Christian Brinser
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. "
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 562 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO2.0conversationswith people
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UP TO22disposable cupsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO4.0milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO870minutesnot spent in front of a screen
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UP TO48plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO18pounds of CO2have been saved
Christian's actions
Transportation
Conduct Virtual Meetings
Do at Home
I will not travel for meetings and will instead conduct them virtually.
Water
Calculate My Water Footprint
Do at Home
I will calculate my Water Footprint to learn about my tap water use and "virtual water" use.
Community
Engage In Active Listening
Do at Home
I will practice actively listening to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance, or someone who I may disagree with in at least 2 conversations.
Waste
Go Paperless
Do at Home
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.
Waste
Use a Reusable Mug
Do at Home
I will avoid sending 1 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Do at Home
I will keep 3 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
Simplicity
Family Game Hour
Do at Home
I will spend quality time with family and friends by playing low-tech game(s) and/or through the spirit of imagination.
Simplicity
Research My Investment Portfolio
Do at Home
I will find out what stocks and bonds are in my investment account portfolio to determine if they align with my values (e.g. environmental, social responsibility, community).
Simplicity
Limit Social Media
Do at Home
I will limit my social media use to once each day reducing my daily use by 30 minute(s)
Energy
Turn It Off
Do at Home
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
Energy
Calculate the Carbon Footprint of my Household
Do at Home
I will calculate the carbon emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.
Transportation
Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle
Do at Home
I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.
Transportation
Work From Home
Do at Home
I will work from home 5 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use a Reusable Water BottleWhile water bottles are needed for health and safety in certain places, we can do more to reduce the unnecessary use of them. What are the barriers to you using reusable bottles and tap water instead of bottled water? How could you make this a permanent habit?
Christian Brinser 10/19/2021 10:59 AMAs someone who exercises a lot, I tend to drink a lot of water. When I am at home or at the office, it is easy to drink from a reusable bottle. One barrier that can be difficult is when I am onsite at a construction site, there is not always reliable access to water. It is during these times that I sometimes buy a single use water. I could try to bring larger stores of water during these times to get around this barrier. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Use a Reusable MugMaybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?
Christian Brinser 10/19/2021 10:57 AMI've always preferred making my own coffee each day, and with doing so it is easy for me to use my own mugs. I don't always think about the difference I make alone, but when I do, I think about the difference that would be made if everyone made this decision. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Conduct Virtual MeetingsHow can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?
Christian Brinser 10/19/2021 10:54 AMI find that the same quality work can be done with virtual meetings as in-person meetings. With tools such as screen share and screen mark ups, it provides a solid alternative to in-person meetings. Obviously, there are still areas that cannot be translated through virtual meetings, and one example is non-verbal communication. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Limit Social MediaSocial media can keep us connected with loved ones, make us laugh, and help us to learn new things. It can also take more time than we realize or intend to give. After doing this action for a few days, how do you feel? What do you notice?
Christian Brinser 10/19/2021 10:51 AMI have always tried to limit my Social Media time, and with the latest Facebook whistleblower shedding light on its negative impacts, this is the perfect time to challenge myself with limiting it even more. Instead of scrolling through my feeds before going to sleep, I have instead been reading the Economist, which I find a good healthy alternative. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Turn It OffHow is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
Christian Brinser 10/19/2021 10:48 AMAccording to the California Energy Commission, the 2019 Total System Electric Generation relied mostly on Natural Gas and Large Hydro-Electric. Approximately 14% of the electricity was produced by solar, with an additional 7% coming from wind. Its good to see that California relied more on Natural Gas and Hydro-Electric rather than coal, although I would like to see larger portions of the electricity coming from renewable sources. -
Christian Brinser 10/18/2021 8:44 AMOne of the many unfortunate characteristics of climate change and pollution is that it disproportionately effects the lower class. This can be seen internationally, but also within the United States. It is usually the lower class families that have to deal with the bad air quality, noise pollution, and heat island effects. One example of this is that during this past summer's heat wave in Portland Oregon, the temperatures recorded in blue collar neighborhoods were sometimes as much as 10 degrees (F) higher than in the white collar neighborhoods. It then becomes a question of morality for the people at top to bring about change that will benefit the people impacted the most. -
Christian Brinser 10/12/2021 8:39 AMAs a resident of Southern California, I often find myself wondering about innovations that can be made to our clean water infrastructure. Whether that is innovations to Desalinization, Waste Water Treatment, or others, we need to find sustainable alternatives to the current strategy of drawing water from rivers and aquifers. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Engage In Active ListeningWhat was it like to actively listen to someone? How did both people and the conversation(s) benefit from active listening?
Christian Brinser 10/11/2021 8:49 AMEngaging someone in a thoughtful and equitable conversations about differing opinions help open each other's eyes and helps us understand that having differing opinions does not make us enemies. One in particular was a conversation about the cleanliness, and sustainability of Nuclear power. While I disagreed with their opinion that Nuclear power was a clean alternative, it was great to hear their opinion.