Author: Jamie Dunlap

A Personal Challenge to be Environmentally Friendly

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Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay 

Summary: My activities to do my part in addressing climate change seemed disjointed and hard to track, so I took some time to map out what I already do and what I’ve already changed. This exploration could be helpful in planning out future behaviors and actions.

Although the act of typing it up and publicly sharing is new, the idea of participating in actions to address climate change has been with me for a few years. Some actions I grew up with, and some I learned along the way. Life generally dictated what I could do and when, but now I’m older and in a stable enough position that I can focus on making lasting, positive changes.

I grew up with the idea of environmental awareness from many directions. My family recycled at home. One of my earliest chores was to bundle up the newspapers to go out to the curb every other week.

My elementary school hosted neighborhood cleanup days. Teachers would arm us students with rubber gloves and some bags and direct us around the school property and the neighboring park to pick up whatever we saw. We’d have a sorting party afterwards, separating out the various plastics and cardboards and whatever the heck else they let us pick up. They taught us what happens to trash, where it goes, and why. They explained how recycling works and that some things can be recycled and others can’t.

In many other ways, most of my life has been incredibly carbon unfriendly. I grew up in a middle class home, which is inherently pretty wasteful. It wasn’t until the second half of my 20s that I ever thought about where energy comes from, where my clothes come from, how water is processed, or what chemicals are in the products I use (privileged, I know).

I don’t blame anyone. My parents were amazing and I received a decent education (for a public school). Information, studies, and science has improved since then, and the correct thing to do is to respond when an issue becomes apparent.

Doing Better

Climate change is undeniably an issue. Everything is suffering. Everyone is or will be affected. I know there is more I can do, but in order to best move forward I want to get a better understanding of my starting point. There are surveys online which claim to measure your carbon footprint (here’s one). My feelings on the results are mixed. Generally, my home does a little better than comparable homes, but I still feel like I can do better.

I’m splitting my current actions into three categories: Home, Purchased Goods, and Charitable/Conscious Contributions.

Home

Recycling

Recycling, as it currently exists, is inefficient, and often materials that are sent for recycling end up in a garbage dump anyway. This video from YouTube provides an excellent explanation of the lies around recycling, but it ends on a hopeful note. If as this video states, 5% of what goes for recycling actually gets recycled, that is still better than zero.

It also depends on what is being recycled. Aluminum, for example, is an excellent recyclable material because it can be done over and over again with little to no loss in the quality of the material. Plastics are incredibly difficult to recycle. Glass falls somewhere in the middle.

I recycle according to the standards of the borough I live in. They accept paper, cardboard, and bottle-shaped plastic. Plastic bags and sheets gunk up the machine, so bottle shapes only.

Interestingly, they don’t accept glass. They claim it’s too rough on their machines. I’ve never spoken with one of their machines, so I cannot speak to the validity of this. However, there is a glass recycling drop-off point a few minutes away from my house, so I drive our glass there every few weeks.

Energy

The transition to renewable energy is picking up steam. I’m fortunate to live in a region which has opportunities to purchase from energy suppliers who exclusively produce energy via renewable sources. Solar and wind are both popular options around here.

I purchase my energy from a company which provides only wind energy. I’m not partial to wind energy over any other form of renewable. This company simply had the best price compared to other options. As technology improves and adoption increases with renewable energy, the price will go down across the board.

Purchased Goods

Clothes

I got really interested in this topic a while ago. Fast fashion is horrible for the environment, but the horrors don’t stop there. It is terrible for workers in certain countries. Garments are made cheaply to keep the consumer’s costs low, mostly at the expense of workers, and the quality of the clothes plummets. Many materials clothes are made of leak microplastics into the water when washed. It’s bad.

