Finding the article itself didn't take long. I used google scholar to find similar articles about personality indicators and the correlation of environmentalism prioritized among young adults. Leading me to the article titled, " Students' green information technology behavior: Beliefs and personality traits". Which felt like Bingo! Then it came, the paywall block to higher education. Luckily with guidance from Phill I drafted up an email for the researchers listened below. I added them to one mass chain email and soon enough I had a response in the same day. I was beyond ecstatic it felt so good knowing I caught the time and attention of a researcher across the globe to grant me access to their paper. Truly making me appreciative of the scientific community. 

This study looked into the reason behind Malaysian students adopting Green Information Technology (Green IT) by investigating personality traits, attitudes, and social norms. Green It is the sustainable use of information technology. The intention is to lower carbon emission and overall reduce energy consumption. The way personality traits were examined was by using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. The study found that students should improve what they deem in their control when it comes to the environment. That there is a gap in being environmentally conscious and doing environmentally conscious actions. The authors also recognized the limitations of the demographic the study focuses on and how the influence of the culture and environmental values from Malaysia affects the students. They call for more research to be done on Green adoption and personality traits with a wider variety of young people from more countries. 

I cannot say I found the article easy. It has been a challenge the last week and a half trying to dedicate time to the article but also focus. Focus was hard because I do not have enough discipline to read articles I find interesting on my personal time which is definitely something I learned about myself. TedxTalks and video essays are able to hold my attention on my personal time but traditional articles don't do it.  However I did learn from the article even if it wasn't my favorite experience. I got to expand on personality predictors for a new topic and see how openness and agreeableness personality traits made an appearance and making an impact differently here than the last study (as to be expected). In this study openness doesn't matter as much as agreeability when it comes to environmentalism and usage of green IT. I also learned how the disconnect of recognizing an issue of needing to become more sustainable and sustainable actions of young  adults reflect back to me what I see in my daily life. I felt seen reading that it is a coming experience to know we should be making a difference but often not taking ownership of the responsibility that comes with it making a conscience action all the time. But then again to live a fully sustainable life means to live a life that could not keep up with todays efficiency and comfort. How do we convince everyone to give that up?

While I did not Bingo or find everything on the card I did see a few. A noticing I had was seeing a lot of imported plants not native to Chicago. My hypothesis is due to being the third largest city next too New York and Los Angeles people in Chicago want to find a way to beautify their city. I also believe it's an overall common practice in urban places just cause. It could also be because I wasn't in the right area to see some of these native plants. Most of the pictures I got were at college campuses, Downtown, and the AirBnB I stayed at. 

Heres a little research I did about the plants I did see. 

The scientific name behind New England Aster is Symphyotrichum novae Anglia. This flower is part of the Aster family and a perineal type. This means that while the top half will die in freezing winters, the roots underground stay and will regrew in the same place when the warmer months come about. New England Asters are typically purple and pink and grow quickly. 

Scenifically known as Panicum virgatum, Red Switch Grass is seen year around and native to many places in North America. While native to many places it can be deadly invasive to many ecosystems it gets introduced to. This tallgrass is the tallest seen in Illonis and has also been considered as an alternative for gas fuel. Red Switch grass can also be seen in shades of pink and purple. 

White oak also known as Quercus Alba is native to the Chicago region and know to have a long lifespan. This tree grows spreading out their branches, offering a lot of shade, and variety of color, changing with the seasons. White Oak trees are distinct due to their light gray bark that is smooth and rigid. White Oak wood is also popular for furniture, flooring, veneer, and wooden barriers. They are popular because it is flexible and durable. 

The podcast looks to Costa Rica as a case study to answer this question. It takes a look at how, since the 1970s, tourists from all around the world come, pay, and help baby green sea turtles have a successful voyage from sand to sea. Ecotourism is defined as an economic engine that allows the community to preserve their environment. This is fueled by money made from tourists traveling to the country.

