Creating a Healthier World
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May 2021 Challenge
It should come as no surprise that plastic toothbrushes are not recyclable. Worldwide, 3.5 billion toothbrushes are sold each year. That amounts to 175 million pounds of plastic that ends up in our landfills, along our roadways or in our oceans. Fortunately, there is a safer alternative. Toothbrushes made with bamboo handles reduce plastic waste. Bamboo is considered a renewable and sustainable plant. In addition, it does not require any pesticides, fertilizers, or additional irrigation to grow. Consequently, growing and harvesting bamboo is a carbon neutral process from start to finish. |
Bamboo toothbrushes are available online or wherever sustainable household products are sold.
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April 2021 Challenge
Single-Use Plastics 101
A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar, taken individually, each seems harmless. These modern conveniences are so ubiquitous—and so quickly thrown out—that they hardly register in our minds. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental price—one that we’ll be paying off for millennia. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. Learn more at the Natural Resources Defense Council. |
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March 2021 Challenge
Dishwasher detergents are another contributor to our plastics problem. Consequently, it is time to switch to safer alternatives like Dropps Dishwasher Detergent. Dropps pods use natural minerals and have a water-soluble casing. When you switch to Dropps you are helping turn the tide against toxic pollution, plastic waste, and animal cruelty. For more information, go to Dropps.com. Other environmental alternatives can be found at Pilgrims or anywhere natural products are sold.
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February 2021 Challenge
Household cleaners come in plastic containers designed to be used once and then discarded. This month's environmental challenge is to replace single use plastic spray bottles with silicone lined reusable glass bottles. The sleeve ensures that the contents flow easily and do not stick to the inside of the bottle.
For more information and some excellent products to transform your cleaning experience go to www.grove.co/catalog/?category=household. Also look in our local stores for glass containers with a silicone based spray sleeve for your household cleaning. Remember it is the little decisions in the moments of life that make the difference. |
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January 2021 Challenge
Like other petroleum-based products, synthetic sponges and scrubbers contribute to the micro-plastics that are accumulating in our waterways. You can help improve our environment by eliminating these plastics-based dish cleaning implements by replacing them with renewable alternatives like Coconut Dish Scour Pads or Natural Mayan Loofah Sponge Scrubbers. Remember, every decision you make that moves us toward eliminating disposable plastics make a difference.
For more information and an array of excellent products to free yourself of plastics go to www.wellearthgoods.com. As an an alternative, look for silicone based products. |
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December 2020 Challenge
Did you know that Americans alone use an estimated 390 million plastic straws every day? More concerning is that many of them end up in the world’s oceans. In other words, our use of plastic straws contributes to the ongoing damage of the marine ecosystem. In fact, scientists estimate that there may be as many as 8 billion straws littering shorelines around the world right now. Therefore, your decision to boycott plastic straws and urge governments and businesses to eliminate them is key to addressing this crucial environmental issue.
Please take a moment to complete a Quick Survey about our Ditch Single use monthly Plastics Challenge?
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Bamboo Straws
This December take the Environmental Team’s Challenge to boycott plastic straws by using environmentally sustainable alternatives made of stainless steel or bamboo. The sample bamboo straws shown here can be purchased at vinawoco.com.vn/sanpham.html.
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November 2020 Challenge
In the United States of America, 552 million plastic shampoo bottles are disposed of each year. Although they are meant to be recycled or safely contained within our local landfills, much of this ubiquitous plastic winds up polluting our environment. Thankfully, there is an easy to adapt alternative to these single use containers. This November take the Environmental Team’s Challenge to replace conventional bath and beauty products sold in single use containers with a plastic free bathroom kit from www.habitatbotanicals.com. The bathroom kit includes shampoo and conditioner blocks along with deodorant and lip balm. Please take a moment to complete a Quick Survey about our Ditch Single use monthly Plastics Challenge? |
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October 2020 Challenge
Now that you are familiar with the availability of compostable alternatives, it is time to take your elimination of single use plastics to the next level by purchasing Resealable & Compostable Storage Bags. These biofriendly and affordable products compost quickly in as little as 90-days. So, pick some up today. WHY SWITCH TO COMPOSTABLE BAGS
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September 2020 Challenge
It is time to ditch plastic trash bags and go biodegradable. Thankfully, there are now biofriendly and affordable alternatives to conventional plastic bin liners. These sustainable alternatives make microbes your friend and feed them. In fact, they rely on the billions of microbes in the soil to breakdown the bags into compost in as little as 90-days. You can find a variety of compostable trash bags at many local supermarkets or at unni.world. Just make sure that you choose products that are compostable.
REASONS TO USE COMPOSTABLE BAGS
It is time to ditch plastic trash bags and go biodegradable. Thankfully, there are now biofriendly and affordable alternatives to conventional plastic bin liners. These sustainable alternatives make microbes your friend and feed them. In fact, they rely on the billions of microbes in the soil to breakdown the bags into compost in as little as 90-days. You can find a variety of compostable trash bags at many local supermarkets or at unni.world. Just make sure that you choose products that are compostable.
