Growing up there wasn’t much talk in school about sustainability or what it really meant. In my elementary school we had paper recycling bins and I knew it was important to use them because of what my teachers taught us. We also had lessons on reduce, reuse, recycle, where we could collect recyclable materials and sort them to reuse what we could for class projects. Anything that couldn’t be reused we would make sure it was sorted into the appropriate bins. Whenever we would leave the classroom for recess or lunch, the teachers would tell the last student in the class to turn off the lights to save energy. These were all things I remember doing but the term sustainability was never really used during this time.
One year for the science fair project, my dad and I bought some kits to build robots that used solar energy and a potato to power them. This was my first experience learning about solar energy because we had just talked about it in class. My dad and I spent the day building these robots and he taught me about solar energy and how it works. I really enjoyed having the hands-on experience learning from my dad and creating a whole project out of sustainable methods. This was my first exposure to sustainable energy and the fact that I still remember it today is a very important aspect in my life.
Throughout my time in university I have had the opportunity to take many courses involving sustainability, sustainable practices, alternative energy methods. This has been very important to me because it has helped shape my current interest and what field I have chosen for my degree. One of my majors being Geography & Environmental Studies means that taking sustainability classes is part of the requirement. However, I found an interest in sustainability prior to taking these required courses and that has helped me shift my study focus. A course I am currently taking this semester focused on teaching us about renewable energy and how to involve sustainability in our everyday lives.
With the presence of social media in our daily lives it makes it easier to not only learn valuable information about sustainable practices, but to also see the false information that has been spread. The media I chose to engage with aligns with my views so I can work towards being more engaged with sustainable practices. Social media can be a valuable resource to educate people on sustainability practices because most people now have cell phones.
In a couple of the sustainability courses I have taken, the professors have shown the class tools we can use for free to calculate our carbon footprint, where solar panels are best placed, and the efficiency of wind turbines in certain locations. These tools have helped me understand myself and the role I play in bettering the environment. The carbon footprint calculator is something I try and reflect back to often to see where I started and where I am now. Some of the goals I have set for myself are lowering my meat intake as well as shopping local as much as possible and thinking about where my products are coming from.
In May 2023 I had the opportunity of travelling to Japan for a field course in Geography. During this trip I realized how convenience and sustainability can be difficult to bring together effectively. Quite often we would shop at the convenience store for breakfast and snacks, which I realized was producing a lot of waste. The convenience stores in Japan are very different and they have sushi, sandwiches, snacks, and much more, which was a very convenient choice but I noticed everything was individually packaged. Coming back from this trip I made a conscious effort to acknowledge what I was consuming and the waste associated with it. This really shifted my view of the world and how different places prioritize different things in their daily life.
While deciding on a plan for the future might seem daunting, there are things I want to take out of my learning experiences and carry them into my life post university. Some sustainable practices I want to incorporate into the future are cooking meat free meals at least a couple times a week as well as properly recycling packaging from the items I purchase. I also want to keep shopping local and work on getting better at that by knowing where my products are coming from.
As for other ways to lower my carbon footprint I plan on purchasing a hybrid vehicle when it comes time for buying a new one. When I buy a house I want to use the solar panel efficiency calculator to see where solar panels would work best on my house. As for my shorter term goals I have been looking into jobs that work on sustainability projects and environmental conservation. The career path that I plan on going into will ensure sustainability is a priority for the company and something they value because I value it as well.