Lianne Garrahan

My actions before we started the eco-challenge weren’t the most eco-friendly, but now that I’ve taken upon numerous challenges, I’d say my relationship with the environment has improved. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that my actions had a massive negative impact on the environment, but there was an abundance of things I could work on. It was interesting to read about water conservation. Before this class when I heard the term “water conservation” I’d think about my water consumption and saving money. Little did I know there’s even more value behind it including the preservation of ecosystems and efficiently utilizing energy (The Intersection of Renewable Energy and Water Conservation). Looking forward, I know that even small actions like 5-minute showers make a big difference to the environment. To me, energy is an interesting topic because in certain scenarios there is only so much one individual can do. As someone who lives on campus, I can’t just put solar panels on my building’s roof or upgrade my windows. I have been working to make sure all my lights and appliances are off when I’m not using them, but a large part of my energy consumption at school is due to Bucknell’s actions. I think the best I can do in this case is control what I can control and spread awareness and advocate for Bucknell’s sustainability plan. I also found the readings about natural and organic food interesting. While instant, canned, and frozen foods are very convenient, it’s no surprise that the contents lack nutrition. I thought it was interesting how Maria McGrath said, “food is a broad canvas for symbolic representation” (The Gathering Storm). I have 3 roommates, and we often joke about how I cook the most in the apartment, and my one other roommate just likes to put her Lean Cuisine in the microwave. I want my cooking to have meaning so instead of just eating whatever, meal prepping has helped me think about my choices – including the nutritional value I gain, the identity it creates for myself, and the impact on the environment. In terms of health, I think this “happiness” challenge has allowed me to step back from the craziness of life. Every day I think about what I’m grateful for and I always think of so many things. From a broad perspective, I’m just so grateful for the Earth. The story of Hetch Hetchy (and knowing its outcome) is so sad and it’s astounding that permission was given to build a dam inside a national park. John Muir called Hetch Hetchy a “rare and precious mountain temple” (Conservation in the Progressive Era) and I agree that National Parks have this incredible quality to them. The world is a beautiful place and I hope society can work together to preserve it.

A major focus for the Natural Food Movement and counterculture was buying organic and supporting local. Many of the “food” challenges were along these lines. It’s interesting because instant, canned, and frozen foods encourage consumption, but the products are ultimately unnatural. You lose so much nutrients compared to organic foods. The use of the word “SuperAmerica” was common because huge conglomerates were taking over the food industry (The Gathering Storm). Sure, the products they provided were convenient, but it took away from the true meaning of food. The eco-challenges help bring us back to a place where we’re more conscientious of the products we’re buying and how it affects our bodies and the environment. A lot of the “health” challenges look at how we’re treating our bodies and what we’re putting in them. When I watched the Real Food video it was sad, but not surprising, that sugar intake has drastically increased. I think products that have zero-sugar are so interesting because almost always companies are adding some kind of sweetener. Really and truly, that can’t be much better, or are probably worse, than table sugar.

For both challenges I think the main barriers to making them permanent are my mindset. At school, it is much easier for me to wake up early because I do so anyway to workout. When I am home, it is usually for break, and I do not get up until 8am. When it is winter and really cold, or summer and the sun rises really early, it is often hard to get myself up and out of the house. In terms of eating mindfully, technology and social media are so prominent in our lives, it is a habit to be continuously involved in what is going on. It is so easy to just mindlessly scroll on my phone. When I am by myself eating it seems so boring to just sit there, so I am used to picking up my phone, watching TV, or staring at my computer.

I do not know if I would be able to make every challenge 100% permanent, but I could definitely see myself partaking in these activities numerous times throughout my week. In Thoreau’s works, he greatly emphasized simplicity. He noted how life is precious and each and every one of us should “elevate [their] life by a conscious endeavor” (Thoreau 15). In many situations, people are focused on getting to the end they forget to focus on the journey. Thoreau questioned “why should we live with such hurry and waste life?” and later went on to point out that “we are determined to be starved before we are hungry” (Thoreau 18). The challenges I chose have helped me slow down in life and be grateful for all that I have. So even if I cannot take in these activities everyday, I hope that each time I can act, I make the most out of the situation and remember why I am doing so.

I think a lot of the challenges that will have the most significant impact on my ecological footprint are those under energy and food. The Week 2 readings stated that 76% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from energy, and 84% of energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Making sure all lights and appliances are off when I leave the apartment, using cold water to wash my clothes, and adjusting the thermostat are all great ways to cut down on one’s ecological footprint. It also mentioned that reducing meat consumption and buying fewer products are huge factors in reducing our emissions. I am going through a phase of eating a lot of meat, mainly chicken because it is a great source of protein. While there are other sources of protein such as beans and dairy products, you need to intake a significantly larger quantity than you would meat to get the same amount of protein.

While focusing more on one’s actions is helpful toward bettering society and the environment, collective action must be taken to make a true difference. Sadly, everyone has done something in their lives that was harmful to the environment, but the bigger factor in the deterioration of our environment is big businesses. If we as a group can make changes, whether it is through changing policies, electing different political figures, or something else, a major difference could be seen in the world’s overall health. One of the articles mentioned the importance of bystanders acting. If you yourself are working to decrease the negative effects your actions have on the environment, that is great, but you should also push for your friends and family to do the same. Once again, we all must come together to make a real change.