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Welcome to Plastic-Free Challenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Plastic-Free Challenge expert in no time!

Hennepin County | Ramsey County | Washington County
Plastic-Free Challenge
February 1 - February 28, 2025
Katie Brom's avatar

Katie Brom

Three Rivers Park District Staff

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 504 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    12
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    53
    pieces of plastic cutlery
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    66
    pieces of litter
    picked up
  • UP TO
    2.2
    pounds
    packaging waste avoided
  • UP TO
    80
    minutes
    spent learning

Katie's actions

Food

Make Your Own

I will try a new recipe or food preparation method, such as canning, pickling, making yogurt, or baking granola bars or bread.

COMPLETED 17
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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Community

Pick Up Plastic Litter

I will pick up 3 piece(s) of plastic litter each day and dispose of it responsibly.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Personal Care

Purchase Alternative Toothpaste

I will purchase toothpaste powder or toothpaste tabs in plastic-free packaging.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Plastics 101

Learn about bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastic

I will learn about what different descriptions and marketing terms mean when used on plastics.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

On-the-go

Visit a packaging-free store

I will visit a co-op or zero waste store to check out my local options for bulk products and plastic-free items.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Use Plastic-Free Beauty Packaging

I will use beauty products that come in plastic-free packaging or refillable packaging.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

On-the-go

Use Reusable Utensils

I will keep 2 pieces of plastic cutlery out of the landfill per day by using my own reusable cutlery.

COMPLETED 24
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Zero Waste Dish Washing

Try out different zero waste dish washing products: dishwasher machine powder and/or pods. Dish washing bar soap. Goal is to find the right product for me and stick with it!

COMPLETED 23
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    On-the-go
    How can you be an advocate for using resusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable cutlery, and how can you convince them of the need for change?
    Katie Brom's avatar
    Katie Brom 2/18/2025 12:13 PM
    The biggest one here is for work. I've talked with others (and even in previous plastic free challenge reflections) about beefing up the stashes of silverware here at our Admin offices, but what I've heard back from staff who've been here longer is that they walk away. Folks would donate cutlery to a central space and then after a short period they'd need replenishing again. Not sure how to get around that, since it's an office culture thing vs a resources thing.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    How does the act of picking up litter connect you more to your community?
    Katie Brom's avatar
    Katie Brom 2/18/2025 12:11 PM
    It's reminded me how un-walkable my neighborhood is, which is another topic entirely. And it's made me notice that most of the litter in my neighborhood is created from trash cans that fall over in the wind before the garbage trucks can get to them. I've become a lot more mindful about when I'm putting my bins on the curb now. Sometimes I don't even put them out if I don't have much in the bins.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    How do you feel about being more involved in the food preparation process? Joyful, overwhelmed, engaged, empowered? What are the benefits of choosing to process or produce your own food instead of buying it pre-processed?
    Katie Brom's avatar
    Katie Brom 2/05/2025 8:21 AM
    I have been trying to shop my cabinets vs buying more from the store and realized that I have a huge stash of chia seeds. I haven't made anything with chia in a very long time, so I used things I had to make peppermint/chocolate chia pudding, which has been fabulous to have for breakfasts the last few days!

    I feel both empowered and overwhelmed with the food prep process. Empowered, because I'm saving significantly by using the food that I already have and by not producing more plastic in my own waste stream. But overwhelmed, because right now my life is a little hectic and it doesn't feel like I can dedicate lots of time to creating good meals for myself.
    Read More