DTO’s Contribution to
Human/Social Sustainability

EARTH DAY 2020 – Seattle University April 22, 2020 Harriet Stephenson

Are you finding these COVID-19 pandemic times to be particularly challenging?

Could you use an additional coping “tool”? …Something that would take repurposing “one hour” a week that you already would be spending into a new experience.

Today’s situation—Earth Day April 22, 2020 is throwing new challenges to Human/Social Sustainability and Thriveability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated social and physical distancing –we feel cut off from our regular sources of critical social support—those friends, family, people we work with—connections we count on.

This often leads to loneliness, stress, and anxiety which puts downward pressure on the immune system and quality of life when resilience is needed even more than usual.

DTO might be able to help bolster our own resilience and that of others through the power of human connection.

What is DTO?

Dining Together Online^TM is an intentional activity-experience to

DTO is a new activity/experience for most of us—the need for it has never been quite so suddenly thrust upon virtually the world and the technology has only within the last few years been developed and adopted to make this so available.

The DTO partner is a new relationship quite like a new category of friend might be
It may be a weak tie and you may have many or it may be that you will have one or two good strong tie DTO partners.

What is the DTO Process?

SELECT a DTO Partner – a family member, friend, relative, …neighbor

CALL – Extend invitation “Let’s have dinner together online tomorrow night @ 6
I will probably be having soup and salad or whatever I can find—it would be so great to get caught up.” (might offer to treat—buy it and have delivered ?)
CLARIFY THE TECHNOLOGY – Facetime? Skype? Cell? Video chat? Don’t let Technology get in the way—it facilitates When my brother and I started he had an Apple—I had an Android==we used the speakerphone only for the first year and a half—it worked fine. Then he did get me an Apple and we tried face time –also tried it on tablets—now we are facetime on the phones—works really well for us.
DTO Make a space – set for dinner- make it a special occasion for the 2 of you
Remove distractions—don’t take calls unless emergency-
LISTEN, CONNECT—Each is important and respectful to each other—for
the “hour” go for the positives—supportive-empathetic—ENJOYING

EACH DOES A SMALL STEP FOR HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY AND THRIVEABILITY
CONNECTS with a family member or friend or someone physically isolated
ASSURES them we are in this together and there for each other
CONTINUES once a week DTOing with same/and or new Partner
BUILDING DTO Partnerships to benefit both
Humans Connecting
Dining Together Online
Live Better Longer*

• (DTO Working Hypothesis)

For more info www.DiningTogetherOnline.com
Facebook: Dining Together Online^TM