Class Reflection

This semester I was able to attend all of the guest lectures that took part during the lecture portion of our class. I appreciated the opportunity to learn from such experienced and passionate individuals. Personally, I would have to say that one of my favorite lectures was given by Bill Allen from CAFNR and the School of Journalism. I especially enjoyed his in depth analysis of sustainable practices and how we as students can live a sustainable lifestyle. His section on water usage inspired my roommates and I to calculate our water footprints and successfully lower them (and our water bill) considerably. In addition, I had no idea that a number of things I already do are good for the environment, like eating organic food and walking to both school and work. I had no idea, however, that planning what to buy instead of randomly buying what I’d like at the grocery store will help me not to overbuy or overcook – resulting in leftovers and waste. 

My fiance & I at Buckingham Palace in London, England

The reason that I chose England as the region to focus my studies on this semester is mainly because my family and I travelled there this past May. Although I watched several documentaries and read a few informative articles before my trip, I regret not learning more about the country before visiting. This semester I learned that citizens of the United Kingdom are not entirely gratuitous with their money when it comes to living a sustainable lifestyle but they do fund proactive environmental organizations such as the UK Power Shift and the Gloucestershire Climate Action Network. Although England does not pay much respect to climate change, they are one of the foremost players in the human rights effort. I also discovered that England suffers from a substantial digital divide comparable to America’s, most likely due to the end of World War II and the succeeding Baby Boomer generation. On the other hand, the same technology that separates them has paved the way for England to become one of the most advanced countries in regards to monitoring and preventing human trafficking after it was determined that London had become a popular place to lure abductees. Overall, I learned that England is a fortunate country with a surprisingly giving nature that is upheld well by its government actions. As I studied each of the aforementioned issues one motif became clear: Parliament has done its best to uphold the demands of the English people – even if sometimes it’s best efforts are arguably ineffective.