Optimism or pessimism? I would like to believe I'm a very optimistic person, however, I'm not. I don't really put effort into saving the environment or even think about what I could do to help. I recycle and I have my own grocery bags, but I wouldn't be considered a "tree hugger". After being in Dr. Peek's class last semester, and now reading in this class, it is clear I can make a change. In the reading Thinking Ahead: The Value of Future Consciousness, Tom Lombardo discusses that human behavior can change by relearning and training. I agree, just a couple changes of behavior and you can make a difference.
What would I do to change my behavior?
I think that my attitude towards the whole green movement is pretty much "over it". It is so over used and like I discussed last week, what are we to believe is true or just a fib? Changing my attitude would be a great start to changing the way that I live. After reading in Tom Lombardos article I believe I should be more open-minded about the future and would I could do to positively affect it. He also talks about decision making, which I think is a big one. You can either make a positive decision or not, its up to you to change.
The key characteristics:
-recycle
-conserve energy
-help with awareness
My beliefs:
I think that recycling is really going to make a difference in the long run. I am a huge fan of bottled water, and I think that I could change my consumption.
Anytime I leave my house the lights are always on, without fail. I need to be more conscious about turning things off when I'm not using them, and use less water.
I talked about changing my attitude toward the whole green movement and I think that I could help give positive awareness throughout the campus.
I think that we are very selfish people and don't think about conserving anything. What is going to happen years from now when there is landfills everywhere and sparse water?
What holds me back?
Laziness. Its so much easier to just throw it away than to drive somewhere in Stillwater to recycle my things. I think that is such a bad excuse. In the article Visioneering: an essential framework in sustainability science, they discuss how we are responsible for the future. We need to stop being selfish and teach others what they can do to help. After I have changed my behavior I can teach and educate others and then they can do the same. After awhile most everyone should be "followers" of the green movement.
Communication is key:
I think that with all of the lies that advertising shows us it is hard for the consumer to believe anyone. Being real and giving facts about how crucial it is to recycle or help or even just be aware would open some peoples eyes. Giving solutions to the problem rather than just selling something would help consumers ease into this movement.
I would hope that in 2050 there will be a change. The United States isn't the only country supporting this. I studied abroad in Italy and they are the most low key consumers and buy only necessary things. They live within their means and they recycle. I think its actually against the law to not recycle there. After living in Milan, I got into the habit of recycling. It really is just about changing your attitude and your behavior. Soon others will catch onto this trend and help us spread the positives to living a sustainable lifestyle.
Hi, Maggie! I really appreciate your reflection about your attitude. Converting everyone to a "treehugger" is not necessarily the goal. In fact, though I consider myself a "treehugger" now, I didn't really evolve to that place until I spent 5 years of graduate school immersing myself in sustainability. That led to an attitude shift for me. From my perspective, I think the bigger goal should be helping people understand the stakes for THEM; the payoff for THEM, rather than requiring a pro-environmental attitude.
ReplyDeleteYou have identified some characteristics of YOUR vision of a sustainable future. Now, use your chosen book and other required materials to flesh these out and support your ideas. I'm not entirely sure if you understand the mental mode or paradigm concept -- as I said above, think in terms of what someone would have to believe is in it for them to buy into your ideas?
Thank you for your feedback! I will keep these critiques in mind when writing my paper.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog and learned a lot from it. I also really liked the way you organized your thoughts and opinions because it gave your blog clear direction. You brought up some unique points-of-view as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kelli--the structure of your blog this week was really practical. Your thoughts were clearly depicted and I think you have a solid foundation for your paper. I'd be really interested to hear more about what you learned abroad! I think that you have a lot of useful and unique tools for your paper--good luck writing it!
ReplyDelete