April 1 - April 30, 2021

Benjamin Gochenouer

""E lawe i ke aʻo a mālama, a e ʻoi mau ka naʻauao." One who takes their teachings and applies them increases their knowledge."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
346 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

minutes

spent learning

Benjamin's actions

Buildings

Learn about 'Green Gentrification'

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about green gentrification and how it relates to city planning for climate action.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Launch a Recycling Program

Recycling

I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

Methane Digesters

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Industry

Practice the 5 R's

Recycling

I will Practice the "5 Rs" — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings

Learn about the Legacy of Redlining

Multiple Solutions

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the legacy of redlining and how city planning and environmental justice issues are interconnected.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Explore Other Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

All Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching other Drawdown Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture, Regenerative Annual Cropping

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Nutrient Management

Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Sinks

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

Tropical Forest Restoration

I will replace or remove from my current diet the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Industry

Learn about Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

Spend 15 minutes and learn about WSP as a leader in helping clients respond to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Smaller Portions

Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Reduce Animal Products

Plant-Rich Diets

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Climate Resilience

Switch your Search Engine

Ecosia is a search engine with servers that run on 200% renewable energy, plants a tree for every ~45 searches made, and does not sell your data to 3rd parties. See ecosia.org for more information and how to set your search engine default to Ecosia

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Composting

Composting, Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Improve the MPG on my existing car.

Not everyone has the pocket book to purchase a new electric, hybrid or 40+ MPG vehicle. But you can still do your part to improve your current vehicle's MPG. Regular maintenance and replacement of a few key items will go a long way toward that goal. Click the LEARN button below to explore what you can do to get the most out of your tank of gas:

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Make it a Habit to Drive for better MPG

By far, the best recommendation to reduce your fuel consumption is to NOT drive your car. Opt to walk or bike when you can. When you have to drive, there are a few habits to be mindful of to reduce your fuel consumption. Avoiding bad driving habits like accelerating too quickly or late braking and using your cruise control more frequently can all improve MPG. To make things more interesting, keep track of your MPG with each tank fill-up and challenge yourself or compete with a friend to improve the results each time. Click below to LEARN more driving habits to reduce your fuel consumption.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity

Calculate My Carbon Footprint

All Drawdown Solutions

I will calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with my household and consider how different lifestyle choices could reduce my negative impact on the environment.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/08/2021 1:24 PM
I feel like a community should be self sufficient, in that goods and services are nearby and the ways of disposing of waste benefit the community through means of energy production or recycling/repurposing. Globalization has really taken a toll on sustainable communities. We import foods from around the world and send local food to those outside of the community. It's interesting. But to make a vision of a sustainable community a reality, it would require much change within the community and the demands of the world. Similarly, we could find ways to grow high demand foods locally which would normally be grown in far off places. Some innovation will surely be needed.

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- Frederick S. Moses 4/08/2021 2:01 PM
  Great point! This is a tricky depending on geography. In a big city, so many external resources are used to make such a large concentration of people sustainable. Companies like Walmart and McDonalds have found ways to make significate profit by mastering their supply chains. This is good business on an opportunity. We the consumer make the ultimate choice on the future of sustainability. If we spend our dollars on more green, renewable and sustainable resources, we can drive the change.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation

What are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety. What would need to change for you to regularly choose more climate-friendly options?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/07/2021 11:33 AM
Hawaii is a peculiar situation when it comes to transportation. Most of the population drives a vehicle, myself included. Much of the population also lead an active lifestyle which include equipment such as surfboards, kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards, and large water sport vehicles. These types of things are difficult to transport via other transportation options. In order to shift toward more climate friendly options, there would need to be a system that transports or stores these large vehicles near the areas they are needed. This would be difficult since there is no one place to use them and they can be used virtually anywhere around the islands. An interesting situation to ponder. Myself specifically, I choose to drive to lug my water sport gear as well as provide a safe and effective way of transporting my family. The bus often runs late here and isn't dependable for families. To use Lyft or Uber with young children would require us to always carry their car seats, another issue. As the children get older, traveling by other means will be easier.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Sinks

How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/06/2021 1:48 PM
The number one thing that assisted with changing my diet was mindfulness. When we are aware of our thoughts and actions, we can change them. It is difficult to redirect things you are not aware of. Instead of mindlessly eating a brownie for breakfast, I made a fruit and yogurt parfait with organic fruits and certified yogurt. When I go shopping I stop to read the labels. There are many organizations that certify foods which are created in a sustainable manner. Don't give up! It may seem difficult, but your body and the planet will thank you. :)

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- Frederick S. Moses 4/06/2021 7:43 PM
  You are right about reading labels. I read labels often and check out the protein to carb ration. In addition, I also look now to see where an item is made. I can not tell you how many times recently being at my local Costco, I put items I put packaged food items back because I saw made in China.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

