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Linda Rowe's avatar

Linda Rowe

South Carolina Aquarium

"To keep learning something new on my plastics reduction journey"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,086 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    14
    low-plastic meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    plastic footprint
    calculated
  • UP TO
    30
    plastic items
    avoided
  • UP TO
    2.0
    low-plastic businesses
    supported
  • UP TO
    4.0
    bags of litter
    collected
  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    7.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    105
    minutes
    spent learning

Linda's actions

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.

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

COMPLETED 3
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 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.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies

Contact a civic leader about a plastic reduction policy

My voice matters. I will contact 5 civic leaders or elected officials to express support for a local, regional, or national policy aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable alternatives.

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

Watch a recommended plastics documentary with family.

I want to learn more along with family members so we can have a shared learning experience.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Learn about local Plastic Recycling Systems in place at area grocery stores.

Understand who is purchasing these items, where they go, and how they are recycled. I have always wondered if and how these plastic items (soft film plastics, Styrofoam food packaging etc) are recycled. All our local grocery stores have collection bins for these items which are not recyclable by our municipal systems.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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.

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Share My Why

Take the Beyond Plastic Ecochallenge Feedback Survey

I will take a short survey about my experience to help the Ecochallenge team improve future events, earn a chance to win a prize, and earn 15 points!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Share My Why

Share My Why

I will share my Ecochallenge story and why I'm taking action for the planet — and earn 15 points!

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed


  • Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/31/2025 4:58 PM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    Great job, Team! I hope you had a great learning experience with this year’s Ecochallenge!!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies
    What did you say in your message, and how did it feel to use your voice in the political process?

    Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/20/2025 10:19 AM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    I wrote to Charleston County council members to encourage them to close the loophole on the thick plastic bags, which would align their single-use ordinance with the adjacent local municipalities. Unexpectedly, I received a response from the Chairman! They are currently working on how best to update their ordinance, so (if you live in the Charleston-area) stay tuned to see how this unfolds.

    Although my opinion wasn't what shined light on this idea, I do feel good about positively reinforcing their efforts. Letting them know that members of the public support the changes they are trying to make is definitely a good thing!

    • Mary Hanks's avatar
      Mary Hanks 7/20/2025 10:48 AM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      Thank you for making your voice heard. The response means they took you seriously, and that matters. Actions like this add up when it comes to influencing decision-makers!

  • Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/18/2025 6:04 AM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    This year’s challenge is a bit harder for me. I find the daily actions more like one-timers, and I wish some of the one-time actions could be repeatable. I think there are less small, personal actions this year too, so I’m working harder to stay active each day. But it is supposed to be a challenge, not easy, so I guess that’s to be expected.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    What patterns did you notice in your plastic use — and what would it take to shift one of them?

    Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/12/2025 4:34 PM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    My worst area of plastic use is definitely food wrappers/packaging. I do try to choose things packaged in paper wrappers, but it's a limited selection. Focusing on fruits and veggies more than I currently do is really the way to go.

    • Kerry Keck's avatar
      Kerry Keck 7/12/2025 4:48 PM
      It does seem that prepared foods are difficult to select when avoiding plastics! I appreciate that you are focusing on fruits and veggies - they are better for our diets anyway!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    Did 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?

    Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/10/2025 2:07 PM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    i recommend the "Estimate my Plastic Consumption" one-time action. There are a few different options... I calculated my Fashion Footprint and it was reassuring to see that it was pretty low. I mostly buy 2nd-hand, participate in clothing swaps, buy in-person and donate what I don't keep. It also helps just not really caring too much about what's trendy or being "fashionable."
  • 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?

    Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/07/2025 6:26 PM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    It's complicated and it depends is the best answer to this question about sustainability. Bioplastics are just like petroleum-based plastics but made from plants and have the code PLA on them. They do not break down unless they are in a commercial composting facility and most end up in a landfill. Isn't it still better that they are not petroleum based? Not if you consider the amount of farmland, water and fertilizer needed to produce the crops. When you factor those in, bioplastics are contributing negatively to GHG and climate impacts.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    What does this meal reveal about how deeply plastic is built into our food systems — and what needs to change?

    Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 7/04/2025 2:49 PM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    It really stands out to me how intentionally you have to plan ahead for an evening out AND STILL you have to be willing to limit your choices to items offered without single-use plastics.

    We had a restaurant dinner and went to a concert. We opted to avoid the plastic cutlery by ordering handheld items (burger and fries) and luckily the concert venue let me bring in an empty reusable cup for water. We also opted for canned drinks (other than water), but most concert-goers were drinking out of disposable plastic cups with straw. The venue had no recycling options so all drink containers (metal and plastic) went into the same trash cans.

    • Sara McDonald's avatar
      Sara McDonald 7/05/2025 6:46 AM
      Venues make it to challenging to do the right thing and most people don’t think about their waste. Same goes for manufacturers. The onus is on the consumer rather than the business that is making $.

  • Linda Rowe's avatar
    Linda Rowe 6/27/2025 11:47 AM
    • TEAM CAPTAIN
    • Eco-Conscious Consumer 🛍
    I love the camaraderie, learning new things, and seeing how much impact we all have together!

    • AJ Warren's avatar
      AJ Warren 7/03/2025 8:24 AM
      • Pet Parent 🐾
      I couldn't agree more. Thank you for coordinating this for all of us. What an incredibly eye opening challenge!!