Being a student in ENVR 430 this term was a pleasure. I looked forward to every Friday at 2pm because it meant I could sit in a classroom with like-minded students and absorb a wide range of topics related to sustainability. Being in a course that relied less on testing our understanding of course content made learning less stressful.
Coming out of this course I have learned to not be fearful of hard conversations because having these conversations is vital for the continuation of our species. The societal norms that are detrimental to our planet (like the need to purchase the latest greatest thing) can be shifted if people engaged more frequently in meaningful conversations about sustainability.
Reflecting on my experience in ENVR 430 these past few months, I would say that my overall values are knowledge sharing and responsibility. With these values in mind, I envision a future where concerned citizens feel a responsibility to share what they know in a respectful manner and they create a ripple effect where other — perhaps more apathetic — people start to live a more conscientious life.
While social media may be a useful tool to spread information, I think it’s oversaturated. It’s very easy to forget about the meaning and takeaways of the content we spend hours every week consuming because new global problems arise everyday on the digital space. Thus, my intervention is to spend less time consuming content and more time having tough but impactful conversations with those around me. I extend this intervention to whoever is reading this post as well.
I totally agree with you on the topic of vulnerability. Being in an environment with like minded peers who also care about climate activism provided a comfortable setting for me to think introspectively, and caused me to reconsider my own opinion and confront my own biases.
Hi Sarah, I like the framing of "a more conscientious life". Social media is a good platform to share information, but it also teaches us many wrong information.
I also feel that this course has given me a new perspective on the planet and what humans are doing. I feel that social media can be used not only for entertainment but also to spread our ideas of sustainability to more people.
Sarah, I love your push towards difficult conversations. I have wrestled with the idea that our campaign perhaps takes away space on social media for other causes, and perhaps also plays a role in making social media spaces more negative (or at least more focused on the problems in the world and not friends/happy things).
Certainly something I'll continue to consider!
I love your intervention! I tend to have a similar attitude lately towards social media and it being so saturated as you said. I also think having hard conversations in your personal life will help you feel more rewarded because it feels good to see the change happening in front of you with the person you're talking to, rather than to the people you're reaching behind a screen on social media.
It's a really incredible opportunity to be able to have these hard discussions with like-minded people, I'm glad we got to exchange ideas in a thought provoking environment :)
Hi Sarah,
I agree that I liked the aspect of no exams and tests which takes away a lot of the stress. It makes it easier to learn and throughly enjoy the topics taught.
Social media has the power to change things, and garner attention that was not possible a few decades ago, but like all things, it does have its downsides.
Hi Sarah, having the pressure of tests taken away really helped me as well. It's easier to relax and learn for the sake of learning or passion, when the threat of a bad mark isn't looming over you.
Hi Sarah, I think the hard conversations are very important in helping us spread the word about issues and open up our eyes to the world in front of us!
Your post is so thoughtful Sarah! I also cherished Friday afternoons surrounded by like-minded individuals keen to learn.
I find your intervention interesting - I feel like a lot of solutions in the semester involved using social media to "educate" and "spread awareness", but I appreciate you challenging that intervention in favor of less passive actions, of conscientious decisions.
Hi Sarah,
Amazing post, I also loved the welcoming space we had in this class to have discussions without feeling judged. I really like your interventions and I am inspired to do the same and have more hard conversations in my community!
I think your point about social media over-saturation is novel! I don't think human communication can be replaced by social media. Maybe it's time to put down the phone and go talk more with the people around us.
Really like your point on social media being oversaturated - though it can be a powerful tool it can also just turn into an echo chamber that results in no meaningful changes or societal shifts. Fostering connections through conversations has a different kind of potential.
Hi Sarah! I like your point about spending more time having hard conversations with those around us!
Thank you for your inspiring post! I agree, being vulnerable and engaging in meaningful conversation is vital to creating change in our society. Your values of creating a ripple effect encompasses how individuals do have the necesary power to change the world for the better.
Those are some great values! I also hope to spend more of my time engaging in hard conversations with others.
Great title Sarah! I think it encompasses what the course is really about.
Thanks for sharing Sarah. I strongly relate to the idea of being vulnerable. In most academic settings, validation is important for people who are aspired to be successful. However, that mentality had impeded me (and I believe most people) from speaking about my true values. I really appreciate the environment this class has provided us to unleash our values in a judge-free environment.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I like that you highlighted one of the drawbacks of social media and this is definitely something to consider!