It seems that equity and access are directly tied to sustainability; people who are food insecure by and large have significantly less healthy, fresh food available and instead often have highly processed, high calorie, and low nutritional value food choices that also tend to be less expensive.  These highly processed foods are the opposite of sustainability initiatives, and affordability can make all the difference.

It is important to honor native cultures because for so long so many were completely disrespected and even actively destroyed.  While I have no direct native ancestry of my own, I have family that does, and I see the respect they have for the earth.  The story of Mother Turtle is one I have heard, and each iteration is mostly the same - mother earth is life.

The pervasive gender bias is so ingrained that often it goes unperceived simply because it is second nature.  Take, for example, purchasing a car.  I am the one making the purchase, but twice now questions were continually addressed to my significant other.  It gets quite frustrating.

We’ve recently planted bushes and trees to take root on out property. The neighbors logged on both sides creating an ecological mess. Our roads have been washed out due to this. So now we’ve planted along the borders. Hoping for the roots to soak up the water runoff. 

I’m going to reduce water when I’m washing the dishes. I am going to stop running the water the whole time. Couple things I do that reduces water consumption are turning the water off while brushing my teeth and taking short showers. 

With a young child it can be hard to talk about serious things, especially in the context of what-ifs.  I found this website helpful: https://www.ready.gov/kids