

Sara McDonald
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 886 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO21low-plastic mealsconsumed
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UP TO160plastic itemsavoided
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UP TO4.0bags of littercollected
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UP TO13individualsrecognized for sustainability
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UP TO1.0ideashared
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UP TO1.0advocacy actioncompleted
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UP TO1.0community eventhosted or attended
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UP TO34minutesspent learning
Sara's actions
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.
Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
Keep my reusable kit with me and model it in public
My everyday choices can influence others. I will carry and use a reusable kit in public spaces, modeling plastic-reducing behaviors and showing that small changes are possible.
First Steps: Start with You
Try one low-plastic meal
From plastic-wrapped produce to takeout containers, food is one of the biggest sources of single-use plastic. I will enjoy one meal using ingredients and tools that minimize plastic packaging — opting for items in aluminum, paper, steel cans, or glass jars instead of plastic. I’ll also use a water refill station instead of single-use bottles to keep the meal as plastic-free as possible.
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.
Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies
Learn about policies that support reducing plastics
Policy is one of the most powerful tools for reducing plastic waste at scale. I will spend 5 minutes learning about current or proposed plastic-related policies, such as bans on single-use plastics or extended producer responsibility laws, to better understand how systems can change.
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.
Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
Celebrate someone else’s plastic-free effort
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.
Lead the Way: Shape Your Community
Participate in or organize a community clean up
Plastic pollution is visible in many communities. I will take part in or organize a cleanup event to remove litter, raise awareness, and spark conversations about how plastic ends up in our environment.
First Steps: Start with You
Explore plastic’s impact on communities
Plastic pollution doesn’t affect everyone equally. I will spend 10 minutes learning how plastic production, use, and disposal harm communities — especially those near waste sites.
Participant Feed
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REFLECTION QUESTIONFirst Steps: Start with YouDid your estimated plastic footprint surprise you? How does it compare to the global average? After estimating your annual use, how did it feel to put a number on it? Did it inspire a sense of urgency, or something else?
Sara McDonald 7/31/2025 12:37 PMWell - I didn't get a chance to do my plastic footprint, but it's never too late. I can do it whenever. -
Sara McDonald 7/28/2025 6:22 PMIt’s hard to keep up the Eco-Challenge while in vacation. Although we didn’t log it, we picked up trash on one of the bridges that crosses TN River in Chattanooga. We even went thrifting! We requested no straws wherever we went but sometimes, you’d get the straw anyway. I guess there’s only so much you can control… -
Sara McDonald 7/21/2025 4:25 AMTraveling can be especially challenging. We’re in TN and I’m happy that we’ve brought our reusable coffee mugs and water bottles everywhere. We’ve tried to request no straws whenever we eat out, but sometimes they put them in your drink without thinking. We’re such dorks and still go thrifting even on vacation! We found some cool stuff and will be giving it a new life 🙂 -
Sara McDonald 7/14/2025 6:16 AMIt's hard to find supplements/vitamins in plastic-free containers. Costco sells an algae-based omega 3 supplement (https://www.youtheory.com/products/ocean-friendly-omega?srsltid=AfmBOoqIkNMEj8XH5MOu0iyXYPptLjB01iIKoQvdSfRh4shkvJevBOfR) that is in a metal bottle and because it uses algae and not fish or krill, it doesn't negatively impact the ocean - a double win! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFirst Steps: Start with YouWhat does this meal reveal about how deeply plastic is built into our food systems — and what needs to change?
Sara McDonald 7/09/2025 5:19 PMThere is a recent study published in Science that analyzes the effectiveness of plastic bag bans. Bottom line, total bans, including thick bags, are very effective and more effective over time. Effectiveness decreases us with partial bans. The study analyzed citizen science data! Please join the SC Aquarium Litter Journal to collect and analyze litter data near you! -
Sara McDonald 7/06/2025 5:28 PMDid my weekly grocery shopping and realized that it's virtually impossible to buy chicken without it being wrapped in plastic and on a plastic tray. I feel like even if you buy it at the butcher counter, they use plastic. Does anyone know anywhere you can buy chicken w/out the plastic packaging?-
Sara McDonald 7/07/2025 6:12 AMGood question, Julie! Can you store things in the pill bottles like paper clips or safety pins or nuts/bolts/nails/screws? -
Julie Mapes 7/06/2025 5:50 PM- TEAM CAPTAIN
I run into this same challenge at our deli last year during the challenge. I had brought in reuseable storage containers to purchase deli potato salad in, and due to sanitary purposes, they wouldn't allow me to use it, so instead put it in plastic containers. Ugh. My other plastic challenge is our medications. My husband pick up medications on a frequent basis. I have a collection of the empty bottles because I don't know what to do with them and can't stomach discarding them. Any ideas?
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Sara McDonald 7/05/2025 6:41 AMPlastic typically has only a 9% recycle rate. Today, I learned about Deposit Return Schemes, which can increase plastic recycling rates to 90%. The EU implemented a DRS in 2019. I’ve lived in states that have a DRS for glass and aluminum- but not plastic. Can this work in S.C.?-
Sara McDonald 7/07/2025 10:02 AMHi AJ, I learned that SC needs to create the recycling infrastructure first, before passing a bottle bill. Kelly, Linda and Griffin are working on this issue now. It will take a long time, but we need to start somewhere! -
AJ Warren 7/07/2025 9:39 AM- Pet Parent 🐾
A thought provoking question! I wonder why other states have been able to implement this process while others have not. Thank you for these eye opening statistics as well!
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Sara McDonald 7/03/2025 9:03 AMGreat litter sweep of our adopted highway, Hagood Ave. Thank you, Linda for organizing and many thanks to members of the Advancement team for joining us! Although we only collected 4 bags (plus large items), the number of pieces of debris will be in the hundreds if not thousands. Great way to spend a Thursday morning!-
Kerry Keck 7/03/2025 6:59 PMYour cleanup may bring more results than the direct amount of trash cleaned up : the efforts of your group may be observed by passersby, and may inspire them to pick up a few items throughout their day (and make better choices about discarding their own items).
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Sara McDonald 7/02/2025 11:31 AMReading about environmental justice really highlights the impacts of plastic production facilities that may be far removed from where you purchase your items. It puts the issue in a much broader perspective. -
Sara McDonald 6/30/2025 1:49 PMHi All, I'm having trouble adding actions. Nothing happens if I hit the automatically upload to my actions. When I hit the manual button, the action is not added to my dashboard. Anyone else having problems?