Dear Friends,
On this beautiful Earth Day, I am so honored you are chosing to read my words and join this movement for sustainable change through educating ourselves on innvotive themes and empowering ourselves to take small changes that will lead to a lifetime impact. There are times this journey will be difficult and sometimes seem impossible. There are times this journey will envelope you in a warm embrace and gift you all the possiblities the world can offer. It is during those in between times - the stagnant flow - that will present the hardest challenge. I ask of you and myself, that we stay engaged. We continue to learn and we actively tap into our imagination to create solutions. Remember, we are in this together. A collaborative community is how we can change the world.
Over a year ago, at the start of quarantine, I spent a good chunk of time (like most), reflecting:
Is this where I wanted to be? Was my current state the future I wanted to grow and had envisioned for myself? Did I get caught up in life and strayed on the path to my purpose?
I wasn't extremely fond of the answers, but I knew I needed to make a change. A shift back to my roots was welcome. In undergrad, I had chosen the path of Environmental Science & Policy after admitting defeat to my love for geology (compliments of my failed calculus exams). My programming exposed me to a unique curriculum that bridged the gap between science and policy - social impact! As the only student in my cohort for the society & environment track, I was yearning to find community and acceptance in unlikely places - I was too behavioral science focused for the science kids and governmental policy was not my calling. This seemed like a disaster that I can only image gave my parents anxiety. What was I doing?
A decade ago, studying the behavioral science behind social movements and individual influence was not common place. The media was still trying to fight for the acceptance of climate change and we were heading into a recession that would occupy most of our policy. But I always knew the trick to effective change wasn't simply proving the science or enacting laws, but instead came down to convincing people why they should care. I cared deeply, but that wasn't enough. I needed to learn how to express and connect with others.
I faced many challenges amongst colleaques, teachers and from within. Twenty-one year old me was not the eco-hippie she wished she was. My sustainability practices were not developed and much was left to be desired. Where fellow students were exploring veganism and camping outside their dorms, I was just trying to get by the day to day. I struggled finding my stride and voice within the environmental student body. During classes, I kept questioning why certain policies were being created -who were they helping? Environmental law was always a rush with debates amongst the conservationist and agriculture camps. I would always find myself in the middle - I could empathize with both sides but didn't understand why we couldn't come to a mutual solution. The more I felt like the odd one, I started to question if this was the right path for me. The movement seemed shielded in a gross amount of white privledge and shame for those who didn't conform to a certain ideal. Was I an environmentalist fraud?
I finished my studies, but by graduation, I was already feeling disheartened with the journey. Graduating into a recession with no clear direction was a challenge enough, so I started taking administrative roles and detoured from my environmentalist career path. I never stopped caring about the environment, but I let the fire inside me quiet and stay at a slow burn. Who knew the dumpster fire of 2020 would ignite it with such passion!
When Covid-19 was announced as a worldwide pandemic, I knew it had everything to do with the global climate crisis. Scientists and activists had been warning us for years that this was a possiblity. This deadly virus exposed the cracks in all our infrastructure. The root of all social movements is intersectionality and not only were we facing a public health crisis, there was an increase in natural disasters, an explosion of awareness among social justice issues, and gnawing agony after unearthing incident after incident of racial inequity against the BIPOC community. We could no longer ignore the roots embedded deeply in our subconsious.
This is where the journey seems impossible or almost stagnant. While you may be doing the work to educate and rewire your biases, the world doesn't seem like its healing. We need to pledge to keep the momentum going. As we work on an individual level we can come together collectively to make an impact. We need to cultivate current resources, empathize with cultures and communities different from our own, and collaborate to creatively find solutions that work, not as a band-aid or "one size fits all", but as a sustainable resolution to a dire problem.
Environmentally Grounded was birthed from a passion that roared inside me. I sought community that wanted to make change, but may do so in an unconvential way - by embracing our imperfections. Hoping to bridge the gap, I am creating a safe and brave space for everyone curious about how they increase their environmental impact. Empowerment and education are the vehicles through which we will challenge our own potential to bloom beyond our limiting beliefs and inspire a ripple effect of revolution. I can't wait for you to join me on this journey of self discovery, advocacy, and growth.
Stay grounded,
Alyse