Intro to Environmental Studies Spring 2026

  Why Aesthetics Matter in the Environment When I first hear the word “aesthetics,” I don’t really think about the environment. I usually think about art or something that just looks nice. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized aesthetics actually plays a big role in how we treat the environment, even if we don’t notice it. People are way more likely to care about places that look good. If you think about somewhere like  Yellowstone National Park , it’s known for being really beautiful, and because of that, people want to protect it. The views, the wildlife, all of that makes people feel like it’s worth saving. At the same time, there are other places that are just as important, like wetlands or swamps, that don’t get the same attention because they’re not seen as “pretty.” Even though they actually do a lot for the environment, like helping with water and supporting animals, people don’t always think about them the same way. I’ve also noticed that how a place lo...

  Piore, Adam. “The Global Hunt to Unlock the Healing Powers of Poop.” National Geographic 249, no. 5 (May 2026): 64-81.  This article followed the efforts of scientists studying gut-bourne bacteria. They set out to create a database of the world’s microbiome, by identifying and naming gut bacteria from different populations. They took stool samples and analyzed them within 30 minutes. They compared the samples of people from industrialized nations, rural farmers, and isolated humans like the Hadza. The Hadza live off the land, similar to ancient people, they hunt various animals and gather various plants for consumption. Their varied diet was reflected in the species diversity and richness in their stool. When compared to the sample of the industrialized diet, the Hadza sample showed a much larger community or bacteria. These samples allow researches to isolate specific bacteria that can be helpful or harmful to the host human. This data will help future researchers to possi...

  Montgomery, David. “Why the Antarctic Seafloor is a Time Machine.” National Geographic 249, no. 5 (May 2026): 38-41.  There was another short article in the same National Geographic magazine that related to the study of climate change. In Antarctica, researchers are studying undocumented parts of the Ocean floor in an effort to better understand climate change. The Southern Ocean plays a major role in absorbing human-caused carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. On the seafloor, or benthic zone, the scientists collect filter feeders and take core samples. The water in this zone is largely unaffected by climate change and offers a pre-Industrialization look into the organisms that thrive there. The goal of the researchers is to make a case for preserving these unique ecosystems because the data would prove valuable for future research. By better understanding the health of these environments, it may be possible to improve the health of others. 

  Nordhaus, Hannah. “The Sneaky Genius of Nature’s Brightest Thinkers.” National Geographic 249, no. 5 (May 2026): 16–37.  Reading this article helped, along with my wife, to persuade me to add more native wild flowers to our yard to support pollinators. One of the interesting things from this article, a behavioral ecologist used tiny magnetic transponders to track the movement of bees. They plan to study the data to see how bees think with regards to weather and pattern. They proposed it being beneficial for aiding endangering plant populations or in conservation efforts. Scientists were also able to determine that bees have simple problem solving and counting capabilities. The article also highlighted 20 different species of bees. Many of varying size and color, it was fascinating to see how they each fill a pollinator niche in particular ways suited for their unique physiology. The article also talked about themes which were presented in class. The different roles and the ...

  The documentary we watched about ranching and working with natural systems was encouraging to me. The couple from Texas was inspiring because they were able to maintain a large number of cattle with just the two of them. It is more profitable to work with the land rather than trying to control, a concept that can help to improve the practices of our current meat industry. The ranchers who rotated their cattle grazing areas on a scheduled system were better able to maintain the health of their animals and the health of the land. The plants were not over consumed and species diversity was better when the animals were roasted off the land and the plants were given time to recover. The cows also benefitted by having a more diverse and robust diet, it actually significantly reduced the number of sick animals in the herd. It also benefitted the ranchers because they no longer had to spray chemicals to control weeds, reducing costs and the risk of toxic exposure.

  The video we watched in class about the families that moved their cattle along the river was fascinating to me. The distance they covered on continuous horseback was surprising. It took about 2 weeks to make it to their destination, a winter pasture that provided sustenance for the herds. It's a knowable undertaking but it seemed like a difficult journey, especially with the legal status of some of the land, part of a traditional route for the migration. It may become impossible for the families to continue their way of life if too much of the land is sold to owners that won’t support their traditional ways. I also thought it was interesting to see how much of a negative impact inflation had on the ranchers ability to maintain an adequate profit margin. It was sad to see the number of traditional family owned ranches dwindle over the years as some went out of business.