The most responsible thing to do is to fully take advantage of existing wardrobes rather than to get rid of past poor choices. As my clothes become unusable, I donate what I can and recycle everything else. Replacing clothes is a conscious effort in identifying materials used and researching the company’s practices. Some companies are quick to promote all the good they do, which makes figuring out who’s greenwashing extra tricky. The ins and outs of buying clothes sustainably could be a post in itself, so here’s a quick snapshot:

  • Read the labels to see what materials the clothes are made from
  • Read the About page on the company’s website
  • Buy timeless pieces rather than the latest trend
  • Buy quality pieces which are easy to care for and will last several years

Accessories

Non-clothes items can be treated in the same way as making environmentally friendly purchases for clothes. Shoes and bags were a particular problem for me for many years. It was a difficult but conscious effort to change my behavior around those items.

My work bag might outlive me. It’s a sturdy-as-shit canvas and leather concoction with the best reviews on the internet. But it was expensive. It was not, however, more expensive than the constant replacing of broken, worn out computer bags and messenger bags. For years, every 9-12 months I had to purchase a new work bag. Broken zippers, detached straps, holes in the material… it was a nightmare. Pulling the trigger on an expensive product was stressful after years of constant replacement, but quality comes at a price. I’m not saying all expensive things are high quality, but I am suggesting that cheap things are likely not.

Shoes were a similar issue for me. I used to work a job where I was constantly on my feet. I replaced boots roughly twice per year, going out of my way to find the cheapest option possible. Unfortunately, as with the work bag, I needed to investigate and spend the money for quality. It’s been three years since the last time I purchased a pair of boots, and the money saved from not having to constantly replace cheap pairs has more than made up for the initial price paid.

All products go through some process of manufacturing, transportation, and retail. The argument has been made that there is no conscious consumption in capitalism. However, since that’s the deal we get, the best we can do is purchase quality products which reduce the cycle of purchasing over and over again.

Bulk Goods

As if this post isn’t already privileged-white-girl enough, my next topic is on Costco. Costco is not perfect and I will not spend any time here in this post discussing the imperfections; I am bringing them up because there are some benefits to buying in bulk.

Buying in bulk can be more environmentally friendly in two ways. The first is that bulk purchases generally have less packaging. Much of the packaging that goods come in are not recyclable, so reducing this is helpful. The second is that it saves on transportation. If I have to get in my car and drive to buy the things I need less frequently, then that’s less time I’m in my car consuming gas.

The caveat here is that not everything is beneficial to buy in bulk. Foods need to be consumed before they expire, so perishables aren’t a good idea but dry goods certainly are. I happen to not live near anywhere that does refillable services for products like shampoo or detergent, so that’s another point where packaging needs to be taken into consideration. One big bottle is generally better than two smaller bottles, and those are often recyclable.

Charitable/Conscious Contributions

Ecosia

This is not a charity – Ecosia is a search engine. This organization takes revenue from advertisements and uses them to plant trees. They partner with tree-planting organizations all over the world to help get trees in the ground, improve communities, and capture carbon.

An excellent podcast, How to Save a Planet, looked into Ecosia on an episode from December 2020. They found the organization to be legit. Ecosia is upfront about how their organization is structured, how much money goes towards planting trees, and how much money stays in-house for providing services. Also, if you’re not already listening to it, check out that podcast.

Planting trees is as easy as searching for crap on the internet. I found it to be generally just as good as Google. Ecosia does not sell your data for profit the way some other big tech companies do, so they’re environmentally friendly and privacy friendly. Cool.

One Tree Planted

Actual Charity. This is a nonprofit dedicated to planting trees – as if the name wasn’t enough to give that away. Also, yes, I like trees.

One Tree Planted works in partnership with tree planting organizations all over the world to get trees in the ground where they’re needed most. Alternatively, donors can pick which region they’d like to support. I did the latter. Having already established participation in global tree planting through Ecosia, I wanted to do something local. I live in a beautiful region which has been decimated by coal mining, and I’m so grateful to have found a way to support organizations trying to restore the region.

What’s Next?

