Being an environmental science major is interesting and fascinating, but it can also be very difficult at times. Environmental issues are currently some of the most pressing issues of our time, but they are often constantly overlooked by government officials and politicians. Since these issues are so current, information is changing and evolving, making it easier to relate past to present. Utilizing this relationship to the different time periods gives good insight into how we need to proceed in order to secure our future on this planet.
I have always been passionate about the environment; I spent most of my childhood surrounded by the outdoors and many of my family members have chosen to pursue environmental careers. Growing up, I encouraged others to pursue greener technologies, like switching to solar panels for energy or water saving toilets. I participated in green energy clubs and oceanic organizations. Since I was surrounded with such an environmentally conscious mentality, I naturally decided I wanted to pursue something in this field of study as well. My ultimate goal is to go into policy and work for the government in order to get to the root of environmental issues. I still continue to participate in these organizations as I believe that getting environmental issues out in the community is very important.
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Personally, I have a very environmentally conscious mindset. I choose to think about the decisions that I make and how they will affect myself and the environment. Since it can be considered a controversial topic, I have met with some individuals who do not share the same views as I do. Any time you meet with someone who may have different views than you can be difficult, but I always choose to use those experiences as learning curves. Teaching others about my views and the evidence and science behind them is one of my favorite parts of studying environmental science.
I am constantly trying to make changes in my life trying to benefit the environment. My first larger lifestyle change was becoming a vegetarian almost 12 years ago. When I discovered how much of a footprint the meat industry has on our planet, I decided that I didn’t want to support it, so I became a vegetarian. I am slowly making the transition to veganism for a healthier, and even more sustainable diet. I still implement small easier changes in my life, whether that be refusing straws at a restaurant or switching from plastic utensils to reusable ones, I try to make my environmental impact as little as possible. Even these small changes can have an impact, and reduce our footprint as a whole.
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Even if you aren’t studying the environment, everyone has the ability to make environmental change. Earth day is the perfect day to get started on a new green effort, like creating an environmental club or even just personally coming up with some green goals that you would like to accomplish for the rest of the year. Starting small is easy, and with the more people that contribute to green efforts, the more we can start to make larger changes in our world, leading to a more sustainable future.