PDSustainability

Probably doing some sort of labor in a garden, whether that be at my school or my family garden. No matter how physically demanding the planting/weeding/mulching/etc can be , I always find myself filled with joy after these activities regardless of how sweaty or dirty I am. I also find a lot of joy in exercising, especially running out on a...

I was in Chicago recently for accepted students day at my university. While there, I was excited to see active measures being taken to promote sustainability on campus (as seen through our campus garden and dining halls). It makes me feel good knowing that my university values our Earth and is actively working to protect it rather than making...

Here are a few ideas to get you started: Upcycling - get creative by personalizing old clothes and accessories. You can add patches, embroidery, or fabric paint to make your old clothes better fit your personality and values. Rent or swap clothes - instead of buying new clothes, you can rent them for special occasions and swap them with...

Unplugging my charging cords when I am not actively charging anything. It’s a nasty habit of mine that I have been trying to work. However, it has been somewhat unsuccessful seeing that I have forgotten to plug the cord back in at night and have come to school the next morning with a laptop I thought was charged but in fact could die any...

My usage of a reusable mug has become a running joke among my friends in the best way possible. For a long time, any Instagram post made by the school that had me in it seemed to feature a mug; some showed a Wonder Woman mug, others a mug that resembles a rooster. A favorite of mine is a mug saying, "World's Best Teacher." All of...

I recently finished Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Norman Friedman. Overall, it was a very insightful book, but his writing style was at times a bit bland. Additionally, seeing that it was published in 2008, some of the statistics and concepts are a tad outdated. But there was one point he made that was fascinating; he called it...

I almost never use disposable water bottles--perhaps I use 2-3 a year. For those who live as I live with well developed and safe water infrastructure all around, water bottles represent one of the most unnecessary and thoughtless forms of consumption and waste.

The health of terrestrial ecosystems depends on plants, and the health--even the survival--of many plants depends on pollinators. By taking steps to protect pollinators, we ensure their vital function can continue. We also get add-on benefits like greater biodiversity, improved habitat, and more robust food webs that create positive ripple...

I'm always called to address the things that are right in front of me. In my suburban environment, those are litter and invasive plants.