Trying to Make the World A Better Place
By: Isabella Garcia
Tags: College Life, Sustainability, Environmental Issues

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ 06/15/2020: Taken on one of the many hikes I went on this summer. — photo by Isabella Garcia

For as long as I can remember, I have always been a very “outdoor-sy” person. As a child, I loved running around outside and playing sports, which is why my mom always referred to me as a “firecracker” when I was younger. I can’t exactly pinpoint why I always loved nature, but the best way I can describe it is that it just made me feel so alive and refreshed to be outdoors. Because of this, I also always loved animals. Though most young girls would prefer Dora the Explorer, one of my favorite shows as a child was “Go, Diego, Go!”. A big reason why I loved watching this show as a child was because of the many different species of animals that were featured, along with facts about different animal kingdoms that Diego would provide during the show. As I grew older, my love for animals grew as well. I became more self-conscious about the world and those that inhabit it; I realized that humans are not the only species in the world that can feel emotions and maintain social relationships. This realization is what eventually led me to become a vegetarian while we were in lockdown as a result of COVID-19 in March. I brought this new perspective and diet with me to college where I eventually decided to study Public Relations at Montclair State University. I originally planned on focusing solely on Public Relations when I first came to MSU as it was the most appealing major that was available to me at the time. However, I recently figured out what I really want to do as a career when I am older and that is creating more sustainable resources and products for everyone around the world. As a result of this, I will be minoring in Sustainability Sciences, starting next year. My academic goals right now are to pass all my classes this semester with an 80 or above and to graduate in four years with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Sustainability Sciences. As my first semester of college has already ended, I can proudly say that I have achieved my first goal and I am still working towards my second goal as I progress through college.

Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash

When I became a vegetarian, I did it mostly for the animals as I was aware through stories and documentaries I had seen that animals such as cows, lambs, pigs, etc. are treated horribly and inhumanely when they are slaughtered for consumption. However, shortly after coming to Montclair State University, I started learning more about the other benefits of being a vegetarian. In September, I joined the Animal Activists club at Montclair in order to learn more about what it means to be vegetarian, fight for animal rights, and make more friends in the process. Through this club, I learned that being vegetarian actually has environmental and economic benefits as well, such as that a vegetarian diet can actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a significant amount and that it is less costly than a meat-based diet. As I became more aware of how diets can affect our environment, I also researched other ways humans affect our environment as well. I eventually developed an interest in sustainable products as I learned how harmful plastic and other single-use products can be to the environment. I became frustrated with others and the world as I realized how easy it is to just switch to reusable products, so I decided to start using more of these reusable items instead of the regular everyday items that I use. I stopped using plastic straws and started using reusable ones that I take with me everywhere instead. I even convinced my parents to stop using plastic wrap and start using reusable silicone lids instead. Whenever I see an advertisement on the internet for reusable, sustainable everyday items, I always try to look into them and purchase them if I can.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ 06/06/2020: The New York City skyline at sunset. — photo by Isabella Garcia

I took the photo above on one of the many hikes that I went on this summer. This was at a spot that I like to hike to a lot because of how beautiful the New York skyline looks both during the day and at night. It breaks my heart that someday, it may no longer look like this as climate change is rapidly becoming an important issue in our society. Though I wouldn’t say that I have a “dream job” in particular because I like taking life slowly and enjoying it as I go, I would not mind having a job as a green design specialist or representing a company that specializes in creating sustainable products. Because I am very passionate about this subject, I would say I am very gritty. Grit means to stick to your goals and never stop pursuing things that you are passionate about. I am very interested in doing whatever it takes to help create a more environmentally-friendly society so I am continually looking for more sustainable everyday products to use and educating others on how much our choices impact our environment.