Have you ever wondered what it would take to turn an office building into housing? In this episode of Fostering Our Earth 🌍, we explore the exciting world of modular construction to address the pressing housing crisis with Candice Delamarre, co-founder of Kit Switch.

Joined by co-host Shikha Srinivas, we discuss how Kit Switch’s modular design significantly speeds up the construction process, both for retrofitting existing buildings and for new buildings. A kitchen, for example, can be installed in just a day, minimizing disruption for tenants in existing apartment buildings undergoing renovation. This contrasts sharply with traditional renovation timelines that can take weeks, causing significant inconvenience and producing more waste.

This episode builds on our previous episode on embodied carbon, where we discussed how reusing existing infrastructure reduces embodied carbon. The emissions associated with the manufacturing of building materials like concrete and steel are substantial. By focusing on retrofitting, we can leverage the "carbon investment" already made in these existing buildings. Instead of demolishing and building new, which generates significant waste, retrofitting offers a more sustainable pathway.

If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to rate and review, wherever you’re listening!

Subscribe to ⁠Fostering Our Earth⁠, join the ⁠book club⁠, and follow the ⁠Instagram⁠!

Imagine you've built the perfect carbon-free home: zero-emission appliances, solar panels on the roof, and even the most sustainable materials you could find—beautiful reclaimed wood sourced from Oregon and granite countertops from Vermont. But here's the catch: even if your home runs on clean energy, it's not truly carbon-free. Why? Because of embodied carbon—the hidden emissions tied to the energy used to mine, manufacture, and transport those materials. From the granite countertops to the wood beams, every material has a carbon footprint long before it reaches your home.

In this episode of Fostering Our Earth 🌍, we dive into the world of embodied carbon—the emissions embedded in the materials and construction processes that shape our built environment. Joined by Luke Lombardi, an expert on embodied carbon, and co-host Shikha Srinivas, we explore why understanding and quantifying embodied carbon is critical to addressing climate change and how it reflects our consumptive and capitalistic cultures.

Luke breaks down the carbon-intensive processes behind materials like concrete and steel. We also discuss innovative solutions, from adaptive reuse and circular economies to cutting-edge materials like novel cement and green steel. Plus, we explore the growing policy landscape, including California’s groundbreaking CalGreen embodied carbon code, and reflect on the importance of community-driven solutions and historic preservation in creating a more sustainable future.

Resources:

• Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF): A nonprofit organization working to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.

• Buy Clean California: A policy initiative to reduce embodied carbon in public infrastructure projects.

• All We Can Save x Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: A book featuring essays and poetry on climate solutions, mentioned by Luke.

• Fire and Flood by Eugene Linden: A book discussing climate change and societal responses

• California Straw Building Association (CASBA): An organization promoting straw bale and natural building techniques.

Subscribe to ⁠Fostering Our Earth⁠, join the ⁠book club⁠, and follow the ⁠Instagram⁠!

Subscribe now

Hi future ancestors,

Our journey to a more sustainable future starts with continually educating ourselves on the systems that uphold our current world and what we’ll need to do to dismantle and rebuild them. Join me this year to read four books that will help us imagine this future. You can find all the info below on Substack.

How this works

Throughout 2025, we will read each book together and share our thoughts on Fable as we go along. For those living in Los Angeles, CA, I will host an in-person gathering to discuss the books. Additionally, at the end of each book, we will have a live virtual gathering. You are welcome to read the books and join the gatherings (I’ll send detailed instructions as the dates approach). However, you can truly enhance your experience by joining the club on Fable. There, you’ll be able to add your thoughts/reflections/reactions as you read and talk about them with others.

What are we reading?

Below are brief descriptions of each book and how you can read or listen.

March: “It’s Not That Radical” by Mikaela Loach

We’ll kick off the year with "It’s Not That Radical” by Mikaela Loach, which will serve as our foundation by connecting our climate crisis with capitalism and profit-driven systems.

Available on:

• Bookshop (orders from local book stores)

• Check out your local library for ebook copies

• The audiobook is available on Audible (boo Amazon but it’s available).

May: “The Language of Climate Politics” by Genevieve Guenther

We’ll enter summer with a deeper exploration of how fossil fuel entities manipulate language to maintain the status quo at the cost of our futures.

Available on:

• Bookshop (orders from local book stores near you)

• Check out your local library for physical or ebook copies

• Audiobooks are available on Libby and Audible (again, boo Amazon).

August: “A Just Transition for All” by J. Mijin Cha

We’ll enter the fall by moving from theory to action by presenting a practical framework for implementing large-scale energy transition while prioritizing social justice.

Available on:

• Free open access PDF available from MIT Press

• Bookshop has paperback and ebook versions

• No audiobook options are currently available but you can use a PDF reader for the open-access version.

November: “The Water Knife” by Paolo Bacigalupi

We’ll end the year with some climate fiction rooted in reality. The Water Knife will transform the abstract concepts and frameworks we’ve explored into a near-future experience in the American Southwest, highlighting the urgency of the climate crisis for us.

Available on:

• Bookshop (paperback and ebook versions)

• Audiobook version is available only on Audible.

As we read these books, we’ll be able to continue building our language and playbook for this transition, while spending time in community. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!

Cheers,
Awoe ✌🏾

In this episode, Awoe introduces Shikha Srinivas, who will join Fostering Our Earth🌍 this season as a co-host for a few episodes. As young professionals working in the climate and sustainability sector, they share some of their favorite books and podcasts that motivates their work. Kick back and get to know us a bit, the jokes we like to make, and add these recommendations to your list.

Please note that this episode was originally recorded in January 2024 but a lot of the content is timeless (until we end our climate crisis, of course).

Resources

Below are links to all the books and podcast we shared.

Book Recommendations:

1. Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a memoir that interweaves Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and personal experiences to explore humanity's relationship with nature and advocate for environmental stewardship.

2. Fresh Banana Leaves by Jessica Hernandez combines Indigenous knowledge with modern environmental science to address ecological issues and promote social justice.

3. All We Can Save edited by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Dr. Katherine Wilkinson is an anthology that showcases diverse women's voices and perspectives on climate change solutions and environmental leadership.

4. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler is a dystopian novel set in a climate-ravaged future, following a young woman's journey as she forms a new belief system and community amidst societal collapse.

5. The Heat Will Kill You First by Jeff Goodell is a book that explores the devastating impacts of rising global temperatures on human health and society.

6. Poverty by Matthew Desmond examines the systemic causes of poverty in America, arguing that it is not inevitable but created by unjust systems that benefit the affluent at the expense of the poor.

7. Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar discusses how the parking crisis, stemming from car-centric design in the U.S., highlights how the need for car storage worsens issues like housing affordability and climate change, and suggests ways to alleviate the burden of parking on cities.

Podcast Recommendations:

1. Drilled is a true-crime style podcast investigating the history of climate denial and fossil fuel industry propaganda, hosted by investigative journalist Amy Westervelt.

2. 99% Invisible is a show exploring the process and power of design and architecture to explain the world around us.

3. Hot Take is a show that looks at the climate crisis and how media and society discuss (or fail to discuss) climate issues.

4. Living Change with Andrea Learned is a show that interviews leaders who demonstrate their climate influence, a term Andrea coined to describe the power leaders have to practice what they preach and influence their followers.

5. Arrested Mobility explores the impacts of over-policing on Black mobility in the United States, examining how systemic racism restricts physical and social movement for Black people and other minorities.

6. UCLA Housing Voice is a podcast that translates housing research to make cities more affordable, accessible, and equitable by discussing homelessness, housing policies, and urban development strategies.

~~

Music by Pumpupthemind on Pixabay

Subscribe to ⁠Fostering Our Earth⁠, join the ⁠book club⁠, and follow the ⁠Instagram⁠!

Subscribe now

Peace,

Awoe ✌🏾

Hi future ancestors, I’m excited to share that Fostering Our Earth 🌍 podcast is back for season two! This year, we’ll continue exploring key concepts that will be necessary for our transition into a more sustainable and climate resilient future. Each month, join me and our various experts to discuss topics such as embodied carbon, modular design, food and land justice, resilience planning and so much more!

Be sure to subscribe to Fostering Our Earth on Substack to stay up date and you can listen to the podcast wherever you want!

Subscribe now

You can also engage with Fostering Our Earth on Instagram!

Cheers,
Awoe ✌🏾

~~

Music by Pumpupthemind.

Hi future ancestors,

There's a quote that says "climate change will manifest as a series of disasters viewed through phones with footage that gets closer and closer to where you live until you're the one filming it". Late in 2024, we saw this in the unprecedented and devastating flooding in Asheville, NC. Now, early in 2025, we're seeing unprecedented wildfires across Southern California. Both incidents are personal to me — I spent my middle school years in Asheville, and I currently live in Pasadena, CA.

As I write this from Torrance, CA, where I've evacuated due to the Eaton Fire that broke out just a few miles north of my apartment, I am reflecting on the physical disorientation that came from this experience and some of the larger forces at play relating to these fires. The Eaton Fire has quickly spread to over 14,000 acres. At the same time, the Palisades Fire, Hurst Fire, and several other smaller fires have stretched resources thin across the county. Over 180,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. About ten people have lost their lives, and countless folks have lost their homes and businesses. As all of these are happening, we can firmly state that the climate crisis in front of us, but to really combat it we need to improve our infrastructure and land use decisions and ultimately continue building out community and systems of mutual aid.

One book I continually refer to below is Jake Bittle’s “The Great Displacement,” in which he discusses how climate change will push people out of their homes and the various existing political and economic systems that will contribute to this displacement and influence where people end up. I highly recommend folks go read it.

Subscribe now

Understanding the factors behind the wildfires

While there are technical reasons for these fires, there are climate and political/economic systemic factors at play that impact these fires immediately and in the aftermath. On the climate side, the term "whiplash" helps us understand the conditions leading to the fires: years of California drought created dry conditions, and extremely heavy rainfall in 2022 and 2023 increased the growth of flammable vegetation. A record-breaking summer in 2024, followed by a dry fall and winter, turned this vegetation into kindling. Add to this the annual Santa Ana winds reaching over 80mph, and you have perfect conditions for devastating fires.

But as Jake Bittle points out in "The Great Displacement," while fires might ignite due to climate-induced conditions, the aftermath is "the product of an underfunded disaster relief system, a dire affordable housing shortage, and a broken insurance market."

These factors are painfully present in Los Angeles. The city council cut the fire department's funding by $17M while increasing the police budget by $126M. The county is already experiencing a housing crisis, with over 75,000 people in need of housing and many more facing rent burden. Due to fire risks, major insurance companies are abandoning the California market or canceling policies.

