madeline smith

In Katharine Wilkinson’s eye-opening TedTalk, “How Empowering Women and Girls Can Help Stop Global Warming”, I learned that women are disproportionately affected by climate change and especially vulnerable. For instance, women are more likely to be killed or injured in a natural disaster. Drought and scarcity of resources increases early marriage and prostituion to make ends meet. Women are the primary small holders in the world yet they have less access to land rights, credit/capital, adequate training, tools and technology so they naturally produce less than men. If men and women had equal access to resources, this would have huge implications for combating worldwide hunger and household income. By supporting women smallholders, we would have higher output of yields, avoid deforestation, and sustain forests that could prevent two billion tons of CO2 emissions over the next 30 years. Sadly, over 130 million women are still denied access to education, which is a fundamental right that helps us navigate climate change and family planning.

I was shocked to learn that even in rich countries such as the U.S., 45% of pregnancies are unintentional which indicates that we desperately need greater global access to contraceptives. With more informative guidance, we could raise families responsibly and cut down on our world population. After all, fewer people correlates with fewer emissions (Schermer, Solutions U). In poorer or underdeveloped regions, access is even more sparse and many communities struggle with putting food on the table and do not have public health care benefits (Esquivel, The Voice of Guanacaste). 

One way Colorado cut their abortion and teen pregnancies in half was with more funding to make birth control and IUD’s available for little to no cost for low-income or uninsured women. When a woman gets pregnant before they are prepared to have a child, “they may fail to complete school, struggle to advance their careers and rely more on public assistance” (Turnbull, Solutions Journalism) which leaves a heavier mark on our environment due to lack of education and preparation for combating climate issues. Federal funds have not proven to decrease birth rates but true change has emerged at the state level when they implemented greater access to contraception but also education on family planning and overall reproductive health. 

From my research, it is clear that women residing in poorer countries have fewer opportunities to access family planning resources, however we are undergoing a worldwide crisis in which every women deserves better sources of support. With a larger emphasis on family planning as a society, we will naturally combat climate change. It worries me that our priorities are not in the right place and by monitoring our population a little more, we could drastically benefit our environment. 

Resources that I consulted and found especially intriguing: 
https://vozdeguanacaste.com/en/birth-control-to-fight-poverty-in-guanacaste?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
https://www.unfpa.org/family-planning
https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2019/06/05/abortion-teen-pregnancy-decline-colorado?utm_source=Solutions%20Story%20Tracker

I learned that electric vehicles always reduce car emissions, but the impact is more drastic when cars are powered by renewable energy. Emissions are dropped by 50% if the power comes from the conventional grid but if it is renewable, the emissions are reduced by 95% and a lot cheaper than normal fuel. Instead of having to go to the gas station and dealing with the high price fluctuations, electricity has a much more stable price point (Advantages of Electric Cars, energysage). The large battery inside the car is also recyclable which reduces one’s carbon footprint and outward pollution (energysage) while enabling you to become energy independent as electricity can be pumped through a variety of generation methods.


While electric vehicles will undoubtedly decrease demand for jobs in the fossil fuel industry, these workers could be redirected to working with renewable energy systems such as wind, solar and hydropower instead. While electric cars are typically more expensive which can present a problem to millions of Americans, there has been progress made in declining battery costs which would subsequently lower the overall price of the car and make it more of an affordable option. Tesla, for example, is looking to “debut an inexpensive $25K model within the next three years” (JP Morgan, The Future is Electric). This is a shift we have to make because the results are dramatic: “If electric car ownership rises to 16-23 percent… by 2050, 11.9-15.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide from fuel combustion could be avoided as well as $15.3-21.8 trillion in fuel costs” (Electric Cars, Project Drawdown). Another source of renewable energy that my family uses are solar panels. We recently got them installed onto our roof as a much more eco-friendly source of electricity. Similarly, they were expensive to install but in the long run the payment will be worth it and be a cost effective decision along with benefiting the environment.

One downside and concern regarding electric vehicles is their range. Many people worry about their car stopping during their trip as these vehicles typically get 80-90 miles of range at a time before needing a charge. Technicians are aiming to make 200 miles of range more feasible for many cars and are in the production stages right now. I think about my dad in this instance, as he is considering buying an electric car but also worries about the range. I think it would be a more appealing option to many if there were less limitations on the length of the ride.


In my additional research, Norway provided financial incentives to switch to electric cars. They also have evolved a cultural acceptance for owning and driving electric cars. Norway’s strategies are clearly working: 40% of car sales in Norway accounts for electric while a meager 2% of cars in the United States consists of electric vehicles. Christina Bu, a secretary-general of Norsk elbilforening, proudly acknowledges that “in Norway we tax what we don’t want and we promote what we want, and the consumer has, in this way, actually the opportunity to make the right choice” (Savage, 2020). With the purchase of an electric car, buyers would be exempt from an additional purchase tax and toll road charges and were eligible for free parking. These small changes led to many more people investing in electric vehicles and proved to be a very useful incentive. 

