More than half of our Honduran scholarship students (some shown here) are girls, and over the years, I've seen with my own eyes how girls with more education delay childbearing, while dropouts often become pregnant. Excuse me talking about Honduras again, but it's my direct line to supporting girls' education.
How are environmental issues like black carbon and other emissions from cooking fires or rudimentary cookstoves also human health and social justice issues? Why do these issues matter to you?
Our communities in Honduras cook exclusively on wood stoves. The U of R Global Health group with substantial help from our church has supported the reconstruction of many of these stoves to be more efficient, reducing the need for wood, reducing smoke, and venting the smoke outside rather than blackening the lungs of the traditional indoors stoves. (Photo actually shows a larger version of the improved stove that's located in the community building.)
There's a bunch of charging stations in downtown Rochester, but otherwise, unfortunately, the infrastructure lags. If you don't have your own garage, it would be difficult to keep a car charged. I got a plug-in hybrid for the flexibility and love it. Before, I had a regular hybrid and that was a good car, too. If you get a plug-in, check for the NYS rebate and Federal income tax credit.
In upstate NY, 70% of our electricity comes from non-carbon sources, so whenever we (individually, industrial, etc.) can change from gas/oil to electricity, it's beneficial in our combating climate change.
Electric and plug-in hybrid cars are quiet and fun to drive. 100% electric cars have fewer moving parts, so there's very little maintenance. I had to go out of town last week (beyond its purely electric range), so my plug-in hybrid is getting only 103 mpg on its current tank, but around town, it runs without any gas. There are federal and state tax credits/rebates on many of these cars making them more affordable.
Cyndi Moolekamp 5/04/2020 3:34 PMExcellent! Do you find there are enough charging stations around Rochester? My husband and I want our next car to be at least a hybrid.
