Blog #5

                                      January 29, 2013: Green Learning Community

                 There are many outlines and goals in making a green learning community. It is very crucial to construct a good green learning community because with success in the learning group, you get success in the community. Through the readings, I was able to learn myself many other ways in making a green community, such as using groups to organize ideas and goals. Small groups can be very helpful because you can get a group of people together and discuss what you think more upfront. I personally like small groups because I feel I can interact with the people easier than in a larger group. I can get my ideas out easier and even get feedback about those ideas faster. Also, It’s easier to hear others ideas and from there you can construct stronger goals.

                Another outline and goal in making a green learning community would be the way the groups communicate with one another. Whoever is speaking in the small group, about whatever the topic is, should respond with cues to help students brainstorm. Through this, more ideas can be evoked and start new conversation resulting in better goals.

                Teaching in the green learning community should also not only be informative, but fun as well. Everyone will learn better when it is fun, and it will be more enjoyable to help. One fun thing the group can do together would be to go out and explore, or be more exposed to what they are learning about. It’s more engaging and exciting for students to get out and do something. Finally, to be a successful green learning community, everyone should have organized thoughts and write down goals and notes. This way, everything is documented and will not be forgotten in the sea of goals and ideas the community will develop.

                These are all examples of how I would notice a certain learning community. The readings all stated many important factors in making a successful learning environment and I was able to learn more about that. I think I have developed a better understanding of this and I can use it in my future!

Blog #4

                                                 Blog #4: Green Values and Readings

                When reading the articles, I found a lot of it very interesting and informative. I was able to learn a lot more about green values, and I think it is a good way for people to understand the environment and community. While reading through all of them, I thought that the personal and global responsibility value was the most important. It says that each individual should try to enhance the ecological balance and social harmony. Also, it states that people around the world should come together and help the economic justice, peace, and health of the planet. This is important in green values because it is getting the people together to take care of our environment.

                I also think that ecological wisdom is a very key aspect in green values. It talks about how humans and nature are not separate, but a part of one another. One needs the other to operate, and we need to understand that in order to keep a sustainable society. We have to take care of the environment and also the resources it provides for us. These resources are not unlimited, so we need to realize that and protect it. Through this ecological wisdom, people can gain a better understanding for the environment and learn how to protect it better.

                What surprised me the most about these readings was the “Principle of the Left Green Network” because it was very informative and taught me a lot. The principals were all very open and supportive of a lot of things. It talks about reharmonizing humans with nature, and how we seek social and ecological ethics for the society. Through all these readings, I learned a lot about green values and other principals. It was a great way to learn more about it!

Blog #3

                                         AASHE and Sustainable Carolina Websites



                     While looking through the AASHE website, many of the programs caught my eye. However, the Energy Action Coalition (EAC) grabbed my attention the most because it interested me the most. The EAC is a group led by around 50 young people and works on environmental and social justice issues. They work together to provide clean energy, and through this they have been able to work with hundreds of campuses and other young people. I think this is especially interesting because I think that this is so vital in our lives today. We need the clean energy to provide a better lifestyle for not only us, but the environment as well. The Energy Action Coalition has also worked to defend the EPA and reject the Keystone XL pipeline by encouraging President Barack Obama against it. This group has already done so much, and it is definitely a program that catches my attention and makes me want to be involved.

                The next website I visited was the Sustainable Carolina one. This one was different from the other website, but I was able to pick up an interesting program right away that I liked. This program is the Carolina community garden at the Quad. This group works together to explain how agricultural issues are part of green living. The garden is over 1000 square feet of vegetation, fruits, and other plants. It’s not only nice for the campus, but it’s a good way for students to get involved and give back to others and the environment.

                The question I have for Margaret Bounds would be how she gets all this information out to students. How are students informed? How can they get involved easily and help incorporate their ideas into each program? I think these websites are great and more students should be informed so they too can learn and help their community.

Blog #2: My Biography!

Hello All!

           I am Veronica McNeive and I am a sophomore here at USC. I was born in Maryland where I lived for five years before moving to Jacksonville North Carolina. In my Jacksonville home is where I started becoming very active outside, usually spending my time in the woods next to my house. I wanted to do something for my environment and become more active in it, so I started gardening and planting with my parents and sisters. It was a fun, easy way to get involved and that has stuck with me to this day.

          From North Carolina, I moved to Loudoun County Virginia with my family where I attended middle and high school. I was active in sports such as soccer and volleyball which I played almost every day.  I started my job at a veterinary hospital when I was 16 and have kept it ever since. I love working with animals and being outside whenever I can because it’s a nice way for me to get out and relax. Doing things you enjoy is a great way to build passion and get involved, and that’s what I have discovered throughout my life. Helping the environment is not only good for me, but it’s good for the community, people, and animals in it. Taking this class, I hope to increase my knowledge on the environment and gain the skills I need to make it better.

Green Politics: January 14, 2013

                                                               Green Politics Blog #1
                                                                   January 14, 2013



                   

                    Today was the start of a interesting looking class called Green Politics. I am very excited to get more in depth with this class because it has caught my interest in many ways. I like the ideas that come from it and I also like many of the small group work and projects we will be doing. What I am hoping to get out of this class is a more broad idea of the environment and what I can do for it. Also, I want to learn more about helping a community become a "green" community.
                  What interests me about this class is the way it is constructed. We have many different things we will be doing in and out of class, and they all seem very fun and interesting. I think participating in many of the "green" activities around campus and for this class will be good for not only me, but the community around us. Green leadership is something I look forward to learning about because I want to learn and become a better leader.
                 Finally, what I really want to explore while taking the Green Politics class is new ways to conserve and protect the environment. I think that this is especially important because we need to take care of our environment and our community. I hope to get what I desire out of this class, and learn everything I hope to learn!