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Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar

Patricia Shuman Robleto

South Carolina Aquarium

"The South Carolina Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the natural world by exhibiting and caring for animals, by excelling in education and research and by providing an exceptional visitor experience."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 902 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    artist
    supported
  • UP TO
    9.0
    plastic items
    avoided
  • UP TO
    1.0
    bag of litter
    collected
  • UP TO
    4.0
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    3.0
    ideas
    shared
  • UP TO
    6.0
    advocacy actions
    completed
  • UP TO
    2.0
    community events
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    265
    minutes
    spent learning

Patricia's actions

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 30 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

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Visit a local recycling center, landfill, or transfer station

Seeing where waste goes can change how we think about what we throw away. I will visit a local facility to learn more about the waste stream in my community and share what I learn with others and in the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Understand plastic labels

Those recycling numbers and symbols can be confusing. I will spend 30 minutes learning what different plastic labels mean, including what can and can’t be recycled, to make more informed choices when I shop.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

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 10
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

Choose secondhand or a recycled product for my next purchase

Buying recycled or secondhand products helps close the loop and reduces demand for new plastic. I will look for and purchase a product made from recycled materials or choose a secondhand option the next time I shop to keep valuable resources in use longer.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Encourage my workplace to switch to reusable products

Every reusable cup, plate, or utensil at work makes a difference. I will talk with my team or leadership about switching to reusable products in shared spaces like break rooms or kitchens.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies

Support a plastic or climate advocacy campaign

Advocacy campaigns can drive real change by amplifying public support. I will find and support a campaign — through a donation, signature, or share — that’s working to reduce plastic pollution or address the climate impacts of plastic.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies

Switch to investments that avoid fossil fuels and plastics

Where we put our money matters. I will research and invest in companies, funds, or assets that avoid investing in fossil fuels and plastic production, aligning my finances with my values.

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Level Up: Influence Friends and Family

Host or attend a clothing swap

Fast fashion is a major source of plastic pollution. I will organize a clothing swap with friends, neighbors, or coworkers to keep clothes in use longer, reduce plastic-based textiles, and build community.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Lead the Way: Shape Your Community

Teach or learn a skill to extend the life of a product I have

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Change the Game: Shift Systems and Policies

Support an artist working for plastics reduction

Art can shift mindsets and spark movements. I will support a local or global artist using their work to raise awareness about plastic pollution — by purchasing, promoting, or sharing their art and message.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

First Steps: Start with You

Switch to a reusable product instead of a single-use product

Switch from single-use face wipes to a reusable option.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed


  • Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar
    Patricia Shuman Robleto 7/24/2025 9:26 AM
    One more week to log our actions!

  • Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar
    Patricia Shuman Robleto 7/16/2025 5:16 AM
    Halfway through the challenge!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lead the Way: Shape Your Community
    What skill did you teach or learn, and how might it help you or someone else keep something in use longer? How did it feel to share or learn this skill?

    Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar
    Patricia Shuman Robleto 7/16/2025 5:15 AM
    My spouse uses a rangefinder on the golf course almost every day for his job. When it stopped working we realized it was due to a loose metal component that was preventing it from connecting to power. This cheap little part was rendering a $350 device useless! We decided to try to fix it instead of buying a new one. After watching some youtube videos we learned how to use a soldering kit (borrowed from a neighbor) to reconnect the loose pieces. It wasn't a pretty job but it worked! We were relieved to save the money of buying a new item and also glad to keep that plastic and other materials out of the landfill. We also felt proud to learn how to use a new tool!

    • Sara McDonald's avatar
      Sara McDonald 7/17/2025 2:15 PM
      Way to go, Patty! I think most electronics and appliances are deliberately made to be too expensive to repair.

    • Kerry Keck's avatar
      Kerry Keck 7/16/2025 1:27 PM
      An excellent example of repairing rather than disposing and buying a new tool. I think you and your spouse should also give yourselves credit for borrowing the soldering kit from your neighbor. Your example demonstrates sharing (versus consumerism) as well as learning to repair a key resource.
  • 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?

    Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar
    Patricia Shuman Robleto 7/14/2025 6:36 AM
    Unfortunately some of my plastic use was due to hidden packaging. I bought a pie at the grocery store that appeared to be in a simple cardboard box (without a plastic window) but upon opening it I found that the pie tin was encased in shrink-wrap plastic too. Understandably, it's to keep the food fresher, but I would not have purchased it if I had known it was covered in plastic. Maybe a way to avoid that plastic waste is to buy directly from a bakery where I can use my own box to bring it home. Or I could make my own pie next time! Although that may not be the most realistic solution...
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    What influenced your decision on what to swap, and how does that small change feel in the bigger picture? Was the swap easy or difficult? What did it make you realize about convenience, cost, or access to better options?

    Patricia Shuman Robleto's avatar
    Patricia Shuman Robleto 7/01/2025 4:53 AM
    Using my own container at the farmers market instead of getting a plastic one at the grocery store was more expensive (by far) and less convenient. But I felt better about my purchase because I know it directly benefits the person who grows my fruits and veggies locally!