The deadly cycle connecting the housing crisis and wildfire risk

Over 9,000 structures (including homes, businesses, and schools) have been destroyed in these fires. Around 180,000 people were evacuated during the storms themselves. Where do these people go, especially with rents likely to skyrocket? Housing is a touchy topic in LA County, but it's crucial to understand its role in both causing wildfires and determining our resilience to them.

Housing policies that support sprawling development patterns can increase the risk of wildfires. LA's single-family zoning leads to sprawl, pushing development into wildfire-prone areas (the wildfire urban interface) and displacing natural landscapes. This sprawl isn't just about fire risk—it's about climate change itself. Single-family homes use more energy (subsequently producing more residential building emissions), and car-dependent development increases transportation emissions, creating a vicious cycle that makes future fires more likely.

One solution is building resilience through urban density. By relaxing zoning restrictions, we can create more efficient housing without putting people at risk of wildfires. This means transforming single-family zones into areas that can support multi-family homes, creating mixed-use, walkable communities that are also climate resilient. With calls for LA to improve its streamlining process to build more, we have an opportunity to not repeat the mistakes of the past and build better and smarter.

Jake Bittle asks what it means for us to have a right to shelter. To me, this isn’t just government enabling better land use practices in deciding where and the type of housing we build but also ensuring tenant protections. We’ve seen rent gouging already happening and it’s imperative that cities have measures in place to prevent this and guarantee shelter, equity, and even wealth building measures for its residents.

Community and mutual aid are key

Throughout this whole crisis, the only thing that has kept me oriented among the physical and information-based disorientation has been community. Community, through whatever means, has helped. Whether texts with my neighbors about how they’re responding or getting information to larger community groups, for me, through the Lombardy Run Club and Sunrise Movement LA, folks sharing their resources — which maps they're looking at, what to pack, which roads are closed, photos, words of encouragement, and now that we’re past the initial response, sharing supplies and coordinating volunteer opportunities and guides. Community is one strong pillar we must continue to develop so we can rely on it when times get tough.

What You Can Do

Timothy Snyder says in "On Tyranny" that we should contribute to good causes. By making the "free choice to support causes that help civil society and others to do good," we can actively improve the world around us. If you're wondering how to help, here are some direct ways:

Support Displaced Families

It’s been heartbreaking on my end to see people I know, and many I don’t, lose their homes, communities, and everything in-between. Below are links to spreadsheets with GoFundMe links to donate to these families. I know these are big asks but these really make a difference for these families.

• Displaced Black Families

• Families Impacted by Eaton Fires

External Donations

Below are links to organizations doing work to support families and workers impacted by the fires. Again, if you’re able, these are great causes to donate to.

• https://www.gofundme.com/f/cash-aid-for-outdoor-workers-impacted-by-la-county-wildfires

• https://www.cafirefoundation.org/what-we-do/for-communities/disaster-relief

• https://secure.lafoodbank.org/site/Donation

• https://pasadenahumane.org/

• Donate - Anti Recidivism Coalition

• Donate to Watch Duty, the app that kept thousands of others and me informed!

  • Here’s a screenshot of the app during the emergency showing the evacuation zones and live updates.

    

Further Reading

If you’re interested in reading and want to learn more, here are a few articles I’ve been reading, and books I recommend.

• "From Gaza to California: the flames that connect us all" (Mondoweiss) - Explores how "the fires burning in Palestine and Los Angeles today are symptoms of the same disease: a system that values conquest over conservation, profit over people, and expansion over existence."

• "The Last Wildfire-Fighting Camp for Incarcerated Teens in California" (Teen Vogue) - Examines the labor exploitation of incarcerated youth in firefighting

• The California wildfires could be leaving deeper inequality in their wake | AP News

• "The Great Displacement" by Jake Bittle

• "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler

As Bittle warns us, "by the end of the century, climate change will displace more people in the United States than moved during the Great Migration." The fires we're experiencing now are just the beginning. How we respond – through policy, through community action, through mutual aid – will determine our collective future.

Thanks for reading,

Awoe ✌🏾

Hi future ancestors,

As 2025 draws to a close, I want to share a few books that have helped my understanding of climate policy, urban development, and environmental justice. I really enjoyed the books below because they explain the world around us with such clarity that you can’t help but feel like you understand it better. They provide frameworks that connect our everyday experiences and news headlines to a deeper systemic understanding. I feel better equipped to target my efforts from these books — I hope they do the same for you.

Subscribe now

2024 Favorite Books 📚

Short-Circuiting Policy by Leah Stokes

Stokes provides an incredibly clear exploration and explanation of clean energy policy concepts that resonated deeply with my work in the public sector. She explores key concepts, including policy feedback and how implemented policies shape future political landscapes. The concepts of policy expansion vs retrenchment and astroturfing strengthen my vocabulary in describing political progress. I was particularly struck by the concept of the “fog of enactment”, a phenomenon where interest groups and politicians are really uncertain about the consequences of enacted policies until they are implemented.

Arbitrary Lines by M. Nolan Gray

As someone involved with Urban Environmentalists LA, this book hits on the money about how our land use impacts our ability to solve the housing crisis properly (and simultaneously address climate change — Gray doesn’t touch on this much, but it’s adjacent enough to point out). His core argument is that zoning is exclusionary and designed to protect single-family housing at the expense of more affordable and sustainable options. He proposes abolishing zoning altogether, using Houston as an example. Living in LA - where the city council recently adopted a housing element without densifying single-family zones - his arguments feel especially urgent. We cannot reach our housing and climate goals without revolutionizing our approach to land use.

Before the Streetlights Come On by Heather McTeer Toney

This book stands out as my favorite exploration of environmental justice. Toney, a former mayor of Greenville, MS, and regional EPA administrator under President Obama, provides a powerful and clear narrative about climate change’s impact on Black communities in the US. Using the metaphor of streetlights as a call to action, she urges us to address the urgent need for equitable climate solutions before it’s too late. Her approach makes complex climate concepts accessible, enabling someone new to climate discussions to both understand and care deeply about these critical challenges.

Share

What’s Next?🔜

I want to keep exploring these concepts with folks, so the Fostering Our Earth Book Club will return in 2025. This year, we read four books from January to May including:

• Electrify by Saul Griffith

• How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

• Climate Resilience by Kylie Flanagan

• On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal by Naomi Klein

Next year, we’ll meet quarterly instead (and this is just more sustainable for me haha). We’ll be able to learn from literature that will help us take more concrete steps towards building a more sustainable future. If you’re interested in joining or have book suggestions, respond to this email!

Finally, stay tuned because the Fostering Our Earth podcast is returning in January!

Cheers,

Awoe ✌🏾

Hi future ancestors! Today, I’ve got a personal story to share about living-car free in LA. Feel free to comment your thoughts below or reply directly to this email!

Choosing to live in Los Angeles, a city synonymous with car culture, without a car might seem impossible – borderline madness. You always hear about the massive highways, the endless congestion, and its non-existent public transit system (not true!). So, when I tell people I don’t own a car, I get crazy stares of disbelief. I wanted to take some time to reflect on car ownership and how I make it work. Below is my reflection on my journey to car-free living; it’s a story of gradual discovery, personal transformation, and a deep belief that our current mobility systems need reimagining.

Our mobility systems are currently broken. We are dependent on cars to get anywhere; these cars provide a false sense of freedom when, in reality, they restrict us individually and as a society. A sustainable future promotes freedom and independence in how we move around our activity spaces. I’ve written a series of sustainable mobility systems blog posts here, diving into different types of mobility from active mobility, and public transport, to shared mobility systems and transportation electrification. Without further ado, let’s get to my story.

My transit journey

My relationship with transportation began in suburban Baltimore County, where driving was realistically the only option. The only time you’d ride a bus was to go to school, but by 16, when we got our licenses, that immediately stopped. My first real exposure to transit came during a pivotal college internship with the Maryland Transportation Administration’s Office of Planning. That summer, I didn’t just talk to community members about Baltimore’s recently redesigned transit system; I practiced it. I lived in Baltimore County, so I’d be dropped off at the nearest park and ride (yes, cars are still involved), and then I’d take the bus into the city. During the day, I had meetings across Baltimore, so I’d hop from bus to bus to get to my locations and sometimes ride the subway.

My experiences with transit continued when I lived in Baltimore and worked in DC. I woke up at 4:30 am to catch the 6:10 MARC Penn Line train from Penn Station to Union Station, eventually making my way down to Navy Yard every day. Despite early mornings, narrow misses, and stinky packed afternoon trains, I found something unexpected: I really enjoyed the routine and consistency public transit provided me. I became best friends with Michael Barbaro and Steve Inskeep, listening to UpFirst and The Daily, and I read multiple books – from Yuval Noah Harari’s Homo Deus to Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings. These experiences continued to shape my mobility philosophy – one rooted in freedom and practicality.

When I moved to Stanford, I discovered the joy of biking for errands like groceries and personal trips like church. I found it convenient to borrow a Zipcar for a few hours for longer trips – a weekend in Santa Cruz or just getting my haircut in Redwood City.

Finally, in London, I spent an entire week navigating the city without a car, crystallizing my beliefs about transportation freedom. Through all these experiences, I not only knew that a car-free life was possible, but a better, more sustainable mobility could exist.

Why go car-free

Okay, but besides my personal experiences, why would anyone go car-free? Honestly, it's all about cars and how they’re a massive economic and environmental burden. Cars are expensive (often our second-largest expense after housing), deadly (some 40,000 deaths annually), and a major source of GHG emissions (the largest in California). Beyond individual costs, cars dictate our land use patterns, thereby creating sprawling cities that prioritize vehicles over people. These reasons form the core argument of the “war on cars” movement. You can learn more about it through the War on Cars podcast or the following Fostering Our Earth Podcast Episodes with Jerome Horne and Veronica O. Davis.

Making car-free living work

Living car-free isn't about deprivation; it's about reimagining mobility. When moving to LA, knowing the car-centric hell I was entering, I knew I had to be strategic. I prioritized access to public transit on my apartment search spreadsheet. I chose to live in Pasadena near my partner, but my specific home is one minute from a bus stop that takes me to the nearest train station, where I commute to work downtown. Since cars sit parked 95% of the time, I took lessons from my Zipcar experiences to practice “shared mobility” with my partner, who owns a car. With my proximity to transit and access to a car, I am free to choose the best mode for my trip.

