Furman Greenbelt Sustainable Living Community

Many of us are lucky enough to have things that we take for granted: bathrooms, beds, automobiles, access to all kinds of technology, three meals a day — the list goes on and on. One major possession that many of us take for granted is our access to yards. In many nations, the concept of having a space that is as large and fertile as some of our front yards and isn’t used for growing crops or raising livestock is unthinkable. Meanwhile, some of us just let it sit out there looking beautiful and even consider it a burden to “have to” cut the grass once a week. Some will even leap at the opportunity to hire someone else to cut their grass when they have the funds to take the burden off of themselves. While this is a good thing for creating jobs and allowing more free time to those who have busy schedules or other conflicts, it also creates a real issue. Beyond the simple disconnect between a human being and his or her land (yes, our property is our land, though it isn’t held in such high regard for most anymore) there also emerges a new problem of severe air pollution from commercial lawn care companies.

As a novice in the lawn care business, I have already seen some of the things that are causing serious issues when it comes to air pollution, and have also seen, as a novice in the sustainability world, that there aren’t many feasible solutions to these problems. An organization called Quiet Communities presented the results of an EPA study that showed lawn and garden equipment emits over 20 million annual tons of carbon dioxide into the air.^[1] While this is a small amount compared to the 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide produced by transportation vehicles per year^[2], it is still troubling. The world has rapidly made great advances in automotive emissions issues and in creating cars and trucks that don’t create any emissions (electric, fuel cell, etc.), but when it comes to commercial lawn care, the same thing can’t be said.

Companies that mow multiple (as in 10 to 30+) lawns per day need mowers, blowers, trimmers, and other equipment that can last long enough to get the most possible work done between charges/fill-ups, and also that simply can get the work done, and there simply isn’t enough of this technology out right now. Mowers that are powered by rechargeable batteries either do not have the battery power to last as long as companies need them to, or do not provide enough power to the blades to get a quality cut on the grass. Another major problem is that the quality electric mowers are too expensive for buyers to even consider. The Mean Green lawn mowers are some of the only commercial grade, high quality electric mowers, and even have a run time of up to 7 hours, which is in a comparable range with gas powered mowers. However, the price of this mower is $14,725, which is, as you can imagine, at the highest end of prices of these mowers.^[3] While Mean Green promises that the mower costs less to operate with its plug-in-recharge compared to mowers that must be refilled with gasoline or diesel, I fear that the initial price of this mower is too high for most in the lawn care business to even be able to consider. This, along with logistics issue of having to find outlets to recharge the machine as opposed to simply being able to pour liquid from a can into the tank as with gas and diesel mowers, provide problems that most would probably not be willing to deal with.

The primary issue when it comes to lawn care is that too many people have looked at lawn maintenance as a horrible burden rather than as an opportunity and a blessing. However, since most Americans are past the days of mom or dad walking the push-powered reel mower across the yard every Saturday, and since we have moved toward big-time lawn care companies with multiple four-foot-wide, triple-blade, gas powered zero-turn mowers rolling into neighborhoods and cutting 20-30 lawns per day, it is time that we use our great advancements in technology to find a solution to the environmental problems that stem from commercial lawn care. We are on the right track with automobiles, but even if every person in the world were to end up driving a zero-emissions water powered jetpack to work each day, our nation would still have grass that needed cutting, and there needs to be an equally clean, equally affordable, and equally efficient way to get that job done.

-John Martinson

 

^[1]  Gas-powered lawn equipment emits unhealthy air pollutants. . 2015. https://www.quietcommunities.org/gas-powered-lawn-equipment-emits-unhealthy-air-pollutants/. Accessed Jan 25, 2018.

^[2] https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=307&t=10

^[3] Cxr-52/60. Mean Green Mowers Web site. http://www.meangreenproducts.com/cxr5260/. Accessed Jan 25, 2018.

 

What if I told you there’s a way to turn your death into something more than just an ending?

