Blog #5

Using the reading material for today as well as previous reading on green values (and referring to specific aspects of that material), write a blog entry outlining the goals and specific characteristics of a green learning community.  How would you know one if you saw one? 

In a green learning community in an educational setting, there professors would be teacher-learners and students would be learner-teachers. This means that we all have something to contribute and something to take away, through engaging with one another in this process. The community would be grounded in “mutuality, dialogue, and nonviolence” (Students in Charge). Caspary gives an example of mutual respect with the student who is deeply rooted in his own ideology of negative freedom. The author also describes the negative aspects of a term paper, with which I can definitely relate: sticking to a prescribed idea with out much exploration; so I think a green learning community would allow projects adapt and flex with change.

I think that the idea of challenging students to think of their own topics for the term project is a wonderful exercise not only in creativity, but also in students’ self-reflection. I know that I learn more about why I am interested in the things that I am when I evaluate and reflect on my decisions and further research the topics I like. However, there is also a section that mentioned how today’s society over-emphasizes self-reflection and evaluation, so I think there would be a careful balance of this in a green learning community.

The section about communication as a tool for conflict solving is another important part of a green learning community. Instead of avoiding or dominating a problem, the community would work together to learn how to communicate.

In reading the Orr article, I realized that ecological literacy is exactly what I have been looking for in my undergraduate education. The kinds of questions that I want to explore in my career are about the connections and relationships between our role (as humans, inhabitants, etc.) and the environment. I think that a green learning community would strive to be ecologically literate. Each member might come from a different discipline, or have a different major, if it is in a college setting, so that a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective can be shared (one of the foundations mentioned in “Ecological Literacy”). There would be conversations and dialogues in the community, and real-life applications of what is learned through experiences.

Blog #4

What do you think of “green values?”  Which ones do you most believe in?  What surprised you the most about the readings?

Overall, I like the ideals of green values. My interpretation is that they are rooted in equality of all people, a deeper understanding and appreciation for our role as members of the earth/environment/ecological system, and a rejection of dominating forces. The ones that I most believe in are: humans are a part of nature; we are cooperative; and we should problem-solve holistically and analytically. I am also in favor of and agree with a number of other green values. I liked the value related to changing the economic landscape to be less controlled by profit but by what is best for the dignity of the person and for the environment. I also believe in the transition away from an industrial society, because I feel like that contributes to a multitude of socio-economic, environmental, and health problems. The idea presented by ecological humanism that humans should not be constricted for the sake of protecting the environment is something I agree with, but I feel like when other people think of “being green” they think they will have to sacrifice their freedoms. Within social ecology, I like the opposition to domination. I agree, noting good can come of it, but a world of good can come from viewing one another as equals. Finally, I appreciate that radical ecology calls for individual reflection. This reminds me of the ancient Socratic wisdom that “the unexamined life is not worth living.”

The grassroots democracy idea of the left green network is interesting and appealing, and I hope that bottom-up change can make an impact, but I’m just not very confident that it can incite the kind of radical societal changes called for by green values. However, I understand that it would be hypocritical to be a part of the system this movement is opposing.  

In “ Defining Environmentalism” I was surprised at the sentiment that we must be antagonists to civilization and that humans are only contributors to the “environmental crisis” This is a little extreme. Also, why population control? I feel as though it is not about limiting people from having children, which is what I think of when I hear population control, but rather re-locating ourselves in a way that is more environmentally friendly, perhaps by not congesting and burdening cities with a large, concentrated population, but having smaller cities. And furthermore, the left green principle of social ecology says that “overpopulation” is not to be blamed. Perhaps I am just misinterpreting the concept in “Defining Environmentalism,” or could these be two different interpretations or even different ideals that point to some kind of disjunction?

Blog #3

For the AASHE and Sustainable Carolina websites, describe the specific program that you find most interesting in each one and explain why you find it interesting. Plus, write one question for Margaret Bounds, based on the Sustainable Carolina website.

