Week 3

I am glad the Lifestyle Project is over. This doesn’t mean I will go back to my old habits or that I didn’t learn anything, but being able to honestly follow through some of the categories has definitely been a challenge (which was the whole purpose of the project anyways). For instance, trying to go for four consecutive days without producing any garbage was not possible for me although I definitely tried. I can recall having thrown away a paper towel, a cupcake liner, and a Quakers Rice Snacks bag mainly because my hunger made me forget about the trash the food would create before I ate it. I realized I have also been throwing away the wipes in the weight room to sanitize the machines. I felt it was something I couldn’t avoid since many people have been sick lately. I also ate some ground meat that was in some pasta in the Commons last week and didn’t realize it until I was almost done with the portion. But besides these mishaps I greatly reduced the amount of trash I created and realized how much food packaging could not end up in landfills by eating food that can be composted. This project has also helped me avoid the vending machines, which has not only saved me money but also encouraged me to eat much healthier. Not eating meat, using less water and using less energy have been easier tasks that have actually been easier to do this past week. In an effort to continue these new habits in the future, I am also planning to buy a dish towel instead of using napkins all the time to wash dishes, eat more fruits and vegetables that can be composted and buy a plastic container instead of using the compostable to-go containers in the Commons.