Sustainability

I believe that sustainability in the context of environmental justice is healthily consuming goods which could look like thrifting, mending clothes, and other things. It's picking sustainable options over items unsuitable for the planet. Even things as simple as bringing a reusable water bottle, or composting can be really impactful for the planet if we all do it collectively.

Throughout this semester, my understanding of sustainability has grown because I have learned to keep in mind perspectives of people who may not have the resources to live completely sustainably. It has also grown because I have truly learned what it could look like to live sustainably and how things like equity go along with that. It truly is intersectional, and I have learned a lot about other things that go hand in hand with living sustainably. An example of how my learning of sustainability has grown is that I learned a lot about consumption, especially in the US. We attended a mending workshop where we learned how to fix problems with clothes instead of throwing them out, therefore avoiding making lots of waste. I thought this was really helpful because it was a fun way to live more sustainably and it showcased that transitioning your lifestyle to be more sustainable doesn’t need to be a big task, but instead, can be an enjoyable experience.

Evidence of Learning

2A: Policies, Systems, and Institutions

EJ Changemakers know that structural change drives, and will heal, the environmental crisis. They are informed on how government, business, and social structures are the primary drivers of the environmental crisis, and envision how to revise and reimagine them to restore environmental justice.

2B: Lifestyle

EJ Changemakers make informed choices in their day-to-day routines to sustain and regenerate our planet, while also acknowledging that individual-level choices are necessary but insufficient to restore environmental justice.

2C: Well-Being

EJ Changemakers have strategies and dispositions to healthily manage the complex, challenging work of changemaking.

Sustainable Development Goals Presentation

This presentation demonstrates the competency because my class researched development goals, and identified the problems that needed to be fixed. We then researched sustainable solution options to figure out how the problem could be resolved.

Compost Bin Creation and Mending Workshop

My peers and I decided to make a compost bin which would help us make healthier lifestyle choices. We built it collectively and then encouraged others to use it as well. Our mending workshop was to educate ourselves on how to fix holes, rips, or things like that on our clothing so we can avoid creating unnecessary waste. By fixing one bad thing in your item of choice, you end up saving a lot.

Lunch Talks and Hikes

Changemaking work is hard, so we all ensured time for ourselves as well. One way we did this was almost everyday at lunch, we would sit together and talk about different things. Sometimes it was serious and pressing topics, while others were just for entertainment. When the weather was nice, we would hike up to lunch to eat it at our campus, the Butler Center, and it was a good way to bond with community and take a break from work.

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