Honestly, I don’t know yet. This whole 2000 or so words post was a personal journey for me to take stock in what I’ve already done and am already doing. Actions to support the environment need to be taken at both the personal level and the government and policy level. I can vote for politicians which support the environment and I can write letters to government officials expressing my concerns, but ultimately, I have the most control over my personal decisions.

I also believe that changes need to be implemented at a gradual and sustainable pace. Most people can’t handle a full overhaul of their lifestyle. I certainly can’t. Introducing incremental changes and working them in to daily activities helps to set new behaviors with lasting effects.

Whatever my next move is, it will be thought out and tracked. It may seem small, but it will have a lasting effect. More importantly, I will be one more person doing something good for the environment.

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Setting Goals to Graduate

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If you’re a nontraditional student, you already have the overarching goal of getting your degree. The next step is to turn that aspiration into something you can actually achieve.

Going at it every day with just the big, abstract goal of “get degree” will not serve you well. That doesn’t mean it isn’t admirable. Nontraditional students face more hardships than the average student. That’s exactly why you need to go about reaching success in a systematic and process-oriented way.

You’ll notice the word “goals” in the title is plural. That’s because I’m suggesting you create many little achievable milestones during your studies. This process will keep you motivated and will help you track your progress as you turn pages in your calendar towards graduation day.

Big Goal Problems

Large, abstract goals are the enemy of the nontraditional student.

When goals aren’t clear, it’s impossible to tell if the work you’re doing is leading to the achievement of that goal. When goals aren’t precise, there’s no way to guarantee that scheduled tasks will lead to success.

I think the worst is the problem with motivation. Massive goals take a long time to achieve. Without creating manageable mini-goals within the larger project, you’ll end up feeling like you’re working and working but never getting anywhere.

Make Smaller Goals

By no means should you lose sight of the larger goal of graduating. But in order to get there, you’re going to have to focus on smaller projects.

By thinking about your degree as a series of tasks to accomplish, you’ll be able to stay motivated and you’ll feel good about yourself as you move along.

Your program will offer you an easy starting point for creating smaller goals. Passing each class can be one goal in itself. Take a look at your curriculum. As you plan out which classes you’ll take, imagine each of them to be one stepping stone along the path.

There’s other ways to create goals that will help you. Maybe you’ll want to set a goal to study for two hours after dinner every night. Or maybe you’ll choose to set a goal of writing a certain number of pages toward your senior thesis every week.

The Three Qualities of Goals

No matter how you choose to break down your big goal into smaller ones, remember that these goals need to have three qualities. They need to be:

  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Specific

Make sure you’re creating reasonable goals for yourself. Setting a goal of reading ten chapters in a week is not realistic. Setting a goal of five essays per week is probably not realistic for most nontraditional students.

The trick here is to push yourself to your limit, but not beyond it. If you set your goals too easy, you’re not doing anything to better yourself. You may be able to get your degree that way, but it will feel shallow. On the other hand, if you set them too high you’ll constantly fail at task after task. It’s unfortunately easy to fall into a spiral of failure, especially if you let it become a habit.

Specific goals will help the most to keep you on track. Setting a goal to read every day is not nearly as helpful as setting a goal to read chapters 10, 11, and 12 by next Friday. The more specific you can be, the more likely your goals will actually be helpful in your endeavor.

So those are my thoughts this week on surviving as a nontraditional student. I’ve been researching goal setting and time management pretty regularly since I went back to school, trying to set myself up for success. I hope this helps you, too.

Leave a comment and let me know what kind of goals you’re setting for yourself.

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How Will This Class Help Me?

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This past week I started a new class. If that sounds odd, my school offers eight-week intensives which splits the semester into two parts.

I’m very excited for this particular class. Partly because it means my last eight-week hell session is over. Mostly, I’m looking forward to this class because I think I will enjoy the material and will be able to directly apply it to my work.

My partner didn’t see it as clearly as I did. I took some time explaining the abstract value of this class, and even provided some examples of how it would benefit my future.

