Katie Yueh

Hi Katie, I totally agree that family planning should be accessible to all women. I think there is power in getting to make your own decisions for your body and for your health. I think people misunderstand the idea that allowing family planning means that all women will opt in for those services, like abortion, which is not the case. Women should be able to have the power to have a child if they want to and when they want. Like I said before, there is power in being able to make your own choice. 

I think the option of family planning empowers women because they can have more autonomy over their own lives. In the traditional sense (in a patriarchal society), women are seen as homemakers and meant to bear children. Raising a child as a mother takes a lot of work, and having a child young can offset other career plans that a woman might otherwise have. If women had the choice for family planning, they would likely have more access to careers and even leadership positions. Additionally, women should have access to education, since this opportunity could also lead to careers and leadership. 

It's a little scary when women's reproductive rights keep being threatened over and over again. It's a constant topic of debate, often by people that don't understand what it's like to be pregnant. As you mentioned, I hope women can have safe access to abortions because they would still happen even if they are illegal. 

Hi Katie!

When I come across women-owned businesses on social media, I would always find their websites to be full of sweet and encouraging messages, which is one of the many reasons why I enjoy supporting them. When I think about supporting small businesses, I think about purchasing their products, but I noticed that sharing or following their page is very helpful too. That’s how I come across many of their websites. 

I agree that social media is a very effective way to support women-owned businesses. I come across these businesses mainly through TikTok and a lot of these accounts link their website and Instagram page. I would also find other women-owned businesses by looking through the business pages I already follow. Sometimes one business would promote or follow another, which is a form of women supporting women. I also like reading their “about '' and “our story” sections on their websites because they are always filled with female empowerment messages or inform us about how they support their community, such as donating to mental health organizations. When I’m shopping for makeup, I like to look at women-owned businesses because a lot of them are cruelty-free and vegan. 

I believe we can better support communities by supporting women. One way is by encouraging women and acknowledging their talents. For example, I follow this business page on TikTok, woofpalace, which sells customized gold and silver necklaces. The owner, Clariz, is very talented and draws pictures of your pet to print them onto a necklace. She makes TikToks of her drawing and packaging process, as well as moments where customers have scammed her. The TikTok community has been very supportive of her work and encourages her to keep going even after she’s been scammed multiple times. Clariz also made a TikTok encouraging other small business owners to work hard in order to have a successful business. I can better support women and their businesses by promoting their pages on my Instagram or tagging their page on the products I’ve purchased from them. 

Hi Katie,

I enjoyed reading your response to the reflection question. Personally, I too have tried to reduce the number of single use items in my life, but have not completely gotten rid of them. Whenever I go out to eat, occasionally I will get take-out and the takeout boxes are something that I cannot reuse as they get soggy or whatnot. I have tried to reduce my eating out habits, which has helped me save some money here and there and has also reduced my single use item waste, essentially killing two birds with one stone. I sometimes will keep the cup that I get my drink in for a bit and use that as my glass for the day, but at the end of its use, I have to get rid of it. For cups and such, I have tried to stop purchasing an additional drink and just drink water out of my reusable water bottle or just fill up juice from my kitchen in a glass. 

I also used to be a huge consumer of plastic bags at the grocery store as they would double at home as trash bags or just storage containers in some fashion. As someone who likes to save money, I have stopped using them since grocery stores such as Ralphs and Target have started charging extra whenever you do use a bag. I bring my own reusable bags to the places I shop at now just to save myself a couple extra cents every time, which in the long term could add up to several dollars over the year. I also really like some of my reusable bags as they are insulated which lets me run additional errands as I know that the food that needs to remain cold will do so in the bag I have placed it in. With that in mind, I am reducing the number of car trips I take which helps reduce some of my carbon emissions. I did not realize the consequences of using a reusable bag could be more than just contributing to plastic waste. I now tend to keep at least two reusable bags in my car just in case I do forget to take one from home when running errands, and just to save myself the possibility that requires me to have a bag.

Hi Katie! It's great that you're taking on this challenge of walking more and driving less. Since living in Westwood and the dorms, I also noticed that I really didn't need a car to get anywhere, because I didn't have access to one. I walked everywhere, not only to class but to grocery stores too. When I needed to go further than Westwood, like Santa Monica, I took public transportation, which was something I do not have around my hometown. By driving less, you are definitely reducing the emissions from unnecessary car rides that can be achieved by other means! 

Recently, I took on a similar transportation challenge in which I plan on taking alternate means of transportation for an upcoming trip, rather than flying. As you noted, emissions from planes are harmful for the air and environment in general, so finding a different way to get to norCal (the destination for my post-graduation trip with friends in the summer). Since we have access to cars, we currently plan on driving there, which is significantly better than taking a short and convenient but unnecessary flight. Should we feel that driving isn't in the plan anymore, we could also potentially take the train/other public transportation there. My point is, making choices that you're able to that reduce your contribution to the climate crisis is important, so congrats on doing that!

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Katie, like you, and many other college students, I tend to eat my meals in front of a TV or while watching Netflix. I also do this when I am eating alone. I noticed that I definitely eat a lot faster when I am alone as opposed to when I am with my friends. This is probably because when I am alone, I get lost in whatever device is in front of me and I have no one to talk to. With my friends, I can make conversation and we normally don't have our phones right in front of us because it is a little weird for us not to talk to each other. 

I think eating with others can be a part of mindful eating. If a group is all talking to each other about their day and reflecting, then I wouldn't necessarily say this is distracted. It's good because it helps people to eat slower due to the conversation. 

