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.