His questioning of me likely reflects the feeling many nontraditional students have. It seems there is a push for nontraditional students to get the classes they need which directly apply to the field they want to work in as quickly as possible. But I think being in such a hurry means potentially missing opportunities for growth and critical thinking.

Curriculum

Obviously, students need to take everything required in order for them to graduate. Schools lay this part out very clearly.

Schools also often provide options for students to show a little creativity. Electives are required but loosely governed. Even with major related courses, I’ve seen programs that tell students to pick a certain number from a given list, allowing the student to create a unique experience.

This opportunity to choose and create a program should not be taken lightly. By allowing your courses to reflect your personality, you’ll be more likely to stick with the program and get your degree. You’ll also have a demonstration of your preferences and interests to show to potential employers.

Creativity

So how do you go about choosing classes when you have the opportunity to do so?

The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “How will this class help me?” There are a lot of ways to answer that. If you’re lucky, the subject has a clear connection to your future career. Not all classes so obviously give away that answer, though. Not all applicable lessons are direct. In fact, the abstract ones push your critical thinking and problem solving the most.

After you determine all the benefits of the class, decide whether or not you will enjoy it. Life’s too short to take shitty classes. If you have the choice, use it to your advantage. Take something interesting that you will like. Take something that will help you grow into the person you want to be.

My Current Class

The class I’m taking which sparked this thought process is an English class on short stories. It’s mostly literary analysis with a little creative writing sprinkled in.

My degree upon completion will be in Professional and Technical Writing. It is designed to prepare students for a career composing professional documents such as, emails, reports, plans, white papers, copy, you get the idea. How would learning about short stories be beneficial?

Much of professional writing is designed to make use of persuasive rhetoric. The writer is trying to convince someone to purchase a product, change a policy, donate to a cause, or progress an organization. People have to read those documents. People easily get bored with numbers, statistics, and charts.

The human element sells. Creating a narrative aids in the process because it gives something the reader can relate to.

Also, dammit I just wanted to take the class because I enjoy reading short stories.

Are you worried about your upcoming courses as a nontraditional student? Have you ever taken a class that gave you unexpected benefits? Leave a comment and tell me about it. I’d love to hear about your concerns and experiences!

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Constructive Complaining

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I’ve been listening to the Tim Ferriss Show during my work commute. Podcasts are such a wonderful use of dead time in the car. I can’t count how many times I’ve been able to find answers to problems, learn something, or develop a new curiosity as a result of listening to podcasts instead of the repeated nonsense on the radio.

In this case, one of the episodes from the Tim Ferriss Show inspired this blog post.

A quick unrelated note, if you haven’t listened to the Tim Ferriss Show yet, do so if you enjoy really good conversations. His interviewing style is incredible. No, I’m not paid to endorse him. Just a fan.

Anyway, it was episode 35, in which he interviewed Tony Robbins and Peter Diamandis that I heard something which danced around my head for a few days. Tony Robbins said something along the lines of, “Stop complaining about problems and start figuring out how to solve them.”

I was driving, so I couldn’t take down the exact quote. I didn’t think it was worth hunting down because that’s a common enough statement to almost be considered cliche.

Maybe it’s because my commute is boring, but I thought about that statement for a while and realized that complaining is as much about being human as eating, sleeping, and socializing is. We complain because we’re flawed. But, there’s a big reason why I believe complaining is beneficial.

Before I go into detail with my thoughts, I first want to point out where I think Tony Robbins and others are coming from. If people fall into a cycle of complaining over and over again, particularly if it’s the same thing or the same few things, it’s going to get stale and annoying. Expecting someone else to solve a problem is an extremely inefficient way to go about things, especially if the problem is impacting the quality of your life.

Participating in a complaining session to develop camaraderie with your peers is one thing, but if you actually need something to change, eventually you’ll have to stop complaining and do something about it.

