After lecture on Thursday, I thought about the idea that almost everything that we do is hurting the environment. Everything from going to class in which the professor uses a computer to show lectures use electricity which requires fossil fuels to generate energy. Typing this blog or you reading this is using electricity, cars we drive to get to school, the food we get from TUC, food we get from Kroger, all require fossil fuels. So my true question is why are we so focused on what a lawn represents and its purpose, but rather talk about how nobody can care about the environment completely. Now I don’t want to say that we are all trying to pollute and destroy the planet, but the issue of environment right now needs to be on how we can get off of our fossil fuel addiction that we cannot live without. When looking at all the different major countries around the world, efforts to reduce pollution or to reduce consumption has either been minute stagnant, or continues to increase based on the country. Unfortunately, all these options are no longer good enough and are still bad for the environment. We have reached a point where China no longer has clean air for its people in certain cities or countries like the United States have had to create carbon taxes to prevent companies from going overboard on CO2 emission. I know this is a hard topic to discuss solutions to because we all know that we them. But why might I ask are there other questions being asked about the environment that don’t hold as much substantial weight. Maybe i’m trying to look at the problem as a whole instead of individual factors, but its hard to when some solutions seem simple such as just investing more time and money to find an alternative solution. Yet that statement itself affects many stakeholders. I truly would like to know everyones opinion of this because this topic so extensive and detailed that the opinions are endless.
Usamah Ali
Communicating Health, Science and the Environment 
I often think about how much everything I do is hurting the environment too. It seems like you can’t do anything in the United States today without using electricity, at the very least. I agree, that it is important to look at actual solutions for the problems the environment is facing (excess CO2, deforestations, polluted water systems, etc.).
However, I think looking at the root of these problems is also important. I think often one ‘sustainable revelation’ can lead to many more thoughts on the subject. For instance, say we question why we have lawns, when they are barely used but we have to use gas to mow them, herbicides to keep the weeks out, and money to buy grass seed (environmental and monetary costs). If people realize there is barely a point in having a lawn, they might start to think about the other pointless things they are doing that are a waste of time, money, and are detrimental to the environment.
Good post!
Chelsea Walters
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Your post had a strong sense of pathos which truly allowed me to become more aware of the consequences of my actions. I have usually thought of myself as a relatively “green” individual, however, your post is making me think twice. This is a hard topic to think about and to be honest with yourself about, however, it is of utmost importance. I think this will definitely change the way I think about my technology usage.
Erica Bock
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Usamah, this topic is extremely detrimental to the world around us. I believe that littering is a huge factor. Dumping waste and garbage into bodies of water where there are living species is a huge problem. It is killing off substantial life and polluting the world around us. There are many things that us, as humans, do to pollute nature, which essentially is contradicting because it is, then, harmful to us.
Traci Alig
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I have to disagree that we don’t really care about the environment, I think it has more to do with the fact that we have been living this way for a very long time and is now hard to quit or change our lifestyle. I definitely care about the environment but like most people, if I got rid of all the things we have that aren’t natural in order to protect the environment, I would not even last a month. Its more important to find more environmentally friendly options rather than telling everyone to stop using electricity.
Elizabeth Mullett
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I agree with you Elizabeth, some people are conscious about their contribute to the worlds pollution and over using its resources but we live in a society today that is technology centered and capitalist driven, its extremely hard to be that one person that environmental conscious but it won’t make a difference. If there aren’t any laws, policies, or regulations that limit our use or consumption, how can we make a difference?
Shayla Ford
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