2025 Vol 19, Issue 1 January Gem Lake News

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Gem Lake News Page 3 of 8 Become a 2025 Plastic-Free Challenge Partner Kickstart your plastic-free journey: Take the Plastic- Free Challenge. With so many single-use plastic items in our lives, avoiding them may feel overwhelming! Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to help create a world with less plastic. Are you up for the challenge? Join the Plastic- Free Challenge (tcplasticfree.ecochallenge.org) to explore what’s possible. During the one-month challenge, you can focus on learning about plastic recycling, making plastic-free swaps, and advocating for changes in your community. As part of a community acting together, see how our individual actions add up to a big impact! The problem with plastics Worldwide, plastic production has skyrocketed since the 1970s, and a lot of the growth has come in the form of packaging and single-use plastics. Most plastics are made from oil and gas – fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. About 4% to 8% of the world's oil production is for plastics, and most plastics are thrown away after a single use. Since packaging and single-use plastics are used for a short period of time and then discarded, they contribute significantly to the increasing amounts of plastic waste and litter. Recycling can be a good option for certain plastic items. However, many types of plastics are hard to recycle. Unlike items made from natural materials like plants that can be composted and returned to the soil, plastics don’t go away. Instead, they break down into smaller pieces of plastic. These microplastic pieces are now found almost everywhere, including in our air, water, soil, and our bodies. Joining the Plastic-Free Challenge helps you be part of the solution. You will increase your understanding of plastics and plastic waste, uncover opportunities to bring less plastic into your home, and be connected with opportunities to advocate for change in your community. About the Plastic-Free Challenge The Plastic-Free Challenge is a month-long effort starting February 1 to reduce plastic consumption, especially single-use plastics, in ways that fit best in your lifestyle. The challenge has over 80 actions to choose from in eight categories. Sign up opens on January 1, and the challenge runs during the month of February. Once you sign up and create your profile, you can browse the categories and actions, check off the actions you already take, and select up to five one-time actions and five daily actions to make progress on during the four-week challenge. You can also create a team to take the challenge along with your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Or encourage an organization, business, or community group you are a part of to become a Plastic-Free Challenge partner. Once the challenge starts, you will report what actions you take, see the impact of your actions add up, connect with others, and support your team members to keep them motivated and accountable. Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington counties are working together to reduce plastic waste as part of their efforts to increase recycling, reduce waste, and achieve their climate action goals. Encouraging residents to take action is critical to success. The online Plastic-Free Challenge is hosted on the EcoChallenge platform. Learn more, sign up, and get ready to kickstart your plastic-free journey at tcplasticfree.ecochallenge.org.