Final Post

So overall, I really enjoyed this class. I really liked seeing the all the ways people incorporated sustainability into their lives. I was more interested in the journey of how they got to where they are today. Throughout this semester, I've learned that I'm more and more interested in communications side of environmentalism than the science. I'm still interested in the science, but I've come to realize, especially after the elections, how important communicating the imperative of climate change is. A lot of the technology and solutions are out there, but somehow, we are not extremely successful in communicating why we need to adapt NOW. 

Additionally, I took two lab courses this semester. I found that I really enjoy the science, and working in labs, but am not a big fan of writing lab reports and analyzing statistics. This made me start thinking of creating my own major, something combining ecology, environmentalism, storytelling, communication, multimedia, and human behavior. As you can probably tell, I'm still in the process of figuring it out. A big challenge is evaluating how to incorporate all my numerous interests into my college experience. 

Because of this class, I'm much more active on LinkedIn, was able to have an amazing contact in the career center, and possibly be an intern at PBS NOVA in the fall. I have grown much more confident in my networking skills, and realized that I'm great at finding resources and connecting people. I am just not sure how to showcase this skill, or find a job that does that. 

Tenth Post

Honestly, both speakers were very uninteresting and unengaging. Rishi's presentation included too many complicated figures which he did not do well explaining. Something I learned this semester was to simplify the figures and explain everything on it. Most importantly, make sure to not include too many words on the slides as we were all trying to read everything and figure what all the shapes and words meant. His presentation was more meant for students who are familiar with the topic than as an introduction. I feel that most of us were pretty lost during the whole presentation. Tom's presentation was also unengaging and a little bland. He did not sound enthusiastic or really passionate about his career, or at least was unable to communicate it. It was a bit sad learning how hard it is to survive in his business and the things he had to do for money. He even referred to himself as a "prostitute". Something new I learned was that efficient battery storage will be the next big thing, in his opinion, for renewable energy.

So I was able to job shadow at PBS NOVA and it was amazing! At first when I found out that my 7 hour job shadow was reduced to 3, I was really disappointed. But the producer who I shadowed set up interviews with coworkers from different departments. I was able to interview producers, writers, researchers, interns, filmmakers, animators, and the education outreach manager. Since I was not really expecting this, I had not planned time in my schedule to write a transcript for each of the interviews, as I did not have questions prepared ahead of time. So I am a little nervous about writing 5 transcripts by next Wednesday. 

Ninth Post

I was not one of the people who raised this concern in my comments, but I do appreciate having less instructor comments in the forum posts. Maybe instead of replying to the comments, the instructors can just share resources that he/she thinks is interesting and pertaining to the topic?

Due to the stress and heartbreak from the election the day before, I had to exit the room midway through Mihaela Papa's presentation to call my friend. I was having a meltdown before class and was about to have one during class, and had to leave for a break. That whole day I was trying to hold it together and help those that needed more support than me, but I was so tired from staying up until 5am the day before, and so very numb to the nightmare we're in the next four years. So I might have been a little biased, but I didn’t find Mihaela's presentation very interesting. It was probably just bad timing, talking about sustainability and environmentalism in policy when there didn't seem to be any hope in the U.S., at least at the policy level. Although my head was swimming with thoughts and I couldn't pay too much attention, I do believe that she mentioned something about how an international agreement like the Paris Agreement was built to withstand climate deniers' idiocy and greed, which gave me hope. I'm not sure if this was from the presentation or from the plethora of articles I read that day.

Jamie Matteson was very charming and charismatic. I don’t know if it was because I had a great conversation with my friend on the phone right before her presentation, or because of the topic, or the speaker, but I was more engaged with the presentation. Maybe because she was involved with documentaries? Whatever it was, I was more attentive towards her presentation. It was very interesting to hear how she got through the years doing what she does when her government in Australia had a climate denier as the Prime Minister. It was tough, but she got through. Maybe America can too…

My informational interview was really great. I haven't edited the transcript into complete sentences yet, or wrote the essay about it, but I received a job shadowing opportunity through the interview and I'm really excited.  