I would like to experiment more with mindful eating because I normally eat fast. On a typical school day, I eat fast because I feel like I just don't have time to break between classes or catch a break in my busy schedule. However, the reality is, I can cut out at least 10-20 more minutes to eat slower and mindfully. My eating time doesn't need to be prolonged so much because I feel like an extension of a few minutes makes the difference between an upset stomach and a happily filled one. 

Lastly, I think mindful eating will foster a new appreciation for healthy and sustainable foods. Like I've said in my previous posts, some veggies I'm not the biggest fan of, but I've been realizing how foods like kale are very healthy! They are a bit chewy, but it's made me realize that they are so fibrous and packed with healthy vitamins. I think I can try to appreciate more how the food nourishes my body.  

Hi Katie, that meal looks so delicious! I love kale, and I’ll take advantage of ANY opportunity I get to put parmesan cheese on my dishes, especially on vegetables. I always incorporate parmesan cheese somehow into my kale salads because I think it adds another element of flavor and texture to greens! I’m currently living in my Westwood apartment, and I usually eat my meals at my desk so that I can eat while finishing up any readings or assignments for school. Now that I think about it, I rarely ever eat without having my computer next to me, especially during school days. I typically eat at my desk so that I can simultaneously work on assignments from my computer. Other times, I usually watch shows on Netflix or Hulu while I’m eating lunch or dinner. Like you, I’ve realized that I get distracted from my meal whenever my attention is divided for schoolwork, television, or other mindless tasks (e.g., scrolling through social media). I think you bring up a really valid, important point that if more people learn to practice mindful eating, we can greatly reduce the amount of food waste that we create. As you brought up, I sometimes lose my appetite when I am stressed out and preoccupied with other demands from extracurriculars, school assignments, and personal commitments. As a result of those distractions, I end up throwing away the rest of the food on my plate that I don’t finish. I feel guilty about throwing such food away, but I try to “rationalize” doing so by telling myself that I wouldn’t want to eat those leftovers anyways. The other instances where I generally create food waste are when I forget about all the groceries and produce trapped/hidden in the back of my refrigerator. A great way to lessen our food waste would be to create a list of all the grocery items we’ve purchased from a grocery trip and to cross out each item from the list as we finish them. This way, we will be less susceptible to forgetting about the items we’ve purchased. This is a great way to hold ourselves accountable for our purchases! It’s important to use up the groceries you buy so that you can make the most of all the money that you’ve spent. To be quite honest with you, I never took the time to reflect on how food waste was linked to carbon emissions. Whenever I think of carbon emissions, I generally think of the pollution that comes from gasoline-powered vehicles and travel. Yes, I knew that meat agriculture was a HUGE contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but I never made the seemingly obvious connection between food waste and the food production sector. Now that you’ve pointed out the links between food waste and carbon emissions, I’m even more motivated to reach my “zero waste” goals for food. I love that you feel more rewarded when you spend mindful time eating meals that you have prepared yourself. I seldom appreciate all the time and effort I put into preparing myself homemade meals from scratch. The more I start to appreciate all the meals I prepare, the more motivated I am to minimize any waste that comes from those meals. Instead of throwing away any leftovers I might have, I will try to save them in the event that I don’t have time to prepare food for future meals. Those meals may not be as tasty and “fresh” as when they were first prepared, but I’d rather give myself the opportunity to lessen any food waste! I’ve always thought of mealtime as a time to take advantage of socializing and bonding with others, but I’ve come to realize that it is equally important to use food as a medium of reflection and introspection from time to time. Quality food is a grace and blessing that we should feel privileged to have regular access to. 

Nice work Katie, that meal looks amazing!

I completely agree that practicing more mindful eating habits has changed my experience. I too am guilty of watching a show while I eat most nights, especially as I am in the dorms at UCLA and for most of the year there was no seating in the dining halls available during meals. It's great to hear how mindful eating helped you to enjoy your meals more. I feel the same way about this and I think that the more I have practiced mindful eating the more I have realized how important it is to appreciate and respect the food in front of me. I recently did a Drawdown Eco challenge that taught me and led me to research about indigenous community practices. In the discussion question following this challenge, I was asked why is it important to have a balance in sustainability. In my response, I mentioned how often times we just take from the environment but don't have the time of day or care to give back to it and respect it. I see this with food too. The more I have practiced mindful eating, the more I have felt grateful for the food I have in front of me and have taken the time to slow down and enjoy each bite. Although I have begun practicing more mindful eating since doing this challenge myself, your post inspired me to look into strategies that can help with mindful eating and bring the most benefits. In an article from Health Hub titled "Mindful Eating Strategies: Eye on Your Environment," multiple strategies I have never thought about before were mentioned. Whether it be observing the option before loading your plate at the buffet, keeping snacks in cabinets rather than in eyes sight, or leaving healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables out of the counter and nothing else, these strategies are ones I plan to take up in the future in my path to a more sustainable life.  Before learning more in this class about climate change, I had no knowledge of how much on an impact certain foods and food waste can have on increase greenhouse gas emissions but with these new tips, I find the mindful eating is on my mind more often, keeping me away from the temptations of the TV or social media while eating my meals. In the future, I can see restaurants as one of the places taking an active role in helping with more mindful eating, potentially reducing their portion sizes or having more small plate options on their menus that can be ordered one at a time until the customer is full and satisfied.