Unwrapped Earth

The more I explore the broad topic of sustainability, I’ve realized that it’s not just about projects and studies – it’s about learning, discovering what I’m actually passionate about, and learning how I can contribute. When I first became interested in sustainability, I was mostly worried about the environment. I wanted to know how we can reduce pollution, reduce carbon footprint, and protect ecosystems, the far-fetched problems. But as I’ve gained more experience through volunteering, research, and my internship, I’ve started to see sustainability in so many different ways – and my interest for it keeps growing.

Working with Project Green really showed me how powerful education is when it comes to making change. Teaching people about sustainable habits – like reducing waste, composting, and supporting eco-friendly products – taught me how just spreading awareness can spark action. At first, I thought that sustainability was about what we do individually, but later I realized it’s also about enabling others to do the same. Working on local projects and creating resources so people can have an understanding of sustainability helped me realize how much of a strong community can be built when everybody is involved. It made me realize that sometimes sustainability isn’t something that we can accomplish ourselves alone – more so, how all of these little things are contributing to something bigger.

Experiencing the internship at The Spaceship Academy made me see how innovation and sustainability go together. I worked on a project where we helped others track their transportation carbon emissions and reduce them, and it really enlightened me on how technology can actually solve real-world problems. I learned that there is no single solution to sustainability – they need to be innovative and pragmatic. And through this project and my internship, I learned about The Earth Prize competition too, and I saw how other projects had come so far and that inspired my partner and I to restructure our project. We had been trying to tackle the problem of carbon emissions from too many aspects, but through reading former competition winners’ project proposals we realized it is always good to work on just one, specific thing – for example, transportation – and focus intensely on that. This helped me grow as a problem solver and learn the importance of balancing innovation with pragmatism.

I’ve also recently reached out to the Weinberg Nature Center to volunteer there, which is a place that is very meaningful to me. I used to visit there as a kid, whether it was for fun or for a school trip. It was here where I was introduced and fully emersed in the environment and nature – we learned about the environment and the creatures and plants that lived in them while taking walks through the nature center’s trails. . I’m excited to go back and help them with their educational programs or in any other way. It feels like a full-circle moment, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the center’s work in teaching others about sustainability and conservation. It’s made me realize that sustainability isn’t just about reducing waste or carbon emissions – it’s about helping people connect with nature in a deeper way. I think this is especially important to the younger generations because when you embrace this, you’ll be held more accountable to take care of the planet.

Although I have not been doing research professionally yet, I have begun reaching out to researchers and learning about how I can dig deeper. In the meantime, I’ve been reading a lot myself. One of the articles I read through during my studies was a discussion about new and emerging technologies that would be beneficial in dealing with climate change and environmental matters. It really inspired me for my internship at The Spaceship Academy, where I’ve been working on a project related to transportation emissions. After going through some of these technologies, I developed a new idea that blends technology and sustainability in a way that never crossed my partner and I’s minds. It’s exciting to feel how learning about these new innovations can push me to think outside the box and offer out-of-the-box ideas to the projects that I take on.

Reflecting on all that I have learned, I can see how far my understanding of sustainability has evolved. It’s not something – it’s an attitude that can be applied to innumerable areas of life, from global warming to public health. I’m excited to keep learning, questioning, and finding out where my green journey will take me. There is still so much to learn, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds.