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Vernita Kennen's avatar

Vernita Kennen

Incarnation Lutheran Creation Care

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 409 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    12
    zero-waste meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    6.0
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    6.0
    advocacy actions
    completed

Vernita's 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 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Stop Buying Water

I will stop buying water and instead use water from the tap or invest in a water filter if water quality is a concern.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Personal Care

Buy Reusable Bathroom Products

I will replace my [item] with a reusable [item] in the bathroom (disposable cups, makeup wipes and soap dispensers, etc.).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Swap Sponges for Longer Lasting Reusable Options

I will ditch the sponge and use a reusable or compostable option such as a brush, scrubber or dishrag instead.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

On-the-go

Say no to Styrofoam

Throughout its life cycle, polystyrene (styrofoam) can harm people, communities, and the planet. I will refuse styrofoam whenever I can.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Share My Actions

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

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?


  • Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/28/2025 12:31 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Thanks for the challenge - - and all the helpful information you provided. Hope it improves our lives and our planet.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    In what ways is social media an effective tool for sharing your values?

    Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/24/2025 2:23 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    My social media activity is only e-mail BUT I do write a monthly blog for a church publication on hunger-related issues. Food waste is something that can be talked about in terms of how one uses/disposes of take-out options. Plastics do not have to be involved, do they?

  • Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/24/2025 9:20 AM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Brought my own ceramic cup to church for coffee hour today - - no Styrofoam for me! And had a wonderful time dining at another church's reception in the afternoon, all on "real" church china. Hooray!

    • H McCrillis 's avatar
      H McCrillis 2/25/2025 2:15 AM
      • 28-DAY STREAK
      Hooray! I agree with Katherine, though. Did we not learn from McDonald’s “clamshells” era?! 😖 Gah!

    • Katherine Boyce's avatar
      Katherine Boyce 2/24/2025 12:24 PM
      • 28-DAY STREAK
      Way to go with the mug! It is wild that Styrofoam is still legal for hot foods and beverages, given it can leech chemicals into food when hot. Seems like something the church may want to swap out altogether for everyone's sake. :/

  • Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/20/2025 6:10 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Ate a BIG lunch out today but consumed all of it - - no Styrofoam container to bring home. That also means no munchy snack here this evening and only a healthy fruit as my "dinner".
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    On-the-go
    Why do you think Styrofoam is still so common despite what we know about its health effects? How do you think we can collectively move away from using it?

    Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/16/2025 5:10 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Hard getting rid of styrofoam at our church - - a large supply was laid in some time ago and we are trying hard to use it up and THEN go to something compostable! In the meantime, it keeps appearing at our coffee hours. Hopefully, we'll drink our way to a better world soon!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home
    What are some benefits you've noticed with your reusable cleaning items?

    Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/14/2025 9:50 AM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Cutting up "too-bad-to-take-to-thrift-store" clothing and linens makes great rags - - and I can get them into the right sized pieces for using as cleaning cloths and wash and re-wash them endlessly.

    • Amanda Eames's avatar
      Amanda Eames 2/14/2025 10:04 AM
      We also do this with my husbands white t-shirts. They are 100% cotton and work great for cleaning, and they are easy to wash and reuse.

  • Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/14/2025 9:46 AM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Enjoyed reading about the possibilities with pets - - but haven't any! Occasional spiders do NOT count!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Personal Care
    Has your experience using a reusable product changed greatly from when you used a disposable one? What are the benefits of using a reusable product?

    Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/06/2025 1:14 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Bar shampoo works well -- I am surprised.

  • Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/05/2025 3:58 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    Tough day - - I did need a straw for beverage dining out at lunch - - and only plastic was available and the paper cup was too flimsy to pick up and drink otherwise! Backsliding!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food
    What are the hardest scenarios for you to avoid using bottled water? How have you been able to avoid purchasing water in these situations?

    Vernita Kennen's avatar
    Vernita Kennen 2/01/2025 2:13 PM
    • 9-DAY STREAK
    I'm not the only one doing this - - there were long lines at the water fountains at the airport yesterday of those who were refilling their own water bottles, not buying new plastic ones!