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October 3 - October 24, 2018
The Mortenson  Family's avatar

The Mortenson Family

Green Cavs

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 481 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    community event
    hosted or attended
  • UP TO
    600
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    1,920
    minutes
    not spent in front of a screen
  • UP TO
    36
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

The Mortenson 's actions

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Have a Garage Sale

I will have a group garage sale with friends, family, and/or neighbors.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Limit Social Media

I will limit my social media use to once each day reducing my daily use by 60 minute(s)

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 30 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature Spend Time Outside
    Rachel Carson said that we need the beauty and mysteries of the natural world for our spiritual and emotional development. Does that ring true for you? What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors?

    The Mortenson  Family's avatar
    The Mortenson Family 10/20/2018 7:06 AM
    By being on social media less often, I have noticed myself being more present in life.  It makes it easy to be outside. I have been loving being outside with my daughter watching her see the leaves fall.  Playing in the leaves as i once did. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Skip the Straw
    How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?

    The Mortenson  Family's avatar
    The Mortenson Family 10/05/2018 6:30 PM
    How do I skip the straw when the restaurant already puts them in my glass? I will speak up

    • Roxanne Smothers's avatar
      Roxanne Smothers 10/14/2018 5:59 AM
      Hi Genevieve,
      I worked in the industry for years (helped pay for college).  Today I'm the chair for our new Hospitality Mgmt program.  We're trained to automatically bring the water...and that darn straw...right away. One thing you can do is mention as you're being seated you would prefer NO straws with your drinks.  It's the host/hostess' job to help the servers get a heads-up for special requests.  

      If they don't have someone seating the customers it's fair game to ask the manager or whoever you can corral, to NOT bring the straws.  

      Lastly: I have made it a policy to ask to speak with the manager at the end of my meal and do some PR work towards getting rid of the straws, or changing the kind of straws they use, etc.  You can compliment them if they already ask if you'd like a straw, or ask if they would consider training their wait staff to ask first if they don't.

      At home we started using paper straws for smoothies and such.  We don't use a lot of straws, but every little bit counts.

      Good luck with your quest!  Things are really changing in the industry so it will get easier.  There are some large chains that have banned straws (accept upon request) and/or switched to paper straws.  

      Power to the people!
      Rox

    • Travis Horton's avatar
      Travis Horton 10/08/2018 7:36 AM
      That's a totally valid question. I'm not a fan of straws. They give me the hiccups, so it would be a win win for me. 

  • The Mortenson  Family's avatar
    The Mortenson Family 10/04/2018 6:10 PM