I’m going to break down the act of constructive complaining in two ways. The first of which is…

Establishing the Problem

When you start to notice a problem, it doesn’t always come at you at once. Often, little pieces will display themselves here or there. It takes time to realize there is a pattern. It takes time to realize that there is a common root to the little pieces.

If you are sitting around and complaining to your friends, they might be able to offer up pieces you haven’t noticed yet. This can help form a big picture more quickly.

When people work together to establish a problem, it can foster the desire to create change. Which leads me to the second part …

Creating a Solution

Peers can help you figure out if the problem is real or imagined. Friends can help you discover how narrow or widespread a problem is. After that is all done, those same people can provide the support necessary to carry out the act that will solve the problem.

Group input is incredibly helpful when it comes to brainstorming solutions. All the people around you have a different worldview. That means they can create different patterns and make a more complete picture for you. They can help design multiple solutions and imagine multiple outcomes to each one before you settle on what action you’re going to take.

Establishing the problem and creating a solution would certainly be an ideal situation for everyone when they feel the need to complain. Obviously that’s not going to be the case every time. But don’t let that discourage you.

You never know when someone else is as fed up as you are and is ready for change.

You never know how much the act of getting the words out there can be just cathartic enough to help you clearly consider options for solutions.

If nothing else, the act of complaining buys you the time necessary to think things through so you don’t act rashly.

What do you think? Have you ever had a positive experience come out of complaining about a problem with a group of friends? Or do you think complaining does more harm than good? Leave a comment. I’d love to get a discussion going!

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Stay Focused on the Destination

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Raise your hand if you’ve heard this one…

“Success in life is found in the journey, not in the destination.”

I would attribute a source, but I think I made that one up based on a collection of like a million different variations from just as many sources.

Search engines retrieve tons of different variations on that quote. It’s not always about success. Often it’s about “Life” or “Lessons” or some other noun that is abstract and easily applicable to everyone.

The actual value of sayings like this one is debatable. On one hand, it’s so simple and abstract that it’s crossed over into being meaningless. Attempting to take it at face value is shallow and lazy.

On the other hand, it’s so simple and abstract that it can be interpreted in many ways. This allows an active reader to make it personal and therefore more effective. The opportunity to insert an original definition for “success” and “journey” and “destination” can make it meaningful and inspiring.

I enjoy seeing quotes like these throughout social media. They make me smile. I like that others are attempting to brighten someone’s day or inspire a friend. When I have the time, I use them as mental exercises to work on how I interpret the world and view my own goals and challenges.

This one has a fundamental flaw. It devalues the act of goal setting.

We all have goals. Maybe you’re trying to lose twenty pounds, get your college degree, or find a new career. It’s great to have goals because they demonstrate a desire for growth. If the goals aren’t specific, they at least still show someone wanting to avoid stagnancy. In short, goals help us get off our butts.

I don’t want to undervalue the journey. Larger projects, such as my desire to finish my college degree, will have to account for larger journeys. In my case, the process will include individual classes, time spent studying, planning courses, and managing time. What makes it a journey is that there will inevitably be challenges that I can’t prepare for. I’ll question my ability when times get tough. I’ll push through when I don’t have the energy. I’ll change course when the unexpected becomes reality.

Lessons learned during the journey need to be applied somewhere. Otherwise, they aren’t lessons. They’re just good ideas.

Without a destination you’re just wandering around. You’ll never learn anything if you’re not looking for something. You don’t even have to be sure what you’re looking for. Maybe your goal is still abstract and you haven’t scaled it down to something achievable. Having a rough idea of a direction is still better than meandering aimlessly, because at least some of the lessons will end up being applicable to you.

By all means, enjoy the journey. Embrace the challenges. Wander off the well-worn path a few times. But try not to forget where you’re going along the way.

What do you think? Do you enjoy focusing on your destinations? Or do you have a different opinion on the value of journeys? Leave a comment. I’d love to get a discussion going!

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