As a Biology major, working towards a minor in sustainability, I have learned to appreciate the moments when my mind engages with a new-found sense of knowledge and understanding. Many people think sustainability is all about saving the planet and recycling. They are all thinking of being environmentally friendly they can be sustainable. But, there is no universal definition of what sustainability means. Instead, there are many different views on what it is and how it can be achieved. Sustainability involves decision making and action taking that are in the interests of maintaining the natural world, with emphasis on preservation of the environment to support humanity. To be sustainable, elementary knowledge is not enough to make well-informed
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I had never heard of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment's (MEA), but I found it most interesting when I read a synthesis of "Ecosystems and Human Well-Being." I found interesting information that could be used for changing the course of the ecosystem. This synthesis explained how humanity is taking advantage of the biosphere for its own well-being, rather than taking care of it for the well-being of the whole world and all its systems. I learned, in the past fifty years' humans have changed the environment more than any other period in human history (MEA 2005). The path humanity is making for economic development and human well-being increases the damage done on ecosystem services (MEA 2005). Many extremely vulnerable groups of people are unequipped to handle the major changes in the ecosystems, that might occur. From what I thought about sustainability, it about how I was affecting the planet. I never thought about how my actions could negatively affect someone else that lived in a different area in the world in different conditions. The eight goals of the MEA are to eliminate poverty and hunger, attain universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve mental health, combat HIV/Aids and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development (MEA 2005). Humanity may hinder these goals by overexploiting resources, …show more content…
I now have a broader understanding of what sustainability is and how it can be different from person to person. I always thought that recycling and using different sources of electricity was the best way to help "save the planet." I had no idea the MEA report existed and was informing people of the problems humanity is causing to, not only, the environment, but other people as well. Not everyone has the same opinions though because that depends on people's worldviews and how they see sustainability. I am more aware of problems that climate change, deforestation, and even lawn care can cause and I want to be more vocal and active in trying to prevent these problems. I hope to gain more knowledge on humanities carrying capacity and how the world can become more universally educated. All people deserve the right to an education because it allows more variety of ideas and beliefs to be heard. I hope to see and participate in further communication on sustainability in order to increase the positive change towards a more sustainable thinking and
I had never heard of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment's (MEA), but I found it most interesting when I read a synthesis of "Ecosystems and Human Well-Being." I found interesting information that could be used for changing the course of the ecosystem. This synthesis explained how humanity is taking advantage of the biosphere for its own well-being, rather than taking care of it for the well-being of the whole world and all its systems. I learned, in the past fifty years' humans have changed the environment more than any other period in human history (MEA 2005). The path humanity is making for economic development and human well-being increases the damage done on ecosystem services (MEA 2005). Many extremely vulnerable groups of people are unequipped to handle the major changes in the ecosystems, that might occur. From what I thought about sustainability, it about how I was affecting the planet. I never thought about how my actions could negatively affect someone else that lived in a different area in the world in different conditions. The eight goals of the MEA are to eliminate poverty and hunger, attain universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve mental health, combat HIV/Aids and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development (MEA 2005). Humanity may hinder these goals by overexploiting resources, …show more content…
I now have a broader understanding of what sustainability is and how it can be different from person to person. I always thought that recycling and using different sources of electricity was the best way to help "save the planet." I had no idea the MEA report existed and was informing people of the problems humanity is causing to, not only, the environment, but other people as well. Not everyone has the same opinions though because that depends on people's worldviews and how they see sustainability. I am more aware of problems that climate change, deforestation, and even lawn care can cause and I want to be more vocal and active in trying to prevent these problems. I hope to gain more knowledge on humanities carrying capacity and how the world can become more universally educated. All people deserve the right to an education because it allows more variety of ideas and beliefs to be heard. I hope to see and participate in further communication on sustainability in order to increase the positive change towards a more sustainable thinking and