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Paula R Ovre's avatar

Paula R Ovre

Team North St. Paul

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 616 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    8.1
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    pounds
    packaging waste avoided
  • UP TO
    3.5
    pounds
    waste recycled
  • UP TO
    2.0
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning

Paula R's actions

Plastics 101

Recycle Plastic Bags

Instead of trashing them, I will recycle 2 plastic bags per day bringing them to a drop-off or special pickup

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Plastics 101

Recycle Plastic Caps

I will recycle 1 plastic caps per day by placing them back on the plastic bottles before placing them in my recycling bin.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

At Home

Plan a Garden

I will plan an herb or vegetable garden for next year at my home, workplace, or community garden.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

At Home

Make Green Cleaners

I will make  2 of my own cleaning products (cleaners, detergents, soaps) instead of buying them in new spray bottles each time.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Shop the Bulk Bins

Each trip to the grocery store I will purchase 1 products from the bulk section using my own containers.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY 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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 5
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

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?


  • Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/27/2025 3:08 PM
    The effort to reduce the amount of plastic in my life will always be a challenge. I have made changes in many areas to limit plastic. Sometimes it feels overwhelming if I think about it too much. With enough small steps and many of us working together, we can make a difference!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Plastics 101
    What are some things you can do to avoid using plastic bottles and plastic caps in the first place?

    Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/25/2025 4:27 PM
    I will try to not buy single serve water bottles, using reusable bottles instead. It's a bit harder with distilled water and milk cartons. I will attach the bottle top to the cartons each time and trust it is recycled.

    • Julie DURR's avatar
      Julie DURR 2/26/2025 5:03 AM
      • 28-DAY STREAK
      You could buy the five-gallon container of water and buy a small pump and use it instead of single use water bottles.
  • 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?

    Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/14/2025 1:47 PM
    I make my own taco seasoning and baking powder with ingredients I have on hand. Easy, without the preservatives, and I reuse spice bottles or small glass jars.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    At Home
    Besides having access to fresh herbs and vegetables, what benefits will you see from growing your own garden?

    Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/13/2025 12:08 PM
    A herb/flower garden is beneficial to various insects and birds. I plan on trying to use deer and rabbit resistant plants in my garden. Fingers crossed.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Plastics 101
    Has separating your plastic bags for recycling helped you identify how you might reduce how many you have? What are you doing differently now?

    Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/06/2025 3:45 PM
    Today I brought back more bags to recycle at the grocery store and did not take any plastic bags home. It's taken a while but I find myself being more thoughtful about bringing my own bags whenever I go shopping.

    • Michelle  B's avatar
      Michelle B 2/06/2025 5:11 PM
      • 24-DAY STREAK
      Good for you. I feel the same. It's clicking to REMEMBER bring my own bags finally.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Plastics 101
    What did you find out about your plastic consumption by using the calculator? What did or didn't surprise you?

    Paula R Ovre's avatar
    Paula R Ovre 2/03/2025 10:46 AM
    My plastic use is estimated to be about half of the average American. My goal is to try to reduce my plastic use even more.