 

Before the solution, however, it’s important to understand the problem. Although death is difficult to face, even in hypothetical terms, we need to take a closer look at the way we carry out burials; it’s not as sustainable of a practice as we thought. Routine burial methods require large amounts of materials that are used for a short time, and every part of the process is toxic to the environment. Because of traditional embalming practices, 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde (a potential carcinogen to humans) are put into the ground annually. Additionally, in the US alone, the amount of wood used for caskets is equivalent to four million acres of forest. After the burial is over, it becomes a contributor to the one million acres of land currently used for cemeteries in the US. This land has to be maintained with fertilizer, pesticides, and massive amounts of water (Calderone, 2015). These numbers are staggering. It’s easy to see how much we’ve commercialized death.

Designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel have a solution to the toxic practices: a biodegradable burial pod that gives nutrients back to the environment and nourishes trees. They call it “Capsula

Mundi,” which translates to “world’s capsule” in Latin. The pod is made from a plastic outer shell that breaks down once it comes in contact with bacteria in the soil, and human remains are placed inside the pod (Erizanu, 2018). Because human remains release nutrients into the ground, they can be used to nourish a mature tree. When a body breaks down, it releases large amounts of nitrogen, but the plastic shell releases carbon in an effort to balance out chemical levels in the soil. Their design isn’t currently legal everywhere, but it’s allowed in North America (“Capsula Mundi”).

The designers of the Capsula Mundi pods are reimagining cemeteries as land filled with trees and wildlife. They want to help people understand that death can be turned into life by helping the environment flourish. The one million acres of cemetery land and tombstones can become wide expanses of woodlands.

For the people more passionate about ocean life than trees, there are still options for a sustainable burial- Eternal Reefs. A similar concept to the Capsula Mundi, reef pods are created from human remains and an environmentally-safe cement mixture. These pods are then used to foster new habitats for sea life. There are currently 1800 Eternal Reefs created by people in the United States, but the company is quickly growing. Families can write in the concrete before it hardens and hold a service on the water as the reef pod is placed in a location of their choosing (“What is an Eternal Reef?”).

These solutions are the first attempts to transform our idea of death and to help people dedicate themselves to helping the environment. It’s hard to grasp the idea that our lifespan is finite, but just because human life has an expiration date doesn’t mean the environment has to follow suit.

-Haley Park

 

 

References:

 

Calderone, Julia. “Burying Dead Bodies Takes a Surprising Toll on the Environment.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 4 Nov. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/burying-dead-bodies-environment-funeral-conservation-2015-10/#eco-friendly-alternative-do-exist-6.

 

“Capsula Mundi >> Project.” Capsula Mundi, www.capsulamundi.it/en/project/.

 

Erizanu, Paula. “Organic Burial Pod Turns Your Body into a Tree.” CNN, Cable News Network, 11 Jan. 2018, www.cnn.com/2017/05/03/world/eco-solutions-capsula-mundi/index.html.

 

“What is an Eternal Reef? >>Eternal Reefs >> Living Legacies That Memorialize the Passing of a Loved One.” Eternal Reefs, www.eternalreefs.com/the-eternal-reefs-story/what-is-an-eternal-reef/.

We live in a very progressive society where our main goal to ensure that we leave our planet a better place than we found it. A couple weeks ago I was watching a TedTalk that discussed about how profit is not always the point. I was quite interested in this talk because I feel like in today’s society profit is always the point. If it’s not the point, then we would probably question why we decide to endeavor do it.

During the talk, an interesting quote that caught my attention arose. The quote by Adam Smith stated that, “If you continue to operate in your own self-interest, then you will do what is best for society.” When I first heard this, it was quite frightening. My first thought was if the people in society act in a selfish way, then we as society aren’t advancing towards a common goal. As the video continued, I realized that when Adam said self-interest he meant in the interest of the human population. If we put the interest of our community first, then our society will be making adjustments towards a better tomorrow.

