Friday, 3 Oct 2003
NEW YORK, N.Y.
It's Friday and this is my last entry. I must say that I have really enjoyed this experience. It's been amazing to see the reactions -- even if people don't agree with my perspectives, at least the issues are being thought and talked about, and I've been surprised by what I've heard from some people who I never thought would agree with me. I want to thank Grist and Sherry Bosse for giving me the chance to take the mike and sound off about things. I also want to thank the editors for taking rushed sentences I threw down before class and turning them into coherent paragraphs.
I hope my entries have shown that there are a plethora of issues out there. These issues are what weigh on the minds of every environmental science and policy student in this program (and on any environmentalist, for that matter). On Monday, I was thinking about ethics and environmental justice. Tuesday, policy and global warming were on my mind. As the week progressed, I was thinking about "progress" and consumption. Yesterday, I went on a little rant about poverty.
With so many different and often complex issues out there, it's very easy to feel overwhelmed. I've learned by talking with my classmates in college and graduate school that this is often a shared sentiment. It can be very tempting to throw up your hands and say to yourself, "What's the use?" Friends of mine who are working in environmental consulting, etc., have already become bitter and jaded. This feeling ends up paralyzing anyone trying to act. I believe it's this same sentiment that has also led to the "gloom and doom" outlook of many environmentalists, turning many people away from environmental issues (however, "gloom and doom with a sense of humor" is another matter). When adopting a pessimistic attitude in tackling environmental issues, progress is made almost impossible.
In order to move forward, one must shrug off that sense of being overwhelmed. If I can bite off one piece at a time and tackle a certain issue or project, then hopefully success will be within sight. However, one must be conscious of the bigger picture, which I will not attempt to paint right now because it's too early in the morning (and I'd need another week).
I am driven by these issues and I'm optimistic that things can be changed , that people can make a difference (despite how corny that sounds). As I sit in class (shhh!) and look at the faces around me, I see very bright and motivated people who care deeply about environmental issues and the general well-being of society. People from India, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Des Moines, Los Angeles, and New York. This is what makes me feel like things are looking up. This makes me feel that things are going to change and drives my classmates and I even further.
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