Hennepin County

Hennepin County Zero Waste Challenge

May 17 - June 27, 2020

Katie Shepherd

"Hoping to do some good during the quarantine."

Points Total

0 Today
0 This Week
200 Total

Participant Impact

up to

3

pounds of paper

have been saved
up to

1

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
up to

3

pounds

waste composted

Katie's Actions

Personal Care

Practice Low-Waste Hair Care

I will replace my soaps, shampoos, and conditioners with either a bar or refillable option.

Uncompleted
One-Time Action

Personal Care

Choose Plastic-Free Deodorant

I will use deodorant either from a plastic-free bar or a jar or I will make my own.

Completed
One-Time Action

At Home

Skip the Dryer Sheets

I will replace dryer sheets with a reusable alternative or use nothing at all.

Uncompleted
One-Time Action

At Home

Hold the Mail

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

Completed
One-Time Action

At Home

Recycle More Organics

I will add organics recycling collection bins to all areas of the house where organics are generated, such as the bathroom.

Completed
One-Time Action

At Home

No More Wish-cycling

I will recycle the right materials by educating myself on what goes in the bin and keep other things out.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Feed

Reflection Question
At Home Hold the Mail

Reducing your paper mail can be such a freeing action to take -- by reducing what is coming in, you can reduce what is going into the recycling bin, too. How does it make you feel? What is the next step you will take to reduce your waste?

Katie Shepherd 5/23/2020 3:03 PM

Very excited to see less junk mail coming my way! Next steps include contacting the post office if I happen to get more mail for the former resident.

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Katie Shepherd 5/23/2020 2:18 PM

I thought that this would be a good time to take on this challenge since we are all spending so much time at home right now. I already do many of the things on the list, but was looking to push myself a little bit more. I am excited to learn new ways to decrease the amount of waste I am creating!

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Reflection Question
At Home No More Wish-cycling

What have you learned about what is accepted by local haulers for recycling, what you can drop off or ship to certain places, and what is not recyclable in your area? What is the most difficult part of recycling for you?

Katie Shepherd 5/17/2020 9:46 AM

I learned that you can recycle bottle caps if they are either on the bottle or in a closed metal container. I also learned that plastic utensils are not recyclable. I was unclear on the waxy boxes, like milk cartons and soup boxes, and so now I know that they are definitely recyclable.

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Reflection Question
At Home Recycle More Organics

What types of organic materials were you missing before you added more organics bins around your house?

Katie Shepherd 5/17/2020 9:32 AM

Tissue from the bathrooms and bedrooms.

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