My Carbon Footprint (PSP)

1)      My areas where my carbon footprint is the largest is in the ‘Secondary’ calculator which is a collective total of food preferences, fashion choices, packaging, furniture and electronics, recycling recreation, car manufacture, finance and other services. My personal footprint for this section was 1.60 metric tons of CO2 where my overall personal footprint is 1.87 metric tons. That means that my secondary contributors account for 86% of my carbon footprint. I learned that purchasing foods closer to home and seasonally grown foods are a key contributor to my carbon footprint which surprised me.

2)      In many cases, a lot of the activities we carry out in our lives can be significantly regulated simply by being more aware of other options. Since I live on campus, I don’t need a car and rarely use the transit systems unless it’s for an outing of some kind. People can organize themselves to be more efficient even when it comes to travelling. There are other options people can use to reduce transit carbon footprints such as hybrid vehicles or electric. Overall, it’s important to understand that we don’t need a lot of things and that is definitely the main contributor to our carbon footprint in general, the fact that we are a society of leisure and convenience. We have a choice to eat local, walk/bike to work or school, save energy by using less power, buy products that have less packaging, recycle everything we use as well as many other factors.

3)      My footprint in comparison to Canada’s average is significantly lower but that is strictly because of my situation of living. I’m living on residence with no need to move around. I admit that if I were at home (my house in the Okanagan) I would have a higher carbon footprint. But even looking at the global goal’s footprint, it’s hard to realistically imagine a world that can live up to that. I believe that it’s not feasible first of all because of infrastructure and population density. We need to be mobile to live and to be mobile, we use energy. The global target is lower than my footprint, which is pretty significant judging by the fact that I don’t have a car or anything that contributes majorly to the carbon footprint. If the world wants to fulfill its millennium goal for a low carbon footprint, people will have to re-establish their values and ultimately their entire ways of living. It’s not possible in the near future, in North America anyways. As for actions that would reduce my individual footprint, I’m interested in completely avoiding packaging as well as moving towards buying locally grown and organic foods since the alternatives otherwise increase the carbon footprint significantly.

4)      Some of the challenges are simply due to the fact that we can’t avoid certain things that contribute to our carbon footprint such as plastic packaging or heating our homes and using electricity. If the action for reduction is to stop using a CO2 emitting vehicle, the initial costs are high and some people can’t afford it but it will pay off in the long run. For example, if one were to purchase a green energy vehicle, there would be no emissions but the cost to buy a green energy car is very expensive. Also, a lot of green initiatives that are being used today are simply inconvenient. Recycling is a process that takes labour and effort. In our society, we are not enabled or educated on ways we can recycle all of our waste because of the fact that we are so used to a different system. The key point is that infrastructure needs to change and to do that, there needs to be a pivot in political will as well as societal will.

5)      Some ways to address these challenges would be to educate others on the issue and provide a means of solving the problem that works. The problem is inspiring enough people to make it happen. Once something is rolling, it’s easy to establish infrastructure because if the people want it, the government will look into it. Ultimately, people need to address their own lives. Collaboratively, everyone who alters themselves a little bit by doing little things that are more ecologically friendly, the trends will catch on. A collective action that a small community could make would be to establish programs that house sustainability initiatives and start the process of building a system that can become reliable and convenient. One example of this could be setting up a recycling program that one hundred percent recycles all waste. To have a program like this, you need waste that can be recycled and that’s a whole different action in general but it all ties together. On a global scale this would be ideal because it would greatly reduce waste, even cutting it out completely. This would have major benefits to the health of our global ecosystems as well as our own. It would also reduce GHG emissions because it would cut down the amount of energy we would need to process and treat our waste.

6)      In my opinion, the carbon-footprint calculator is effective in analyzing ecological change but is hard to assess the effects of it on behaviour. The process of becoming an activist for change is not an easy one. To assess one’s carbon footprint is very useful to getting a head start on what can be reduced and improved in individual lives but overall change relies on motivation. If someone doesn’t see a point to changing, why would they?

Peer Feedback (Prior to final copy)

·         “Good clarification/examination of WHAT contributed to your main carbon footprint factor.”

·         “Focus on awareness and thoughts of increasing awareness leading to change were great, and totally spot-on (in my opinion). There was a lot of great thoughtful insight in your reflection, evident that you explored WHAT the main carbon contributors were. All points in criteria were addressed well. Great job!”

