Unique Wilson

Team Green

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76 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

50

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spent learning

Unique's 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 25 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

Understand Plastic’s Impact on My Health

Plastics can leach harmful chemicals into food, water, and the air we breathe. I will spend 60 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

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 60 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 labels

Those recycling numbers and symbols can be confusing. I will spend 25 minutes learning what different plastic labels mean, including what can and can’t be recycled, to make more informed choices when I shop.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

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DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
First Steps: Start with You

What 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?
Unique Wilson 7/26/2025 7:58 PM
What surprised me the most was how plastic exposure isn’t just about pollution—it’s also directly affecting our health. I didn’t realize how chemicals like BPA and microplastics can get into our food, especially when we use plastic containers to store or reheat meals. That hit home for me, because in New Orleans, food is such a big part of our culture. We cook, we share, we eat leftovers—and I definitely grew up putting gumbo or red beans in whatever container was around without thinking twice.

Now that I know better, I’m being more mindful—not just for myself, but for my child too. I’ve started switching to glass or stainless steel for food storage, especially for hot foods. I still want to enjoy the meals and traditions I grew up with, but I want to do it in a way that’s safer for my body and my child’s in the long run. It’s not about being perfect—it’s just about making better choices when I can.

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- Emily Henderson 7/28/2025 8:00 AM
  Well put. I also have so many memories of family and friends sharing food in all types of plastic containers. I understand how convenient it is to not have to worry about getting those containers back. My parents still tend to do this with my brothers and I when they want to send us home things with food. I talked about it with them and mentioned when we have get-togethers it would be better for my brothers and I to bring our own glass containers in case there are things to take home.
  
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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?
Unique Wilson 7/26/2025 7:54 PM
Honestly, learning about the different types of eco-friendly plastics made me realize how much of “sustainability” is really just marketing. Something can be labeled “bioplastic” or “compostable,” but that doesn’t always mean it’s actually better for the environment—especially if our local systems can’t process it. In New Orleans, most bioplastics aren’t accepted through curbside recycling, and the city doesn’t currently offer municipal compost pickup.

We do have local programs like Compost NOW, which lets residents drop off food scraps and compostables at select farmers markets, but they focus more on food waste than bioplastics. Glass Half Full NOLA is another great program that recycles glass into sand and gravel for coastal restoration—but again, that’s not helpful for plastics. Even The Recycling Foundation and Phoenix Recycling stick to traditional materials like paper, metal, and #1 and #2 plastics.

So even when I try to choose “sustainable” products, if our local systems can’t handle them, it feels like the product is more greenwashing than truly green. It’s made me more aware and intentional—prioritizing reusables or things I know I can actually recycle or compost right here in New Orleans.

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- Michelle Ryan 7/28/2025 1:06 PM
  
  TEAM CAPTAIN
  Thanks for the share, Unique. I follow Glass Half Full on IG. They're so cool!
  
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