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.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change: Week 9

Week 9

This past week had been a little difficult, due to the fact that I was in the cities for most of it. Right after break I went to the grocery store and remembered my bags. But I went to Trader Joes with my mom while in the cities and didn't have any re-usable bags with me, especially since we were in a rental car.  It was frustrating for me because we used 3 paper bags, because we also bought grocery's for my brother.

Successes

When I was using my car and I was up in Duluth, I remembered to use my re-usable bags.

Challenges

Once again the problem arose that when I go grocery shopping with someone else, not in my car, I never have a re-usable bag.  It is frusterating for me that this has become such a challenge. Since I was in a rental car, this was a semi unavoidable, but it has become an ongoing problem.

Plans for Next Week

My goal for next week will remain the same. "I will use a re-usable bag everytime I go to the grocery store or Target."

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change: Week 8

Week 8
This week went really well. I went to the grocery store once for a couple of things and remembered my reusable bag. I also went to Target once and just carried out what I had purchased because it was only a few things. However, when I went to the grocery store with my boyfriend and he drove I did not have a reusable bag to use.

Challenges
I learned that it can be a challenge to go grocery shopping with someone else if they drive, because it's hard to remember to grab a bag before I leave. I felt guilty that I was at the grocery store buying a few things and didn't have my bags. I also have yet to go pick up a few more reusable bags, like I was planning on doing.

Successes
This week went really well, at least when I drove to the store.  I always had a bag in my car and also remembered to take it into the store with me each time.

Plans for Next Week
My plan for next week will remain the same. "I will use a reusable bag every time I go to the grocery store and Target."

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6: Weekly Update

My SMART goal for last week was that "I will use a reusable bag everytime I go to the grocery store or Target." This week was the worst week I've had so far :( . I went grocery shopping twice and BOTH times I didn't have my bags in my car!! The ironic thing is that one of the trips to the grocery store was only to get the stuff I needed to bring the snack to class this past Monday. So annoying. I also never went to Target this week.

Challenges
Obviously this week was a challenge for me. I'm not sure why this week was any different than any other week  but I just could not remember to bring put my bags back in my car. For me, that is by far the most difficult part of this goal.

Strategy
I think so that I can get back on track of being successful with this goal I'm going to need to purchase 1 or 2 more reusable bags. This way the bags can be rotated more easily, and if I happen to forgot to put a couple of the bags back, chances are I'll still have 1 or 2 of them in my car.

Successes
Needless to say, I was very unsuccessful this week.

What I learned
 I mostly learned this week that I actually felt really guilty that I didn't use my bags. When I got home and put the plastic bags from the grocery store into my house's little pile of other bags we have accumulated I felt soo bad. I think that this will really help me to be successful in achieving next weeks goal.

Next Week
Next week I plan on keeping my goal the same; "I will use a reusable bag everytime I go to the grocery store or Target." I am confident that next week will go more smoothly!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change: Week 5

My SMART goal for this week was to use a 'reusable bag everytime I go grocery shopping.' It went really well this week, except that I went to Target yesterday to get like 2 things so I wasn't going to use any bag, and ended up buying grocerys there, of course. So that was kind of a disappointment for me.

Successes
When I went to the actual grocery store this week I remembered my reusable bags. . The cashier that rang me up was like, "good for you!" Which makes me feel really good, especially to be acknowledged for it from time to time. 

Challenges
When I decided not to bring a grocery bag because I didn't think that I'd need one and then having it turn out that I did I was pretty bummed. Even though Target isn't technically part of my smart goal I felt like I needed to have a bag since I bought grocerys, and it just bothers me in general now to ever use plastic bags. 

Strategy
I havn't really been needing to use any strategie's lately because I've been remembering to use my bags. The reason I've been so successful is that my bags are almost always in my car.

Next Week
I am going to modify my SMART goal for next week to make it a little more challenging. " I will use a reusable bag everytime I go to the grocery store or Target."