The core of practicing this is my “transit-first” approach. Before any trip, I ask: "can I get there by transit?" With real-time tracking apps like Transit and Google Maps, I can plan my routes, visualize my transfers to new locations, and feel comfortable commuting around LA. I also own a scooter for slightly longer last-mile connections.

This isn’t without challenges, though. Summer heat can make waiting at an exposed bus-shelterless station uncomfortable, and missed connections — when you’re transferring to another bus/train) — can test your patience or disrupt carefully planned routes. Through these experiences, I’ve learned to always carry a portable charger to keep my phone alive (specifically for navigation apps), wear comfortable shoes because I might walk more than planned, and approach each journey with a sense of adaptability.

Safety is also a real consideration. I’ve had a few interactions with folks experiencing homelessness or struggling with mental health issues. These experiences are stark reminders of the complex social issues and disparities that exist in our cities. But for the most part, my transit experiences have been positive.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t ever drive – in fact, if there are too many logistical hoops, I’ll opt to drive. These include a late return trip, walking in unsafe parts of the city (on or near busy roads), or simply if there are way too many transfers (my limit is two). Also, if a trip will take significantly longer by transit and I don’t have the time to spare, then I’ll drive. Of course, carpooling is also an option when appropriate. Again, the key here is the freedom to choose. Also, I understand my privilege of being able to choose where to live and having a job that enables me this flexibility.

Finally, living car-free has given me a unique lens to understand how urban design influences our world. When you move through a city without a car, you notice things most drivers miss, such as broken and uneven sidewalks, which might be inequitable for parents with strollers, or how short the crosswalk countdown is, which, if you have any mobility impairments, might cause stress. I’ve seen how areas zoned only for single-family housing create barriers to effective public transit and walkable communities. I’ve since become a more vigorous advocate for better land use planning and transportation.

If you’re still reading, I invite you to experiment with one car-free day this week. Whenever you open Maps to see your route, check out the transit tab to imagine what that journey could look like. Get prepared by getting yourself your local transit cards so it isn’t a barrier when you decide to try transit. While you’re at it, you should check if you can pay for your transit directly with your phone. If transit isn’t possible, consider carpooling with anyone near you. Shared mobility isn't just a transportation choice; it's an approach that offers a more connected, sustainable way of moving through the world. The world as it is today doesn’t have to be what it is tomorrow, so get out there and advocate for more sustainable mobility systems.

Subscribe now

Hi all! Welcome to a special edition of "Fostering Our Earth." As we navigate the aftermath of the 2024 election, I found it crucial to take a moment to reflect on its outcomes and what they might mean for us as a nation moving forward; especially what it means for our pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future. You can listen to the episode below:

Joined by Natalie Hernandez, past Fostering Our Earth guest, we reflect on the election, unpack some of the various voter dynamics, and find the path forward in local action and community organizing. We were also joined by two other Fostering Our Earth guests, Chris Asmar from our housing episode (see below)

and Andrea Learned from our Climate Influence episode (see below).

To follow along with the transcript, click here.

What’s Next?

I know it’s been a minute since I shared Fostering Our Earth🌍. I’ve been working on the next season, and I’ll be ready to launch in January 2025. I’ve got some really awesome guests, and we’ll be diving into topics like embodied carbon, local transportation, food and land justice, and modular construction.

If you’ve got any ideas, shoot me a response and I’d love to hear it!

Cheers,

Awoe

Resources:

• Sign up for Natalie's environmental career coaching here.

• The Daily: Bernie Sanders Says Democrats Have Lost Their Way

• The Daily: Why Abortion Rights Won Even as Kamala Harris Lost

• The Ezra Klein Show: The End of the Obama Coalition

• What Now? with Trevor Noah: Harris v Trump: THe Day After with Tressie McMillan Cottom

• https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2024-11-06/how-5-key-demographic-groups-helped-trump-win-the-2024-election

• https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1259186815/zz-1a

• https://apnews.com/article/election-harris-trump-women-latinos-black-voters-0f3fbda3362f3dcfe41aa6b858f22d12

Music:

Music by FASSounds, Alana Jordan, and Dvir Silver all on Pixabay. Sound effect by freesound_community on Pixabay.

Subscribe to ⁠Fostering Our Earth⁠ and follow the ⁠Instagram⁠!

Natalie Hernandez is a specialist in environmental policy and community planning. She currently holds the position of Environmental Project Manager at the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. She was previously a Director at Climate Resolve, where she managed the “Ready for Tomorrow” grant writing and research, co-authored the state’s Adaptation Planning Guide, provided technical expertise on climate grant programs, and led the community outreach for urban cooling and climate vulnerability projects in Baldwin Hills, South Los Angeles, Canoga Park, and broader LA County. Natalie is knowledgeable about climate change funding, planning processes, stakeholder engagement, and resilience. She has a strong passion for environmental justice and climate equity, which she attributes to growing up in Long Beach, a core hub of goods movement, air quality issues, and climate adaptation in the Los Angeles area. She knows how to navigate complex institutions and bureaucracy while uplifting the concerns desires, and solutions of people who will be most impacted by environmental and climate injustices.

Resources:

• 📖 The Resilience Dividend x Judith Rodin

• 📖 Climate Resilience: How We Keep Each Other Safe, Care for Our Communities, and Fight Back Against Climate Change x Kylie Flanagan

• 📖 Palaces for the People x Eric Klinenberg

• Stop Asking Us to Be Resilient: On Hurricane Ida, COVID-19, and Trauma in Louisiana, Essence 2021

• 📃 Why you should stop complimenting people for being 'resilient' NPR 2022

• 📃⁠California's Adaptation Planning Guidelines⁠

• 📃Safeguarding California

• 🔗 What are Resilience Hubs?, USDN

• 🔗 Regional Resilience Toolkit, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Association of Bay Area Governments

• - 🔗 Guide to Equitable Community-Driven Climate Preparedness Planning, Raimi + Associates and Urban Sustainability Directors Network

• 🔗 Making Equity Real in Climate Adaptation and Community Resilience Policies and Programs], The Greenlining Institute

• 🔗 Community-Driven Climate Resilience Planning: A Framework, Movement Strategy Center

• 🔗 Mapping Resilience: A Blueprint for Thriving in the Face of Climate Disasters, Asian Pacific Environmental Network

~~

Music: YSK by Lunareh on Pixabay

~~ Subscribe to ⁠Fostering Our Earth⁠, join the ⁠book club⁠, and follow the ⁠Instagram⁠!

The three books recommended in the episode are: 

• ⁠Not the End of the World⁠ by Hannah Ritchie

• ⁠Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity⁠ by Sandrine Dixson Decleve

• ⁠The Secret Life of Groceries⁠ by Benjamin Lorr

I plan on spending the next few weeks diving deep into each component of the farm-to-plate-to-waste framework so stay tuned for it.

Finally, here’s a reminder to join the book club on Fable. We spent this month reading How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. For March, in honor of Women’s History Month, we’ll be reading Climate Resilience: How We Keep Each Other Safe, Care for Our Communities, and Fight Back Against Climate Change by Kylie Flanagan. This will culminate with the next podcast episode Natalie Hernandez (she writes a chapter in the book!) so stay tuned.

Below, you’ll find the link to listen to the episode on Spotify and the transcript. (You can also listen on other podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts).

#7 Farm-to-Plate-to-Waste: Food in Climate Action with Lana Weidgenant 🍇 by Fostering Our Earth 🌍

podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fostering-our-earth/episodes/7-Farm-to-Plate-to-Waste-Food-in-Climate-Action-with-Lana-Weidgenant-e2fq6ca

Transcript

Please note the transcript below is generated by AI — for the full contextual experience, please listen to the podcast if you are able.

Lana W.: [00:00:00] There's lots of easy ways that, you know, you can start being more connected. One of them is trying to, you know, for instance, go to farmers markets, talk to the the different farmers and producers there about their food, about their farms, and see some more of, like, the local food production that's happening in your area and buy more local products. You know, it's when we talk about emissions and the global greenhouse gases, it's not really the 1 that makes the biggest impact, but I think it's always worthwhile to try to connect more and try to learn more, not be so impersonal impersonal to what's on your plate. Because I think that's kind of the first step is to even, like, think about it and try to be more part of that process and have that local connection.

Awoenam: Welcome, future ancestors, to Fostering Our Earth, a space to imagine what our sustainable future can actually look like.

I'm your host, Awoe Mauna-Woanya. You call me ah-way. And today, we'll be [00:01:00] talking about food and food systems. That clip you just heard was from my conversation with Lana Weidgenant, senior UN policy manager at ProVeg International, where we talk about what our sustainable food system of the future can look like. Lana and I actually attended Hopkins together a few years ago, and we were supposed to host another podcast with our office of multicultural affairs.

So this discussion we have kind of feels full circle. Before we get to the main course of this discussion, let's whet our appetite with some big picture overview. Food is the ultimate human experience. Whether it's for sustenance or enjoyment, you love it and I love it. Globalization and the Internet has made all kinds of cuisines super accessible to us.

My parents always joke with me, say, asking where I learned to eat all these new foods. However, if everything was perfect, we would be here talking about it. I recently read Hannah Ritchie's Not the End of the World, and she urges us to look at sustainability with a long view and not lose sight of the progress we've made in human history. So let's start there. Food security in [00:02:00] human history has improved so much.

In the last 50 years alone, our global population has doubled, and death from famine is at record lows. This is great. Right? Well, this progress has come at an ecological cost. Our current way of farming, transporting, and consuming food impacts our planet at a scale worthy of worsening the climate.

It drives deforestation and harms biodiversity with our excess use of fertilizers. At the same time, millions of people are still food insecure both in the US and globally, while food waste and obesity are at incredibly high rates. With all this in mind, I can't help but ask what a sustainable yet equitable food system can actually look like. Ideally, it's one that's both healthy for our people but also for our planet. To unpack this, I've invited Lana to chat about food and food systems.

And so without further ado, let's get cooking.

~~

Awoenam: [00:00:00] Hi Lana. It's so good to see you. Thank you so much for joining me on fostering our earth. i'm really excited to have you As we're chatting just a few minutes beforehand, I was saying that we follow each other on social media and for our listeners like I Well, Lana, we went to Hopkins together and actually I don't know if you remember this but we're supposed to do a podcast together with the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

they're supposed to do this podcast, and like, our friend Sindhu, I forget what it was called but we were supposed to do it, but then like, it just never materialized. Somehow, I feel like a lot happened in our undergrad days, which kind of feels like forever ago.