  The video we watched about the Bison was especially interesting to me because of the link between behavior and genetics. The scientists were able to relate their instinctual behavior to their genes as a built in survival mechanism. The bison were introduced into a mountain environment and they were naturally able to climb to higher elevations in a search for food, when it became seasonally scarce at the lower elevations.. I was impressed by the broad impact the bison’s natural behaviors were on the ecology. For example, the depressions the bison created from wallowing were beneficial to insect species diversification. I’m curious as to how these instincts are coded into the bison’s DNA. The understanding of their impact on the environment is critical to understanding how a keystone species impacts an environment. 

  Redick, Kip. American Camino: Walking as Spiritual Practice on the Appalachian Trail . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2023.  The connection between wilderness and spirituality is a very clear and timeless example of the importance of the natural world. I grew up as a Christian so I was aware of Jesus’ 40 days and 40 nights spent in the wilderness, I remember distinctly that it was a transformative experience for him. This point was made clear by the numerous examples laid out in the reading, from Moses, to John the Baptist, and the history of the Camino de Santiago. Celtic culture revered the same locations of the later Christian movement. Humans have always searched for a commune with the spiritual world and certain places make this process possible. Personally, I find desert environments extremely humbling and eerie. They can also be uplifting, in an area so devoid of life, stumbling on a single plant or a solitary lizard can highlight the resilience of life even in the face...

  Redick, Kip. American Camino: Walking as Spiritual Practice on the Appalachian Trail . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2023.  I found the term “extra-human” to be intriguing, as it implies value and a consideration for animals other than food or entertainment. Animals have varying degrees of intellect, some may be on par with humans. Octopus and Dolphins come to mind in terms of problem solving and the range of their social skills. All animals seek to pass on their genes and some care for their young in a manner similar to human beings. I like the term extra-human because it forces us to think of animals as conscious beings and to confront the consequences of actions when engaging with them. This is in line with my own thinking and the approach of ecology. To think about a system requires us to think about all parts and players, and how each will be affected by decisions we make. When we venture into the wilderness, we are playing an away game. We are on their home turf and it’...

  Redick, Kip. American Camino: Walking as Spiritual Practice on the Appalachian Trail . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2023.  The concept of ‘Leave No trace” is an ethical approach to preserving natural spaces, designed to minimize the human impact of our adventures into the wilderness. I didn’t do any camping when I was a kid but I did wander in the woods near my house in an effort to escape boredom. I was always surprised at how out of place a red soda can looked in the middle of a forest. Even at a young age, it somehow dissolved the illusion of my epic adventure. So I can see the importance of not leaving anything behind when we partake in the exploration of the wild. With the amount of traffic that trails and parks get annually, I would hate to see what these places looked like if this ethic wasn’t a norm. My only experience with this collective level of environmental neglect came from my first deployment to Iraq. In 2004, the country had been devastated by the collapse of...

  After watching the documentary in class about the Cod industry in New England and the privatization of water I had some thoughts about the nature of profits and public resources. The nature of corporations and constant drive for profits leads to their control of critical resources and forces the public to purchase them as a commodity. This includes both water and fish which should be available to the general public and I argue is a universal right. These services should be maintained and distributed by public service industries to ensure equal access. Putting them in the hands of private corporations leads to gamesmanship and artificial supply controls which influences prices and denies those who are economically challenged from access to them. I’m unsure of the correct ratio of large scale to individual rights but ideally it would be close to a 50:50 split. Allowing large companies to make adequate profits while also preserving traditional ways of life for locals. We already hav...