While Harish Manwani was trying to reach corporate leaders during his talk, I hope to reach the average, normal person. The person who can make our environment better by adjusting basic day-to-day living. While Manwani was arguing that profit wasn’t the point, I think that profit is the point. See I have a different prospective. Instead of adjusting our lens to believe that profit isn’t the point, why don’t we adjust what our definition of profit is. I truly believe that in a profitable society, we strive to cut down on nonrenewable resources. A profitable society is one where we protect our forests and oceans.

I believe that in a profitable society, we are making this Earth more green- and no I’m not taking about money. Instead of settling for instant gratification, we could make efforts to install plans so that we will leave Earth a better place for future generations. What if we can make it a more profitable society by recycling plastic and composting food. What if our society is profitable by turning the lights off when you leave the room? Well it is. By doing this we are making our Earth a better place. We are contributing to a decrease in fossil fuels. By biking and carpooling we use less gas and less oil which there will be in soon enough. What if we stop littering and contributing to pollution? Instead of making a profit in money, we are saving our planet which is more profitable than all the zeroes in a bank account.

If we make an investment in projects that will make our community more sustainable, which may end up being costly now, but it will contribute to a greener and a better living environment. I believe that we have the ability to make Earth more profitable. By changing day-to-day routines, we can be very profitable.

-Fabby Gonzalez

The lens of a camera is powerful because it has the ability to capture and preserve a memory for years to come. These photographs have the uncanny ability to transport you to a whole other dimension simply by gazing into them. One day, I happened to be scrolling through the Instagram page for National Geographic when I stumbled upon a photograph taken by one of their many photographers. This particular picture wasn’t awe inspiring or breathtaking but rather it was simply tragic and heartbreaking. The picture was of an emaciated adult polar bear in a barren landscape with no ice insight, and his drooping head indicated that he had no more fight left in him. The reason for this particular polar bear’s poor health and untimely death could have stemmed from multiple causes; however, it doesn’t take an expert to know that global warming is contributing to the demise of polar bears.

Global warming is a hot topic right now, and a major source of disagreement especially when it comes to differences between political parties. Global warming is a frequent term but it is important to understand the cause of it to be able to mitigate its effects. The cause of global warming is the release of large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere where heat becomes trapped in these gases. This trapping of heat leads to a warming of the world hence the term global warming. This increase in heat can lead to melting of the ice caps which in turn contributes to rising sea levels (What is Global Warming). The melting of the ice caps in the Arctic is destroying the habits of polar bears because when it comes to their habit specialization, they “rely heavily on the sea ice environment for traveling, hunting, mating, resting, and in some areas, maternal dens” (Advani). If we don’t make changes in our day to day lives to help aid the environment in its recovery, then polar bears might not be able to adapt fast enough to their changing environment.

The picture of the dying polar bear made me stop in my tracks because photographs are extremely powerful objects. I was no longer concerned with all of the hustle and bustle going on around me, and I just focused on the one photograph right in front of me. We live in a fast paced world where we don’t have an abundance of time to stop and think, so I greatly appreciated this one moment. This moment made my heart ache and made me realize that there are countless times in life we choose to ignore the important things going on around us. Sometimes we have a one track mind and don’t worry about anything else that is going on in the periphery. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this picture because it makes the current impact of global warming all the more real. In the end, we need to realize that our actions greatly affect the environment we live in because polar bears are just the tip of the iceberg. A decline in the population of polar bears can potentially cause a domino effect down the rest of the food chain and produce unimaginable catastrophic consequences. You should care because this world is your home and we can’t relocate to another.

