Sadie Huemer

Today marks the completion of my second week in my dedication to a completely meatless diet! While I was inspired to initiate this lifestyle change before the actual beginning of this course, I have found the process to be much more motivating (and exciting) when considering many of the ecological impacts mentioned in our class.

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable personal benefits I have observed since my shift is the much smaller dent in my wallet after shopping - meat often encompassed nearly 40% of my grocery bill. Today, I am able to spend a fraction of this cost on much more affordable high-protein options such as tofu, eggs and beans. As groceries costs are particularly exhumerbarent at the moment, I think that going meat-free is a great solution to try to reduce some of these costs.

Furthermore, economic assistance aside, I have found my switch to provide a larger ecological benefit relevant to our course - I waste a lot less food! The presence of meat in my diet often made meal planning a frustrating prospect for me, as I knew that I only had a few days for the product to stay fresh. Though I often tried my best to consume my groceries within the required timeframe, I found myself shamelessly tossing pounds and pounds of spoiled meat through the last several months. With my new diet choice, however, I feel less anxious about food spoilage, as much of what I now purchase (with the exception of perhaps some fresh vegetables) can last for ages in my fridge or pantry. Eggs, for example, can last at least 2 weeks in the fridge while unopened tofu can last months (or even longer). I consequently feel less guilty about saying yes to an impromptu dinner date or takeout craving, as I know that doing so will typically not result in spoiled food.

Lastly, while I typically walk to the supermarket or order through Instacart, I have realized that this benefit also stretches into the concern over car emissions. As plant-rich diets can typically last much longer in our pantry or fridge, we consequently do not need to drive as often to the supermarket to replenish our supply. Thus, for many, this initiative may contribute to reduced use of fossil fuels as well.

I look forward to continue to observing both the benefits of this initiative and the increasing popularity of the movement into the everyday food industry.

Whenever I am asked by my friends here in Los Angeles on whether I plan to stay in the city after I graduate, I respond with the same hesitant decision. "Yes," I nod, "although I just wish it was easier to get around here!" Peoples' eyes tend to widen when I let them in on the context of my complaint: "I don't even have my license yet!"

Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, I grew up normalizing a privilege that most people in the United States don't even realize they lack: the ease and access of an enormous public transportation system. Long before me and my peers could ever legally learn to drive, I had the freedom to go nearly anywhere I wished with ease through a simple swipe of my metro card. I experienced a rather peculiar cultural shock, therefore, when I left my concrete, walkable city to come to sunny Los Angeles for college. Though I adore the city for its history, culture and natural beauty, I have grown disappointed at the car culture apparent virtually wherever you go. Many of my friends have rightfully complained about the high cost of their car or the soul-sucking nature of sitting in LA traffic. However, these complaints tend to remain just that - complaints. It appears to me that the larger influence of American car culture has resulted in an almost complete dismissal of the possibility for safe and effective public transportation in many people's minds.

There are certainly unique challenges to the establishment of a high speed railway in Los Angeles - the city is incredibly spread out, for example, and therefore costs will be high and labor long. However, I believe that public support must be the main target in initiating this infrastructure. Therefore, as I hope to use my extended (and perhaps eventually permanent) residence in Los Angeles to research and advocate for this infrastructure as a means to garner enough support to actually begin to make a difference.