When I think about water security and overall consumption of water there are a lot of things that come to mind. Water is a basic human need and I think that everyone should have easy access to safe, clean, and healthy drinking water. However, the main thing that resonates with me in regards to this topic is the idea of putting a price on water and the potential ramifications that can arise from this action. I definitely believe that major corporations that use hundreds of gallons upon hundreds of gallons should be charged and taxed significantly for this careless use of something that is not of infinite commodity #water. But, I think it is very hard to assign water as a “free” resource for regular individuals using water for drinking and cleaning purposes. The argument for having “free water” access for every individual (except large corporations) is somewhat faulty because I believe it would not necessarily reduce the over consumption and conservation of water that we need to focus on in order to increase longevity of our future, as a society. I think it is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of clean and healthy water to where it is needed, but to go to the extent of saying water should be valued as a free resource is the wrong approach. Furthermore, I think drastically increasing the prices we pay on drinking water, hydro bills, and water in general is not the solution either, as we would likely see a major influx in cost of other basic needs such as cost of food. As we can probably guess, that would significantly depreciate our quality of life. So what is the happy medium? How can this imbalance be intervened? These are difficult questions to answer, but i think it comes down to governments and major corporations working together to not only increase the price of water in wasteful situations (such as for production purposes) but also allow access to clean and healthy water for individuals at an efficient cost for the individual but at a sufficient cost that values water effectively so that we are conscious that water is not an endless commodity.

To start, my future vision in regards to the world being more just from a socially economic standpoint, is that I really do think we need to have a lot more communication with our indigenous and early resident populations of people. Specifically, when we think about the idea of halibut fisheries and economical policy, some may view that these early indigenous populations had the first rights to these fishing quotas and if they want to continue fishing just keep the quota. However, that is a very narrow pointed view of the whole situation. First of all I believe that we need to put ourselves in these peoples shoes and think “If any of us were offered $300,000 for a fishing quota, would we take it.” I think most likely we would. Furthermore, we need to think about the long term effects for indigenous populations in regards to how they are supposed to acquire another fishing quota when the price of each quota has inflated drastically. We also need to think about even though there are rights and acts set in place to benefit indigenous groups when it comes to fishing, how are they supposed to compete with the large hi-tech fishing boats of the people who can afford a $300,000 quota. In light of all these questions, I think it would be appropriate for someone higher up to propose a reduced cost mechanism for these minorities with respect to fishing quotas and infrastructure. These people deserve government supplemented benefits that put them on the same playing field as wealthy newcomers to the rich tradition.

My vision for “consumption of stuff” is that I believe people should focus more on quality over quantity. Specifically, I don't think we should be fueling fast fashion in regards to purchasing a large quantity of clothes from places such as Aritzia, Zara, ect. Instead we should be focusing on the fine details of these consumption processes in regards to fueling more sustainable brands that leave less of a footprint. In turn this could be a more expensive way of living but I think we have to outweigh the positives from the negatives and ultimately make a sacrifice for the better of not just ourselves but future generations to come. Something we can all take note of in regards to plans for change is to try and spread the word through our social media platforms (in which we are practically just using to post superficial pictures and comments about ourselves to hundreds or thousands of people) that spending more on quality sustainable products that are made for a good cause shouldn’t be negatively viewed and stereotyped. Just to stress, even though it might seem more expensive it really isn’t if it's going to last you a lifetime in comparison to four shitty H&M t-shirts that will fade and deteriorate within a month's time.

Hello, my name is Hunter and I am a fourth-year student majoring in biology. With this degree I hope to seek a career and specialize in either pharmaceuticals or medicine. I am extremely excited to be enrolled in ENVR 430 as it is quite a drastic change in content and style of learning from what I am used to in technical biology, chemistry and physics courses. The thought of teaching linear thinkers, such as science students, to broaden their perspective in regards to the way they approach situations is something I have been yearning for since my first year at UBC. ENVR 430 will familiarize myself and my fellow peers in science on how to think outside the box, with application to maintaining and/or creating new sustainable ecological practices throughout society. I can't wait to tackle the environmental climate crisis as a team and aid in the positive movement to #UnleashValues.