 

-Emily Shafer

As a massive source of public entertainment in the United States and around the world, professional and collegiate sports teams attract a tremendous amount of fans to their stadiums and arenas. In fact, the top 200 stadiums in the United States draw almost 181 million visitors per year. With this amount of people attending games and matches, the managers of these facilities hold a responsibility to manage the amounts of waste and environmental pollution created by fans both within the stadium or arena and outside its gates.[1]

Two main aspects of these sports venues that have room for improvement are stadium development and waste management. With the explosion of the popularity of sports, 66 new stadiums have been built for teams in the four major professional leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) over the past two decades. Some of the problems associated with building new stadiums and arenas include not considering sustainability during development as well as not considering the surrounding area and transportation systems while picking a location for the new stadium or arena. To solve these issues, developers should strive for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.[1] This certification is available to buildings that are highly efficient, green, and cost-saving.2 Stadiums and arenas that are certified are more environmentally friendly and save the teams money by consuming about 25 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than another stadium or arena of comparable size. Additionally, developers should put more thought into placing the stadium or arena in an area that is compatible with the local transportation system. If developers build the stadium or arena in a more strategic location, less energy will be used to get to the stadium or arena, and less transportation wastes such as greenhouse gases will be emitted as fans travel to the game. This change will also most likely benefit the team and make more revenue because fans will be more willing to travel to the games if the stadium or arena is in a more convenient location making it easy to use public transportation systems.[1]

Stadiums and arenas produce tremendous amounts of waste both within and on the outsides of their walls. This waste can come from items brought into the stadium, items bought within the stadium, and tailgates. Managers must take into account all of the possible sources of waste and also be aware of the local waste disposal and recycling policies. To be more sustainable, managers should advertise for sustainability and waste management within the stadium by using techniques to target fans and influence them to join the movement towards more sustainability at the games. An example of an advertising technique that is effective in targeting fans is the use of “Fan Cans,” which are recycling containers with a design on top that represents the sport played in that specific stadium or arena. Currently, there are disposable materials used at concession stands in stadiums that are not easily recyclable, such as low-grade plastics and polystyrene. Stadium managers should work to form partnerships with companies more dedicated to selling recyclable materials to sell their food at concession stands. If stadiums and arenas can all make these changes towards more sustainable practices, the sports industry can thrive while influencing fans to live more sustainable lives and making less of a negative impact on the environment.[1]

Sources:

[1]https://www.wm.com/sustainability-services/documents/insights/Stadiums%20and%20Arenas%20Insight.pdf

2https://new.usgbc.org/leed

 

-Danni Vines

Consider this: according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the “air quality within homes can be more polluted than the outdoor air” (Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). This is a scary thought—isn’t it?

Now consider this: You are scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or a Snapchat story and see the typical artsy pictures of apartment window-sills full of decorative succulents, dorm rooms with leafy green plants, and that one hipster girl from high school’s air plants. You think to yourself: Why are houseplants so cool now? Should I go to Trader Joe’s and pick up a succulent? Will this make me hipster and ‘cool’?

An example of “Instagram-worthy” houseplants. Source: @martinathornhill

First, I would like to tell you that you are hipster and cool just the way you are, and you do not need to look like an Instagram model to be loved and valued😊

Second, I would tell you that the two things I asked you to consider (air quality and plants) are, in fact, related.

Crazy, right? Indoor pollutants exist, and they come from many sources. Combustion pollutants, such as particles from water heaters, dryers, space heaters, etc., include carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide (which are both colorless and odorless) (Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). Volatile Organic Compounds are released from solids and liquids, such as certain paints and varnishes, glues, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, and cosmetics. These include formaldehyde, acetone, benzene, and more (Environmental Protection Agency, 2016).

These pollutants, which are likely floating around your home/apartment, probably sound alarming and, honestly, they should. These pollutants are associated with negative health outcomes, such as respiratory infection, damaged lung tissue, lung diseases (such as emphysema) and cancer. However, there are many things that can be done to reduce your exposure.

You can:

-open your windows as much as possible

-change filters in your home, air conditioner, and vacuum regularly

-avoid synthetic air-fresheners and petroleum-based wax candles

-use a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) air-purifier

-choose your paint wisely (use low or no VOC paint)

-use non-toxic cleaners

-get lots of green plants!!!

(Apartment Therapy, 2010).

