As a transfer student to Lewis and Clark and as an ENVS major, I was highly motivated but largely uninformed about the complexities interlaced within many environmental problems and the environmental movement as a whole. I had transferred to Portland with a strong desire to make a difference for the planet and in the fight against climate change and for the most part, my vision of the future (or the ‘solution’ as my naive former self might idealize) was driven by worldwide individual level action. ENVS 160 gave me a reality check and grounded me in some ways (for example, it isn’t the most positive of topics) but it also helped me get a jumpstart develop the tools needed to properly analyze and understand the multi-faceted environmental issues that society faces at every level. Moving forward in my academics at Lewis and Clark, the lessons learned from class and from the readings will help me filter and comprehend future classes and other resources to form educated opinions and truly grasp the big picture.
While I have learned quite a bit of new information over the course of this semester in ENVS 160, the lessons from the last text Who Rules the Earth? by Paul F. Steinberg really made an impact on me. Steinberg put a lot of emphasis on the effectiveness of institutional action over individual level action however he also emphasized that absolute necessity of a balance between the two (Steinberg 2015). I will remain a staunch advocate of short showers, public transportation, home gardens etc but moving forward, I realize there are bigger changes that need to be made. These changes are what I would like to investigate and pursue with my academic and professional career through Environmental Law. Steinberg also emphasized the ability of individuals to affect policy through direct contact with policymakers and collective action such as the formation of organizations (Steinberg 2015). As such, Who Rules the Earth? has really motivated me to take on a more active role in my community, join effective organizations and get in touch with policy makers at all levels of government.
Mike Hulme also made a big impact on me with his book Why We Disagree About Climate Change. I used to get really frustrated with people who did not share the same view about the environment and climate change as me. In my mind it seemed so black and white, either you care about the future of the planet and its inhabitants, or you don’t. Through the lessons and chapters I really began to understand the complexities that can surround many of the issues I previously wrote off as black and white and the legitimacy and ramifications of an opposing viewpoint. Hulme stressed the fact that new or differing perspectives cannot be ignored but need to be incorporated into modern environmental discourse (Hulme 2009). While these new or differing perspectives can be difficult to become aware of or even listen to, they are not any less important for it. After the public opinion survey project this really became apparent to me. Even though Portland as generally seen as a hub of liberal thinkers, the wide variety of viewpoints and opinions expressed in such a small survey really opened my eyes to the complexities of such a large scale social problem like climate change.
Overall, as I leave ENVS 160 and my first semester as an Environmental Studies major I feel much more prepared to grapple with environmental issues and the discourse surrounding them. I still have so much to learn, but this class has enabled me to be a more effective ENVS student as well as a more effective environmentally conscious member of society… and I’ll never forget to think vertically!
References
Hulme, Mike. 2009. Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity. 4th Edition. Cambridge, UK ; New York: Cambridge University Press.
Steinberg, Paul F. 2015. Who Rules the Earth?: How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. 1st Edition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.