Don Maruska
7/01/2025 11:43 AM
It's fascinating that plastic began as a natural product from rubber trees before becoming a petrochemically-dominated product.
Don Maruska
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 55 THIS WEEK
- 80 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO5.0conversationswith people
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UP TO60minutesspent learning
Don's 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 30 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.
First Steps: Start with You
Understand plastic labels
Those recycling numbers and symbols can be confusing. I will spend 20 minutes learning what different plastic labels mean, including what can and can’t be recycled, to make more informed choices when I shop.
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.
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.
Participant Feed
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REFLECTION QUESTION
First Steps: Start with YouHow does understanding the origin of plastic change the way you think about using it in everyday life?
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Level Up: Influence Friends and FamilyWhat conversations came up when you invited someone? Did anything surprise you about their response or perspective?
Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:29 AMWhen I bring up interesting facts about plastics, friends and family members are interested. I discover that others share my concerns and want to do something about it. So, I invite them to the Beyond Plastic Ecochallenge! -
REFLECTION QUESTION
First Steps: Start with YouWhat do you think the confusion around plastic labels says about our waste systems — and how could they be improved? What role do you think clear labeling should play in helping people make better choices — and who should be responsible for that?
Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:24 AMLabeling should make clear that plastics are never really fully recycled in the way most people think. Plastics don't break down into harmless constituent parts. Instead, they fragment into smaller and smaller pieces such that they can enter our our food and our bodies. Maybe, plastics should be labeled truthfully like cigarettes -- dangerous to your health. -
REFLECTION QUESTION
First Steps: Start with YouWhat surprised you the most about the health impacts of plastic exposure, and how might this new understanding influence the choices you make around food storage and everyday products?
Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:15 AMWow! I knew that plastics are made from fossil fuels, but I didn't fully appreciation the over 10,000 chemicals that go into plastics and the thousands that raise serious health concerns. Our government needs to take action to research these effects and protect our health. -
Don Maruska 6/18/2025 8:19 PMWe can beat the stranglehold plastics has on our lives. I'm eager to see how far we can to make a difference and enjoy doing it so that it's sustainable.