  In the same National Geographic, I read an article about scientists who turned WWII era infrastructure in Alaska into a research platform for birds. They turned old radar sites and its accompanying buildings into a research station, to include nesting boxes for numerous sea birds. They measure the health and reproduction rate of the birds, these are leading indicators of the health of the surrounding fish populations and ultimately the larger ecosystem. They also measured the effects of marine heat waves, specifically a single event in 2014-16 that was the largest bird die-off since the Exxon Valdez disaster of the 1980’s. I found it interesting to see research based in an extreme environment and how their insight helped to document the larger effects if global warming. There is a photo of the USS Coldbrook, a WWII era ship that ran aground here, covered in vegetation and numerous birds. I found it encouraging to see nature incorporate human leftovers into its cycle. 

  Bartlett J. 2025. The hidden world: What it takes to live underground. National Geographic. August 2025. I read an article in National Geographic that reminded me of the pictures of the cave dwelling people of the American Southwest shown in class. The article laid out various groups around the world that still lived in caves. The Imazighen people of Tunisia traditionally lived in cliff side caves for centuries but were relocated by the government into modern, above-ground homes. Many of the modern homes were damaged in 1969 and many of the Imazighen returned to their cave dwelling ways. One of the main motivations is to avoid the sweltering heat of North Africa. With Global- warming, the temperature is expected to rise by 11.7 degrees F in the next century and traditional cave structures offer a reprieve from the soaring temperatures. The article also shows people from all over the world: Turkey, Jordan, Spain, South Africa, and Australia. I found it interesting that modern pe...

  Min Ho Chun, Min Cheol Chang, and Sung-Jae Lee, “The Effects of Forest Therapy on Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Chronic Stroke,” International Journal of Neuroscience 127, no. 3 (March 2017): 199–203. The purpose of this article was to determine the health effects of “forest bathing” on anxiety and depression for patients with chronic stroke. The study compared biomarkers associated with psychological stress from before and after a 4 day exposure to a forest and urban setting. The group who participated in “forest bathing” demonstrated an improvement in biomarkers which indicates a positive effect on mental health. The techniques they used during the treatment consisted of walking outside and meditation. I have practiced yoga off and on for years and I have found its movement based meditation to be challenging and rewarding. I have used focused meditation in the sauna as a way to overcome the mental stressors presented by the extreme temperatures. I find this article t...

  Emily J. Flies, Chris Skelly, Sagri Singh Negi, Poornima Prabhakaran, Qiyong Liu, Keke Liu, Fiona C Goldizen, Chris Lease, and Philip Weinstein, “Biodiverse Green Spaces: A Prescription for Global Urban Health,” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15, no. 9 (2017): 510–16 The article establishes a link between increased urbanization of the global population and a corresponding rise in immunological diseases. I found the article to be thought provoking and hopeful. I particularly enjoyed the call to action for science professionals and governmental leaders to organize a system of reporting, tracking, and education to determine the exact mechanisms of microbe diversity on human health. I think being able to clearly understand how exposure to nature can improve our health would help to sway those who avoid the outdoors. I’ve enjoyed walks in the woods since I was a kid, long before I knew the term mental health or exposure therapy. I always found nature to be interesting and h...

 In class we watched a documentary on the recent state of water and its demand called Blue Gold. It says that the world is in a global water crisis and fresh water is becoming much more limited and valuable "blue gold". It argues that the fresh water we have is being overused at a pace that it cannot be restored so our future generation will go without or have to pay a ton on water. Many companies are beginning to privatize water which is causing a lot of conflict and inequality in countries that have little options. Hopefully we can figure out how to properly manage water so everyone has free access and there is enough for all. One question I have is why can't our global superpowers recognize this problem and come up with a just solution?

After reading the geo aesthetics conference paper, another part that stood out to me was when the author described the encounter with the moose in Glacier National Park. What made this moment interesting wasn't just seeing the animal, but the way the author explained the feeling of fear, respect, and awareness in that moment. It wasn't just about recognizing the moose as an object but actually experiencing its presence and the connection between both beings sharing the same space. This connects to the idea that not everything can be understood through reason or scientific explanation alone, because the emotions and intensity of that moment can't really be reduced to facts. The author also talked about how this kind of encounter changes your breathing and awareness, which shows how deeply connected humans are to the environment in ways we don't always think about. It made me realize that nature isn't just something we observe from a distance, but something we interac...

