A World Full of Opportunities- #3
This week I focused on gathering information from my peers. In order to further my knowledge of climate change and how the human race is affecting the natural world. I asked 3 of my friends and peers 7 simple questions.
- What is your reaction to my writing?
- What are your opinions on this topic?
- Do you have any further insight on the topic?
- Is there anything you thought of while reading?
- Anything you wondered?
- Any topics that you are interested in that connect to my idea?
- Do you think this topic is a good fit for me that I can influence within my community?
All three of the people I questioned believed that this topic is a good fit for me. With the topic being so broad they believe that when I find something that truly makes me itch. Nothing will be able to stop wondering and questioning. What this topic holds.
The first person I questioned was my friend Megan who has known me for a few years. When she read my blog she was sent into a whirlwind of thoughts. First, she questioned what she does within her everyday life that effects nature. Second, if it leaves a negative impact on the natural world. She wondered what she can change her impact over time. One thing that really stood out to me was “The writing seemed to talk more about the negative influences that we have in nature. Do you see any positive effects?” Which lead me to wonder how have we helped nature develope? or have we overtime helped bridge the human race to the natural world? and set aside certain locations of the world or our lives for animals to flourish.
My second person has been through ups and downs of life with me. Even though I haven’t known Emily for that long she knows me a lot better than most people. When Emily mentioned the “food industry” and seeing how what we consume effects what the state of the natural world is. This was a SUPER interesting sub-topic that could truly strengthen my argument since many people can relate to gardening produce even in their backyard. Without even thinking about the impact they are having since they think they are growing fresh food for there family. Another thing that had me wondering was “how religion influences people’s beliefs concerning science”. I’m unable to connect to this topic directly since I am unaffiliated to the church. But I know many people that connected and have different scientific beliefs from me. Some of that could just be the way they grew up but is there a line that can be drawn back to the church?
The final person I reached out to was my friend Rayona. She and I share many similar views on the world we live in and how conflicts and difficult topics should be dealt with. She brought up “How did it end up this way, and is there any chance of tables turning in the future?” That’s something that I wonder all the time when I consider our footprint. Wondering if we change parts of our life if the atmosphere would go back to normal. Some questions we will never know the answer to but we can only hope that future generations are able to enjoy everything the world has to offer them. With the rate, we are going at now in some parts of the world. Children might only be able to see a picture of a forest and not able to explore.
Overall this week has really given me the change to reflect on what I’m passionate about. I’m not sure what climate change will hold for me moving forward. But this a huge issue that has multiple layers within our communities and world. Even if this isn’t what I choose to focus on its an issue I would fight for. In order to give others the opportunity to see the natural world that I know and understand.
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Hi Meredith,
Sounds like you had some good reactions to your blog posts, and it’s evident how passionate you are about the topic climate change. I really appreciate how you are looking at this vast topic from many viewpoints, and how you sought out different people to interview.
I wonder what responses you might get from people you don’t know so well, or who hold drastically different opinions. Would you ask the same questions? Would you ask them differently?
I’m looking forward to reading more….
-Abigail
Hi Meredith,
Like Abigail above, I’m curious to know what the conversation would feel like to you if you chatted with someone who wasn’t passionate about climate change, or even further, someone who didn’t even believe in climate change.
It’s such a divided time and yet I think the challenge for us is to learn and grow from those who do not believe what we do. And I sincerely believe it is going to rest on the shoulders of children to teach the adults by their example.
Your passion gives me hope!
Hi Meredith,
I, too, stopped and thought about what your friend said about the positive impacts we have had on the environment. That would be interesting for you to explore; whether the information compliments or contradicts your research on how we have harmed the environment, this alternate route will strengthen whatever you want to say through your project.
I was also interested in what you had to say about the church, especially when you asked, “Is there a line that can be drawn back to the church?” Are you interested in maybe focusing on how religion is impacting climate change? Would you want to try to make those who allow religion to prevent them from stopping global warming aware of how their actions are harming the planet? Would you want to try to change how people view global warming, particularly when they’re looking through the lens of religion?
Meredith,
Thanks so much for your work and for this post. Your writing shows me that you are a thoughtful person and someone who is able to express their thoughts and the progression of their thoughts clearly.
I think the previous commenters offer you an idea that might help you with your most difficult challenge: “How do I tell a story about climate change that is going to affect any change?” Frankly, we, as individuals, don’t have a lot we can do right now to directly reverse climate change; it comes down politics and attitudes. So that becomes, perhaps, the focus of a strategy of indirect change — how to change people’s minds or, more accurately, how to open people’s minds. So, by reaching out to those students (and adults) who think climate change is a hoax, perhaps you can get down to why they feel the way they do. As a storytelling technique, it might be interesting to explore this and then hold something live, a civil discussion or debate, and see where it leads. Or, can we even have a civil debate about climate change that does NOT get lost in emotion and misinformation?
Your challenge is to hone the idea down to something that you feel you can get your arms around, something that is both refined, focused and powerful.
Let me know how I can help.
geoff