Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10: Overall Project Reflection

My SMART goal

"I will use a re-usable  bad everytime I go to the grocery store and Target."

My original SMART goal was that "I will use a re-usable bag everytime

I go to the grocery store." Later in the semester I added

that "I will use a re-usable bad everytime I go

to Target" as well.

SUCCESSES

During the 10 weeks I think I over all didn't a pretty good job! I typically remembered to bring my re-usable bags with me, or would run back out to my car to grab them if I forgot them there. I was  much more aware when I did forgot my bags than I think I would have been with out having this goal to do in class. Being more aware of what I was doing really helped me to remember. Also, writing about it each week was a good reminder, and a great way to reflect.

CHALLENGES

A few challenges presented themselves during this project. My biggest one being that when I shop with other people and ride in their car I ALWAYS seemed to forget my re-usable bags. I also would sometime only have when bag in my car, when I needed two, because I forgot the other one at my house. I did buy a new one this week though! :)

BENEFITS

I benefited from this assignment because it got me off to a good start on remembering to use my re-usable bags in the future.  I felt guilty when I would occasionally forget to bring a re-usable bag with me. And it wasn't that I felt bad that I wasn't using a re-usable bag because it was a class assignment, it's because I truely felt bad about needing to use a plastic or paper bag because they are so bad for the environment. I used WAY less plastic bags than I would have with out this goal.

According to the website reducing4more the average American uses somewhere between 300 and 700 bags each year! I've already cut way back on how many I use, and plan to keep it up! This is an obvious benefit to the environment, but to others too. This is because there will be less, even though it may not have been that many, plastic bags going into landfills, or possibly blowing around polluting the ground and water systems.

WHAT I LEARNED

I learned that behavior change isn't an easy thing, even if the goal seems relatively easy. There are always going to be challenges and always remembering to stick with your change may not always happen. But I learned how great it feels keep up with a goal, until it becomes a complete behavior change. I don't think it will be a problem for me to continue using my re-usable bags.

I fully plan on continuing with my behavior change! If someone else was looking to make a behavior change, I would recommend that you do it with someone else, or an entire class :) That way the topic will come up more often, helping you to remember that you set a goal for yourself.