Throughout the semester of ENVS 160 I have learned a vast amount of knowledge and gained new insights into environmental thought. Previously I have studied environmental science, but that was especially focused on specific mechanisms of species and how biological processes work. Rather, environmental studies is the investigation of how political, religious, and economic institutions discuss and view the current problems of global climate change. This change was a harsh one for me and did not come easily. There have been few tactics that have stuck with me, and the main tactics is through situating myself, compromise, and patience.
So while the class covers a large array of material, many themes tend to reappear in multiple sections. One theme that I have really come to appreciate and apply to all topics is that of situating oneself in the position of someone else or a group of people. Situating was originally introduced in the first text Why We Disagree About Climate Change. Mike Hulme sets many basic parameters for why people have different views on how to approach the problem of anthropomorphic climate change. With these parameters, I now have gain a basic foundation for being able to situate myself in certain scenarios. Mike Hulme talks about how religion, backgrounds, and our trust in certain parties influence the way that people view the debate of climate change. By learning about these differing views I was able to understand the reasons that some people may not support certain plans for repairing the degradation done on the composition of the air or the sea surface temperature (Hulme). However, I still face a few issues with the process of situating in a community.
The main issue being that I come from a privileged white male background that typically remains detached from the social, economic, and political discussions from the rest of the world. However, ENVS 160 has broadened my vision and forced me to study the issues of other societies. This skill is one that I wish to refine and increase my use of. By situating ourselves in the communities or issues of others we can enhance our knowledge by pretending to understand the problems faced by communities. By accepting my privilege I have also learned the lesson of compromise.
Compromise is crucial to all parts of facing a problem and coming up with a reasonable solution. Commonly a solution will solve the environmental challenges, but will ignore or damage certain socioeconomic issues. For example, by removing a polluting industry the pollution is decreased from the air, but many people might be displaced from their jobs. This can be applied to nearly all ENVS problems that we study and is a step that should always be taken when developing a solution. I will typically ignore the step of compromise which I hope to change in the near future and ENVS 160 has helped me to do so.
The final lesson that I have begun to learn is the lesson of patience and how issues require perspective. I have begun to realize that most issues associated with anthropogenic climate change are long standing issues which occur over long stretches of time. By finding a solution there is still an element of waiting and a period of implementation and acceptance. I originally had an attitude of immediate change and instant gratification, but ENVS 160 has showed me otherwise. I believe now that once a solution is proposed and initiated that it needs adjustment and refinement. Our governance is constantly shifting as well as the economy, which means that solutions need to be adaptable and able to be ingrained into daily habits or markets. Patience is the overarching theme that I have accepted from our books and different perspectives, and it is a theme that carries into nearly everything that is presented in our class.
In conclusion, I have learned many valuable lessons from environmental studies 160, but they are less specific practices and more of general guidelines for viewing any situation. If I leave ENVS 160 with these three traits enhanced then I will be a much more rounded individual within my interdisciplinary studies.
Hulme, M. Why we disagree about climate change: understanding controversy, inaction and opportunity. Cambridge: Cambridge U Press, 2015. Print.