Eighth Post

This week was Zero Waste Week and our whole class participated in it. My goal was not to produce zero waste, but to live the week normally and see how much trash I produced in a week. The first day was rough because I just finished a lot of food, and there was a lot of packaging. But the rest of the week I barely produced any waste that I didn't compost or recycle. Some of the waste were biohazards so those didn't go into the bag that I had to carry around with me on my backpack everywhere. I was a little self conscious at first but have grown used to it. A lot of people don't even notice it anymore. Only two people, both friends, have asked me what the bag is for. I actually lost the bag once, but one of the eco reps found it and I got it back. This week, I decided to research more about compost, recycling, and terracycle on campus. I was least familiar with terracycle, and dug through my trash to remove the wrappers I could terracycle. It probably reduced my waste by 20-30%. I'm surprised but how little waste I actually produce, and am proud of myself. A lot of the waste I do produce, though, were biohazards so I couldn't "see" how much I actually put in trash. 

Seventh Post

During last week's class on Urban Planning and Transportation, I learned how important the location of things could determine the structure of a city, and affect transportation, which affects climate change through gas emissions. For example, if grocery stores, schools, and other places we visit frequently were close by, we would not have to drive as much. But once a city is built, it is very hard to redesign the whole city. So it might be better to just try to mitigate the impact, rather than plan a decade long plan to redesign the city. But I believe the best approach would be to tackle both at the same time. And to really think and consider the consequences of urban planning for future projects and expansions of the city. One approach to reducing gas emissions is to create more subsidies for green energy and hybrid or electric cars. If the electricity for the electric cars came from a cleaner source, it will reduce the time for the car to offset the strain it took on the environment during production.

I found the history of cars in the US the most interesting. I never knew that between 1915 and 1930, people were against having cars in the city because the children mortality rate increased. But corporations being the way they are, turned the focus onto the idea of jaywalking, and blaming all the deaths on that. So that's why today, our streets are more car oriented than people walking.

Recently, I've been really stressed about not having any hours done from volunteering. But after having an informational interview with Ari, he offered to let me job shadow at NOVA! And I also found out that I could combine job shadowing, and volunteering. I plan to volunteer with a friend at ReVision Urban Farms next Tuesday for three hours, and hopefully one of the eight organizations I've contacted will reply back. But, I should only need three more hours, or possibly 1-2 more interviews to complete this assignment.

Sixth Post

I learned from Tim Griffin the intricacies of community based approaches to sustainable agriculture as opposed to government or policy driven approaches. In his opinion, community-based incentives are much more effective than policy driven ones because the citizens impacted by the change would be more receptive to locally driven initiatives than from "someone working for the big government." By working with the community, you listen, communicate, and connect with the residents. This way, they feel that their opinions and concerns are heard and incorporated into any changes. While someone coming from the government most likely comes from somewhere else and may not understand the community dynamics in the short time they are there. The former feels much more permanent while the latter feels temporary. I agree and slightly disagree with everything Tim says. I think that government policies can create certain incentives that might direct the economy and market on a national scale, but to be implemented, the community has to feel like they are involved with the decision making. A national or state legislation might not take into account all the local needs and resources, but it can drive the whole nation towards a more sustainable future.

I also learned the difficulties of rooftop agriculture from John Stoddard. A big obstacle in his project is being economically sustainable and having the workforce to make it so. One thing he said that made me really look at it differently was how he need farmers, not just gardeners. He said that a lot of people have large, nice gardens, but is still very different than producing and harvesting large quantities of crops to feed a community. This change my outlook on the difference between gardening and agriculture. One is a hobby, and the other is a way of life. It definitely made me realize how hard it can be for sustainable farmers and urban farmers. My back up plan, if I couldn't find a job or the market was really down, was to work on a farm while I look for another opportunity. I think it is still a possibility. I've worked on farms before, for short periods of time, but am unsure what the life is like long term. I'm interested in sustainable agriculture, but not enough to be my primary focus in my professional career.

Fifth Post

This week, I really learned a lot about green buildings this week, specifically about LEED buildings. We also had two speakers come into class to talk about green buildings. Shaun O'Rourke was really interesting. His work with LA was the most fascinating for me. I really liked how he talked with the community before planning everything. I found it really interesting that Hispanic mothers were the pivotal influence in creating community change, how once they found out how a Green Alley would change the neighborhood, connect the community, and reduce crime and drugs. And it's really interesting that once the project was getting so much support, local and city officials began to take notice and help Shaun out.

