Eating smaller portions is also better for your health. Overeating can cause a multitude of diseases and, in addition, can make you feel gross (it makes me feel gross even though I still do it with some frequency).

Since I was little, my family has gone to a family owned farm in Michigan close to our cottage to pick apples and berries and peaches. I know that their business has gotten tougher over the past few years, and it makes me really sad to think about them not being able to maintain their farm (for sentimental and human empathy reasons).

I learned about different types of tidal turbines that can be installed in different water environments. I also learned about the environmental downsides to these--they can disrupt fish populations and damming can lead to flooding and destruction of upstream habitats and downstream habitats (in case of dam breaking). The downsides surprised me because I assumed that there were no real downsides because this energy source is renewable.

Honestly, I didn't pay too much mind to these dates before and went based off of the appearance and smell of the food. Now that I know the difference between these,I'll know not to throw away food if it's sealed and a few days beyond its sell-by date.

My, or my sister's, college education.

I learned about the different types and success rates of different contraception methods, including ones that aren't taught at ETHS. Some of these are much more accessible to people in developing countries (like using body temperature to deduce fertile periods) than types of contraception (like an IUD) which require extensive medical services.

I like different forms of transportation for different reasons--the bus is convenient and allows me to be independent. I like biking because it is good for me and it's fun! It's also the most convenient for short distances and it's a good way to enjoy the weather. Carpooling is also fun because it allows me to spend time with my friends, but it isn't always convenient. Driving by myself is the least fun, but it is usually convenient and is the quickest way to get someplace father away. Walking is ideal for short distances and is also a good way to enjoy nice weather.

I learned that family planning is important for a myriad of issues. This includes reducing resource strain by decreasing population growth, slowing the spread of diseases like HIV, empowering women by not weighing them down with a baby, and many others.

At ETHS, girls still lag behind boys in STEM classes in both participation and learning benchmarks