But, since then, like, I've seen you do incredible work. And I'm always, like, very impressed with all that you're doing. And I'm we're doing, we're both in like the climate sustainability space. I have fostering our earth, where I get to chat with folks about what a sustainable future looks like and , trying to teach folks that it's totally attainable, and helped folks imagine what this future looks [00:01:00] like.

And I was like, wait, I should have a chat with Lana and, have her talk about all things food and the work that she's doing. And so I just want to say super glad you're here. And I'll give you a chance to say hello to everyone and just tell me a bit about yourself. Who are you? What do you do?

Lana W.: Thank you for the invite and my name is Lana Weidgenant. I went to Hopkins before and now I am working kind of in the intersection of food systems, agriculture and climate action. Sometimes also with youth if that's an interest area and some of the work that I've been doing is looking at how we can make sure that food systems and agriculture are not an overlooked sector when it comes to the climate action that needs to happen for a sustainable resilient future specifically for young people and for future generations, and unfortunately, that has been the case a lot in the past is that kind of the agriculture food security conversations have have been very separate [00:02:00] from the conversations on climate and sustainability and staying within planetary boundaries.

And knowing that the science really shows that it will not be possible to mitigate or kind of avoid a climate catastrophe if we don't address food. Of course, there's other important areas we know, right? Like energy, transport. That are also contributing to the climate crisis, but I kind of see that they are being talked about especially energy is a very big focus and making sure that we talk about energy But we also talk about food so that we can really be successful in what needs to happen and i'm happy to go into some more of my roles, but Currently i'm focusing more in UN and international policy.

I have some background in national policy and looking at Policy efforts and advocacy in the United States as well, but currently I'm looking more at the UN So if you think of like the climate conference or COP 28 And some of the other processes like on food systems too.

Awoenam: That's really [00:03:00] cool. And it's so cool. You get to work at the global scale, I feel like, a lot of the issues that we face or maybe experience, you know, might just be so like local to us, and you might only hear about what's happening at a global scale, but it kind of feels so far away.

And so it's really cool that you get to talk about these issues and ask these questions and push for change, globally, 'cause I guess in, in the end, we're all one big system. I guess my first question really is like, what is a food system?

Like, we're we're talking about food you're talking about agriculture, you're talking about its intersection with, you know, energy and climate and there are a lot of different parts to this, you know, like, what is a food system? What's wrong with it? And like, why are you passionate about, about food?

Lana W.: Great questions. So, We kind of start using this framing now called a food system, which of course is not something, a term that everyone knows or grew up with but it's kind of how we try to talk about food beyond just production or beyond just farming. So trying to think about food in [00:04:00] terms of not only where it's grown, which is of course an important part of I'm talking about food, but also what happens after that.

So from what would be called like farm to plate to waste. So thinking also about the consumption side, how food is consumed and what causes like the consumption patterns. And then also if it's wasted afterwards. So kind of trying to think about all the different ways that food kind of has a sustainability and emissions impact and interacts with us.

Because of course it's not just about. Where it's grown and in terms of some of the problems, well, there's so many different angles that we could come from in terms of the climate side. We know that food is both food and agriculture is both going to be impacted strongly and is already being impacted strongly by climate change, but that it's also a significant contributor in terms of emissions and pollution and that it is causing the climate crisis too.

So it goes on both sides. And I think that's part [00:05:00] of. What made me think about food and focus on it more because you can see that it's really a place where you can see the problems that are happening very clearly if you start looking in terms of for instance, factory farms or industrial animal agriculture in the United States, you can really see how these problems intertwine in terms of the workers are being harmed.

The nearby communities are being harmed. There's a lot of pollutions directly. You know, emissions directly contributing to the climate crisis. There's animals being harmed all these different interactions, but then you also know that it's so clear if we can address food. Well, we can also progress on so many different areas at once.

And it's 1 that isn't already being worked on enough or addressed enough. So if we can go in. and make this progress. We can move forward in so many different ways and also buy ourselves more time to address things like the climate crisis that, you know, is so urgent and we really need as much time as we can get.

Awoenam: Yeah. Wow. That's, [00:06:00] that's a lot, like you're, you're hitting on a lot of, like, I'm imagining like, you know, food is like the center. I'm imagining like a spider web that comes out of it, , like with different spokes. And there's like the climate side of things. There's the food inequality and inequity side of things, there's the even the worker inequality, folks who are being forced to, produce all this food for us and, asking questions of, are they getting paid a living wage, and like, sort of that set of issues or even like factory food production, now I'm even thinking about the quality of our food, , and it's like, and then the animals themselves too, like, what about them, and so, yeah, you're right, like, food touches everything, and I like the way you, you put it, how do you say it, it's farm to, something to plate?

Lana W.: I think the the one that's usually used is farm to fork to

Awoenam: Farm to fork to waste, okay, gotcha, like, where it comes from, us eating it, and then, waste. Wow. Okay. With that,[00:07:00] let's talk maybe farm. What are some issues with the farming side of things, like what are some modern changes or advancements in like agriculture that we're making, cause I feel like a lot of us don't think about where exactly our food really comes from.

I think that you go to your, the typical experience, you go to your grocery store if you're able to, and like, you have, there's some produce there, maybe some meats there, some, fruits and vegetables, and there's tons, in the freezer aisles, there's tons of frozen meals, which I'm sure are like trucked in from wherever they're made, you know, just for you to like go microwave and, you know, and but that's sort of like the limited extent of like our experience with where our food comes from but there's so much that happens that leads up to the food getting to us and so like, like, can you tell me about more about like, you know, agriculture, where's our food coming from?

Are there advancements being made? And yeah.

Lana W.: so I actually think one of the most interesting kind of technological [00:08:00] innovations or Advancements, you might think of it is more on the consumption side, which is alternative proteins. You might know plant based meats, which have been more in grocery stores in the last few years. And now we're looking at even, you know, there's been some news about cultivated or.

Yeah, cultivated meat, fermentation, like different technologies and I think that could really be one of those that can change a lot of the food system as we know it. And you know, if you don't know kind of how that works, it's like being able to have these animal products without involving such a large scale animal agriculture and.

In terms of knowing on the work that we do in consumption, right, that diets need to change, especially in countries like the United States and Western Europe and Australia, the levels of meat consumption are not sustainable. And I think people who have been trying to work on dietary shifts have been seeing that some people just don't want to [00:09:00] change their habits.

So they're going to try and change how that food is. Even reaches you and kind of how to have meat without the animal and that could change a lot of the the food system in the next few years, you know, pending that regulatory approval and getting that accepted, but that's, I think, one of those examples.

I work more on the policy side. And we can kind of see how, you know, when we get stuck with policy and politics and not moving things forward, innovations like this could really come in and change a lot in the next few years. And that's something that we have to think about.

Awoenam: No, yeah, that, that makes a lot of sense. I have two questions, two things come to mind. First is like. What is the biggest stumbling block on the policy front, like, if we, we've made it so clear that, okay, like, for harming animals, like, it's a very extensive process, trying to, you know, you know, the, the food, the meat creation, or food, meat developing process, you don't develop meat, [00:10:00] you, you know, cultivate meat that, that's a positive word, anyway, that, that process is like, it's an intensive admissions producing process, you know, so like if all the signs are there for this, like, what, what are some of the biggest stumbling blocks?

Lana W.: Yeah, I mean, this is new, right? In terms of thinking about even doing this and and then looking to implement it. So I think, some of the biggest stumbling blocks are also aside from, you know, getting it approved, making sure that it's safe and that it's not going to, you know, if we pass it through too fast, it could have like future consequences that we don't quite know about.

So making sure, you know, that's done properly. And of course, some countries are more eager to get it through than others, like in Singapore and in the United States, whereas a lot of the rest of the world is still, you know, hesitating. And it kind of depends how well it goes in the countries that are moving that forward more.

But then there's also the consumer side, right? Like, will people actually eat this? Who will eat this? And will it be accepted [00:11:00] in stride? Because, you know, the people who would, it would really need to target and have it accepted by is people who are currently consuming meat, especially in large quantities, you know, not vegetarians or vegans, because that would just result in more emissions than eating plants and more plant based foods.

So I think that's a lot of the question is, even if we get it through all the regulatory approval, will people kind of not think that this is. Too weird to have and that's some another level of work that there are organizations trying to work on to kind of educate people before it hits the market of like, this could be coming and, you know, here's some more information so that hopefully, you know, you can understand it better and not be too freaked out when the option comes to you.

Awoenam: No, totally, yeah, yeah, yeah, that makes sense, you know, makes sure it's safe for sure, but then also like, are people gonna eat it, you know, like, it's, it's definitely different, and if it, I, I remember at, when we were at Hopkins, in like the dining halls, see they'd always have like, [00:12:00] Like, like fake meat sometimes and, it's, it was always just like a, a separate option, but sort of as you're saying, like, it can't just always be just, It's just an option for, you know, one, two to 5 percent of the population to have, because that's not enough, you know, that's not enough for us to like, really make the strides that, that we need and people might think it's, it's different.

It's weird, and yeah, I think, that I see, like, in, I'm seeing more often in more restaurants, like Impossible Beef being offered as like an option, you know, like, or fair meat substitutions and so hopefully, it's sort of taking it from just like, And it's like a niche option to sort of just being like the norm, and it's like maybe you're paying a premium for, you know, non alternative meats, but, sort of flipping the percentage or like the ratios between the two.

So then more on the consumer side of things, you know, I've read a lot of research that says that like food waste is a huge issue, you know, like here in the US, like I know that we're throwing away some like [00:13:00] 30, 40%. Of the food that we're producing, which is kind of insane to think about because all the time, what do you think about global food issues?

We always talk about food insecurity and like how there are X million people and children going hungry. Why do we live in a world? Like, why is this duality? Why does this exist? You know, like how big of an issue is food waste really? And why, why do we waste our food? And why can't, you know, why is this happening?

Lana W.: Yeah, I mean, it's really insane when you, when you frame it that way, you know, not only is food waste a big problem, you know, environmentally and sustainably too, but when you look at food security, like that, the amount of food wasted, if we just had it distributed differently. And not wasted, that could be the entire world, right?

And we're looking at so much levels of world hunger. And one of the sustainable development goals for the United Nations is this goal of reaching zero hunger by the year 2030. [00:14:00] And we're completely set to be off mark on that. And, you know, it's actually worsening the projections of if we're going to be close to that with recent years of pandemic.

Global conflicts that are happening each time it gets further and further away. And I mean, currently we're about 600 million away from reaching that, which is a terrible number, but it's also I think we've realized for a long time that we do have enough food in the world that we do have enough capacity and production to feed everyone.

