Today is the final day of the Drawdown Challenge so it will be my final daily post (for now) on Women & Educations. I'm wanting to close out my learning process by recapping a couple of key take-aways:

1. Educating girls and women is good for their local communities & the global economy.
2. Educating girls and women & family planning are the best ways to combat climate change although investment in these areas lags drastically behind other more technology based climate change initiatives.
3. Overall, the educational access trend is improving but there are still areas that have wide disparities.
4. Cultural expectations of women can have negative impacts on educational outcomes.
5. Improving sanitation and and providing access to menstruation materials lead to better educational outcomes.
6. Educating women leads to better health outcomes.

Most of all, I feel it's worth saying that women are not simply reproduction vehicles and educational benefits are not only about lowering fertility rates. Equal educational access for women means we are opening up the potential for more intellectual capital around the world. More problem solvers, more inventors, more entrepreneurs, more scientists.

Coffee and Chocolate contribute to deforestation in poor nations.  I've started to research what choices I can make that are sourced ethically.

Who knew - Portland has a whole pedestrian plan first issued in 1998. Being updated in 2018! See both links for interesting resources and take the Vision Zero Pledge! 
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/72504 
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/40390

Inspiring case studies about the impact of educational access to girls & women around the world.

An example from Tara in Nepal:

“I heard that staff, from a project called STEM, were in our village to collect information about out-of school girls to help them with their education. I put my name down and was selected to join the Step Programme. I participated in a financial literacy training of trainers’ course and learnt about household budget management and the importance of saving in life which had a very profound impact on me. I had never realised what saving could do, but after receiving the training I expanded my tailoring business and in the last three months alone I have saved around 40,000 Rs. After the financial literacy training, I delivered two trainings on financial literacy to more than 50 girls at clubs in two different schools; it really

increased my confidence. I never thought I could face people like that or speak in public, but the training prepared me well and I was able to deliver both successfully. I received some money for delivering the training and I used it for our household expenses. Everyone sees the changes in me, from a depressed person to a motivated individual who now ‘glows’ and believes in doing something in life. I have realised

that if you have the determination and the will, then nothing and no one can stop you.”

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415518/GEC-Case-Studies-March2015.pdf

In a study done by Orb Media, plastic fibers were found in 83% of drinking water samples and 93% of bottled water samples tested.
https://www.vox.com/2018/4/21/17247994/earth-day-2018-plastic-climate-change