After looking through pages on the AASHE website, I am amazed at how much they do and the partnerships that they are able to foster and maintain with such a diverse collection of organizations, from Campus Sustainability Day to the United Nations! However, I found the most interesting program that AASHE hosts and supports to be the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability, or DANS. As a student very invested in an interdisciplinary education myself, I appreciate their three-fold action plan: to support sustainability within disciplines, across disciplines, and beyond the academy. This is a well-articulated version of the thought and decision process I went through in designing my interdisciplinary major. I feel that sustainability is a value that all disciplines can share at their core, and academics, and really all people, can use this as a way to unite and come together with unique perspectives rather than letting their different backgrounds divide them. I also love that there is a “beyond the academy” aspect, which includes engagement with policy-makers, NGOs, and sustainability literacy. These are exactly the venues in which I think sustainability advocates should be involved!

For the Sustainable Carolina website, I realized that I had never fully understood the scope of the programs that SC has and that I have benefitted from. I couldn’t pick just one, so the Campus Food Team and the Garden Team are the programs I find most interesting. I love the combination of research and action in the Food Team, and that it is linked to the Sustainable Carolina Community Garden for educational purposes. I also noticed that the Oxfam Hunger Banquet was featured on the page, which I had helped to organize last year as a member of Carolina Service Council. I think awareness events are important for our campus community. My interest in the Garden Team is related to the potential I see in gardens to serve as a tool with many purposes: community building and empowerment, education about growing food and nutrition, and more!

My question for Margaret Bounds is: In what ways have Healthy Carolina and Sustainable Carolina collaborated, other than the Farmer’s market?

Blog #2

Create a short biography on your blog to introduce yourself to the class, including a picture of yourself, a brief summary of your life, and a summary of your academic interests and career plans. 

I have lived in Columbia, South Carolina my whole life, but I have family around the world, and I enjoy traveling to new places! In no particular order, I am a daughter, sister, cousin, Catholic, student, chocolate-lover, Harry Potter and Downton Abbey fan, Frenglish-speaker (French+English), and a bit of a germaphobe. At USC, I love being involved in the community through student organizations: Project Vida, Honors Council, GlobeMed, Newman Club, and the Green Learning Community. In my free time, I love reading, doing pilates, trying out new vegetarian recipes (even though I am a sometimes-carnivore), writing stories with my younger sister, and hanging out with my friends. As for my academic interests, I am studying a combination of biology, psychology, public health, and environmental studies through an interdisciplinary program called the Baccalaureus Artium et Scientiae (BARSC). With this background, I hope to pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Health and then to work as a researcher, maybe at an academic institution or government organization such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or Environmental Protection Agency. I am passionate about environmental justice and working to address health disparities, both of which I hope to incorporate into my career path. 

Blog #1

What do you want to get out of the course?  What interests you about “green politics?” What do you want to explore?

From this course, I hope to learn in depth about the four main topic areas: green political thought, green community, green leadership, and green action. I hope that having a strong understanding of green political thought will help me to look at political issues through a new lens. I hope that I can translate the other three topics into practice and action through being an active member of the class, my Sustainable Carolina project team, and the Green Learning Community. I have been wanting to be involved with Sustainable Carolina since I started attending their events last year, and I am grateful that this class is providing me that opportunity. As a student that has benefitted so much from their programs, I am excited to find a way to give back. I am interested in learning about what “green politics” really means! When I saw the title of this class, I thought it would be about environmental policy, but now I am coming to understand that it is about green political thought. So, I am interested in learning to view the environmental and public health issues that I am passionate about (within the field of environmental justice and health disparities), through a green political viewpoint. I have gotten a taste of green leadership and community through workshops in the GLC class, and I think it is a wonderful approach that should be used more often. Some topics that I would like to explore include deep ecology, spiritual ecology, and anything related to food! I am working on developing my senior thesis, and my plan is to create a program that would educate elementary and middle school students on environmental health and sustainable food systems through gardening. I would love to develop this idea through this class!