Mike Marxen

I can feel a shift in my awareness and daily patterns related to avoiding disposable plastic. Cool!

No disposable plastic today.  Yay!  brought my own cup and silverware. Easier when one is prepared  and in the mindset.

Great Job reporting and meeting your challenges Team!  We are on the last 5 days of Ecochallenge and the final opportunities to contribute to our Team, to our agency, to NW Earth Institute and to the planet. Remember we can gain points by checking in retroactively on days you might have missed. I need to do a couple myself.   Go Ecotypes!

Back from travelling and today I have more control over my use of disposable plastic that is associated with purchasing of food and drinks. The key is to carry reusable products with and be assertive in asking the server(s) to use what I have.  Flight attendants on both flights were very cooperative. I avoided most plastic coffee cup covers,  plastic silverware, plastic cups, stir sticks, and straws on the airplane. The plastic packaging that covered the food was unavoidable. I was shocked at how many plastic cups are used on a 5 hour flight.  I observed people getting 5-6 drinks all with new cups. Discouraging.  Even more discouraging is people choosing a styrofoam cup  over a ceramic mug in the hotel. Well, it shows how much change is needed to live more sustainably.    I am doing my part to use less and to also educate people around me.

I am travelling this week and  I brought my own refillable shampoo bottle so I am not using the disposable ones the hotel provides. Very simple but I feel good to not buy into the unnecessary plastic waste.

Travelling adds additional challenge to reaching goals.  The Flight attendant was very cooperative when I offered to use my own cup and silverware on the plane.  I avoided using disposable plastic cups and silverware by bringing my own and asking. Goal accomplished

Went for walk this morning to see what I hit while driving home from work last night. It was underwater in the road. Yes, that is right, Friday evening commute was scary with flooded roads from all the storm drains plugged with leaves.  Discovered a big piece of plastic from the undercarriage of a car. It seemed fitting on the day of EcoChallenge launch and my goal to reduce or eliminate disposable plastics that I was assaulted by a big piece of plastic on my drive home.  Car was ok.  While back at the scene, my partner Kim, and I proceeded to clean storm drains and pick up plastic and styrofoam debris so they did not find their way into Fanno Creek. This was my Ecochallenge success for the day.   

With the kickoff today, my awareness of my plastic consumption is heightened. Reusable fork at breakfast was easy but coffee to go resulted in a plastic lid. Ok, now I will carry that lid with me for the next coffee I buy and maybe for two weeks as a reminder?.  Or of course I could just carry a refillable mug. I can change! 

It is Ecochallenge Eve!  I am so proud of my colleagues at U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service who have stepped up and joined "ECOTYPES" our agency Team.  I was hoping for 10 members by today and have 26.  How cool is that!  We are thrilled to participate in Ecochallenge and commit to real change alongside all the other Teams that are contributing. Your commitment to environmentally responsible actions is inspiring. 

It is National Wildlife Refuge Week  https://www.fws.gov/refuges/visitors/RefugeWeek2016.html
and perfect timing to launch the Ecochallenge 

Only four days until launch and I am thinking about how I will meet my personal goal.  One obvious thing is to not forget my water bottle wherever I go. I bought bottled water at a food stand today and know that I can do better by just remembering to carry my refillable bottle everywhere.

I am recruiting Team members at work today through email. I am hoping to have at least 10 members sign up from my agency.  Join my Team!  More members means more positive impact!   We know can make a difference  one member at a time.