REASONS TO USE COMPOSTABLE BAGS
- Reduces the plastics in our landfills
- Can be used to contain and dispose of food waste and other biodegradable trash.
- Composts in as little as 90 days.
August 2020 Challenge
The Unity Environmental Team is back with another challenge to encourage you to reduce your use of single use plastics. This month, you are asked to try Soap Nuts as an alternative to liquid laundry detergent. Using soap nuts will make your laundry routine more sustainable. Although they may not be familiar to you, they are commonly used in India and Nepal. The nuts are a cheap, reusable, and chemical-free way to clean your clothes and household fabrics.
If you are interested in trying this environmentally friendly laundry solution, there are sample bags of soap nuts along with the instructions on how to use them in the lobby of our Spiritual Center. You are invited to take some home with you and give them a try.
How to Use Soap Nuts to Make Your Laundry Routine Zero-Waste
Where to buy them
The Unity Environmental Team is back with another challenge to encourage you to reduce your use of single use plastics. This month, you are asked to try Soap Nuts as an alternative to liquid laundry detergent. Using soap nuts will make your laundry routine more sustainable. Although they may not be familiar to you, they are commonly used in India and Nepal. The nuts are a cheap, reusable, and chemical-free way to clean your clothes and household fabrics.
If you are interested in trying this environmentally friendly laundry solution, there are sample bags of soap nuts along with the instructions on how to use them in the lobby of our Spiritual Center. You are invited to take some home with you and give them a try.
How to Use Soap Nuts to Make Your Laundry Routine Zero-Waste
Where to buy them
- Bed Bath and Beyond
- Target
- FredMeyers
- Also available online
If you are not ready to go nuts, look for zero waste, plastic free laundry Detergent Strips. Each laundry strip packs ultra-concentrated, eco-friendly, cleaning power into a tiny, pre-measured strip. There are several brands available. Look for them where you buy detergent.
July 2020 Challenge
As you know by now, the Unity Environmental Team is promoting the elimination of single use plastics in your daily life. By limiting your use of disposable plastics, you can live healthier and create a healthier planet. Our July 2020 challenge focuses on eliminating the use of plastic produce bags. Reusable produce bags made from cotton cloth, netting, or synthetic fiber offer great benefits for you and the environment. For example, they reduce your plastic waste, create less toxicity, keep food fresher, and save money. Overall, reusable produce bags are a worthy investment for anyone concerned for their own well-being, as well as for the environment.
Resources
As you know by now, the Unity Environmental Team is promoting the elimination of single use plastics in your daily life. By limiting your use of disposable plastics, you can live healthier and create a healthier planet. Our July 2020 challenge focuses on eliminating the use of plastic produce bags. Reusable produce bags made from cotton cloth, netting, or synthetic fiber offer great benefits for you and the environment. For example, they reduce your plastic waste, create less toxicity, keep food fresher, and save money. Overall, reusable produce bags are a worthy investment for anyone concerned for their own well-being, as well as for the environment.
Resources
June 2020 Challenge
The Unity Environmental Team is encouraging you to take steps to eliminate single use plastics in your daily life to live healthier and create a healthier planet. Our June 2020 challenge is to ditch commercially bottled water and start using tap water again. So, dig out your existing reusable water bottles (that are preferably BPS Free or stainless-steel) and start refilling them at home. If you need convincing, consider this:
The Unity Environmental Team is encouraging you to take steps to eliminate single use plastics in your daily life to live healthier and create a healthier planet. Our June 2020 challenge is to ditch commercially bottled water and start using tap water again. So, dig out your existing reusable water bottles (that are preferably BPS Free or stainless-steel) and start refilling them at home. If you need convincing, consider this:
- 40% of all bottled water is just filtered tap water
- making plastic bottles uses millions of barrels of oil annually
- the US alone consumes 500 million units of bottled water each week
- 80% of the empty bottles end up in a landfill or in the ocean.
- plastic bottles take hundreds of years to break down
- plastic interacting with the water creates significant health concerns
Learn the true costs of bottled water in this short video called "The Story of Bottled Water".
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April/May 2020 Challenge
April and May, your challenge was to stop using plastic bags when shopping by bringing your own reusable bags to the store. We thank Nancy and Loren Walz for providing the 75 bags that will be used to begin our challenge. If you want a bag, send an email to unity@unitycenter.org or call 208-664-1125. For more information about the issue of single us plastics check out this Today Show segment. |
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Your Unity Environmental Team
Audra Holm, Nancy Walz, Chuck Hosack, Sandy Kaplan, Pat Bentley, Herta Long, Gaea Swinford, Salli Smith and Rev. Stephen Towles
Audra Holm, Nancy Walz, Chuck Hosack, Sandy Kaplan, Pat Bentley, Herta Long, Gaea Swinford, Salli Smith and Rev. Stephen Towles
