Coming from Vietnam, a country where we still only talk about environmental problems as daily news, but never discuss it in a scholarly context in school or prominent public platform, I had very little expectations of how ENVS 160 would actually turn out, and I was not surprised to learn how challenging this course was. […]
Individual Posts
Some Final Connecting Thoughts
When I started ENVS 160 I was unsure about whether I would want to continue in the major after the class was over. I admit there were a few moments when I considered dropping it and giving up. Now, so near to the end of the class I can confidently say that I want to continue […]
Guide to ENVS 160
What exactly is the course ENVS 160 you might ask? It is a series of sections that each dive into important aspects of what getting a grasp on environmental studies might be. It’s about learning both the numerical and conceptual aspects to maintaining our beloved Earth and how we might go about helping it in […]
Environmental Studies is a Wild, Three-Headed Dog.
Environmental studies are kind of like Cerberus, the three-headed dog, from Greek Mythology. It is incredibly intimidating and wildly out of control. You are never quite sure which head to look at, similarly to how a person would feel when trying to decide which ecological, social, or economic issue to focus on. But, I think […]
Earth Day Altercations
Upon entering ENVS 160 in January, I expected a repeat of my AP Environmental Science class from high school. I entered on my high horse, believing that I would already be familiar with the topics that the class would address. However, I am astonished at the many ways in which my world views have changed, […]
What to expect in ENVS 160
When entering ENVS 160 know that it is not going to be anything like your AP environmental science class. This class will open you up to different ways of thinking about environmental issues and will likely challenge your current held beliefs. ENVS 160 is more focused on thinking about the world around us and less […]
It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Green
In my time in ENVS160, these are the three lessons I learned: I am but a cog in this grand machine, strength and success comes in numbers, and people often are not on the same page. The first thing that I’m going to do coming out of ENVS 160 is stop thinking that I am […]
Teachings to Practice?
In this final post we sit here and ask ourselves, what the heck can we do with all of this information on environmental change and sustainability that we have learned throughout ENVS 160? How can we as individuals have a local, regional, and global impact? How can we teach others to think about the environment as […]
What’s Next?
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 […]
Yeah, We Have Some Issues
As I’ve come to understand it, being successful in environmentally-oriented discussions means that, despite the never-ending onslaught of contradictions, one must just try to hang onto the notion that there is a chance at making progress somewhere. Unfortunately, even progress is subjective. Finding a catch-all to make everyone happy when addressing large-scale, multifaceted issues such […]
Moving On… Kind of
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 […]
Why Not Both?
While working my way through ENVS 160, I uncovered a huge discrepancy within myself. I was torn between the typical environmental perspectives battle: Classic or Contemporary? This struggle is especially weighing when it comes time to act. When applied to the scale of action, these two opposing conceptual platforms can be translated into different forms, […]
A Roadmap of Complication
Introduction Environmental Studies 160 peels back the complicated and interdisciplinary layers that make up our world. As a student in this course one is not just learning about Global Warming from a scientific perspective, one is also learning from social and economic perspectives. The basis for investigating environmental theory from so many avenues is done […]
Flexecution Institution
I have soaked up plentiful amounts of information and lessons from Environmental Studies 160, but I doubt that many will stick with me in the same way as the lesson of institutional power. Institutional power is woven into every thread of discussion or reading in ENVS 160 and I have finally developed a view of […]
Don’t Drown, Use this Lifeline
Future ENVS Students, Welcome! Environmental Studies can be a difficult yet rewarding course, filled with lots of hearty information from each section. Although, it can prove to be overwhelming as the texts are in depth and complex, throwing lots of different opinions and ideas your way that can bog you down a bit if you […]
Fitting the Pieces Together
For incoming students that already invest time and interest in environmental issues, I would recommend ENVS 160. I’ve found myself asking many questions during my time studying with James Proctor. Namely, what lessons have I learned from this class? Moreover, how do these lessons connect? I hope to convey a full diagram of this course […]
Welcome to ENVS 160
I had never taken an environmental studies or environmental science course before ENVS 160, so I went into the class feeling unprepared and behind compared to many of my classmates. However, the concepts introduced in this course are new to everyone, and shake everyone’s ways of thinking. Over the course of ENVS 160, I have […]
The Winding and Uncertain Path Ahead
On the first day of ENVS 160, I didn’t know if I was going to major in Environmental Studies or Biology. I was hoping that this course, along with Bio 151, would give me a clear view of my future at Lewis & Clark and beyond. About half way through the semester I decided on […]
For the Love of Kombucha
Looking back over my previous three posts, it is hard to find a definite pattern. Each post is intricately weaved with the complicated ideas in the books we read and the philosophies from class. I jump from institutional to individual action, systems that harm and solve our environments, challenging classic environmental thought, and much more. […]
Where to Go From Here
A common theme that I have found myself writing about in the reflection and synthesis posts is that ENVS 160 was a much needed wake-up call. My practices in both my scholarly life and my personal life were not at the level at which I could begin to start addressing issues within the field of […]
Always Moving Forward
I have always cared about how the world works, our place in it, and how we can save it for future generations. Because of this, I took a chance and enrolled in A.P. Environmental Science my junior year of high school. I learned about how the world interacts with humans, plants, and other animals. This class […]
A Complex, but Beautiful Web
At the brink of the fast approaching summer, we are asked to reflect upon our courses, deciding what new knowledge we will leave with and decide to implement in our own lives. In this post I will talk about the main takeaways that I have from ENVS 160 and how I plan on using them […]
Important ENVS 160 Lessons: A Reflection
As the poster children of Patagucci, many of us came into the ENVS 160 class with the pretension of Bill Mahr and the assumed intellectual credibility of Neil deGrasse Tyson. But without having earned the authority through experience and accreditation, we were only flouting our naiveté and cockiness. Part of me bought into this sentiment; […]
Looking in the Mirror with New Eyes
ENVS 160 has opened my eyes in such a way that I never would have expected in the beginning of the semester. I feel as if I am better equipped with the skills I need to utilize not only as I continue my college career, but also as I continue to grow as a conscious […]
Paving the Path to ENVS-160
Coming to Lewis & Clark, I knew I wanted to further my knowledge about environmentalism and engage in scholarly conversation. Upon enrolling in Introduction to Environmental Studies (ENVS-160), the first course for the environmental studies major, I was introduced to the developing world of the environmental sphere and its surrounding literature and frameworks. ENVS-160 is […]