Fred Desai

Faith Communities Go Green BPEcochallenge 2025

POINTS TOTAL

40 TODAY
80 THIS WEEK
87 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

75

minutes

spent learning

Fred's actions

First Steps: Start with You

Understand plastic labels

Those recycling numbers and symbols can be confusing. I will spend 15 minutes learning what different plastic labels mean, including what can and can’t be recycled, to make more informed choices when I shop.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

First Steps: Start with You

Find out why plastic recycling isn’t working as we expect and where plastics end up

Many of us recycle with good intentions, but most plastic doesn’t get recycled. I will spend 15 minutes learning why plastic recycling falls short and what really happens to plastic waste.

COMPLETED 2
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 15 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 1
DAILY ACTION

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Catch microplastics in laundry before they spread

Washing synthetic fabrics releases tiny plastic fibers that end up in our waterways. I will install a washing machine filter or use a microplastic-catching device to capture microplastics before they leave my home — and I will share what I did and why with others to inspire more sustainable laundry habits.

UNCOMPLETED
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 15 minutes exploring the differences between bioplastics, compostable plastics, and recyclable plastics—and what happens to each at the end of its life.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

First Steps: Start with You

Estimate My Plastic Consumption

Understanding my plastic footprint is a powerful first step toward making change. I will complete a short online plastic calculator, like the one from rePurpose Global, to estimate my annual plastic use and explore ways to reduce it.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

First Steps: Start with You

Track my plastic use for a day or a week

Awareness is the first step toward change. I’ll track how much plastic I use in a day (or week), paying attention to packaging, food containers, and single-use items. I’ll reflect on what surprised me most and what I could do differently.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

First Steps: Start with You

Design my grocery routine for less plastic

Our grocery habits are one of the biggest sources of single-use plastic, from packaging on produce to plastic bags and containers. I will spend 15 minutes researching low-plastic shopping strategies and make a list of things to look for or do differently the next time I go to the store.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
First Steps: Start with You

What was the most eye-opening fact you learned about the limits of recycling, and how might it shift your habits? How do you feel knowing that so much of what we put in recycling bins may never actually be recycled? What should we do differently?
Fred Desai 7/21/2025 10:15 PM
- TEAM CAPTAIN
Only about 10% of the plastics we use gets recycled.
Recyling plastics takes away the guilt we ought to feel for consuming so much plastic in the first place. Our focus should be on eliminating plastic use as much as we can.
Also recycling the correct way is critical. Wrong items or unclean items in the recycling bin can create a lot of headache for the recyclers.

Read More
- Kerry Keck 7/22/2025 6:40 AM
  All important points Fred. We try our best at our house to eliminate buying so much plastic, but some essentials are unavoidable (e.g. insulin needles). We also try to ensure our recycling bin has only clean plastics that are recycled by our city. But the nest house down the road can ruin an intire truck's recycling. But we continue to do our best, no?
  
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