I transferred to Lewis and Clark in the fall to further my education in Environmental Studies and Asian Studies. Although, I had to lower my initial ENVS major to a minor, I’m glad I will still be pursuing it throughout my time at LC. ENVS 160 has taught me three key lessons:
- Interdisciplinarity is key.
I love the fact that interdisciplinarity is emphasized in Environmental Studies. Through ENVS 160, I have learned that to make a difference, we must work with people across different fields. While reading Why We Disagree About Climate, I obtained a better understanding surrounding the idea that, if we want other people to care, we should move towards them using language and ideas that they identify with. My favorite chapter from the book surrounded religion and its prominence within society. (Hulme. 2009). Because such a high percentage of the world’s population identifies with an ideology, we will have to use religion to communicate with one another while breaking through barriers.
- Ask questions and when you have an answer, ask more questions.
When I first stepped into ENVS 160 I felt confident that I already knew we would be learning in Environmental Studies. I spend a fair amount of free time reading articles surrounding ocean conservation and books about taking environmental action so I felt I was prepared. However, after our first class, I realized all my previous assumptions were going to be challenged. Once we started reading Why We Disagree About Climate Change, I became less sure about what I knew and realized to truly learn, I would need to start questioning everything I previously thought I knew. My favorite part of this class is that every time I think I know something, it’s challenged because typically it is just one opinion that still needs exploration from all sides. It’s also what makes Environmental Studies so exciting. Environmental Studies encompasses so many topics and issues that it is impossible to explore and create an understanding about all of them. This class has encouraged me to think critically about what I want to focus on as I pursue my ENVS minor.
- Incrementalism isn’t the primary solution.
As an individual, I previously loved thinking that, by making changes within my life, I was having a positive impact on the planet and making a difference. Although recycling, composting, biking, and other eco-conscious parts of my daily routine are important, in the end they’re only important to me. Yes, individuals should keep working towards being conscious of how they interact with the earth, however, ENVS has shown me that the issues we are dealing with today are a lot more complicated than that. Sadly, incrementalism is out and looking towards truly impactful solutions is in. Environmental Studies has helped me shape what could be an apocalyptic point of view to one of determination. Although I do still fall on the apocalyptic side of the scale, ENVS has helped put reality into focus and see that real change comes from expanding on interdisciplinary team work.
Citations
Hulme, Mike. Why We Disagree About Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, 2009.