But it's not the question ultimately goes to the distribution and it's not getting to the people who need it. And I think that's one of those. Those terrible contradictions in this space and I think that kind of is another powerful one outside of the climate and environment angle. Well, a bit outside of it, of course, it's all connected, but another way to show just the problems in the food [00:15:00] system and how that needs to be one of the global priorities, aside with, you know, keeping that within planetary boundaries and reducing the emissions intensity.

And the environmental implications, we also need to be able to feed more people and, you know, for growing population too. So I think that's always one of the considerations when we talk about food.

Awoenam: Yeah, and again, you know, I guess it's a facet of the fact that we're talking about systems, you're, you're bringing in how it's again tied to different things, how the impact of, global conflicts, has on food production and you're talking about the distribution systems to, and like making sure that people are able to receive the food that's being produced it, I guess, also in a globalized world, like our foods coming from all over the place, like, Like, where we're privileged enough to be able to, have, food that isn't grown here be, shipped out to us or trucked out here and yeah, so this, that's, that's really interesting.

On the local front, I remember when I was an undergrad, [00:16:00] I interned and I worked with an organization called the Black Church Food Security Network and it's org in Baltimore that turns, or that builds gardens on churches. Churches that have the space to build gardens and to be able to grow fruits and vegetables and produce for their congregation members and folks in their communities sort of creating then this sort of, so it's a soil to sanctuary markets, sort of like farmer's markets at these different churches.

And during it, I learned a lot about , thought a lot about food insecurity and how that happens locally, it's sure we're talking about folks. Globally, 600 million people, you know, for 2030 target who are suffering from food insecurity, but there's also tons of food insecurity happening here in the US, whether that's in the form of like straight up hunger or even bad food, like ultra processed food and the lack of access to fresh produce foods that like, Reduces our chances of getting high cholesterol or high blood pressure or heart disease and [00:17:00] like sort of like thinking about the intersection of like food and health and like how that happens in our communities nearby.

 Could you talk some more on like what does food look like locally?

Lana W.: Sure. I mean, I haven't focused too much on the local level, but I also used to do that back in, in Baltimore and Johns Hopkins. And I think we all start kind of on the local level when we start thinking about these issues. And of course, it's extremely important, even when we talk about any global issue, right?

There's that saying of think globally, act locally. And I think a lot of people tend to bring that forward. I think it's something that I tend to think about a lot in terms of this food systems approach, right? And thinking about consumption and the whole path of food outside of production.

And when we talk about people needing to change their consumption, change their diets, right? It can be a very privileged conversation, especially when we take more into account that people often don't have access. You know, there is [00:18:00] food apartheid food sovereignty issues in many places across the world and in the U s. too. And I think that's something that I always think about in terms of when we talk about consumption, you know, sometimes people imagine that. Or even like in the U. N. Sometimes we talk to like representatives and delegates, and they can only imagine that as Oh, but I don't want to tell people what to do, and I think it should be thought of rather as making those options available and changing the systems that cause us to kind of need to move in one way, because. From a policy perspective when we think about, you know, consumption of food, there's so many different ways that we can try to make people have access to healthier foods, have access to more fresh produce, have more availability and less cost. For our foods that, you know, are better for them, are better for the planet, that everyone should have access to as a human, right?

And so I think that's often not the way that that conversation or that work is imagined. And I think that's something that we need [00:19:00] to, to change because there's always, there tends to be so much hesitation around talking about anything other than like agriculture and farming because Consumption is, is personal, of course, and there's so many different reasons traditions, cultures behind how we act the way we do but it's not like the only way to work on consumption is telling someone, like, you need to change.

It's your responsibility. And rather trying to make that better and trying to make the system around it better as well.

Awoenam: Yeah, food first is personal, and you're right, it's a huge part of our culture and our traditions. I'm originally from Ghana and like, whenever I think about home and my culture, I'd like, you know, the first thing that comes to mind is, the food that my, my people eat, and it's like really, it, it, food isn't just.

It's something for sustenance, and it's, it's totally personal. And then there's also the side of personal responsibility, but it's while it's, while food is personal, we're still victims of, the [00:20:00] system and what it allows us to be able to have access to.

And so I really like that comparison of those two, like the individual and, your local community versus, the systems that influence your food. Systemically, like how do you think we could connect more with our food systems?

and just or really just connect more with the food that We, we eat and we interact with, you know, whether grocery stores, farmers markets, or restaurants that we go to. Do you have any, recommendations of, how we can, like, maybe alter our, diet or grocery shopping habits to be more sustainable?

And what's the relationship there between sustainability and more connectivity with the foods that we, we eat and interact with?

Lana W.: Of course, I think in the U. S. we can really go a long way to be more connected because I think in, in many other regions and countries, people are There tend to be a lot more connected to where their food comes from than here in the States. You know, if you look at [00:21:00] examples in Ghana, for instance, or my background is in Brazil, like people are not as disconnected to their food as they are here in that people, especially in more rural areas, you know, outside of big cities, they tend to have more connections to their local farmer.

To who grows their food, they can see where it's coming from, where it's here, like, you go to the grocery store, you pick it out, I mean, for almost everyone here, you really have no idea what went into getting the food that you buy what brought it there, how it was produced so I think there's lots of easy ways that, you know, you can start being more connected one of them is Trying to, you know, for instance, go to farmers markets, talk to the different farmers and producers there about their food, about their farms and see some more of like the local food production that's happening in your area and buy more local products.

You know, it's when we talk about emissions and the global greenhouse gases, it's not really the one that makes the biggest impact. But I think it's always [00:22:00] worthwhile to try to connect more and try to learn more, not be so impersonal to what's on your plate. Cause I think that's kind of the first step is to even like, think about it and try to be more part of that process and have that local connection.

And then part of that is also thinking about, you know, how you can make more sustainable ethical choices, more values, aligned choices, depending on what your values are. So that is really just like taking some more time to think about how you contribute to that, you know, three times or more a day. And I think oftentimes people are disconnected, not only in terms of not knowing where it comes from, but also just not thinking about what you contribute to every time that you buy a meal or you buy the ingredients and what that might be doing. So spending some more time to think about that and trying to go in a better direction, I think, is something that we can easily do. You can tailor it to what works for you and you know, try to support a more sustainable world. That's a [00:23:00] really powerful way to do it. When you think about individual choices.

I mean, I work in policy, so I think, like, policy changes one of the extremely needed areas, but you can also make an impact, you know, it's not mutually exclusive. You can work on systemic change and also support it with that individual change and aligning your values and the food that you eat is pretty much the most powerful individual choice that you can make so if you're going to change one and you're thinking about like taking a shorter shower or turning your lights off food can really make a bigger difference.

You don't have to do all of them But this is really one that can make Can be important. And so I would, I would advise you to start thinking about that and it's not, you know, 100 or nothing. It's not like if you can't do it perfect, just give up. No, just start small and think about what you can do and try to connect more.

Awoenam: No, totally. That's huge. You know, like what, just thinking, asking one or two more questions about where your food comes from and what better choices can you [00:24:00] make, you know? And also like you're saying, you know, it doesn't have to be a hundred, you know, but any steps we can take towards thinking more about the food, our food, where it comes from the, the ethics of it, the sustainability of it like that, that's all super, super important.

Yeah. So you, you mentioned you're from Brazil I guess, compared to home, what's the biggest difference between like food here in the U S and food back home?

I know you mentioned it's people are more connected, but like, how does that show up? Is it, do you see these, or is it like the same experience of like going to a big grocery store and picking your food or like, what's the biggest difference?

Lana W.: I guess I can't speak for the entire country or even city, but yeah, my experience is. That you know, it's it's a different expectation, like, people will eat pretty much the same thing, like, every day and you'll only have, like, some of these, these foods, like, a barbecue, for instance, like, one day, like, on the Sunday[00:25:00] each week, versus having that, like, three times a day.

Rather, you'll have, like, rice and beans, like, most of the time so I feel like it's a very different from kind of, like, the luxury and privileges is. That people kind of take for granted in places like the US and that they think is, or a lot of people think is normal, right? Like, oh, everyone is having as much consuming as much as people are here.

And I think that level of consumption, if everyone else in the world did it, we would be in an even worse situation in terms of food insecurity and climate crisis and

Awoenam: No, yeah, totally. And thank you for sharing that, again, like we said, food is definitely personal. And, when you mentioned just now that, you have this barbecue, whether it's once a week or so, a less frequent. Yeah. cadence, as I'm thinking, you know, in my own culture too, growing up for, you know, the first eight, nine years of my life in Ghana and like, I remember it's on the big holidays that we'd have the, that that's what, like, we'd get, like, the meal becomes more special, you know, throughout the week.

It's like the more basic, whether [00:26:00] it's, lots of rice and beans, shout out to our rice and beans and, our basic wheats, we love it. But then like, it's. It's way less frequent, than when you come here, like compared to here in the U.

S. where like, you could very easily have, you know, sausages for breakfast, you're having this chicken meal for lunch, and then this big barbecue for dinner, you know, and it's just like, wow, we are really consuming a lot. Our per capita, per meal emissions total is, is, is very different if the whole world lived like, the most extreme, like we'd be in a lot of trouble.

And so thank you for sharing it again. It just reminds us that, you know, food is personal and yeah, to end, I just want to ask, you know, like, tell me what is, you know, whether it's your favorite meal, your favorite type of cuisine,

Lana W.: okay, so I suppose I can kind of answer both. I'm not sure if this is a cuisine, but personally, I have chosen to have a more plant based diet, you know, looking at all of these different considerations that we've been talking about living in a global north country, having the privileges [00:27:00] to do so, and specifically having been living in New York City more recently, which has so many options, and it's so easy to do so.

So that's what I've been doing. And I had for having me. the pleasure of going to this amazing place which is kind of like this one of like the best restaurants called 11 Madison Park and they decided to go 100 percent plant based. So now they're trying to maintain like this. Like amazing fine dining quality and it's all from plants and I think that has to be like my favorite meal recently because it was really amazing to see what can even be possible, how you can still have innovation and creativity and delicious food and, you know, taking more of that responsibility personally to eat more sustainably, given my context,

Awoenam: Thank you so much for sharing this with me. Thank you for your time and discussing some of these, big picture, but yet personal conversation of food and climate and it's really good to hear [00:28:00] from you.

Lana W.: great to hear from you too. Thanks for the

Awoenam: Of course. Thank you.