·         “Submission meets word criteria. The carbon footprint calculator was used and ideas were separated into sections but flowed smoothly.”

·         “Possible solutions to reducing carbon footprint are identified and suggestions of how others can carry out lifestyle changes are also discussed.”

·         “The problems/difficulties with carrying out this planned action (individual and collective) are also discussed.”

·         “Impressively low carbon footprint. No suggestions. Good stuff!”

·         “In section 3, clarify where is ‘home’. Also I feel like you should expand on the fact you think the ideal GHG target is unfeasible.”

·         “You provide some great insight on behavioural and infrastructural change, but I’m not sure you directly address the one action you are going to take, and one action you would like at the collective level, nor how this affects global health. Since these are key objectives for the assignment…”

·         “1^st paragraph is great, very clear.”

·         “Maybe you can concentrate on your food choices? Or, you mention education, so maybe leverage that discussion point?”

·         “You have it at 717 words.”

Personal Sustainability Action and Reflection (PSP)

          As a firm believer and advocate for a global revolution that is fighting to reduce the planet’s plastic footprint, I took it upon myself to invest in a set of reusable soap containers from the Soap Dispensary on 3623 Main Street to reduce the amount of plastic I consume through the use of toiletries such as shampoo and conditioner bottles. 

                                                 

          The Dispensary itself is an amazing store established by a local couple who have designed it specifically to provide consumers who wish to reduce their plastic footprints with reusable glass bottles that have a cork as a stopper rather than a plastic one. They also allow consumers to refill their bottles using one of their many bulk soap dispensers. The Dispensary has an astonishing collection of soaps and bathroom lotions, ranging from dish and laundry soap to face moisturizers. Overall, the Dispensary has provided consumers with an option of plastic reduction that was not available prior to its establishment, in Vancouver anyways.        

            

          Not only is the Dispensary sustainable in its promise to reduce plastic from the use of everyday, household cleaners and personal care products but in its promotion of environmentally friendly products. All the soaps sold at the Dispensary are biodegradable and are safe for children and pet use as well as for people with sensitive skin. Some of the products are even vegan certified not to mention the fact that they are all supplied by multiple companies across Canada. Ultimately, the Soap Dispensary has lived by the commonly revered concept: the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle and also a fourth R that I try to abide by: Refuse) and plans on continuing to help create a more sustainable world.         

                                  

          Personally, it has been incredibly rewarding to use these reusable glass bottles in my life. I have taken it upon myself to purchase other products that help reduce my plastic footprint prior to the purchase of these soap bottles such as reusable bamboo utensils which help reduce the dependency on disposable plastic cutlery. I honestly never thought of a method in which to target my toiletries but now that I think about it, the amount of plastic that goes into the production of personal care products and household cleaning products is significant. Why haven’t I taken notice to this earlier? The Soap Dispensary has opened my eyes to target every aspect of my life in the fight against plastic consumption.  

                                                                     

          I also find it really cool to be able to say that I have these new bottles. I have them neatly organized and labeled in my cupboard. I know that I will continue to use these. It is kind of funny because I can foresee myself becoming attached to the bottles because I won’t have the displeasure of having to throw them away every couple of months or so. That’s definitely a benefit: the sentimental attachment to my shampoo and conditioner. I personally haven’t had the opportunity to refill my bottles at the Dispensary yet but I’m sure that when I do, it will be an enlightening experience not to mention socially rewarding. I’m sure that I will become close to the couple that run the store because they can bet that they will be seeing me more often.      

              

          Our global community faces a plastic crisis. The amount of plastic pollution in the world is contaminating the environment’s many ecosystems at an exponential rate. Our hydrological systems, geological zones and air spaces alike are all being affected by the consumption of plastic and if we do not cease the flows of this garbage into our world, our home, by changing our individual lives through simple actions such as the choice to reuse products, we will suffocate in a poison soup of polypropylene, polyethylene and many other “poly-plastics”. To take action is to make a decision on what we believe is right. Together, let’s work towards a plastic-free future; we just need to revaluate our own lives and apply what we learn from that.