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

My smart goal was to use a reusable bag everytime I go grocery shopping. And it went really well this week ! A challenge that I faces was that I walked into the grocery store this week and realized I forgot my bags. So when I remembered, I turned around and went to my car to get them. This made me feel really proud of myself for actually turning around then get my bags and using them! Another challenge for me is when I do use my bags I often will leave them in my house and always have to remind myself to grab them on my way out the door. So far I've always had at least one in my car at all times. I've learned that it can be a challenge to always remember to bring my bags, but it's really rewarding when I use them :)

My plan for next will will remain the same. I will use a reusable everytime I go grocery shopping.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly update

My smart goal was that ' I will use a reuable bag everytime I go grocery shopping.'

Success
I have barely gone grocery shopping since last week. But I did go pick up a couple things yesterday and remembered to bring my bag. Which was a good success for me because I wasn't going to bring my bag into the store because I was only going to get two things, so I didn't think I needed one. But I ended up with a more than that so I was happy I grabbed it :)

Challenge
This week was an easy week for my SMART challenge since I didn't do any major grocery shopping.

What I learned
I learned this week that I really enjoy using my reusable bag. It makes me feel like I may help inspire someone else to use them too.


Plans for Next Week
I'm planning on continuing with my goal for this next week. "I will use a reusable bag everytime I go to the grocery store."

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

SMART goal is to use a reusable bag everytime I go grocery shopping.
I did really well with it the past week! I brought a bag with me every time I went to the grocery store. However, once I only brought in one of my bags, and ended up needing two. So i  chose plastic. I went one other time just for a few things and remembered my bags. I also got 10 cents taken off of my bill! :)

The challenge I faced was not remembering to have both of my bags in my car. The strategy I used was that earlier in the day that I knew I was going grocery shopping again, I wrote a reminder note to myself on the white board in my living room.

I felt really great to use my reusable bags! I felt like I could help inspire someone else to use them, by seeing me do it.  My plan for next week is going to remain exactly the same :) Even though it didn't work out perfectly I think it's definitely still an attainable goal.

also: the reusable bags pictured at the top are from Greenraising.com

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Eco-Chic with Amy.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1: My Smart Goal

The SMART goal that I have chosen to do for the next the next 10 weeks is as follows:

"I will use a reusable bag everytime I go grocery shopping."

picture citation

This is eco-chic because all of the plastic and paper bags from the grocery store can really start to add up. By using a reusable bag I will cut down on garabage and there will be at least at least a little less trash in landfills.  This is important to me because I read on the National Geographic website that it can take months to hundreds of  years for a plastic bag to decompose, and as it does so small amounts of toxics leak into the soil, lakes, oceans, and rivers. Aslo, a lot of the bags end up floating away and landing on river beds. However, a paper bag consumes % 40 more engergy, and  produces %70 more atmospheric emmissions, than a plastic bag. So though a plastic bag is the better choice between the two, to me it's still a lose-lose situation, and a reusable bag is by far the best way to go!

Introductory Post

Welcome to my Maggie's Environmental Lifestyle page! I'm a new community health major, and I'm not completely sure what I want to do with my major when I graduate. I have worked with children for a long time, and am interested in nutricion, so I could see doing some kind of combination of the two.


This is my first class that is environment related, and I'm already finding it really interesting. Blogging isn't coming too easily for me, but I'm working at it!

My blog will cover a variety of topics; listed below:

*Advocacy project
*Eye-openers

*Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change

*Read 'N' Seed

*Share and Voice



Each blog posted after this one, will be under one these topics.

My group members are listed below:

http://maggiesenvironmentallifestyle.blogspot.com/

http://jordannesjungle.blogspot.com/

http://karlyskaringhabitat.blogspot.com/

http://www.haileyshealthyenvironment.blogspot.com/

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscibe gadget in my gadget column. If you'd like to follow my blog you can click "Follow this Blog" in the gadget section. If you'd like to see all the blogs I'm following and my complete porfile click on "See Complete Profile."

Blogged for the Welcome Linky Party hosted by http://ecochicwithamy.blogspot.com/

Thanks for checking out my blog!

Maggie@Maggie's Environmental Style