~~

The books recommended in the episode are: 

• Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie

• Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity by Sandrine Dixson Decleve

• The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr

~~

Music and Sounds Effects by Alisiabeats and Tvari on Pixabay

~~

Subscribe to Fostering Our Earth, join the book club, and follow the Instagram!

I’m excited to kick off the new year with a new episode featuring Veronica O. Davis, author of Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities. You can listen to it here:

#6 Making Transportation Planning More Inclusive with Veronica O. Davis 🚇

Listen to this episode from Fostering Our Earth 🌍 on Spotify. In Inclusive Transportation, Veronica shares her experience in creating this active and reflective guide for readers to rethink how we design mobility systems in the name of equity and justice. In this episode, Awoe asks Veronica questions about meaningful engagement, power, and influence in decision-making and what systemic change can look like.

open.spotify.com/episode/69CN3rlIrrSlDCPdcYejCD?si=1f6a6e7564f64e92

Also, congratulations to Kristen C. for winning a free copy of Inclusive Transportation! Thank you to everyone who participated and if you’re here having just joined, welcome! You can purchase your own copy here.

Below is the transcript for the episode itself:

TRANSCRIPT: Inclusive Transportation with VOD

Veronica: People don't go to vacation as they are not got a new car and there's no windows. Now, they might go to a conference, which is different, but in terms of planning a vacation. Think about where people go to vacation. So people go to Orlando, they want to go see Mickey. But what happens when they get there? They park the car and they get on the shuttle. Shuttle takes on where they need to go. They walk around the park, get on another show. So they staycation in the place, but they can't see it where they live. And so I think it's important to frame that for people as you take the time to go to places that that have what you could have at home. And this is how you get there.

Awoe: Welcome future ancestors to fostering our earth. A space for imagining and detailing what our sustainable future can really look like. I'm your host. I'll wave my will. Now, one year in coming our way and I interview practitioners who are working to transition us into this future in their respective fields, whether that be energy, mobility, food, housing, and so much more. That clip you just heard about Vacationing in Walkable Communities was from my interview with Veronica Davis, author of Inclusive Transportation A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities. Veronica is a self-described transportation nerd who uses her knowledge to spark progressive social change in her communities. Her current role sees her as director of transportation and drainage operations in Houston, Texas. But she's done so much more in the world of planning and engineering. She's worked on projects to build and improve bike lanes, install green infrastructure to hold stormwater and improve sidewalks to accommodate children and folks with disabilities. Like I said, she's most recently added author to a long list of accolades by writing inclusive transportation. In it, she brings all her experience to create this active and reflective guide for readers to rethink how we design mobility systems in the name of equity and justice. Veronica explains why centering people in transportation decisions requires a great shift in how transportation planners and engineers are trained, how they communicate, the kinds of data they collect, and how they work as professional teams. As I read inclusive transportation, I literally could not stop taking notes and highlighting its key lessons. So I figured I share them with you all. I'm super pleased to be joined by Veronica for this special episode of Fostering Our Earth.

Also, to celebrate the end of one year of facing Earth. I'll be giving away a free copy of inclusive transportation. The winner will be announced on Instagram in a couple of days. So check it out and stay in the loop for future giveaways. As always, I jump in and out to narrate parts of this interview. So heads up.

I also want to draw attention to the various human rights struggles happening across the world, whether they be in Palestine, in Yemen, in Sudan or the Congo. and inclusive future is one where everyone's right to shelter. Food, water and housing is upheld to the highest standard without any form of oppression. Wherever you are, keep fostering our earth today with your voice for a better future tomorrow. Okay. Without further ado, let's get it. Here is my interview with Veronica Davis.

Part I: Introduction, Engagement, and Power

[00:00:00]

Veronica: all right. Well, thank you for having me. My name is Veronica, middle initial O, last name Davis. Um, I'm a stickler for the O cause there's other Veronica Davises out there, but if you use the O, you can find me. Um, currently I am the director of transportation and drainage operations for the city of Houston.

Um, but my views today on the podcasts are my own and are not a reflection on the city of Houston.

Awoe: Awesome. Veronica, it's really great to have you. And I'm glad you clarified with the, oh, cause like, I was like writing your name in like my notes and everything. I kept writing Veronica Davis and I'm like. You know what, like, like who's, who's, who's ever picky about their middle name? But I'm like, but it's not, not, not a bad way.

I say that not in a, in a bad way at all. Um, but yes, first, uh, I just want to say like, I really enjoyed inclusive transportation. I have it with me. Uh, this is my copy and I read it over the last month. You know, just when I'm on the train in LA, and I literally could not help but write in it. Like, if you look through my copy, it's just like, scribbles all [00:01:00] over the place of like, I'll like, highlight a passage and put exclamation points or like, or underline, or I'll be like, keep for later, and I'm just like, felt like a Like a college student, like try to get ready for a class.

And so first, thank you for writing it. And I guess the first question that I have is just like, what does mobility mean to you? And what does a sustainable mobility system look like?

Veronica: Um, so honestly, mobility, what mobility means to me is people have choices. Um, I know that, uh, even though I jokingly have a chapter of should there be a war on cars and I don't ever really answer the question, but you know, to me, it's really about people having options. I think that anytime you leave your home, you should have.

Whether you want to take transit today, or you want to take, you want to walk, or you want a bike, that is truly mobility of, you have the ability to get to where you need to go, work, play, school, fun, you know, to be able to get [00:02:00] there and have as many options available to you, um, and that's really what it looks like for me.

And from a sustainability perspective, that's also what it looks like. I think many people live in communities where if you don't have a car, you can't meet your basic needs. With the introduction of, you know, the different, kind of, you know, the food, when you have food delivered to your house, make things a little bit easier, but overall, there's many people who live in very car dependent communities, and they're unable to meet their basic needs if they're unable to drive.

And so that's not sustainable. Sustainability is, even as your life needs change, within your community, you shouldn't be impacted. So, as an example, today I'm able bodied. If I break my foot tomorrow and I'm unable to drive, it shouldn't change my ability to get around. Um, and that to me is sustainability.

Awoe: I love it. And I think that when we think about. Sustainability and [00:03:00] mobility, we really start to think about our own privileges and, you know, even the privilege of being able to walk and be able bodied, you know, and that's something we very much all take for granted. One thing I really took away from your book, was the idea or it was the core idea of like engagement, you know, and like thinking about what does engagement really mean?

What does it actually mean? Look like in practice. I actually, I don't know if you remember this, but we met once before. Um, I was previously interning at RKNK in Baltimore, not Baltimore, in DC. And it was a public meeting, uh, for Connecticut Avenue and you were with Inspire Green and I was there, we had a public meeting and it was. We're making changes to Connecticut Avenue in DC and a group of folks showed up, uh, asking why we didn't have bike lanes on the project.

Uh, and they, the crowd got kind of rowdy, and like, they were really feeling it. And I remember sort of, maybe I had [00:04:00] to buy badge that said I was part of the design team, as an intern, and I was just feeling like kind of tense. And I was like, what do we do? Because we've, we've made, we've designed things already.

We've done the study already. And now we're sort of like engaging with the, with the community. And it's like, what do we do now? And I remember the next day going into the office and. You know, discussing that with my, with my manager and thinking like, what does this mean? Like if what's engagement, if we are already designing things, but then like asking the community for their feedback, like what about folks who weren't even at the meeting?

Like if these people who are here had these, you know, experiences and things they wanted to say, like, what about folks who couldn't even make it, you know, for whatever millions of possible reasons. And so I guess my question then to you is like, what does engagement actually mean and what does it actually look like?

Veronica: Um, you know, engagement really is working with, um, the community, uh, to get to an end result. I think the challenging part is the community may not be [00:05:00] all on the same page. And I do share in the book, sometimes there's not going to be consensus. And that's okay. But it is still making sure that you did hear everybody and you were responding to what they feel like are their concerns.

And so, in some cases, someone say, this is going to create traffic and you can respond and say, we don't based on what we see and based on our analysis. Here's the result and it in traffic should not be bad or traffic may be bad for 30 minutes. Um, I think to me, that's engagement. It's not necessarily and it's hard.

About giving the community everything it wants, because the community may be divided in what it wants. And I am very, in, in, in chapter four, which actually was my favorite chapter to write, you know, I talk about the different stakeholders. And sometimes you do get the naysayers and the champions and those are the ones that are always going to show up at a meeting and they're passionate about it and it can feel like this divide and [00:06:00] in the middle of these silently suffering who are always left out and always forgotten and never included and never considered.

Um, and so that's the perspective I try to take. It's all right, but there are people who are biking because it's, you know, it's very clear. Oh, no one bikes. No one walks. Yeah, they do. You just don't do it or you don't see them because they're moving at a time that you can't see. And so I do share, um, that sometimes on projects it is problematic where you do know what you want to do and you're just trying to get everybody there.

And sometimes you got to be honest. Hey, we already know what we want to do. And so, you know, let's talk about it and let's talk about what is on the table. I think that's perfectly fine as long as you're honest. I think where, um. Governments get themselves in trouble is to pretend like, oh, you know, we're, you know, exploring, we're looking, you know, we, you know, everything's on the table.

If everything's not on the table, be honest and be honest about why everything isn't on the table. And sometimes that is [00:07:00] going to be guardrails of, uh, like, let's say right now, sidewalk projects, any city I've ever worked in, sidewalk projects are the single hardest project to do. People are emotional about sidewalks and you know, there are times when people are like, I don't want a sidewalk, and the law may say there needs to be a sidewalk on one side or both sides of the street. And so, therefore, you're approaching engagement from a different perspective of we're putting a sidewalk. Here is the language in the law that says we need to install the sidewalk.

It's not, now what's up for debate is how much we move here, there, and here's, here's where we can have conversations. Um, and I think it's important. I talk about that in the book. It's very important to understand. What you can and can't do and make sure that the community is clear on what you can and can't do and why you can or can't do it.

Awoe: No, yeah, absolutely. I've had, you know, both from your book, but also from my own experience, like folks thinking [00:08:00] sidewalks sort of represents a sign of even, you know, whether it's gentrification or a lot or even bike lanes as a sign of gentrification and there's sort of. Fear and misconception about it.

And, you know, in your book, you also talk about, you know, historical, distrust that have, you know, sort of built up with, you know, the public or the community members and, uh, planners, engineers in the communities who've, you know, come and gone and promises failed or promises broken or not kept fully, you know, and it's really all about really all about communication.

And so to that, like to planners who might be. What advice do you have, on revising their community engagement processes so that it's not so, you know, just check the boxy as you say, or what words do you have for them?