Plants? Yes! We are coming full circle! This brings me to the third thing I would tell you– yes, you should probably go to Trader Joe’s and buy a plant! But you will be doing so not to conform to society’s standards of what is cool, you will be doing it to clean your air and to improve your health.

According to NASA, these are some of the best plants you can buy to reduce VOCs and improve the air quality of your abode:

• Bamboo Palm
• Chinese Evergreen
• English Ivy
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
• Florist’s Chrysanthemum
• Red-Edged Dracaena
• Weeping Fig
• Peace Lily (caution, this is poisonous for your furry friends!)

NASA recommends that you have one plant per 100 square feet. (NASA, 1989).

Thus, while indoor pollutants are a scary reality that all of us face, there are easy (and often fun) ways that we can reduce the hazard, including owning plants. You can now take artsy pictures to put on Instagram, all the while cleaning your air and improving your living space! A win-win situation! Additionally, I have included some recipes for green cleaning products that are easy to make, cheap, good for the environment, and good for your health because they do not emit VOCs! There is no reason not to make these!

 

All-Purpose Cleaner:

Equal parts vinegar and water

*essential oils can be added to change the scent*

 

Glass Cleaner:

¼ Cup of white vinegar

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

2 Cups of Warm water

 

Homemade Wood Polishing Spray

¾ Cup of olive oil

¼ Cup of white vinegar

30 drops essential oil (such as lemon, orange, or lavender)

(Keeper of the Home, 2017).

 

Good luck, friends, and happy planting, mixing, and being green! Your body will thank you for the improved indoor air quality!

 

-Catherine Lippert

In order to build a sustainable world, the natural first step is to cultivate a love for the environment and caring for it at a young age. Though children get educated on simple scientific principles—ecosystems, the water cycle, properties of matter—they don’t really seem to be receiving encouragement to take care of the earth. If we start teaching kids as young as elementary school how to be sustainable, there’ll be a generation of children eager to learn about sustainability and ready to tackle the massive ecological issues we’re currently facing.

Children mimic adults all the time—it’s why we have to watch our language around them and make sure they don’t watch violent movies. But a great way to encourage children to live sustainably is by making sure we as adults are practicing environmentally-safe actions. Using reusable grocery bags when shopping with a child, having a compost bin at home, and gardening are all simple ways of making sure a child is able to witness sustainability in action. It can also open up for some great conversations about why sustainable actions are good for the earth and why the earth needs us to be more mindful.

There are tons of lesson plans available for teachers to use when discussing the environment. Small children are the best scientists—they want to know as much as they can and ask questions that would blow your mind. Lessons such as calculating a carbon footprint or learning how we could use solar/wind power to fuel our world could be very beneficial to getting kids thinking about these broad subjects while they’re still eager to learn.

Schools can start community gardens to help get the children outside and working towards sustainable eating practices. Plus, children get very excited over being able to say that they grew something themselves!

There are so many cool ways to reach children to teach them how to live sustainably. Not only are we not teaching kids, we’re barely encouraging students at higher levels of education or adults. Sustainability does not have to be onerous, but currently we make it so inaccessible within the education system. It can be easy and exciting, but only if adults and educators are willing to put forth the education to make it easy and exciting.

 

-Cammi Stilwell

In the 1870s, the expansion of America into the west forced predatory animals into constrained territories, where prey was driven out and domesticated agricultural animals were used as replacement. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, wolves were consistently in the aim of the rifle, trapped, or even poisoned in Yellowstone, so that the so called more regal animals could thrive, like Elk (Route 2016, 1) . From 1914 to 1926, an estimated 136 wolves were slaughtered in Yellowstone Park. In 1926, what was believed to be the last of the Yellowstone wolf packs was executed by bullet without fanfare. Gray wolves had been exterminate throughout the states, retaining only a foot hold in Minnesota by 1960. By 1975, shortly after the wolf was listed under the Endangered Species Act, there begins to be inklings of a new program to reinstate the wolf to its former glory in the west.

