I thought this topic was a good one to start with early in the year. By now, a number of our student groups have had their first tutorial around sustainability so hopefully will have some ideas around this topic.
For those who haven't, remember sustainability is not just about saving the environment - its about the personal/social, the financial, and governmental aspects as well. This post relates to the personal/social aspects.
You will all be familiar with social media. Many of you probably use it as a way to keep in touch with friends and what is going on in the world. Most of you will also be posting comments online in these social networks.
What impact do our comments have on others?
Have a look at this short clip where TVNZ reporters read out online feedback they have received
- How do you think that feedback made those people feel?
- Does anyone deserve feedback like that?
- Does doing this anonymously/on the internet make it ok?
- Do you always make an effort when posting online (and speaking to people face to face) to always ensure what you say is positive and constructive?
With little effort, we can see all over the internet that comments are being made that denigrate others. In simple terms, people are passing judgement, often without the full story, and without thinking about the effect of their comments on other people. These comments can have other effects too. Comments can last for a long time online and may be seen by someone influential, potentially affecting future employment or other opportunities. What you say online can affect not just the person you may be commenting about, but also yourself.
Think before you post.
Make sure you maintain a professional and beautiful presence online, when on the phone (both spoken word and texting and that also includes the answer phone messages you have recorded) and in person! Keep comments positive and feedback constructive. Behaving well in print, as in person will have positive effects on you, your happiness, and on the people you interact with.
Welcome back to all the students starting on our first programmes to roll out for the year. I will start the official blogs next week when all the students are back but I thought to give you something to go on, especially those that are currently at a block course who have hopefully been inspired to think about the subject of being future-focussed!
When thinking about making good choices we often just look at the end product and try and make the best choice, which is a good thing but inadvertently may not always be the best for the environment because of all the other impacts along the way. As consumers we might not have the power to re-design the system, but we can ask questions about the system and pressure designers. Some of us might be able to influence the system.
There is a very interesting TED talk (link here) that gives some inspiration into thinking about the whole system and designing with the whole system in mind. It uses a good example of a paper bag and how, to the consumer, it looks like the best choice. Paper might be the better choice but not if the paper is from unsustainable production. Depending how it is transported - paper may be 10x heavier than a plastic bag, and take that much more space and fuel to transport the same number of bags. Similarly, bags that end up in the landfill are taking up space and not biodegrading rapidly - it would be better if they were composted or recycled. Of course paper vs plastic is not the only option and is not the whole story either. This talk is well worth a watch.
For more on consumers choosing wisely, see the Conscious Consumers website
Next week we'll explore why we need to have these discussions and as we move through the year, we'll look at how you can influence your workplace even if you are the most junior staff member. I welcome your ideas for blogs and look forward to any and all contributions from students, including stories of what you are doing, or have done. Join us! Get involved!
Have a great day!
