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I Believe
I believe that every person holds a stake in Sustainability. The important lesson that I learned this summer is that I have to work to find out what it is; what motivates people, what their interests are, and what part of sustainability that fits into. This makes me hopeful because if every person in this world realized their connection, everyone would be a part of improving the environment. I saw that one of the main roles of a leader in sustainability is talking with that…
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This I Believe
Working in the financial services industry this summer, I spent some time thinking critically about the relationship between the economy and the environment (this is something I’ve thought a lot about). My conclusion: I believe in the power of people. It’s funny… I learned in my online orientation that one of Bank of America’s core values is a belief in the power of its people. I naively suspected this one would be the least relevant to my work. In the end, I realized…
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This I Believe
I believe in sharing. We teach sharing to children and patronize them as if its a skill we have already mastered. The truth is that most of us aren’t great sharers. I still struggle occasionally to share even among friends as it is engrained in me to respect what others have while also feel like I have a strong right to my things and think that others must ask my permission for those things. I believe sharing should take on a more important role in…
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This I Believe
I believe that love of others, including those who disagree with us, is the only way effectively advocate for change. Yet judging and blaming can be so appealing. As proof that I have not overcome these temptations, as I write this I find myself judging our society for its tendency to blame all its ill on someone else. However, my experience this summer has shown me that this attitude would be counterproductive. I believe that judgment and blame go hand in hand, and both are…
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Let’s Not Talk About It
Debrief. Debrief. Debrief. If you’ve kept up with the blog, you know that this is a word dear to our hearts in the Eco-house. Recently, however, some of us have gotten tired of “talking it out.” So, for this week’s reflection, we decided to mix things up and play charades. Rather than just verbally reflecting, we asked everyone to act out their personal challenges and successes from the summer. A playful game of charades quickly turned to a serious discussion about relationships within the house…
The Blog
This I Believe
LaunchOn two separate occasions in two completely different locations, I saw a man strolling Charlotte in a vintage T-shirt that read, “Stop Global Warming…Chill Out.” The shirt did not make it clear who exactly should “chill out.” Is it the people who are contributing to global warming (I should say “climate destabilization,” as my beloved AP Environmental teacher taught me)? Or is the shirt poking fun at those who seek to stop climate destabilization? Well, I believe everyone should chill out. The conservative politician who…
This I Believe
Launch8AM. Sweat is dripping from my brow already. I think there are spider eggs on my hands. But I keep picking. Pound after pound after pound of kale, I stuff grocery bags full of the dark green leaves, even though it is mid summer in North Carolina and kale season is normally over by now. What am I doing here? Why did I just commute from quaint little Davidson College to the outskirts of Charlotte to harvest kale and any other neglected produce in this…
This I Believe
Launch
Working in the financial services industry this summer, I spent some time thinking critically about the relationship between the economy and the environment (this is something I’ve thought a lot about). My conclusion: I believe in the power of people. It’s funny… I learned in my online orientation that one of Bank of America’s core values is a belief in the power of its people. I naively suspected this one would be the least relevant to my work. In the end, I realized…
This I Believe
Launch
I believe in sharing. We teach sharing to children and patronize them as if its a skill we have already mastered. The truth is that most of us aren’t great sharers. I still struggle occasionally to share even among friends as it is engrained in me to respect what others have while also feel like I have a strong right to my things and think that others must ask my permission for those things. I believe sharing should take on a more important role in…
This I Believe
Launch
I believe that love of others, including those who disagree with us, is the only way effectively advocate for change. Yet judging and blaming can be so appealing. As proof that I have not overcome these temptations, as I write this I find myself judging our society for its tendency to blame all its ill on someone else. However, my experience this summer has shown me that this attitude would be counterproductive. I believe that judgment and blame go hand in hand, and both are…
Sustainable Instinct
LaunchThe Eco-House is a weird place. As campus living spaces go, it is probably as prestigious for cockroaches as the new dorm is for Sophomores. There are more bikes in the living room than there are couches. Running over ten miles at a time is thoughtlessly routine, like drinking a cup of coffee. A bowl of oatmeal is not a bowl of oatmeal; it is a blank canvas. Living in the Eco-House has been a tremendous adjustment for me. Leaving the comfort of my home…
