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  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    First Steps: Start with You
    How does understanding the origin of plastic change the way you think about using it in everyday life?

    Don Maruska's avatar
    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.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
    What conversations came up when you invited someone? Did anything surprise you about their response or perspective?

    Don Maruska's avatar
    Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:29 AM
    When 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 You
    What 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's avatar
    Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:24 AM
    Labeling 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 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?

    Don Maruska's avatar
    Don Maruska 7/01/2025 11:15 AM
    Wow! 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's avatar
    Don Maruska 6/18/2025 8:19 PM
    We 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.