Final thoughts.

OK so for the last blog I am going to write the same one for both classes. I am right in assuming this is the last week we have to blog??

I thought I would share my overall final ideas for each class.

Overall I think I am more aware of my own actions and own energy consumption. I broke out the bike this morning and rode to the post office. I’m not sure its something I will do often, but hey it’s a start. In my continuing house search I look for things, such as energy star appliances, the windows, type of heat, and age of the building. I have planted a small 3 pot herb garden. Planted. I wish I could say I they were thriving, but they are not. I kind of feel bad that I bought them as I may end up throwing it out. But I tried. As for local food, I now understand the importance of buying local food, but still like when I started the semester, I can’t afford to eat in that fashion. From Dawn’s class I have learned the qualities it takes to be a leader, but I am still having trouble putting it all together. I still don’t know how to take the leadership skills I have learned and put it into a practical situation. I still find myself being judgemental in certain situation, when I know people are doing something that is not a good ecological choice. It’s frustrating, but perhaps it will come with time. Both of these classes have frustrated me that we don’t really look at things on a global level, we have been focusing on our own communities. But maybe that will be addressed next semester. Overall I have enjoyed sharing thoughts with everyone, and reading everyone’s blogs.

looking to others for inspiration

I read the book, The Legacy of Luna, for my biography in this class. It is the story of Julia Butterfly Hill, a young woman who for over 700 days of her life sits in a redwood tree in CA. I was wondering if I had the passion to do something for so long. When people ask me what I love, I always answer, skiing. I love skiing. I think that is why I am so interested in climate change. Maybe for selfish reasons, maybe because I want to see for how long I will be able to ski in New England, out West, or Europe. Throughout the book it is evident that Julia did not climb into that tree knowing she would stay there that long, it was supposed to be a week, then a month, then it turned into over 2 years. I would like to think I have what it takes, the dedication that she did, but I’m not sure. Then I have to wonder if I am too attached to everyday life, to give it up. I love my bed, it is amazing, so comfy. I love waking up walking my dog, etc. I have given up everyday life in the past, when I was hiking the long trail, but now at 30 years old, I am hesitant to say that I could ever do it again. Which leads me to think, what kind of leader can/will I be? Do I really have what it takes?

mixed emotions.

The Youth and Environmental Action article left me a bit skeptical. I was wondering why more females were studied than males. I think the study is biased. The students all come from the same economic backgrounds. I think when you pick a homogeneous study group you are bound to get the same result. If you saw the copy that I had printed out, the margins are FULL of notes. Full of them. One of the big things that I keep thinking of when I read this article is when you are 16 or 17 I don’t think you really have that strong of a sense of who you are. I think you are highly influenced by your peers when you are in high school, and high school is a learning process, but how can you use these students in a study? “Several participants said their friends’ involvement was important because experiences are more meaningful when there is sharing and affirmation from others.” (p.31). Really? You had to do a study to come up with that? I don’t know why I am so skeptical on this article, I thought perhaps I was just in a bad mood or something when I read it for the first time, but after reading it a second time, I have the same if not stronger feelings about this article. I believe the children that were studied in this did not have a very broad meaning of the word, “environmental.” I am reminded of myself at that age, when I thought environmental I thought, save the redwoods, save the dolphins, close the hole in the ozone. But across the state, high school kids in Roxbury have a different meaning of the word environment. I think this study should have been more broad, and reached out to more diverse mix of children. Then…I was thinking maybe they choose more women in this study because I think for girls it is an easy science to study. I’m not saying it’s bad I did it myself, and am still doing it, but when I started college I was a bio major, then it got too hard, and switched to a BS of earth, environmental, and oceanic science. I don’t know that could be a totally false statement, but once I took a bio class over the 300 level, there were maybe 2 other girls in the class. I’m not sure if there is any correlation to the study and the number of women who go on to study a life science, but I feel the tables turn dramatically from a study of 12 girls and 2 boys to the number of males and females that will do complete a BS.

energy audit

http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=4248

you can get these from the BPL and I'm sure other libraries.