By 1995, the wolves were back with the support of the public behind them. Wolves were captured in Canada and brought down to both Idaho and Yellowstone. The wolves they relocated ranged from as young as nine months to full adults of five years of age that had previously bred. The reinstatement of wolves was judged a success by 1996, leading to an increase in biodiversity within the park. The wolves provide far more balance between predator and prey populations within the park. Wolf kills provide food for grizzlies, scavenging animals, as well as coyotes, increasing their populations as well. Although, the future of the wolf depends on their depletion of livestock as well as the hunting habits of packs wandering outside of the park, not just their benefits.

The recovery of the wolf is far from over, however. More pockets of wolf packs must be established in order to ensure genetic sustainability within the species. Sadly, the wolf still only survives in 10% of its former range, while still facing consistent war from farmers. And while the wolf may find sanctuary in Yellowstone, beyond its barriers in Montana and Idaho, hunting and trapping season for wolves exists. Idaho and Montana delisted wolves in the year 2008, while Wyoming has continually come on and off delisting wolves. Still, the US Fish and Wildlife service continues to monitor the recovery path of wolves within these states to confirm an increase in their population. And in 2013, the Obama administration proposed to strip wolves of their protection within the states, however the courts argued otherwise, stating that it would be direct violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The Yellowstone Wolf Project continues to gather information about the packs within the park using radio collars. This information will both ensure their survival and permit the spread of information and learning about this beautiful animal of the west.

The population of wolves now stands around 100 wolves, with about 500 in the subsequent areas surrounding Yellowstone park. They have hit a plateau as of 2014, falling beneath the 174 population in 2010 by 70 wolves. This is due to the limited number of elk, which subsequently leads to fewer numbers of wolves.

We must continue to preserve this animal and promote their recovery. They are complex and beautiful, a definite symbol of the American west.

–Camiell Foulger

 

“.” America’s Gray Wolves: A Long Road to Recovery, Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/gray_wolves/.

 

Staff. “Gray Wolves Create Balance between Predator and Prey in Yellowstone.” My Yellowstone Park, National Park Trips Media, 21 June 2015, www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wolves-elk-balance.

 

Route, Bill. “Wolf Conservation in America’s National Parks.” Northland College, Northland College, 15 Oct. 2016, www.northland.edu/news/wolf-conservation-americas-national-parks/.

 

“Wolf Restoration.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolf-restoration.htm.

 

“Wolf Conservation in America’s National Parks.” The History of Wolves in Yellowstone, Yellowstone Wolf: Project Citizen Science, www.yellowstonewolf.org/yellowstone_wolf_history.php.

When you look at a game of chess, you might just see a board with pieces moving in every direction until somebody wins. To me, I see the chess board as a projection of our lives. Every move that is made on the board shows your personality and creative motives as you try to beat your opponent into submission. Depending on your personality, some players tend to play an open, aggressive style of chess where risks are taken in order to give yourself an advantage. Other players tend to play slowly; patiently waiting for his/her opponent to make a mistake. Just as you play on the chess board, the values you have gained from past experiences define your overall view of sustainability.

For instance, the chess openings I play tend to be slower, more strategic, and safer because I feel more comfortable in pouncing on my opponent’s mistakes instead of causing my own. This same strategy applies to my views on sustainability. For example, I enjoy understanding US policy decisions and how they affect Americans in the long-term. Reviewing policy decisions such as the US withdrawal from the Paris Accords allows me to connect my understanding of sustainability and realize that policy decisions like these do not help the United States. For example, it is estimated from 2020 to 2039 that “between $4 billion and $6 billion [would be spent] in annual coastal property damages from sea level rise and more frequent and intense storms” (“Climate Change: Information on Potential Economic Effects Could Help Guide Federal Efforts to Reduce Fiscal Exposure”, 2017). Being strategic in decision-making not only helps on the chess board, but also saves people’s lives.