Veronica: So when I think before you even get to that, I think what you said is important is communication. Unfortunately, for both planners, engineers. We don't really learn how to communicate. We write a report, [00:09:00] and I can always tell new planners, uh, it's a very, it's very planner speak in every report that they, they write in.

I will say, I think the, the first step for planners and engineers is really focus on communication. And that's two pieces. That's written communication, learning how to write plain language. I know that there's a plainlanguage. gov website that the federal government put together, but beyond that, even taking writing classes I Where you can learn to take this technical gobbledygook and make it accessible to people.

The better you are at writing, the better you are at communicating. Similarly to that, learning how to speak publicly. And different types of public speaking. So whether it is learning how to convey a message.

Which also starts at writing, because if you understand the message that you are attempting to get across, you can then speak that message. But the other part is, you know, learning how to do Q& A. [00:10:00] I think what a lot of people fall apart, and I've gotten better at because I'm not going to say I'm perfect, is not being able to listen to the question that someone is asking.

Of truly not being listening to respond, but truly listening to the question. Asking clarify, like, so wait, let me make sure I'm clear. What you're asking is ABCD and that person can say, yes, that's what I'm asking. Or no, what I really mean is this. I think that is the most important skill. So we can talk about, y'all can read chapter five to learn about, you know, how to get engagement in the technical process together.

Y'all can do that, but really at an individual level, taking the time to to perfect your communication skills. And that is, um, an ongoing process. And it's important to do this, you know, Toastmasters is a great example of, you know, learning how to communicate improv, um, take improv classes. That's a great example of how to think on the fly and be creative on the fly and [00:11:00] respond, right?

Improv isn't just about making up your own thing. It's about listening to what your partners are saying and then being able to respond with the new idea. So it doesn't have to be something like a rigid class. But to me, that is the most important is communication.

Awoe: You're totally right. And, you know, in my short career so far, I'm already seeing how it's a skill that takes time, to really developed, you know, like I've written in school and, you know, I could, I could write, I could submit a paper, but this is real life. Communicating and that it takes time so, yeah, thanks for sharing.

In your book, you also talk about power, and how there are different types of people who hold power. Their power comes from different places. Um, and this next question is really aimed towards not quite the planners or the engineers who might be listening, but for the everyday person, could you briefly explain? Like, who are the different types of people who hold power?

And, [00:12:00] why it's important that community members not just pay attention to, like, the big national elections that happen every four years, because that's sort of like the big one. And maybe, you know, we get some hype for the every two years, but you know, there are different people who have the ability to make decisions.

And so, yeah, just, if you just talk briefly to that,

Veronica: Absolutely. Um, so I talk about power, uh, and there are people, people who have power and it can look like a lot of different things so there are people like me. I have power by nature of my job and, what has been stowed upon me to make decisions on behalf of my team. But then you have project managers that have a certain level of power and autonomy, and they may have to do some check ins, um, but they have, they have power.

But then you also think about, you know, when it comes to elected officials, all, all politics are local. That's like kind of the truest statement. I think we can get so caught up, presidential elections, but really it's whoever is your mayor, your council [00:13:00] member, alderman, commissioner, whatever the title is.

You know, that is the person that most has an impact on your day to day life. And it's important to understand, um, what is the role of that person or group or entity. Um, making sure you are engaged with that person or group or entity and looking at ways that even as a citizen, that you can be engaged in the process.

And so sometimes it could be going to a public meeting, but there's always advisor, every day. City USA has a bicycle advisory group, this advisory group, a planning advisory group, what have you. But that's an opportunity as a citizen to join in and make sure your voice is heard, you know, as these groups advise the groups that maybe make the decision, but all of that becomes very important because your elected officials are accountable to you, whether you voted for them or not.

And if they don't feel like they are accountable to you, then you need to go get some new [00:14:00] ones. Um, and so making sure that you are taking that time to engage in the process at all levels, because there are things that are affecting you that, frankly, the decision maker is right in your own community.

Awoe: Absolutely and in a way there are decisions that are happening all the time. And you talk about, you know, the silently suffering in the book, but also in a way, it's like there are people who have no choice but to, you know, like, I'm too busy, I have other things going on in my life, I can't afford to care for some of these things, not because they don't want to care, but just because they have other priorities, but at the same time, you know, there are things that are happening that are, whether it's highways that are being expanded that cause you to be driving longer or put you more at risk of, getting into a car accident or spend more time in traffic and that is impacting your life or otherwise.

Worsening trend like transit services get cut [00:15:00] and that means your bus comes less frequently. And now it takes you longer to get to work as a result. And so it's like, it really is all connected. And it's important that folks are thinking about. Things that happen that might be happening here, but like come back down to our, our, our daily life. Um,

Veronica: and I think that's where we can get very distracted. We're distracted by the noise of what is happening at the national level. But good, bad, or otherwise, you know. Governments can do more regardless of what that entity is, whether it's a transit agency, a department of transportation or whatever, don't get me wrong.

I'm not, I'm not holding anyone off the hook, but also as a citizen, you might be too busy to go to a meeting, but there's always a survey. There's always a survey somewhere, even for bus riders, you know, there's always a QR code. There's a, you know, usually sign. Now, you might not pay attention to it because you're in your world, but there is a sign that says, Hey, [00:16:00] Give us your feedback.

Give feedback. I mean, those are little things that you can do. You're all on the bus anyway. Everybody has a smartphone. You know, take a picture. Alright, let me do my little survey on your 20 minute bus ride. Um, so I do think it's important for citizens to take control where they can. And part of that is, um, not get distracted by what's happening there and truly taking the time to just pay attention to what is happening local.

And you, it's okay if you don't make a meeting, but there's always a survey that you can complete. There's always a something you can do, or, um, you can always send a letter to your council member to the, whomever to say, Hey, I wasn't able to make the meeting, but I support this project. Um, and that's one thing I will say is that there are so many people who support a project that assume that it's going to happen and they don't need to provide feedback.

If you support a project, just send an email, it could be simple as I support this project. You know, or I support it [00:17:00] and here's the things I like about it, but what happens is the naysayers organize and they will know their email campaign and you might assume, well, I assume it's going to move forward. No one make any assumptions if you are, if you like something, send an email to say you like it.

If you're indifferent, say, Hey, I live in the community. I'm good either way, but just send an email. It doesn't have to be a long email, but always make sure to comment and provide that feedback.

Interlude

Awoe: So far we've discussed community engagement and power in the planning world. With engagement, Veronica says. It's really all about clear communication with power. She acknowledges that there are so many different forms of power and stresses the importance of staying engaged locally. This could look like joining some specific advisory group in your neighborhood or responding to a survey about a project in your community. You can read more about these topics and ideas in Chapters four and five of the book. For the next part of the interview, I ask a question related to codifying future design targets and the book's first chapter, Veronica describes how traffic models are based on volume and historical growth and trends. The big problem with this is that it leads to us over estimating future traffic volumes and when our main form of accommodating traffic volume growth has historically been expanding roadways and adding more lanes, this only creates more congestion. We can talk more about induced demands another time, but Veronica's point here is that it's important that we think about what we want our mobility futures to really look like and then work backward to achieve it. On page 33, she says, For example, if you want a future where 80% of trips are made by public transit, walking and biking, you need to develop a plan to get there. In contrast, if today you are only at 10% and you use the historical growth models, our outcomes and goals will look completely different. Now, let's hear what Veronica has to say about all of this.

Part II: Designing the Future, Unarresting Mobility, and Final Takeaways

Awoe: absolutely. Yeah, this is great. One of my favorite parts of your book, was the idea of like designing for the future that you want. I've created this space to help folks imagine what a sustainable future looks like, because we talk about sustainability all the time. Uh, but. People don't know what that can look like and how we actually get there, uh, when we translate that to, practicalities, you know, 1 thing you were saying was like, if in a city's general or comprehensive plan, you know, they say, you know, in 2050, we want to be [00:18:00] completely car free downtown, or set whatever that big target is and like, that sort of sets the constraint, you know, it's like, that's the vision.

That's the goal. It's the constraint for what we want to achieve. Therefore, everyone, all planners, every single decision has to fit into this plan. You know, we're sort of working within these constraints. A lot of the details you provide in the book, uh, are all about projects that require firms and individuals and like practitioners to like recognize and take it upon themselves to employing their practices for these projects, some of which might succeed, some of which might not, you know, might not pan out. My question to you is. What sort of, like, broader actions can we take to make it easier to employ the strategies that you've mentioned in your book, but also to, like to enable us to be bold enough to try and reach, 100 percent car free , in 20 years, you know, like, what are the, whether it's nationwide, statewide, like, what do we [00:19:00] need to get there?

Veronica: I'll say this. I think, um, engage young people. Young people have the ideas. I, um, I've done, um, several guest lectures, um, and led trainings for high school students. And it's interesting giving them parameters around equity and, you know, say, Hey, like, I want you to consider equity. Think about what you want to do.

Go, go solve the problem. What was most amazing to me is they. Came up with ideas that exceeded what I could even come up with, right? Like some of them were like, Oh no, we're going to do a sky transit, whether it works or not, but they were going to do a sky transit. And therefore we can take all of the streets and make them for people.

And like we can have sidewalk cafes and everything. These are teenagers. I mean, and teenagers from urban areas, suburban areas, um, mostly [00:20:00] black and brown kids. And so I think that if we want to get there, it's really about getting these young people engaged in the process because they are just brilliant.

Um, and they've grown up in a world, um, that's been different than the world that I grew up in. Even you, um, they've grown up in a world where they're, they're literally connected to the world. Right. They are literally with the, you know, they can learn anything. Um, I know that they were, they learn everything from TikTok.

Um, you know, they learn how to cut bangs and do everything using TikTok. And they can learn it from anyone in the world. So they're just so different. And I think that's what gets us there. The other piece of it is our imagination is limited by what's in front of us. If you think about where most people go on vacation, whether it's domestic or international, Where do they go?

They go in places that are walkable, right? You should have good transit of some sort because that's [00:21:00] what feels good, right? People don't go to vacation and say, oh, I'm not going to rent a car, I'm not going to do all this, oh, no one does that. Now they might go to a conference, which is different, but in terms of planning a vacation, think about where people go to vacation.

So people go to, you know, Orlando. They want to go see Mickey. But what happens when they get there? They park the car and they get on the shuttle. The shuttle takes them to where they need to go. They walk around the park, get on another shuttle. So they vacation in the place, but they can't see it where they live.

And so I think it's important to frame that for people of, you take the time to go to places that, that have what you could have at home. And this is how you get there.

