Tommy Nguyen

Hey Tommy, I agree that this is a really important topic to be thinking about, and I think you bring up a really interesting point about unplanned pregnancies. That statistic is really shocking, and highlights yet another (but more unexpected) benefit of allowing women to be in charge of their bodies--reducing the amount of unwanted pregnancies and births will also help to mitigate the consequences of overpopulation. 

I just watched a documentary where they discussed overpopulation, and one of the things I learned was that in Japan, they are implementing many social/community programs that are boosting the education and per capita income of their citizens, and in just a few decades their average number of children per household dropped to 2. Since then, Japan's population has remained fairly stable and hasn't been experiencing the growth that many other nations are. I think this is really awesome because not only are the lives of their people improving, but it's also helping in the battle against climate change and overpopulation. It's great to see things that benefit people and the environment at the same time. 

Although more meat is consumed in richer countries, there is a downside to it when considering the opportunity cost of consuming healthy fruits and vegetables. These benefits apply universally across individual health, our planet, and others. Firstly, for yourself. The benefits that come with eating fruits and vegetables are great mitigants and countermeasures for the risks of consuming meat: according to Harvard’s school of public health, a “diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, and more, all of which are actually core risks of excess consumption of red meat.

Fruits and vegetables also have tons of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, fiber and lower amounts of less desirable components such as fat, sodium, calories. These are all implications that result in a healthier, longer, and more fit life because your body is nourished with the nutrients it needs to thrive. There’s arguably nothing more important than an individual’s diet on the long-term health of a person of their family.

Finally, these benefits also apply to our planet, and simultaneously, other people. Almost always, the production of fruits and vegetables is much less intensive and does not cause nearly as many greenhouse-gas emissions as the production of meat does. To put this into perspective, according to One Green Planet, “a serving size of meat compared to a serving size of vegetables is linked to 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions”. Considering this huge difference, switching to healthier sources of nutrients and food from fruits and vegetables would make such a substantial impact to the fight against climate change. It’d also improve the health crisis in America that is driven by excessive consumption of red meat, which would ultimately positively yourself, other people, and our planet overall. 

I’m originally from the east side of the Bay Area, so I’ve always taken advantage of the weather (I prefer cooler temperatures) and the clear skies throughout the year. The sunsets are beautiful, and my daily walks are around 5:30pm to catch the sunset outside my neighborhood every day. Since the ecochallenge, I’ve tried to be more mindful of my surroundings during these walks, so I can share the experience with the class. As a result, I’ve picked up on a couple of things that I haven’t noticed before which I have truthfully taken for granted. Firstly, what I’ve particularly enjoyed is the soothing feeling that comes from just unplugging from the stresses of life, academics, and careers. I make it a habit to leave my phone at home when I go on these walks, so I can be really mindful of everything: the temperature, the wind against my face, the color of the sky, and my breathing. When I go on these walks, I’ve noticed sort of a dichotomy between people who are unplugging and enjoying the sunset versus people who are not and are instead going about their daily lives. It’s interesting to see families coming home from work and bringing in groceries, contrasted with other kids and parents going on walks as a time to be mindful of the present moment. I’ve enjoyed this because it makes me more aware of the time I’m using for a walk to unplug from my own life. In terms of infrastructure changes, I think what could make my walks more enjoyable is to potentially take new routes as it adds another layer of de-stressing so it doesn’t feel like I always have to be in control of my life. For me, these walks are all about unplugging from always feeling like I have to control everything in my life, so abstracting even more of that control during these walks could be more beneficial to my mental health and a form of mindful meditation.