Part of the reason why I took ENVS 160 is because I am very passionate about making real environmental and ecological change because in my opinion that is the one issue that we cannot ignore. We can talk all day about other issues like race or class, but at the end of the day none of that will matter if we don’t come up with viable solutions to saving the planet. This class succeeded in giving me a better understanding of what it is I can do to contribute to a real solution.
During the climate change unit I learned how to think critically about other perspectives in environmental thought. I also learned to take into consideration the cultural, political, economic, religious and social aspects that shape people’s views about the environment. Since I intend to go into work that will require me to argue about other people’s opinions I intend on utilizing what I have learned here so I am not super closed minded when it comes to arguing about issues like climate change. The classics vs contemporary unit built on this by giving us readings that counter what is considered “truth” in environmental thought. Therefore, I will also make sure to do my research by looking at all sides of the spectrum before I argue about a controversial subject. The other big thing that I will take away is from the last unit. It was made clear to me in this unit that the little things that I do are not enough and that I need focus on making change on an institutional spectrum if anything is to really be accomplished. Since I am one who seeks to enact real change, this is a lesson that I will keep in mind when trying to find the best possible solution to things. It doesn’t even have to pertain to the environment, these skills can all be utilized with other issues and during my everyday life in some aspect.
In conclusion, I feel that I am walking away from this course having learned a lot and having gained useful life skills. This is what every college class should look like. I hope that in future environmental science courses I can further build upon what I have learned in this intro class so that by the time I graduate I will have mastered the skills required to by an environmentalist who can ensure real change.