Awoe: You're, you're totally right. You know, and it's like, sometimes folks go vacation in these places and they come back with some of these reflections and I'm like, we're so close. You're so close to seeing [00:22:00] that. That's what we're fighting for. That's what we're going for. You know, like we could have that too.

We need to, like, realize that and make sure that we could actualize it, you know? And so, you're, you're so right. And also on social media, you're right. I saw a statistic the other day, like, a lot of younger folks, TikTok is like their primary search engine too, which

Veronica: hmm.

Awoe: crazy to think about.

Veronica: they're not even using away like

Awoe: right.

They're like, what's a Google? Like it's just going straight to TikTok. but it also, at the same time, it shows a lot of potential for, you know, spreading information and spreading awareness and using it as a sort of educational tool. Hmm.

Veronica: trend wise, they're just not getting driver's license, you know, they aren't. I mean, if you look, I know the federal highway has been tracking, um, over time, uh, young people in driver's license and it's steady dropping. These young people aren't getting driver's license. And you know, someone asked me, I was like, well, some of it is just car insurance.

You know, a lot of these kids, you know, don't [00:23:00] have, there's no summer jobs like they used to. So having gas and all of that. And then for the ones that go to college, you think about any college town, USA, it's generally going to be self contained and walkable. You know, I went to grad school in Ithaca, New York was the middle of nowhere.

It's literally a city in an extremely rural area, but had absolutely phenomenal public transit. Um, so even though I had my car to get me in and out, I could go a week without ever moving my car because I could use the bus. I could walk to get to where I needed to go. And so. There's just no pressure for them.

So I know so many, I have a, one of my babysitter, I've got an army of babysitters. Cause I have, you know, I gotta make sure I have childcare. One of my babysitters, she doesn't drive at all. She refuses to drive. She's mid twenties,

Awoe: In Houston?

Veronica: to drive in Houston and refuses to drive and she gets around by Uber, Lyft or riding with other people, but she refuses to drive.

Awoe: Yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah. That's, that's absolutely impressive. I, I, I [00:24:00] live in LA and I'm car free and sort of like, recognizing that there's so many other systems that we like, you know, mobility and inclusive transportation. Like, it means it's multimodal. There's different ways to build this sort of system

Before we wrap up. 1 more question related to it. Then just talk about arrested mobility a bit, you know, we Charles Brown, you know, coined this term and it's primarily related to laws that police. Black and brown folks, marginalized folks in public spaces.

I had a table in the book that sort of outlined different ways that laws might police, folks mobility. The question I had to you was, How can planners and engineers, Uh, in what ways can the built environment help un arrest mobility? I know it's not quite policy, I know it's like laws that say, No jaywalking here, or You need to wear your helmets or, you know, [00:25:00] parking fines, you know, who folks can just pay the fine and park, keep parking wherever they want and not care about it.

But, how can a planner help sort of unarrest mobility, if that makes sense?

Veronica: Yeah, I think so. Part of it is you have to look at the data. And so what are you trying to do? I mean, engineering theoretically should always be kind of the first, you know, bite at the apple. If there is an area where it's unsafe, engineering should always be first and whether that is the design of the street, um, lighting on the street, adding in mid block crossings, they're jaywalking because they're trying to get to the bus stop and the bus stop is right there and no one wants to walk a half a mile out of the way.

You know, what is it that is, you know, I had, I had, um, I took a safety class and it was like, you either need to allow either disallow the behavior or allow the behavior. Those are really your only options and it's usually easier to find a way to allow the behavior, especially when it comes to, you know, bike and peds more than anybody.

It's [00:26:00] find a way to figure out how to allow the behavior. So engineering usually is the kind of the first bite of the apple. There's education, but education is hard. It's a little bit faster now because of social media, but education generally takes a generation. Um, if you think about seatbelts, you know, our parents generation seatbelt, nobody wore seatbelt.

Um, but now you're at, you know, 90 something percent compliance with seatbelt, but that took a generation to get to where we are and a lot of education, but there is a place for enforcement. I think the key is what are you enforcing? I think the problem is the way things are written is we're enforcing Generally the pedestrian.

So you, you went across and now I'm going to enforce upon you this ticket and I'm going to harass you because you walked in the middle of the street versus why is this person walking in the street? Or, we don't enforce the dangerous behavior and the dangerous behavior is really the person in the vehicle.

And is [00:27:00] it using their turn signal? Yeah, not really. I mean, the reality is someone fails to use their turn signal at worse. It's a side swipe. It's a bad day, but everyone walks away from it. Right? If you think about most turn signals, it's, oh, I didn't know you were turning sideswipe and we're annoyed, but we lived, we live another day.

But what is dangerous is speeding, you know, what is dangerous is running a red light. And so that to me is where the focus of enforcement needs to be. Cause I, at that point, I don't really care what color of your skin is. If you were driving 50 miles an hour in a 25, you were the problem. And I don't think, and I think the problem is we don't focus on that.

You know, we're trying to nitpick of, Oh, your front lights are out. Your back tail light is off. You're didn't use a turn signal. That little stuff. Don't get me wrong. It contributes, but it's usually going to be a crash. That is an annoyance more than anything. And the insurance companies will duke it out.

But it's really focusing on that truly. You know, dangerous behavior. [00:28:00] And I think that's the problem where we've misused enforcement, where we're using enforcement to stop behaviors, where we have it put in an environment that allows someone to make a different decision.

Awoe: you're totally right. And in some way, like, because of our dependence on cars or the way we make everything sort of car centric and give them the primary right of way for everything, you know, in a way, like, all of our mobility are arrested, you know, in some way, uh, not quite the definition, but like, Pedestrians and bikers and everyone else.

We have to sort of coerce ourselves to that. And you're right. Like, why is someone jaywalking? It's it's poor street design for that reason, you know, someone should be able to cross there. They should have to walk 2, 3 blocks before they get to do it across the street. And yeah, absolutely.

As we wrap up, just want to give you the space. You know, if you have a final call to arms [00:29:00] or anything for. Engineers planners, or just everyday community members who might be listening to this podcast.

Veronica: You know, I'll say, um, I do want to talk about the structure of my book. Um, I, I tried, I attempted to write a book that you had an opportunity to read it. And I just didn't sit with it, but also reflection. This is not a book you read and outline and you pat yourself on the back and you put it up. This is a book that you work.

And so I played with the title. Is it really a manifesto or is it a handbook? Um, but ultimately we went with manifesto, but part of it is, um, as you're reading, um, for those that haven't read it, you know, every chapter I end with a reflection moment. Because I want the reader to do work and whatever that looks like, and it's going to be different, um, depending on the type of reader you are, whether you're a planner or an engineer, but there is really something for everyone to take a time to reflect, um, throughout the book, there's going to be times when I want you to [00:30:00] reflect on what you think it is before I say what I think it is, um, and see, did you change?

Do you still think it's your way or did you modify or, or what have you? And so, you know, Um, I will say, if you pick up this book, you got to work. Um, it's the book that I wanted people to go back to multiple times. That book that sits on your desk. Um, and so, and then for everybody, regardless of whether you are just a citizen that happened to pick it up, um, a politician, a, uh, engineer planner.

Chapter six is probably the most critical. That's the call to action. Um, and it's a short term and a long term. Um, we got to be in this for the long haul, uh, and we can get there. We're, you know, we're on the cusp and I think that people can get impatient. Uh, because things aren't moving fast enough, but if you think about the civil rights movement, it didn't happen.

It wasn't like, okay, Rosa Parks sat down. She got tired. We had the bus boycott. And the next thing you know, we had a, we went over to Pettit [00:31:00] Bridge and then after that we had a law. Absolutely not. That was decades generational, you know, in the making to get to that point. And so we have to recognize that we're going to have to, we're going to be in this and we may take some lumps along the way, but it really is the long game.

Awoe: You're absolutely right. Veronica, thank you so much for joining me. I've really enjoyed not just reading your book, but speaking to you and learning from you. And yeah, I just want to say thank you so much.

Veronica: And thank you for having me and thank you for reconnecting.

Awoe: Absolutely.

In this episode, Awoe asks Veronica questions about meaningful engagement, power, and influence in decision-making and what systemic change can look like.

If you haven’t read Inclusive Transportation, you can purchase your own copy here: Inclusive Transportation (islandpress.org).

~~ Intro Music: Futuristic Beat x Nver Avetyan on Pixabay

~~

Subscribe to Fostering Our Earth and follow the Instagram!

To celebrate the end of the year with Fostering Our Earth 🌍, I’ll be giving away a free copy of Inclusive Transportation by Veronica O. Davis.

January 3, 2024 Update!

The giveaway has concluded! Thank you everyone for participating in it and welcome to all the new subscribers! You can listen to the podcast episode with Veronica O. Davis here (or wherever you listen to podcasts)!

#6 Making Transportation Planning More Inclusive with Veronica O. Davis 🚇 by Fostering Our Earth 🌍

Happy End of 2023! This episode features Veronica O. Davis, author of "Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities." Veronica is currently the Director of Transportation and Drainage Operations in Houston, TX. In Inclusive Transportation, Veronica shares her experience in creating this active and reflective guide for readers to rethink how we design mobility systems in the name of equity and justice.

podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fostering-our-earth/episodes/6-Making-Transportation-Planning-More-Inclusive-with-Veronica-O--Davis-e2ds3ko

🌟 Book Giveaway Details:

To enter this giveaway, follow these steps:

1. Subscribe! If you're not already subscribed, make sure to subscribe to Fostering Our Earth.

2. Share! Spread the word about Fostering Our Earth by either:

   • Tagging a friend on LinkedIn or Instagram when this post goes live.

   • Sharing the subscription link directly with someone (if you do this, send a screenshot to [email protected]

   • If the person you shared with subscribes, you’ll earn a second entry!

🗓️ Giveaway Period: From now until 12/29, leading up to the release of my podcast episode featuring Veronica O. Davis, where I'll reveal the lucky winner. I'll also follow up via the email you're subscribed with.

📚 Why should you be excited about Inclusive Transportation?

“Inclusive Transportation” was one of my favorite books from 2023, acting as a guide/manifesto for transformative urban planning. This book is a vision for change and a call to action for a new era of transportation planning that centers people and equity in mobility-related decisions.

While it has “transportation” in its name, it’s so much more! It is a toolkit for understanding equity and practically incorporating it into our work regardless of your specific field.

My copy of Inclusive Transportation!

Thank you for being part of the Fostering Our Earth community. Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a fantastic start to the new year!

Awoe