Before attending Lewis and Clark, I had never taken an environmental studies class before. Because of my interests about our planet and issues such as pollution, I was pretty confident that environmental studies would easily make sense to me and possibly be my major. After taking this class, however, I have seen our planet and environmental issues in a new light. In ENVS 160, we went over questions in the books we have read such as, “Why do we disagree about climate change?” and “Who rules the Earth?” In this post, I will address how I have benefited from facing these questions and how it has benefited me, as well as two skills I have taken by engaging in this course.
In ENVS 160, the first book we read and went over in class was the book Why We Disagree About Climate Change, by Mike Hulme. Hulme talks about the many reasons why people disagree on climate change, and how to address it. As I said in my first post, Hulme claims that there is more than just science to address climate change because climate change can mean something different to someone else, depending on where they live (Hulme 2009). Also, as said in my first post, I felt that people either believe in climate change and feel it is a big issue, believe in climate change but feel it isn’t and shouldn’t be one of our main priorities to combat, and people who just flat-out deny that climate change exists. After reading Hulme’s book, I now understand more about disagreements about climate change, and I now understand why it is important to understand the many different reasons as to why there is disagreement (Hulme 2009). Thanks to a recent ENVS 160 lecture, I also now discovered that people have their own truth and “facts” that matter to them. In order to understand the many different reasons as to why there is disagreement and why people have their own truth and “facts” that matter to them, the best solution is to have a discussion with these people. This way, we can not only find a common ground but also be able to solve issues.
Another skill I have taken from ENVS 160 is the confidence on how to properly talk with someone who is either less concerned about climate change or is skeptical about it. Because lots of my nuclear and extended family members are conservative, I know people who acknowledge climate change but rather focus on another, “more important” issue. Before taking ENVS 160, the debate with my family members would just be our feelings on it as well as showing images such as my featured image, a starving polar bear that has been affected by climate change. There was not much other information we used to support our arguments. After taking this course and reading several texts, I am now confident to be able to use data and other information that I have learned to enhance my argument. However, as I stated earlier, we want to find a common ground. By presenting both of our arguments respectfully, I can not only enhance their new understanding of why climate change is such an important issue, but also understanding the significance of other issues going on in our country and the rest of the world.
Thanks to ENVS 160, the ways I look at the planet and issues we have about it have changed. I have learned what to do when I am in a situation with people who have different opinions on climate change, as well as being able to make an effective change surrounding this issue alongside these people. If I end up majoring in Environmental Studies here at Lewis and Clark, I will not only continue to use these skills but will also improve on them in order to have a positive change on myself and our planet.
References
Hulme, Mike. 2009. Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity. Cambridge University Press.