Art Adler's work was interesting, but his presentation was honestly, bland. It was interesting when he pulled up the system looking at all the vents in a Tufts building, but his talk could have been cut in half. When we asked what he found interesting about his job, he didn't have an answer and just talked more about the systems. Compared to Shaun, he seemed like he didn't have any passion for the work he does. It doesn't mean he doesn’t have passion, but he just could not convey it to us in his presentation.

I would be a lot more interested in Shaun's work compared to Art's, but that also might be because I'm not an engineer. Other planning, or community organizing, is probably the most interesting part of green buildings for me. Also brainstorming would be something I like to do. Basically anything other than the actual architecture part of green architecture.

I have finally found someone to interview! I met Ari Daniel at a Science in Media Panel hosted by a Tufts Experimental College Perspective course called Environmental Issues through a Documentary Lens. It was an event where five people who work with science and media in one way or another discuss questions and advice for anyone interested in science communication or journalism. There was a producer, editor, journalist, reporter, and a radio show host. I talked to Ari after the Panel and set up an appointment for next week in Davis Square to talk about his career and his life's path. I will also be seeing his three month old baby!

Fourth Post

                I recently found out that I have a mutual friend with Jeff Orlowski, the director of the documentary "Chasing Ice." I asked her to contact him and connect us  After a few weeks, he finally got back to her and said he did not have enough time in his schedule to have a twenty minute interview. But if I had any quick questions, he would be willing to answer a few of them. I also tried to reach out to one of the heads of Conservation International through my connections. But she, too, had been hard to reach. One week she was in Ecuador, the next in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest, and then in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. So currently, I do not have someone to interview. At this point, I'm a little lost and do not know who to contact. I want to contact someone high up in a well known non-profit, specifically someone in the communications area, to ask them what strategies they used for outreach, to convince people to care.

                The information from Jim about LinkedIn was helpful, but more in how to use LinkedIn then how to approach people. The LinkedIn groups information was probably the most helpful, because I probably would never have been able to find them without Jim. It was really nice to have a breakdown of all the parts of LinkedIn, but I wished we went more into talking to strangers and how to ask for an interview.

                I think the most problematic waste is plastic waste. They don't degrade, are not compostable, and when exposed to heat, they release harmful chemicals, such as PCB and DDT. This is especially problematic to ocean pollution. Some scientists estimated that by 2050, the weight of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the combined weight of all the fish in the ocean. Boyan Slat and the Ocean Cleanup Project, a non-profit, had a great strategy to rid the ocean of millions of tons of plastic. At the young age of 19, he developed a feasible plan to trap and funnel the plastic towards a floating damn, where they can remove and recycle the plastic. Although this is a reactive response and not a preventative one, I think it is a great way to start. If I was trying to convince a group of students to reduce waste, I would show documentaries and video clips of what waste does to the environment, animal health, and human health. I probably would also include some graphic images such as a dissected seagull with its stomach full of plastic. This strategy would probably work with most middle to upper class students, but might have a less of an impact on lower class students, as they may have other priorities that us privileged kids take for granted. 

Third Post

Since this week has been really busy, I'm going to keep this post short. For my class, Sustainability in Action, I plan on volunteering twelve hours hopefully with Groundwork Somerville, and possibly spend a few hours with Tufts Food Rescue Collaborative. For Groundwork Somerville, I'll check the website to see which events correspond well with my schedule, and email Chris Mancini for more information. For this, I'm hoping to get a group of people from this class to volunteer together. I'm also in contact with Lucy Zwigard from Tufts Food Rescue Collaborative and plan to sign up for a few shifts working on packaging in the dining halls. Additionally, I am in a club called Public Harmony which is a club for musicians who are interested in community service. We have about five events this semester, and I plan to perform at some of them. 

I am not that familiar with Linkedin. I have an account, and a few connections, but that's about it. It's great that someone from the Tufts Career Center will come in next week to show us how to use it, as I plan to find internships, volunteering opportunities at non-profits, or research positions during my year off next semester. 

