After taking a class that makes you second-guess the future and everything you have thought about it, it is especially crucial at this time to readjust the way that you approach problems, the future, and the things that you learn.
I think that the lesson I learned from ENVS 160 that was the most influential to me is to allow myself to be more understanding of other people’s perceptions of the world, other ideologies, and alternative solutions to environmental as well as social problems. By having a mindset where I believe that everything that I say is correct does not allow for growth, and brings us farther away from ultimately getting to a point in the future where everyone can have the same mindset about the environment, which can result in larger policies being passed and technologies being created to have a sustainable future. But we must start small.
As I mentioned in my first post “The Freshman’s Guide to Understanding the Self,” values are an important way to relate one thing to another. Realistically, the best way for me to apply my shared values with another peer is by working through social problems. Similarly as I believe that the first step to solving environmental problems is to share and appeal to similar values, I believe that the best way to help a friend work through their problem is to look at it from the other person’s point of view, and then appeal to them by saying that you understand both perspectives and are willing to change and want to work out whatever is causing strife between them. Even if the problem does not get resolved, at least one more person will then learn the value of understanding all perspectives before making assumptions and judging the other person. This value can then easily be applied to all issues that you face, politically, socially, and especially environmentally. It is also important to have your own opinion on matters you are involved with, and cannot go into trying to solve an issue with the expectation that the people around you will form your opinions for you, and it is important to have an opinion and stand behind it so that you can share it with others and further sharing of values and connecting your shared experiences.
That is the type of action that I know I can realistically achieve, but in an ideal world, I would practice this by doing something on a much larger scale, like by writing a book. If I were to write a book that would be substantial, as even it wouldn’t cause a direct change in the environment, it could at least encourage other people to take action and create something or cause a worldwide, or at least nationwide, ideological shift so that action can be taken much more quickly. And on an even more influential level, I could be someone who invents some influential technology that was revolutionary to keeping the world more sustainable, and in the process, inspire and alter mindsets about environmental change and global warming that can unify us and allow for greater understanding of the world. It would be accessible to everyone as well.
I believe that action needs to be taken in some shape or form, and ultimately it does not matter what I believe will benefit the earth if I do not do something to influence other people to do or believe the same. No matter what the ‘correct’ way to tackle environmental problems is, the effort and conscious changing of mindsets and policies will ultimately prevail.