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Mike C's avatar

Mike C

The Florida Aquarium

"Reduce plastic usage at the personal level and recycle as necessary"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 545 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    8.0
    plastic items
    avoided
  • UP TO
    8.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    15
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    4.0
    ideas
    shared
  • UP TO
    919
    minutes
    spent learning

Mike's actions

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Invite others to join the Ecochallenge

Our actions are more powerful when we take them together. I will invite someone to join the Ecochallenge with me so we can learn and take action together.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

First Steps: Start with You

Learn how plastic is made

Understanding the origins of plastic helps us see its environmental impact more clearly. I will spend 45 minutes learning how plastic is made — from fossil fuels to finished product — and reflect on how that knowledge influences my choices.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

First Steps: Start with You

Understand Plastic’s Impact on My Health

Plastics can leach harmful chemicals into food, water, and the air we breathe. I will spend 17 minutes learning about the health impacts of plastic exposure and explore safer swaps — like choosing glass or stainless steel over plastic for food storage and drinking water.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Prep a reusable kit for on-the-go

Having reusables ready and integrated into your daily routine can help you avoid single-use plastic while out and about. I will put together a kit with items like a mug, water bottle, utensils, or tote bag to take with me when I leave the house.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

First Steps: Start with You

Discover the difference between bioplastics, compostable plastics, and recyclable plastics

Not all “eco-friendly” plastics are created equal. I will spend 19 minutes exploring the differences between bioplastics, compostable plastics, and recyclable plastics—and what happens to each at the end of its life.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Learn about community-level options to reduce plastic

Widespread change starts with local action and community innovation. I will spend 3 minutes learning about programs or initiatives in my area that reduce plastic use, such as third-party sanitization services, repair cafes, food gleaning, lending libraries, bulk or thrift stores, bans on single-use items, or zero-waste businesses.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Start a plastic reduction conversation at school, work, or a community group

Big changes often begin with one bold conversation. I will bring up the topic of reducing plastic at school, work, or in a group I’m part of, planting the seed for collective action.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Teach or learn a skill to extend the life of a product I have

Learning or sharing repair skills can keep useful items in use and out of the landfill. I will teach or learn a skill to extend the life of a product — like sewing, electronic repair, or furniture restoration — and share what I did with my community, workplace, or group to encourage others to do the same.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed


  • Mike C's avatar
    Mike C 7/19/2025 2:33 PM
    • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
    I went through the garage last night and this morning to get all the packaging materials and stuff that came in recent weeks and consolidated it for recycle drop off earlier this afternoon, the amount of cardboard, boxes, and plastic materials (straps, ties, bags, coating sheets (to protect metals), and other plastic like materials) is ridiculous when you look at it, should have taken a picture of it.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
    What conversations came up when you invited someone? Did anything surprise you about their response or perspective?

    Mike C's avatar
    Mike C 7/16/2025 1:01 PM
    • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
    We shared similar ideas and concepts of plastic reduction. It's a lot harder to do when everything we have in some shape or form has plastic in it.

    • Mike C's avatar
      Mike C 7/19/2025 2:34 PM
      • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
      I agree, especially if you look just in your refrigerator, the amount of items that are in plastic containers of some sort and how much we use in a single week.

    • Rhonda  Dunman 's avatar
      Rhonda Dunman 7/16/2025 1:45 PM
      True

  • Mike C's avatar
    Mike C 7/15/2025 4:00 AM
    • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
    I strive to reduce my plastic usage as much as possible and reuse any plastic for alternative purposes.

    • Alexia Woerner's avatar
      Alexia Woerner 7/15/2025 5:20 AM
      • Adventurer 🏔
      I agree! It is easier than it used to be but still far from perfect.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lead the Way: Shape Your Community
    What’s one thing you learned that surprised you about your community’s plastic systems or policies? Did you discover any new options to move beyond plastic or more sustainably dispose of plastic in your area? Share it in the feed!

    Mike C's avatar
    Mike C 7/15/2025 3:51 AM
    • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
    The number of items that are associated with plastic in everyday use that we overlook without a thought.

    • David Mininni's avatar
      David Mininni 7/15/2025 6:08 AM
      • Plant Parent 🪴
      The fact there's plastic in a lot of our clothes is kind of weird too.

    • Mike C's avatar
      Mike C 7/15/2025 3:54 AM
      • Wildlife Guardian 🦉
      Need to move back to a more sustainable option such as aluminum cans for drinks vs. plastic bottles. I know that is a hurdle hard to get over due to costs go up, shipping weight, etc. But at the same time, we all could use a little less soda in our lives, but at least aluminum for the most part can be recycled.