When seeing headline after headline of environmental issues such as water shortages and wildfires, it can start to take a toll on you mentally, especially in today’s media that portrays everything in a certain light. Here’s how you can give back to your environment through exploring opportunities at UCSB and on your own time.
While it can feel daunting when trying to contribute to these causes that seem larger than life, there are lots of resources available to help get anyone involved, such as gardening projects, environmental clubs, and farmers markets! We’re lucky to have over 25 environmental clubs associated with UCSB, each offering a unique focus on different perspectives of our environment.
A great example of a club filled with people passionate about contributing back to the environment is the Plant Futures chapter at UCSB. To Co-President Morgan Downes, a third-year environmental studies major, Plant Futures reaches beyond campus grounds by being connected with a larger non-profit organization, with the main goal being promoting sustainability within food systems. This was their motivation for bringing the club to campus.
In addition to the club aligning with Morgan’s major, she’s noticed practices learned during the course of her time at UCSB and in Plant Futures unconsciously being incorporated into her day to day life. “Everything connects and revolves around the earth… and every moment counts,” Morgan said.
Recently, Morgan has started a garden to grow some of her own produce. This can be a great way to immerse yourself in your own food, and understand how food is grown and brought to the table.
From going vegan to planting your own garden, there’s a wide range of choices you can make to give back to the environment. Morgan reiterated the importance of a plant based diet, with Plant Futures main goal revolving around food sustainability and maintaining it for years to come. The benefits from these changes not only include contributing to a larger cause, but can also impact your health, with studies from the MD Anderson Cancer Center showing multiple benefits of a plant-based diet.
While these huge changes to your diet may feel unattainable (especially for college students) it’s definitely not an all-or-nothing situation. Some smaller acts you can try out include switching to plant-based milk, swapping meats for tofu, and having one “meatless day” a week.
Even without a diet change, farmers’ markets are also a great way to connect with your local community and learn about the process from farm-to-table. In addition, they promote access to fresh and organic foods, improving communities as a whole. By supporting them, not only do you contribute to the farmers directly, the entire community benefits from money staying within the same region.
In my experience, I enjoy going with friends and making a day out of going!
Constraints of having enough time or money to participate in activities such as farmers markets or switching diets can be very limiting for college students. However, learning about these topics is already a step in the right direction. This knowledge gives you the ability to responsibly navigate our changing world with a common understanding and goal of preserving the planet for future generations.
Whether you’re looking to make a lifestyle change or just want to find something to do with your friends this Earth Day, there are so many great opportunities in and around the community—even after Earth Day is over.