What are some more "R's" you could add to your daily practice to reduce your waste?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/06/2021 1:44 PM
Read- one can never learn too much.
Rummage- rummage sales are a great way to extend the life of items and keep them from entering the landfill prematurely.
Reinvigorate- your hobbies and analyze ways to reduce waste in those areas.
Reflect-on your daily choices and how we can become better tomorrow.
Respect- all life.
Ridiculous-avoid ridiculous amounts of items and products.
Reinforce- the beliefs you and your family have around waste and how to deal with it.
Redistribute- stagnant items to those who can readily use them.
Reincorporate- indigenous knowledge. Indigenous peoples know how to utilize everything.

This can go on and on! :)

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/06/2021 1:36 PM
Many assume that these dates display the expiration of the product, when that assumptions is simply not true. Knowing the differences between these dates allows for us to shop smarter and avoid unnecessary waste of good food.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Industry

How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/02/2021 1:52 PM
Many have become social media influencers by doing this very thing. But I would rather keep my influence to my family and friends. I can suggest changes and lead by example. Change truly begins with the individual, so by doing my part and raising my children to value sustainability, I will be impacting future generations to come.

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- Frederick S. Moses 4/02/2021 3:18 PM
  I agree. Most of us are not big in the spot light, let alone social media influencers. Leading by example, and influencing family and friends is simple to do. And if one of them adopt a habit, they can teach someone else and so on. And thus change in a smaller scale.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our bodies, our planet, and other people?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/02/2021 1:50 PM
Meat is not cheap. They require water and food, among other things, that could other wise be used for humans. Simply put, people in richer countries eat more meat because they can afford it. Eating meat has it's place (It is a protein and fat rich source of food) but the amount of meat that is raised for consumption is taking its toll on the planet. Deforestation, aquifer damage, and rising CO2 levels harm the normal functioning of our earthly systems and that in turn affects all life on earth.

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- Frederick S. Moses 4/02/2021 3:32 PM
  You are right, more meat consumption in rich countries is due to affordability, and availability. And I love red meat, pork and lamb. Sorry to my vegetarian colleagues . Meat has its place in the economy and as a food source. However, the GHG and environmental challenges associated with livestock is also a challenge. Industrial countries are getting better, but, there is still a long way to go. There is a green premium we must consider. Are we willing to pay a few bucks more for organic and natural livestock base food products? A simple area is eggs. Some grocery stores now sell free range eggs which is different from cage free eggs or mass produced eggs. These are the way eggs use to be decades ago, before mass production and livestock food enhancements and hormones. In many cases, the price is 20% higher. But, if you factor in healthcare costs, and quality of life costs for a human eating process meats and eggs or organic and natural. The organic and natural comes out cheaper. It is just a matter of prospective.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come from eating/serving smaller portions?
Benjamin Gochenouer 4/02/2021 1:37 PM
Small portions in the land of excess. In America many think bigger is better, and this often leads to large quantities of food being eaten during meal times. Even if there is a large meal made, it need not mean that it all must be immediately consumed. Smaller portions would slow down the rate the meal is consumed and allow for more interaction with friends and family. Experts say that the largest meal of the day should be breakfast and the smallest should be dinner. In America, this advice is turned on its head with dinner being the largest. Smaller plates assist in mindful eating and really allow for our bodies to optimize the nutrition it is receiving.

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- Frederick S. Moses 4/02/2021 3:36 PM
  Smaller plates are definitely the way to go. Serving one self over and over again in a smaller plate will equal a regular plate, in most cases, not all but in most. Portion control, nourishment, and satisfaction are also part the puzzle. Eating less will certainly not be bad for myself and a few others I know. LOL
  
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Benjamin Gochenouer 3/31/2021 1:54 PM
I just saw Josh's email and wanted to introduce myself to the rest of the team. I work from the Honolulu office on Oahu and am part of the planning group. I was born and raised on Oahu and have 2 wonderful children. Living in Hawaii offers many wonderful things but also comes with a "double carbon footprint" (ship in goods, ship out trash). This, among other reasons, has prompted me to join this challenge. In my off time I enjoy surfing, gardening, hiking, reading, and helping my children become the best they can be. I look forward to working with you all as we learn and implement change in our lives. Ke Akua pū!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How does your eating experience differ when practicing mindfulness?
Benjamin Gochenouer 3/25/2021 11:59 AM
Mindfulness during mealtimes changes the entire experience. I find that the food taste better, I enjoy the act of eating more, I feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification for the food and the effort that went into preparing it, I eat less and more slowly, I enjoy the company of those who are eating with me, and I can feel my body utilizing the food as fuel. It truly elevates the mundane.

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