Environmental Autobiography (PSP)

            My name is Jordan Pryce. I am a first year student at the University of British Columbia and I plan on pursuing a future in physical geography and sustainability. Ever since I was little, I have had an admiration for my physical environment. I have always loved the trees and the streams and creeks that flow peacefully over rocks. Ultimately, nature has had an instrumental influence on what I am passionate about.

            Although I have a strong personal interest in nature and on the way it works in harmony with humans, I have many role models that have shaped my passion and helped me understand our environment for its beauty, serenity and key role in our society. Both my parents work in environmental sectors. My father works for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in Water Allocation. His job is to make sustainable water land use decisions. My mother works for the Nature Conservancy of Canada and she works to conserve and protect private land through the outright purchase, receipt of donated lands, or by placing conservation covenants on certain properties. Since 2008, she has worked to conserve 9250 acres of natural habitat for plants and animals. Through their work and passions, I have gained an appreciation for how our world is changing in terms of new technology and sustainable practices and that as humans we need to understand that to be forever fruitful we must attain a sustainable way of living. I also look up to Mark and Craig Kielburger who are the founders of Free the Children, an organization designed to end child labour. Through their work I have come to realize that anyone can make a difference in the global community and be a leader, even at a young age.

Leadership itself is a paramount concept in my life. It has led to the funneling of my interest into the vast field of sustainability. In high school, I was involved with many activities that allowed me to carry out my role as a leader. From the end of grade 10 to grade 12, I had been involved with Amnesty Global Awareness, a group that works to create awareness of poverty and social injustices in our school. Amnesty helped me establish my talents in organization and as a public speaker. I helped organize coffeehouse fundraisers which funded certain Amnesty initiatives such as our school’s orphanage in Vietnam. I also hosted these events as a master of ceremonies allowing me to publically reflect on the specific issue that was being fundraised for. I was also involved in Link Crew which is a program established by our school to provide guidance and interaction with new students transitioning from middle school to ensure their success. In Link Crew, I conducted team building activities with a small group of students giving them the opportunity to get to know one another. This builds trust and allows new students to adapt quickly into the high school system. Ultimately, this program increases the relationship between students and I am proud to say that I contributed to our positive school spirit. I also was involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters which is designed to give younger students who are falling through the cracks a mentor and a confidant that can relate to their experiences. Every week I went over to the middle school and met up with my ‘Little’ to help him with certain academic struggles he was going through at the time. Together, we came up with goals and strategies for the future. I was also a volunteer in my school leadership program. Over the course of 2 years I recorded over 200 hours of volunteer work. I undertook many activities such as picking up garbage on the beach or simply organizing school events such as setting up for an assembly or going door to door for 10,000 Tonight which is an annual food drive.

            Being a leader in my school has led to my open-mindedness as being an active advocate of environmental sustainability. In grade 12 I took a social justice course and instead of an exam at the end, our class had to come up with individual projects that related to an issue in our world that we could present to the class. Using my open-minded leadership skills and passion for the environment, I developed my own environmental initiative by creating a series of video journals that are focused on environmental and ecological sustainability. In the journals I focus on a particular issue that is locally and globally relevant and change my life to show that doing the little things does make a difference to reducing our environmental and ecological footprint. In one of the journals I created, I specifically tackle one of my biggest concerns: the Midway Island Crisis. I explained how the North Pacific Albatross, the world’s largest sea bird, is dying because of the increasing amount of plastic in the North Pacific Gyre, the location where all the ocean currents meet. The birds are eating the plastic, mistaking it for squid, their natural food, and regurgitating it to their young. Environmental atrocities like these are widespread throughout the world and need to be addressed.

            Through inspiration and leadership I hope to bring a sense of passion to Sustainability 101. I want to demonstrate to people that I do care and that I want to learn and make a significant difference in my local and global community. I also hope to obtain new knowledge of sustainability and gain a sense of logic that I can use to support arguments that I believe in. I am just another person who walks and talks, but I am driven, and I will actively participate in every aspect of the course and ultimately, be active in teaching and learning sustainability for the rest of my life. 

Pre-Course: Personal Definition of Sustainability (PSP)

Sustainability: A local and global idea of being able to be accountable and make logical decisions that benefit the 'genuine' wealth of society but is economically and ecologically beneficial or neutral as well. It is a strategy to be dynamic in a world that has to accommodate the environment, social justice endeavors, the economy and spiritual well-being.