic Eraser is a micro plastic that rubs off as the eraser scrubs the soiled surface, NOT GOOD, what happens with the residue that's washed away. Also wanted to comment on makeup. I've read that its recommended to throw out old makeup because bacteria can form...so it seems even more futile to have any shades that only get used once or twice a year. Maybe that just applies to lipstick. Anyone want to comment? I'm not makeup savvy, having never worn it.

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- Dustin Pelikan 2/28/2024 6:32 AM
  
  Hi, I used to develop and formulate products for a very large popular cosmetic company and I'd say that really old products will not develop bacteria, but that's because they used powerful preservatives back then - which is probably why you want to throw them out. Anything in the last 5 years is save. But the more liquid the product is, and the more you touch it then they can grow bacteria. AMA
  
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- H McCrillis 2/27/2024 1:29 PM
  
  I’d have to ask Mom, but Ew, formaldehyde! 😵
  
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- Katherine Boyce 2/27/2024 1:20 PM
  
  As someone who rarely wears makeup, I have run into this problem: I have some on hand for special occasions but don't use it frequently and have been told I'm supposed to throw it out. Honestly, I just keep using the same old stuff I still have and it...seems fine. Pact has recycling boxes for old makeup at some Sephora's, I believe. Tare Market also has some recycling pick-ups.
  
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Margo Ashmore 2/25/2024 3:46 PM

Okay, so I'll have to do one more thing and not take credit for it, in exchange for buying a second-hand blazer that I suspect is not from natural fibers. This time at Goodwill I checked all the labels to get more familiar with what cotton, wool, linen, etc. feel like...and this particular piece had no fabric content tag. Made in Italy, well made overall, and in addition to perfect fit, it will go with a lot of pieces I already have. It's not fast disposable fashion - it's a classic or vintage look... I'll just be afraid to wash or dry clean it!

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- Margo Ashmore 2/27/2024 6:48 AM
  
  The blazer I bought is Zanella brand. Apparently they made women's fashion for at least a decade in the late 1990s-early 2000s (found one article plus a plethora of Poshmark posts at $40 to $75 - so my $11 investment is a thrift store score). Today, all I could find about Zanella is menswear. While I'm still guessing that the piece I bought has at least some synthetic component, they were also known for using high quality wools and linens. Very interesting how this challenge sparks the desire to know more about all sorts of topics!
  
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Margo Ashmore 2/24/2024 9:18 AM

Shout out to our teammate Katherine who is in the top 10 participants point wise. Inspirational! About all I have to report is to complain about how cheap cookie and chip manufacturers use plastic that rips apart, making it preferable for the consumer to just consume the whole package at once - it's never quite the same freshness once the package is opened. Yet on the reclosable brands I wonder what more is wasted in the manufacture of zippers and press-to-reseal. I opened a package of spaghetti last night and noticed the same flimsiness. Too bad I gave away the pasta maker my folks acquired (we never made pasta at home, I think they got it on a whim at a garage sale). Hopefully someone like Katherine is putting it to good use!

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- Layl McDill 2/24/2024 12:27 PM
  
  I make my own pasta all the time with regular flour and it's delicious! I've used other flours and couldn't tell the difference. Also I made hand made noodles without a pasta machine at my parent's house this Christmas and it went really well- I think the key was a marble rolling pin. My other advice is get most of your dough rolled out to a medium thickness before starting to boil the noodles then just roll about 1/8th of the dough out to the thinnest and boil up each batch as you roll out the next batch- it's all about getting in the rhythm- don't try to boil all the noodles at once- they cook really fast. Oh and be sure to rinse them with cold water right after they are done cooking. It's really very easy!
  
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- Margo Ashmore 2/24/2024 12:10 PM
  
  https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/what-is-double-zero-flour/ Ironically, they suggest you can buy it online, but I'm guessing you'd want to avoid that waste! So regular flour and it'll come out a bit more chewy...
  
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- Katherine Boyce 2/24/2024 11:06 AM
  
  Oh boy, the pressure is on! Using my gifted pasta maker is my final goal for the "make my own" challenge...but I can't find 00 flour anywhere! So I'll need to improvise. Agreed on the cookies, they make it way too easy to eat the whole package.
  