However, many issues are outlined with this practice due to its fundamentals. Transportation alone emits tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, with 10% of CO₂ emissions caused by tourism. In addition, there is the environmental cost of the accommodations made when traveling. Costa Rica, in particular, sacrifices land for hotels, ruining habitats for pumas.

While ecotourism benefits countries like Costa Rica by scaring off poachers, creating jobs, and aiming to create a healthier environment for animals, it is not the solution. The intent is great, but it won’t always lead to the direct action needed from everyday people to create a better overall environment.

Sort of. It's very much like the mini Socratic seminar we did for final presentations, where the framing of solutions when discussing climate change is important. We can never put an exact price on nature because it's priceless and not easily sticker-priced. Although we can make good estimates based on characteristics like tree rings and other ways to tell the ages of plants, the estimate of money it's worth could be broad and not the most accurate. However, these estimates allow us as a society to navigate making fewer carbon footprints by paying a poorer nation that can take care of their environment due to being less populated.

The problem arises when there are no guidelines for this brand-new exchange, and we don't see carbon dioxide levels dropping overall. Places like Norway, which pay Gabon to 'relieve' themselves of their bigger carbon footprint, don't actually relieve themselves of anything because they aren't changing their practices. It's like paying someone for correct test answers only to not be able to explain your work in a presentation. The next issue that arises is Norway not explicitly setting guidelines for how it would pay for these carbon credits. People of Gabon only know about a big monetary reward, but their government hasn't actually given them an action plan for how they would use the money or when it would come.

Putting a price on nature is a far-from-perfect solution but not something to throw out the window. It has a bunch of gray areas that need defining, and that's doable. But back to the Socratic seminar of positive vs. negative framing, I feel this could be a positive framing example since we would all gain something from implementing this. I think it would give us all a more hopeful outlook when we look to what we could do for our future.

Protecting animal migration is vital to helping the environment because they help keep ecosystem life cycles stable. They do this by moving in huge herds that travel through the same locations at certain times of the year. In this case the Wildebeests, Zebras, and Gazelle who move from Tanzania to Kenya (The Great Migration).

 They usually move in herds of over one million. However since climate change this number has dwindled to around 250,000. Climate change has made these mammals leave from Tanzania at the wrong time, due to to their bodies knowing when to leave based on temperature. When they leave at the wrong time there is no food waiting for them when they head to Kenya. They then start avoiding  Kenya and staying there for less time, then they give birth in unusual places. 

When things go right these mammals can actual help restore up to 60% of carbon loss. Wildebeests are a keystone species group to ecosystems because they eat and poop needed nutrients. They also help prevent wildfires because they mainly graze grass. People need to focus on animal population because many solutions can be found if we regulate animals, settlements, and balancing populations. It's about coexisting equally.

Weather change becomes climate change when it it is the overall average over time that is changed. Weather change is a daily change that we can track over the week. However it becomes climate change when for it hits the thirty year mark and the weather has continued to have above average tempertures. In East Africa, Kenya has been going through a three year drought since 2021. Although it hasn't reached the thirty year mark we can say this this is due to climate change because Looking at the overall data the temperatures have been on above average since the 90's (fitting in the thirty year mark). 

People who deny climate change in the year of 2024 are ignorant and uninformed at this point. Early last year a IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report came out that undoubtedly says recent weather changes like floods, heatwaves, extreme weathers is 100% due to humans. This report has been reviewed and revised from politicians, policymakers, to local people who have agreed on extreme weather changes. The report has been backed by scientific research. 

Proposition 4: California will set aside 10 billion dollars in bonds for environmental purposes. This includes protecting wildlife, making drinking water safe, reinforces structures against floods, extreme weather, and for job training.  People who back this see this as strategic planning for the increase of climate change effects we will continue to face. However, people who oppose this proposition are worried about the financial burden on California taxpayers. 

California is known to take environmental initiatives very seriously. Many environmental propositions have passed however when it comes down to cracking down on people in higher tax brackets having to pay more for environmental initiatives voters say no.  Newson had a role when he campaigned against the previous proposition 30 from 2022.

Resources :)