Thanks to our prof Kai, TA Dana, and classmates. I had an amazing experience in 430 this semester. When the term just started, I could not imagine what a 3h class would look like, but actually, every week’s topic is closely related to the problems we are facing currently, and the videos and slides for each week are super informative, I would keep them forever I think and recommend to anyone who wants to know more on a topic. From 430, I realized that everyone has the potential to change, and our prof has introduced us to lots of channels and resources to do it. I think in the future, I will retain the habits learned from our class, planned obsolescence, never using single-use plastic bags, and rewinding nature just from the land I stood at. I will also continue posting and responding in cosphere and wait for the follow-ups of the final projects we each made.

Personally, I am depressed with the word rewilding since it means that we have made substantial human modifications to nature that cause disorder in nature. I believe if our modifications cause the extinction of lives and imbalance within the ecosystem, we must stop instantaneously and start rewilding which increases ecological integrity and quality. Thus, I envision a world where humans as a tiny component within the wildland live harmoniously and mutually with nature. In order to do this, more investment (especially for advanced technology or field methodology and human resources) should be diverted by the government and environmental organizations. Importantly, more education for the public on ecological restoration and conservation should also be arranged.

We are not eating plastics but we are exposed to plastics in every aspect of our life. I believe if people do not take action to ban single-use plastics, the whole ecosystem will suffer severely. Thus, I envision that decision-makers, producers, and consumers all be responsible for their actions, not only considering the instantaneous moment we get in touch with plastic, but also considering how it comes from and after disposal where will it go. It requires cooperation and responsibility from all levels of interventions. Even now, there is not a single case stating the residual effects are significant and thus stop the program, we all know this definitely is not the case. Government must remove the conflict of interest in EIA legislation to make the assessment function as it should. Single-use plastic bag production should be banned from the origin. Individuals should gradually reduce the frequency of using plastic bags and try to not use them only once for the plastic bags they already had.

I believe that to achieve a win-win situation for both business and ecosystems. Corporations must follow a sustainable path that takes society, environment as their responsibilities. Thus, I envision businesses could take real contributions to vulnerabilities in society, cherish limited natural resources, etc., and value those actions even prior to profits, status, and power. Due to the reality that businesses almost always choose to stand by interest when encountering environmental problems, laws and punishments are the most effective way to monitor their behaviors. In addition, government should take more frequent and detailed investigations of businesses, especially on accounting fraud and fake philanthropy. On the other hand, public acts such as boycotts will also have big aid in the systematic change of corporations.

It is striking for me that the super fire nowadays are substantially qualitatively different from before. I believe all humans are responsible for restoring the Ecosystem to the one that evolved more vibrantly through natural occurring fires. Thus I envision a world with abundant forests in which organisms enjoy the food, shelter and pleasantly cool air provided by forest assets, instead of the smoke and danger. In order to achieve this, we should not always try to suppress fire, alternatively, think about why we have drier fuels, higher temperature and more frequent ignitions now. In addition to carefully use prescribed fire to control super fire, government should dedicated to the act and agreement that target climate change. Local organizations and leaders should limit unnecessary activities that will light fie in high risk areas.

Theoretically, the food we produced worldwide could sustain all the current population both in quantity and energy in calories if look through a nutrition perspective. However, food security remains the top most crisis for all human beings. If we calculate greenhouse gas emission for all food waste on earth, it ranks number 3 just after China and the US. I believe there is a sustainable way of farming and agriculture that could sustain all people in the world with a diversified food types. I envision that large agribusiness corporations and environmental organizations recognize the power of diverse, perennial, polycultures as we saw in the biggest little farm. The power of ecosystem resilience and the harmonious of species coexistence achieved from biological integrations are far more effective and sustainable than chemical pesticides. To achieve this, fundamental institutional and political changes should absolutely take place. Government should redistribute the subsidies for producing profitable crops that feed the livestock to staple foods that sustain people’s life. The profit bond between politic, business and the environmental organizations should be weaken, even though I have not think about a way to break this. These influential parties should not deliberately overlook the environmental problems and destructions caused by agriculture and livestock. It is time for campaign and appealing for reducing meat consumption and build a real sustainable farming and food production.

I am so lucky that I live in an environemnt where I always have clean waters by hand. Luckily in Canada, water is also not a scarce resources but there are places in the world, like Mexico City, people live under the pressure of day 0 which is the date that there will be no clean water resources in the city. I believe it is a basic but essential right for all human livings to have clean water for daily life, while a complete violation of law and morals with any action that waste water resources. Thus I envision a world where all people have access to clean water for life and safe water for drinking, in the mean time aware the value and importance of this natural asset provided to us, so we do not add extra burden to our ecosystems by taking the water. To achieve this, we should first divide the steps according to the usage of water on earth nowadays. individuals‘ daily use only account for a tiny bit in the whole water usage, most of the water usage is on industrial and production, from where we made our clothes, grow our food and the production of commercial goods. Therefore, industrials should first start recycle their water usage. Government should invest more on the projects that recycle, purify and protect water ecosystems. When shifting the responsibility to individuals, municipalities should deeply admit the value of water. And government should have policies that increase water price after a certain limit which is adequate for individuals daily use. Lastly, more specific and powerful regulations and bills should also implement in place, enable the right for every individuals live in a healthy ecosystem, while protecting and cherishing the infinite benefits ecosystem services and natural assets provide to us.

I believe every individuals on earth have equal power and responsibility in consultations which make a world that climate changes and all other related economical issues will get addressed in effective way. Thus I envision a world where all marginalized individuals or groups can play an equal role in decision makings regarding ecosystem services. Before this, another envision related is that we should have consultation and acceptance of all perspectives, especially from First Nations and scientists who had more knowledge and experience in dealing and caring the ecosystem as a whole, instead of just focusing on influential stakeholders. To achieve this, more voices should come from marginalized communities, more representatives should be given to marginalized people in consultations and laws should ot only be draft but in act to protect their rights and contributions to climate justice.

Hi All, my name is Bellie and I am an environmental science major student. This term I enrolled in ENVR 430 at UBC and after listening to the first lecture, I am eager to apply the knowledge I have learned to make the world a better place, especially to find a bunch of like-minded companions with whom we could make changes together. Follow #UnleashValues to help my classmates and I identify sustainability solutions, pinpoint obstacles to success, & design effective strategies and initiatives.

I believe all people have the right and freedom for consumption and choose the lifestyle that provides them the most happiness, but not at the cost of habitats or the lives of other organisms. Thus, I envision when everyone makes purchases, make sure we are not buying unnecessary stuff that will generate negative externalities. Thus, all living things on earth deserve to enjoy their lives on earth, including birds, mammals, etc. In order to achieve this, the public awareness of negative environmental externalities due to consumption should be enhanced, I want to start information sessions just like our lectures to inform the public. additionally, actions need to take immediately, minimize the amount of animal protein, such as beef, as well as do not always want to buy new machines when the old ones broke. The old ones are much easier to repair and have longer lifetimes!