Strategic thinking is important for decision making, and your understanding of systems plays an important role in decisions. For instance, the World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen once said, “I am trying to beat the guy sitting across from me and trying to choose the moves that are most unpleasant for him and his style” (Markushin, 2013). What Carlsen excels at is his understanding of the weaknesses in his opponent. Just as in sustainability, it is necessary to recognize the flaws of the systems we create. Sustainability scientists constantly consider many different systems that are interacting with each other on different scales. However, one important thing that helps in understanding these interactions are the values of those who dictate how the system works. It is important to find these areas of interaction, known to be leverage points, “where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything” (Meadows, 1999). In chess, it is important to find the right move at the right time because it can lead to a chain reaction of positive effects for the rest of the game. The same idea holds true for sustainability to connect it.

Chess presents a unique opportunity for people to make mistakes and learn from them. Those in the field of sustainability have the challenge of finding the best continuation for society, so it is best to be strategic in our decision-making or we may soon be checkmated.

–Austin Powell

 

Climate Change: Information on Potential Economic Effects Could Help Guide Federal Efforts to Reduce Fiscal Exposure. (2017). Gao.gov. Retrieved 26 January 2018, from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-720

 

Markushin, Y. (2013). 27 Great Chess Quotes from Magnus Carlsen. Thechessworld.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018, from https://thechessworld.com/articles/general-information/27-great-chess-quotes-from-magnus-carlsen/

 

Meadows, D. (1999). Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System. The Academy for Systems Change. Retrieved 26 January 2018, from http://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/

An activist is defined as: a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change.

My passions lie within the realm of environmental issues. I am taking a class called, Environment & Society this semester and my favorite lecture thus far has been on environmental justice and social activism. It has been a movement that arose out of a spearhead of groups in the 70s and is still going on today. It is sad to see individuals so blind about environmental issues going on in our world every single day. Our job is to speak up and not turn back. All we can do is change our habits in hopes that by electing politicians that support our causes, justice will be served.

Climate change isn’t stopping for anyone, so we need to start being activists in order to break through with radical change.

On January 20^th, I attended the Women’s March in Greenville, SC. The sun shined on a group on us Greenbelters (a group of environmental living and learning community members) from Furman University as we sang songs, and yelled at the top of our lungs for the powerful community speeches along with the crowd of thousands in attendance. Showing up is all we had to do, and showing up is all you have to do make a change.

The Women’s March was founded a year ago as a reaction to Donald Trump being elected into the White House in 2016. But most importantly the motive behind it all was to have women raise their voices and come together as a collective body to fight for equality in our country. Guess who started this movement? An activist.

I have been to my fair share of protests, activism meetings, and corner street rallies, thanks to my parents that thrived in the 70s.

However, last year was my first year going to a protest without my parents, and that was to the People’s Climate March in downtown Greenville. I rounded up a friend who is now living with me in the eco-cabins and has continually supported me on my activist journey. We made posters that read, “It’s getting HOT in here…” and “Save Our Planet…Climate Justice NOW!”

For the Women’s March, we got those same permanent markers out and drew up a sign that read, “They tried to bury us but they didn’t know we were seeds.” An activist is like a seed spreading their passion for a particular issue out into the community. By showing up and supporting a designated cause you are given a voice. By educating yourself with your cause you are becoming empowered. By sharing your stories and passion you are making an impact. Now all you need to do is don’t stop and live it out.

As I held my sign up high and proud at the March, I realized that was exactly where I needed to be. Yes, I am a college student and have plenty of other obligations and work to attend to, but where I was, was where I was meant to be.

Our lives are surrounded by a general motive to find our purpose in this world. Most people think they find this through getting an education, or finding a job they love, but at this stage in my life I have found my purpose in activism. Not a sideline or background activist, but an activist that despite it all will show up. Will you show up?

-Amie Newsome

 

Bibliography:

Mazzio, Jenna. “So You Want to Be an Activist? 8 Ways to Get Involved in Causes You Care About.” One Green Planet, 19 July 2014, www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/how-to-get-involved-in-causes-you-care-about/.