Students studying elementary education at SUNY Geneseo are required to study a specific concentration. On the spur of the moment at my advisement appointment during the first week of school, I decided to concentrate in environmental studies alongside my major. Ever since my decision, I have noticed myself becoming more conscientious about the environment due to the perspectives brought up throughout my classes.
This semester I am taking both Environmental Issues and Nature Writing, which have both coincidentally discussed some overlapping topics and ideas. Learning, analyzing, and discussing human-caused environmental impacts and aspects throughout nature have opened my eyes to our environmentally conscientious conditions.
Adjusting to shared bathrooms and bedrooms have compelled me to a more sustainable lifestyle. Before coming to Geneseo, I was blinded by how much I took advantage of having my own bedroom and bathroom. The luxury of taking my time in the shower and having more living space had distracted me from making “greener” choices. For example, the time I spent in the shower at home is more than double the time I spend in the shower at Geneseo. Knowing that other people could be waiting for an open shower fosters my ability to save water; it also has made me aware of the large amounts of water I must have been wasting back home. Onondaga Hall unintentionally motivates me to only drink from reusable cups and use real silverware, since my small living space prevents unnecessary wastes of space including plastic water bottles and utensils.
Full blue recycling bins and energy-saving sensor lights in most dining halls, dorms, academic buildings, and libraries are comforting to see when I pass by, because they demonstrate our active progress and environmentally conscious atmosphere throughout campus. I’ve also noticed that the technology established through Canvas has encouraged less paper in the classroom. Recognizing, adjusting, and managing printing fees and the hassle to find a printer on campus have effectively discouraged me from printing out unnecessary assignments like I used to.
My Nature Writing and Environmental Issues classes have enlightened me on my human contribution to the earth depletion and has increased my appreciation for nature around the world and on campus. –Jordyn