Reflection

As soon as I am finished typing up this last post, the "No Impact Summative" will be officially over. But will it affect the way I feel about saving our environment? Definitely not.
This summative has shown me that even the smallest change in your lifestyle can make a difference. I chose to give up television and air conditioning for three weeks. Now this does seem like something that would only make a small difference but I think the point of this assignment is to show us that by starting out choosing something as small as not watching television, it can grow into something much bigger. It can influence others into following your lead and it can show yourself that you can do more to save our environment.
Over the past three weeks, I have had to explain this assignment and my situation to many people. At first, they all laughed, and I'm sure they would never give up something as addicting as television and air conditioning. But as I explained to them the environmental impact of something as simple as air conditioning, they began to understand. My family above all was very supportive of the idea.
When the summative was first assigned, I went to my family to try and figure out, together, an appropriate activity or factor of our lives, to give up. They were hesitant about giving up driving a car, or not using a dryer, which is understandable in our lifestyle. But they were supportive of the idea of helping the environment. I know that from now on my family and I will do whatever we can, no matter how small it is, to reduce our impact.
This summative has shown me that reducing your impact is a lot easier then it looks. I started out giving up television and air conditioning and ended with not only giving up television and air conditioning but also giving up driving whenever possible, giving up the dryer, buying organic food and buying locally, and not buying bottle water (however, that last one I had been doing for a while). I am confident that I will continue to do all of these things and continue to influence others to follow my lead.
Above all, I think that collectively as a class we had raised environmental awareness. Not one person I told, told me that I was crazy. They all know what kind of a world we live in, and if we don't watch how we live, and how we affect the environment, that nothing good can come of it.
I remember while I was researching how the television and air conditioning affect the environment, I was thinking how awful all of the statistics were. A couple hundred pounts of carbon dioxide there, a couple hundred here. I realized that this really was a great assignment, not only for the purpose of the course, but for the rest of our lives.
Being environmentally friendly should be a part of everyone's lives, everyday. And I hope that someday, people will be able to look back in history and say, "Wow, I can't believe our environment was ever that bad".

timetogogreen.

Post #10 - (May 29, 2011)

This is the last post! Wow it doesn't even feel like it's been three weeks!
Yesterday was Relay for Life so I spent the whole day outside. Thankfully, it wasn't hot so I wasn't craving an air conditioned house.
My grandma and I went grocery shopping today. We decided to take the bus. Being a little bit more environmentally friendly than we would have been if we would have taken our own car. While we were there it got me thinking about the kind of food I buy and eat. I already hardly eat meat so I didn't think too much about that. But as for fruits and vegetables I started to think more about pesticides and other chemicals used for them. So I decided to grab some organic food wherever I could. I do have my favorites so I couldn't for everything but I did for a lot of things!
T.V. is reduced (considering the circumstances) and air conditioning is off! All is well!
Success.

Post #9 - (May 27, 2011)

This is my second last post! Which means we're almost done! Unfortunately, I don't feel very accomplished at the moment...my grandma has been watching T.V. At my house for the past few days. But I have decided that it was necessary.
However, I just realized that without noticing, I have been doing something else! I should really be thanking my mom for going away and the same time as this summative! I haven't been using a car for almost three weeks! Now that is being environmentally friendly! My grandma doesn't like to drive either so we haven't needed to use the car! I'm pretty happy about that. There are really no more updates, except for on multiple occasions my grandma and I have complained about the heat...but it's all right!

Post #8 - (May 26, 2011)

Hello! This is my eighth post, Which means that I'm almost done! Woohoo!
So as expected, my grandma didn't want to give up T.V. completely, which is understandable! But she did say she would reduce the amount of T.V. she watched as to not completely ruin my summative...I guess I'll take it...
But as it said before, it got me thinking. I was trying to think of other things that hurt the environment that I could give up. I haven't come up with anything yet but I have been doing little things here and there.
Now, as I mentioned, my mom and sister are away for two weeks. When I first told them about the summative they didn't want to do some of the things I suggested, such as not using the dryer, BUT, they're not here to say no right now! So I have been using my dryer to dry my clothes for the past while!
Not having AC is still a pain...

Post #7 - (May 25, 2011)

So this is post number 7!
I have a slight problem. Though I have been breeding through this summative with no problems so far, (wow, maybe I should have picked something harder) I finally have a problem. You see, my grandma is coming to visit. And usually, this would not cause me any trouble, but she unfortunately was not able to bring her friend with her as she usually does. Which MEANS, that she's going to get bored quite a lot faster which MEANS, that she is going to resort to the T.V. to occupy herself. Now this is a dilemma. I can't simply tell her that watching he T.V. is forbidden because she would probably get so bored all day and night so I have decided to run the summative by her and see what she says. But I'm definitely going to have to bend the rules a bit! Maybe I'll give up something else to compensate?
We'll see...

Post #6 - (May 24, 2011)

Hey guys!
So this is my sixth post! I don't have too many updates, besides the fact that I will once again be staying at a friends place for a night and so I can watch T.V. if she is watching it already and she has air conditioning! So I'm pretty happy! Except the way this night is going, I doubt I will be watching T.V. However I will be using power for the computer to complete all of my homework!
It's getting pretty hot so I'm glad I'm not in my own air conditioned home!

Post #5 - (May 23, 2011)

Post number five!
Today, I might have cheated...In my defense, I did not say whether or not I was alowed to do this, so technically it's not cheating...
So well, I went to see a movie at the theatre. But it's not that bad! I mean, people were going to watch the movie anyways so I'm not directly harming the environment...I'm just helping the theatre really!
I admit, I do feel a bit guilty. But seeing as it helped with my tolerance of the heat (air conditioning), and I deserved it (because I haven't cheated) I don't see it as a huge problem.
Plus, it was a good movie!
Until next time...