Kevin Rathbun

Murraysmith

"Save the Planet"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,162 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

35

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

76

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

140

minutes

spent learning

Kevin's actions

Climate

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Wildlife

Research a Wild Animal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about a wild animal I find interesting, including their life cycle, habitat, ecosystem functions, and interactions with humans (if any!).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Research Benefits of Biodiversity

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how biodiversity positively impacts our world and how the loss of biodiversity harms it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Building Resilience

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Climate

Use Safety Razor

Using my safety razor (with replaceable razor blades) takes a little extra time, but saves 2-3 plastic razor heads from a landfill every month.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 3 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Building Resilience

Connect While Social Distancing

I will connect with at least 1 person/people a day through phone call or video chat to support mine and other’s mental and emotional health during this challenging time.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Oceans

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

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

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?

Kevin Rathbun 4/30/2020 10:17 PM

This was definitely an interesting process. Even just the act of checking in everyday helped bring environmental causes to the forefront of my mind on a more regular basis.

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Kevin Rathbun 4/17/2020 11:03 AM

Just got the confirmation from SDGE that our application was approved to get more of our energy from renewable sources. Looks like it defaults to 50%, but maybe we'll get it up to 100% soon if the cost isn't astronomical. We'll see!

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Kevin Rathbun 4/13/2020 9:49 AM

Still waiting to hear back on San Diego Gas and Electric's EcoChoice program -- fingers crossed!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Climate Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your ZIP code, region, and/or state. What other steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 8:11 PM

Our usage is pretty low, but I'm really glad I learned about the EcoChoice program because of this. I didn't know it existed, and I like the idea of voting with my dollars for renewable options. Plus, the estimator projects we'll actually save a few dollars per month, which is awesome. Hoping our application is approved!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Wildlife Research a Wild Animal

What interesting facts did you learn about the animal you researched? What are some of your favorite things about this animal?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 7:42 PM

I chose beavers, and I'm gonna keep learning about them because they're awesome. Second largest rodent after capybara, they can apparently reach 55 pounds or more! Also they're tooth enamel has iron in it to make them more resistant to acid, which is neat.

Their impact on the environment is mixed. Were it not for humans, they might be more positive, though. They create wetlands and promote biodiversity, which has a number of protective benefits, like filtering runoff. But their carbon footprint is unpredictable and hard to quantify, and they often flood areas humans really don't want flooded. But, again, that's more of an "us" problem.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Research Benefits of Biodiversity

How can you encourage biodiversity by your own actions?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 7:21 PM

The story of wolves in Yellowstone is one I've heard before, but some of the details had faded and it was a good refresher. I remembered the erosion and rivers, but I'd forgotten the coyotes and rabbits and mice and foxes and beavers.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Oceans Smart Seafood Choices

Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 7:08 PM

I'm a vegetarian and don't eat fish, but it was really neat to learn about this resource, and how you can search by waterbody, species, or region to get information on what a sustainable rate of catch/consumption is. Cool stuff.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Fresh Water Dishwasher Efficiency

How can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 7:04 PM

Having just moved from a very wet region to a desert, I'm excited to learn about the approaches being applied out here to address water scarcity. There are definitely more recycle and desal applications, which is neat to see. But certainly master planning is more relevant here than it is back home, so I'm happy to be a part of that solution.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Connect While Social Distancing

How does connecting with others help your own mental and emotional health? How can it help support others?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 7:02 PM

I'm told my grandmother has been feeling very alone and isolated during this pandemic, and I haven't spoken to her since we got to San Diego. She's going on 80 soon, and her kids have been hesitant to visit her for her own safety, particularly because two of them work in hospitals and might be at more risk of exposure than most.

I definitely heard the energy in her voice, and she seemed excited to connect. I'm glad I reached out.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Building Resilience Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

How does food sovereignty address the complex agrarian transition to modern food systems?

Kevin Rathbun 4/10/2020 6:59 PM

The PBS documentary wasn't particularly persuasive or helpful. Honestly, it was mostly indigenous people using appeals to nature to insist that because something is "natural" it's healthier for you. I felt like there was a lack of scientific understanding, and they should have consulted more experts.

Now, the bit about them being cornered into buying manmade foods and such is concerning and probably deserved more attention than it got.

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