Here are two additional sources consulted to learn more about hybrids and electric vehicles:

I am genuinely shocked at the large scale effects of meat consumption in our daily life. With small daily efforts from a larger portion of people, we could reduce emissions by “63% for a vegetarian diet” and “$1 trillion in annual health-care costs and lost productivity would be saved” (Project Drawdown, Plant-Rich Diets). Beyond nutrition itself, this massive amount of money could be redirected to medical causes, especially towards people in need, and we could possibly allocate these field working jobs to more productive and sustainable areas. Consumption of dairy and meat products “often exceeds nutritional recommendations” ((Project Drawdown, Plant-Rich Diets) which contributes to the inequitable food distribution and the prominence of malnutrition in underdeveloped regions. Because there is so much meat production due to a high demand, people that cannot afford to buy these products subsequently struggle which continues the problem of food insecurity in poorer areas. As a whole society, we need a culture shift where we dedicate ourselves to incorporating less meat into our daily life, cultural practices, or social outings. 
Chef, educator, author and activist, Terry Bryant talks about his goals aimed to celebrate the intersection between food and his culture by cooking with all vegetables. Bryant recommends for people who are highly skeptical of cutting meat from their diet to “start small” and integrate little changes at first. Oftentimes people think they will “miss out” on something if they omit meat, however there is such an underrated creative aspect when it comes to cooking with diverse vegetables. 

In the VOX article, it scares me to think that just by continuing our destructive eating habits, we are single handedly threatening the “long-term survival of the human species” (Barclay). Not only this, but the meat industry contributes to the long-standing obesity epidemic and other health related issues in our country. What I didn’t quite realize was all of the confounding effects excessive meat consumption has on our physical health. As a society, we would have to radically shift the food paradigm to vegetable, grain and legume focused to increase sustainability efforts. The writers call it adopting a “planetary health diet” which is good for our health and the environment around us. 
Below are two pictures of recent meals I ate. For breakfast, I usually get an omelette. Instead of getting bacon in it which I usually do, I have decided to only get vegetables in it from now on. I still add cheese to mine, so I am making small steps. Instead of getting a traditional burger, I opted for the impossible burger instead. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised with how it tasted! I will continue to make these daily choices which hopefully will turn into a lifetime of better habits and health for myself and my community.

After determining my carbon footprint, I am stunned and a little horrified. I am shocked to find out that it would take $77.39 dollars per month to offset our carbon footprint of 5.16 tons of CO2 every month. Our carbon footprint is reportedly higher than the average monthly footprint of a US household, which is 4 tons. I realize there are so many ways that we can work to reduce this. I calculated my carbon footprint for when I was living at home (Northern CA) with a family of six and a dog. 
Now that I am in college and not living with my family anymore, I am living with a lowered carbon footprint because I do not have a car, so I walk many places. I also choose to eat very little meat-- my diet mostly consists of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and fish. By no means is it perfect, but I have been slowly coming closer towards being vegetarian. Being an athlete, I do need to consume a lot of protein so at this time in my life I cannot quite give up all meat and fish but I envision myself going full vegetarian once I am done competing. Another way I can reduce my footprint is traveling less, especially taking big trips. Going on vacations less frequently and making choices everyday to walk or bike to local places can make a big difference. When I buy my first car at some point in my life, I want to drive something that is much more eco-friendly and electric. Even small things such as using my technology less, turning on lights only when I am in the room, and using AC or heat very minimally uses overall less electricity which will contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. While my family does have renewable energy sources such as solar panels, there is still so much more work to be done. 

Eating without any distractions was eye opening! It sounds silly to say that with almost every single meal I eat alone, I am attached to my phone. My first instinct is to look at social media or watch a show so I am not "bored" while eating. It was so peaceful being able to eat dinner and simply be in the moment. I was able to entertain myself by just thinking, appreciating where I am, and looking at the window. I found myself more relaxed and content by taking my time and slowing down. I feel as though in today's world, rarely do I stop, take time to relax and unwind a little. Practicing mindful eating gave me the opportunity to do just that. Within our busy schedules, I realize that we do all have a few extra minutes in our day to slow down and reflect. From now on, I am going to make a conscious effort to eat without any distractions which will help me to become a more mindful person. 

Supporting local farmers and small businesses inspires me the most because I want to support them in any way I can. They bring so much to a community and oftentimes their livelihood depends on their business.