What I Learned

This course definitely cemented my interest in protecting the environment. But one of the things that I think will be most beneficial to me for the future, is knowing how to question and be critical of things in order to better understand them. When we talked in class, Professor Nicholson often pushed us, or played the devil's advocate, so that we could question ourselves and our own beliefs in order to understand WHY we believe something, whether that belief was unfounded, or what it even was that we believed.

I learned a lot about a wide range of issues, as well. Environmental issues penetrate every aspect of life, and this class has taught me to look at my actions and how they affect the planet and other people. Now, if I want to buy something, I often ask "Do I really need it? Or am I buying it just because it's easier, or I want it right now? Can I live without this?" These questions have really helped me to see how my daily actions were affecting the environment, especially those actions that I didn't even realize I was doing.

The politics of the environment was something else that I learned quite a bit about. I often avoid anything labeled "politics," so it was interesting to take a class that helped me to better grasp what policies are driving the environmental movement and impact environmental issues. I also learned about effective forms of action, which I think is something that really must be analyzed. Next year, I will be participating in Green Corps, and I will be attempting to "organize" and take other actions to protect the environment, so scrutinizing different methods was something that I found very beneficial in my Green Corps interview and in considering how I will function within Green Corps next year.

Thank you for a great class, Professor!