Homer Aalfs

Seattle Children's

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
454 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

300

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

10

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

435

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

435

minutes

not spent in front of a screen

Homer's actions

Forests

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area while following CDC guidelines for social distancing.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Fresh Water

Dishwasher Efficiency

I will scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher and only run the dishwasher when it’s full.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Fresh Water

Conserve Toilet Water

I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Spend Time Outside

I will replace 15 minute(s) each day typically spent inside (computer time, watching television, etc.) with quality time outside that follows CDC guidelines for preventing disease spread.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?

Homer Aalfs 4/20/2020 10:27 AM

While learning about differences between use by / sell by / best by dates was a little bit helpful, by far the most helpful aspect of this exercise for me was learning that all of these dates are merely indicators of food QUALITY, not SAFETY. I had operated under the false assumption that if a food had "expired" that it is likely unsafe to eat. This will help me be more discerning when deciding if food has gone by, and go by standard signs of spoilage more so than dates listed on the product.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Spend Time Outside

Rachel Carson said that we need the beauty and mysteries of the natural world for our spiritual and emotional development. Does that ring true for you? What are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors?

Homer Aalfs 4/20/2020 10:20 AM

Spending time outside on socially distanced neighborhood walks with my girlfriend has been great. Given the current situation with COVID-19, these neighborhood walks are pretty much the only time we get outside. We are incredibly thankful for the chance to live in a pleasant, beautiful neighborhood with quiet streets, nice scenery, and lots of foliage. Getting fresh air, light exercise, and a chance to walk/talk outdoors has certainly been good for my mental and emotional health. While we still do spend most of our time indoors, the chance to get out on a regular basis even just for a half hour can make a huge difference.

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