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Margo Ashmore 2/23/2024 6:46 AM

Becca and I attended a meeting sponsored by Friends of the Mississippi River where my State Representative Sydney Jordan spoke briefly about her sponsorship of Extended Producer Responsibility legislation. While the meeting was focused on the river and not so much on plastics, it was informative to hear her priorities (EPR) and some of her thought process. It also reminded me that the core group in the ACW Climate Team got to know each other through the Mississippi River Pearl project where we turned river trash into a chair with wings that is backed by a cabinet full of learning cards, games, and tokens to remind people of the commitments they've made to the environment. We're representing for the power of art to deliver the science and advocacy!

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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?

Margo Ashmore 2/19/2024 7:28 AM

I'm liking fresh fruits that I froze to make sure they didn't go bad. Giving up the sweet/salty snacks, too, that tasted so good but made my energy dip and gave me a weird buzz. A grazer by nature, now I'm pretty much substituting that fruit or other leftovers so the plastic waste and food waste have both been addressed in one action and I feel healthier.

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Margo Ashmore 2/18/2024 6:45 AM

Yesterday I attended the "Plastic Earth" screening at Ridgedale Library. About 40 people viewed the film, including student groups from Minnetonka who staffed information tables before the event. They are working on some cool projects, including a drive-thru drop-off event on Earth Day at Minnetonka High School for "a growing list of items accepted." Big challenges with reuse or recycling are distance and scale. It doesn't make environmental sense to drive [a polluting vehicle] a great distance to drop off or pick up a single item; it makes more sense to send an item along with someone who is already going that direction for another reason, or on a larger scale, and/or to have items reach their next destination/use within walking or biking distance. Reuse can build community and help find a good balance. Perhaps I digress. The movie was too complex to summarize here. It's worth seeing next time it comes around or if a group wants to seek a screening of it. Lots of good ideas and examples of what scientists and communities are working on around the world. Some high-tech, some simple.

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- H McCrillis 2/19/2024 2:47 AM
  
  Ooh! Hopefully other local schools will have similar events! 😃. I should watch “Plastic Earth” sometime.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
At Home Choose Natural Clothing Fibers

What are the benefits (to people, animals, and the environment) of purchasing clothes made with natural fibers?

Margo Ashmore 2/17/2024 6:15 AM

Natural fibers, while they, too break down in the washing machine and dryer, degrade into elements that aren't harmful. In general, I have enough clothing that I can re-wear without washing; and I always buy used, and I donate what I realize I'm not wearing at all. But as I pare down, I will replace with natural-fiber items. And of course, for underwear and socks I'll be much more tuned to the all-cotton or bamboo brands. I'm also learning to darn socks and make other repairs.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Share My Actions

In what ways is social media an effective tool for sharing your values?

Margo Ashmore 2/16/2024 8:46 AM

I'm surprised that what I posted on social media got positive feedback, especially from people who remember when plastic first became an everyday product and then when people started throwing it away. When it first came out, farm wives coveted it for its reuse/repurpose qualities. So ironic that the "waste" mentality is relatively new, but so destructive to the earth.

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- Becca David 2/18/2024 11:12 AM
  
  I have to agree specially, growing up farming, I reuse everything that I can, and always have. We planted what would be considered enormous gardens by today’s standards. Not only did we have to think about possibly being snowed in, but also in a mining community there was a potential for a strike where the contract ended. We were always prepared by having a deep freezer with our own beef and pork from the neighbors farm and our own canned vegetables.
  
  My Dad always saved money; I have a vivid memory of him doing a big remodel…
  My brother and I getting to pick our own carpeting for our bedrooms because he saved up enough for that project when he wasn’t working.
  
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Margo Ashmore 2/15/2024 6:11 AM

The plastic-related comments keep on coming. At the mention of bread bags, an acquaintance said she remembered kids putting bread bags on their feet before putting their boots on - so that it would be easier to slip the boots off when they got to school. Do people still do that?

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- Becca David 2/15/2024 8:21 AM
  
  I can’t answer if they still do, but I have the same memories of bread bags inside of my duck boots. I never understood that like duck boots are already waterproof. MOM, come on! 🤣
  
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