be the change you wish to see in the world.

At the beginning of this class, I wasn't quite sure what sustainability was. I had a vague idea but I think I definitely have a better understanding of sustainability. Although my definition has become less concrete, it has also become broader. As someone else mentioned earlier, sustainability is more than just saving water, using less energy, and producing less waste.

In my original post, I said that sustainability was a lifestyle and I still believe that to be true. Not only do we have to change our actions, but we also have to change the way we think about the things that we consume. For example, instead of just throwing a cardboard box away, we should think about the consequences of our actions. Where is that box going to go? What is going to be done with it after I use it? I think being sustainable involves making our actions meaningful. Why are we using less water? Why are we recycling this piece of paper? Instead of just going through the actions, we are thinking about our choices and the outcomes of those choices.

Throughout the lifestyle project I also began to notice that sustainability does not involve just the individual. It is almost necessary to involve other people like roommates, family members, and friends. When I first posted on this blog, I viewed sustainability more as an individual choice and lifestyle. It is. But it is also more than that. It's not only about motivating yourself to change, but it's also about motivating others. I think that is the most rewarding part of this class. By being sustainable ourselves, we are setting an example for others. Although our class may have included only 20 students or so, many of our friends and family members were also affected by our projects. If even just a small part of what we were doing rubbed off onto someone else, then maybe what they do will rub off onto another person and so on and so forth. Through taking this class I have come to realize that we do have the ability to make a difference and to change the way we and others think about our planet. That's what sustainability is to me.