Sustainability

Final Sustainability Blog Post

At the beginning of the year, my definition of sustainability was the ability to use resources for a long time, but after taking part in APES, I know that sustainability is an educated lifestyle where humans practice environmentally conscious ways as well as take responsibility for the earth. This, however, is only a definition, living sustainably is not that simple. To live sustainably, both the government as well as individuals must live up to certain standards that can keep the earth healthy. One of the most important issues is the fact that governments cannot exhaust their supplies of nonrenewable resources. They should instead couple them with renewable resources in a smart fashion. This decreases our dependency on foreign resources as well as cutting out the environmental harm that accompanies the transportation of these resources. As a country, we must also be open to other energy sources such as wind or hydropower, because along with reducing carbon dioxide and other harmful air pollutants, these practices also preserve natural habitats, are not harmful to dispose of after they have served their purpose, and do not have any negative affect on human health. Governments must also be open to new methods of waste disposal, new laws protecting the environment, and they must always consider the environmental consequences rather than only the economic consequences. The government, however, is not the only one who has to make lifestyle changes, individuals and families also can alter their ways to more environmentally friendly ones. This can be as simple as using energy efficient lightbulbs, carpooling, recycling, washing your car less frequently to conserve water, and other simple changes. While expensive, other changes such as solar panels and driving energy efficient cars can also make a difference. Many folks believe that something as small as switching out their lightbulb brand cannot make any kind of impact; this may be true, but what they are really doing is setting an example for their community, and that community sets an example for the city, which sets an example for the state, and through this positive feedback loop, soon the whole country is living sustainability. The most important thing we can do as a country is educate our members on how to live sustainability, because once a person knows what to do, they will take the initiative to make the change to their lifestyle.

Wind turbines, in my opinion, are the best and cleanest way to get our energy. They emit no pollutants, are not that expensive to build or maintain, and in large numbers, they can provide a great deal of energy. I chose wind turbines because they are a powerful symbol of the sustainable life we should be living; they set an example that inspires us all.

The amount of garbage we produce not only as a nation but as a world really resonated with me. I was appalled by the inappropriate disposal of a great portion of the trash, and it is very sad that the majority of that improperly disposed of trash ends up in the Pacific Ocean. The trash island that is forming in the Pacific Ocean is a lesson for all of us to learn the hard way about trash disposal.

Up until I took APES, I had never really believed in global warming being the fault of humans, I had always thought that it was a natural process that the Earth had been going through for millions of years. While I still know it is a natural process, I am now aware that humans do in fact have a noticeable impact on global warming. I was pleased to learn that changes to reverse these effects have already been employed, but that they will take a few years to make a difference. 

-Jen Johnson