Marlene Martin

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.

Sharing ideas helps us stay motivated and discover new ways to take action. I will share ideas with friends or family members about ways we each reduce plastic in our lives.

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.

Positive reinforcement goes a long way in fostering sustainable change. I will celebrate someone’s effort to reduce plastic — whether big or small — by acknowledging their success in the feed or on social media and encouraging them to keep going.

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.