Hello!

Once again, congratulations on completing the Plastic Reduction Challenge. We are proud of you for taking the steps to become more conscious of your waste and dedicating your time to reflect on and change these habits. 

As a group, we decreased our average plastic waste by over 200%! Our Week 4 point total for the group was 7.7 points, a positive score reflecting many, many positive actions in addition to plastic avoidance. One participant decreased their waste by more than 400%, while others had positive point totals throughout the entire challenge. These accomplishments, among others, are incredibly impressive!

If you submitted a Google form anytime throughout the challenge, please keep an eye on your inbox for a certificate of completion for the Plastic Reduction Challenge. As mentioned many times throughout the challenge, we hope you consider checking out the Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook group to stay connected with fellow participants, start a discussion, hear about the latest sustainability opportunities at U of I and beyond, and share tips for living sustainably going forward.

This morning, we used a random name generator to choose three winners of the challenge. As a reminder, you received one entry for every week you participated in the challenge. The winners are Olivia Cloat, Janet Jarvis, and Susan Krusemark! Winners, we will contact you on how to receive your prize! Congratulations to you three and, of course, to all participants! We hope you enjoyed your time during the challenge! We sure did!

Again, we offer our congratulations to each of you for completing this challenge. We know it was time-intensive and not always easy, but it was certainly worth it. Being an environmental hero does not have to be changing the world with a single action. You are an environmental hero by reducing your own environmental footprint and helping others do the same. Write to your politicians, store managers, or leaders, and encourage them to prioritize sustainability. Show that there is a demand for these initiatives. Building a culture of sustainability on our campus and in our world starts with you!

Looking for a place to start (or should we say continue this great momentum)?

• Join the Zero-Waste iCAP Team or another iCAP team of your interest.

• If you ever find yourself using plastic, sign the Use The Bin pledge to vow you’ll always recycle. 

• Celebrate America Recycles Day by joining the TED Talk Discussion on November 15th. Register here!

As always, please reach out to us with any questions, comments, or feedback, and stay tuned for more exciting events in the future. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Take care!

Meredith Moore, iSEE Sustainability Programs Manager

Emily Dickett and Jenna Schaeder, iSEE Sustainability Interns