Unleashing potential.

I am thinking about the last time I was unable to truly unleash my potential. There are many different applications to which I could unleash my potential, but I think it was the 2 winters I worked for Roxy skis. If you are not familiar, ROXY is a women’s specific company, they started off with mostly surf and clothing, and then when Quicksliver, their parent company bought 2 ski companies, Rossignol, and Dynastar, Roxy began manufacturing skis with the Roxy label. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time where the rep for Roxy asked me to be a brand ambassador. I had never really associated myself with this company, usually their ads had skinny blondes in bikins on it. But someone saw my potential to be part of this company. I was given a head to toe outfit, new skis, boots, and bindings, each year. I got this because of my skiing abilities. They wanted me to make them look good by sporting their set up. I felt my supervisors there were true leaders. They listened to my concerns about not being able to ‘fit” into the image of Roxy. I believe they did what Wheeler and Edlebeck wrote about, “leadership is about learning, listening, dreaming, and working together to unleash the potential of people’s time, talent, and treasure for the common good.” I then was able to transfer some of these qualities with some of the girls who paid to go to Roxy camp and become a better skier. With out the qualities from the leaders who helped me, I would not have been able to be a positive person in these girls lives. Sadly, when I turned 30, I was told I was too old to be a Roxy girl, but did get to help in the selection of choosing a new girls to fill my shoes..errr. ski boots. It was a great experience overall and shows how leadership qualities can be passed down to one another.

leadership and authority

Before this semester if you asked me to tell you the difference between leadership and authority I’m not sure I could. I’m not sure its anything I have ever really thought about. I know that a first impression of a person usually tells you if they are a person of authority, a leader is harder to determine. You see a police officer, you understand he is a person of authority, but you don’t know what he does with his colleagues, or his community, is he a leader? We don’t know just by looking at him.

So, how can we determine a leader from an activist? To me when I think of an activist, I think of the people that try and stop you on the street and ask you if you “have time for the environment.” They do a great job of making you feel guilty if you don’t have time for the environment. But is this person a leader? Probably not, they probably found the job posted on a bulletin board at school or on craigslist. I imagine there is a very high turn over on this type of job.

I think leaders are unsung heroes. Leaders allow people to build confidence and create a sense of place. One of our reading says, “Identifying leaders requires looking for them.” I am slowly being able to quantify what personal characteristics make a person a leader and not a follower. A leader must be able to listen. “Listening means learning to attend to feelings-.” I was able to relate to that statement, as I am usually a quiet person, I keep most things to myself, but when I find someone that I consider a leader I am more willing to open up and discuss my thoughts. Which I have realized this would be great to work in an environment when I had a leader for a boss, and not just a boss. Someone who employees could look up to and feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with them..Oh in a perfect world….

From the Ground Up.

Reading, From the Ground Up, I was introduced to many good ideas. I have to say though, I did judge a book by its cover. I never really had any thoughts one way or the other on gardening before joining the UEL cohort. I was inspired by the passion for gardening Brynn and Alex brought to the group. And looking at the cover of this book I thought it may have a bit to do with gardening, and it had nothing. But after reading it I understand why the author or publisher choose the photo. A seed can have a hard time from the get go depending on where it is planted. It needs water and access to the sun for photosynthesis, with out these it will die. I saw correlation between this and people in dead end jobs where rules were pushed upon them from the “higher ups.” The flower on the cover also spoke to me because everyone has a general understanding of how it grows, no matter what language we speak. It can bring people of different cultures and languages together but still get the point across. The flower on the front reminded me of page 22 a paragraph called, “Individual Empowerment or Collective Action.” I have to agree that if an individual is incapable of change, an institution can not change. When individuals are willing to adapt and change for the greater good, it seems that a SCO would become unstoppable. I think the hardest part would be getting individuals to believe that they could become part of something larger, something that would cause a great change. So then I was wondering…is it really from the ground up? To me it would take a strong leader for individuals to trust and look up to encouraging change. So maybe its from the top down? Or maybe its not a direction at all, maybe people just need to believe in themselves.