Second Post

     So last class, the instructors invited a Tufts's alumna to give us some insight into what she does. Laur Fisher currently works as the Project Manager for the Climate CoLab, a project started by the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence. She briefly talked about her struggles with creating her self-designed major and finding the necessary resources related to sustainability, something that I could really identify with, especially the first year of my college career. But luckily, as I progress through my journey at Tufts, I'm meeting more people, and finding more resources, something she probably had a harder time with a decade earlier.

      After watching her TEDx talk, I was shocked to find out that Wikipedia, a website most professors deem unreliable, is almost as accurate as an encyclopedia. On the other hand, Wikipedia covers hundreds of times more topics than a set of encyclopedias. The collective knowledge of the world, collaborating with each other, building upon each other's knowledge, through millions of edits, was able to come together and create something wonderful. This was amazing. Astounding. Almost magical. The Climate CoLab is based on this principle. It connects people all around the world, all trying to make a difference, protecting our world, and solving the greatest problem of this generation.

      I think one of the reasons it is so inspiring is because you can see the results, the results of human collaboration. One reason why we humans don't often take action to mitigate the global problem of climate change is because many of the actions we accomplish today, take effect decades from now. We might not even see a notable positive difference in this lifetime. Most people don't think about the time after our life ends, except maybe in the spiritual sense. It's hard to not think about ourselves. It's hard to picture this world without us in it. The Climate CoLab doesn't necessarily show us the results, per se, but it does show the global effort of changing our ways, of making this world better. It shows that there are solutions. And some of them, you could even see the immediate change.

      Laur Fisher's talk has definitely made me think more about approaching the climate issue from different angles. Extending from the above thought, I started brainstorming more about donations, and how there should be a more visual, or definitive proof that their money, is directly helping "blank". There are a few organizations out there trying to do that, like sending postcards of endangered species to supporters, but I wonder if I could expand on this. Psychologically speaking, humans respond greatly to the reward sensation. It's how we evolved. Sugar used to be scarce, so that's why it taste sweet, sending pleasure signals to our brains, telling us to get more, and more. I want to be able to combine these aspect to environmental issues.

       I think this is something I could talk to Thomas French about, the Assistant Director of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and Director of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. He is coming to one of Tufts's Environmental Lunch and Learns to discuss the difficulties about preserving unpopular species, specifically snakes. If we could build a type of reward system, it might make the efforts of protecting unpopular wildlife a little easier. 

First Post

     Hey, so this is my first ever blog post. I am a Tufts University student passionate about social justice, nerdy/geeky things, and the environment, among other things. Wednesday, September 7th, 2016, marked the first day of one of my classes, Sustainability in Action. For those at Tufts reading this, you should totally sign up for this course. The professors are amazing and really passionate about what they do (totally not doing this for extra credit, I swear!). You learn about how to apply sustainability in your jobs, career, and daily life. For environmental studies students, this course is especially helpful because a lot of us don't know what direction to go after graduating, and this course helps prepare you for the real world. Some highlights we will be expecting are guest speakers coming in to talk about their profession in an environmental field, doing mini research projects about how the environment intersects with other disciplines (they're really not that bad for those interested in this course!), and job shadowing or volunteering at an environmental profession or organization. Another cool aspect of this course is the numerous fun facts we learn in class. For example, the first class, we learned that narwhals (the unicorns of the sea) can help climate scientists measure the temperature at different water depths, due to their ability to dive 6000 feet (!) and their friendly nature with humans.

     So less about this course, and more about me. As I said before, I am interested in many things, and especially in combining more than one of my passions. All I want to do with my life is make the world a better place, and I don't really care if I'm recognized for my efforts a hundred years from now (although one of my passions is to become an author, so it would be cool if my book is recognized a century later).  Currently, I am really interested in documentary making, because it unites a lot of different elements. For example, the documentary "Chasing Ice", had great music, great cinematography, lots of beautiful pictures, great script, and I can go on. But the most notable aspect of this film was the story it told, and the connection it made with the audience. It didn't bombard us with statistics and scientific arguments, but rather told a story. It made us feel like we were hiking the Solheimajokull Glacier and feeling the frustrations of the technology failing. Most of all, we were in awed by the tragic, horrifying beauty of the melting glaciers. How could such beauty prophecy the demise of this world?