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Carlos C Martinez Rivera's avatar

Carlos C Martinez Rivera

Akron Zoo

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 136 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    8.0
    plastic items
    avoided
  • UP TO
    1.0
    low-plastic business
    supported
  • UP TO
    2.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    idea
    shared
  • UP TO
    122
    minutes
    spent learning

Carlos C's actions

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Start a household challenge to reduce plastic

Change starts at home. I will create a fun challenge with my household — like using no single-use plastic for a day or swapping out a product — to make plastic reduction a shared goal.

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

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

First Steps: Start with You

Swap one product for a refillable or plastic-free option

Even small swaps can add up to big impact. I will replace one product I use regularly — like soap, cleaning spray, or snacks — with a refillable or plastic-free version.

COMPLETED
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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

First Steps: Start with You

Support businesses with plastic-free or refillable options

Where we spend our money shapes the market. I will support a business that offers plastic-free, low-waste, or refillable products or services.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 1
DAILY ACTION

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Give a small gift that helps someone reduce plastic (e.g., tote, bottle, soap bar)

Giving can be an act of change and inspiration. I will give a thoughtful, plastic-free or plastic-reducing gift — like a reusable bag, bottle, or bar soap — to someone in my life and share why I chose it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 30 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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

First Steps: Start with You

Check recycling near me

Recycling rules vary by location. I’ll spend 10 minutes learning which plastics my local program accepts. This helps me avoid “wishcycling” — tossing items in the bin and hoping they’ll be recycled, even if they aren’t.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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 15 minutes learning how plastic is made — from fossil fuels to finished product — and reflect on how that knowledge influences my choices.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Make a room plastic-free with someone else

Transforming a space together can build momentum and spark conversation. I will work with someone else to remove or replace plastics in one room of our home or work place, such as the kitchen, lunch room, or bathroom.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Prepare a low-plastic meal with a friend or family member

Reducing plastic can be easier — and more fun — when shared. I will plan and prepare a meal with friends or family that minimizes single-use packaging and plastic waste.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Pack a low or no-plastic lunch and talk about it with others

Food packaging is a major source of plastic. I will pack a lunch with little or no plastic and use it as a conversation starter with coworkers, classmates, or friends to share tips and inspire change.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    How do these different materials shift your sense of what’s truly “sustainable” — and what’s just marketing? Are bioplastics accepted by your city's waste management?

    Carlos C Martinez Rivera's avatar
    Carlos C Martinez Rivera 7/17/2025 9:50 AM
    Most "corporate" solutions to plastics are in it for the money and not for the environment. No, my city does not accept bio plastics