 In class we learned about regenerative farming and how it is better than traditional farming and how that incorporates into the world of cattle. The class watched two documentaries talking about regenerative farming and how they use it, in addition to, the benefits of it. The first documentary called Herd Impact  followed a couple and how they use regenerative farming at their cattle ranch. The land that once looked barren is now booming with growth because of how they move the cattle into certain zones at a time allowing the previous grazed zone to grow back even better. The following documentary Carbon Cowboys, expands on the ideas of herd impacts and talked about the processes of making the soil more carbon rich. They talk about the carbon rich soil allows for more biodiversity and reduces flooding which allows for longer and better growth and from a ranching aspect all these different types of plants provide nutrients and proteins that are great for the cows. These farmer...

After reading the geo aesthetics conference paper, one part that really stood out to me was when the author talked about following footprints in the desert and realized that they didn't always lead the right way. At first, it seemed like a good idea to follow where other people had walked, but it turned out that some of those paths were wrong, and it actually made things more confusing. I think this connects to environmental thinking because it shows how relying on what others have done in the past isn't always the best approach, especially when dealing with nature and changing conditions. The wind even erased the footprints later, which kind of symbolized how those paths aren't permanent or reliable. It made me think about how people often look for easy answers or just follow what's already been done, instead of paying attention to their surroundings and experiences.

 I read an article from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences about air pollution, and it made me realize how serious the health effects actually are. The article explained that air pollution isn't just bad for your lungs, but can affect almost every system in the body, including the heart, brain, and even the immune system. It also talked about how pollutants from things like cars, factories, and wildfires can lead to disease like asthma, cardiovascular problems, and even cancer. What stood out to me the most is that some of the smallest particles in the air can go deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream, which is kind of crazy to think about. It made me realize that air pollution is more than just something you see like smoke or smog, it's something that can affect people even when they don't notice it. Air Pollution | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

 I've been thinking about how much water I use every day without really paying attention to it. Things like taking long showers, washing clothes, or even leaving the sink running while brushing my teeth all add up more than I realized. It made me start thinking about how limited clean water actually is, especially in places dealing with droughts, even though it doesn't always feel like a problem where I live. It's kind of a strange how easily it is to waste something that is so important for survival. This also connects to what we've talked about in class with resource management and how people tend to overuse things when they don't see immediate consequences. It makes me wonder how much of a difference small changes in daily habits can make, and whether people would use less water if they were more aware of how much they were actually using.

 I walked the Noland Trail again recently with some friends and it felt completely different from the last time I wrote about it. Spring has fully arrived and everything is green and loud in the best way. The trail looked almost unrecognizable compared to winter, which I think says something really interesting about how much our perception of a place is shaped by when we encounter it. I kept thinking about the Koyaanisqatsi film and the contrast it drew between natural landscapes and industrial ones. Walking the trail it's easy to forget that we're in the middle of a city. The water, the birds, the trees doing their thing and it all feels self contained and alive. I think that's exactly the kind of experience this class has been pushing us toward all semester. Not just knowing about the environment intellectually but actually being in it and letting it affect you.

 After writing about the Columbian Exchange earlier in the semester based on what Professor Redick mentioned in class, I went back and read more about it on my own and there was a lot I hadn't fully absorbed the first time. One thing that really stood out was the role of disease. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, the Indigenous populations had no immunity to diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza. Some historians estimate that up to 90 percent of the Indigenous population of the Americas died within a century of contact, not primarily from violence but from disease. That scale of loss is almost impossible to comprehend. And it had ecological consequences too, because so much traditional land management, burning, planting, harvesting, stopped almost overnight. Some researchers argue that the regrowth of forests following this depopulation actually contributed to a cooling of global temperatures in the 1600s. The Columbian Exchange was not just a historical event, it re...

 We watched Koyaanisqatsi in class and I honestly did not know what to expect. It's a film with no dialogue, just imagery and music, and it's a lot to take in. The title is a Hopi word meaning "life out of balance" and that framing made everything make sense as I watched. The film moves between stunning natural landscapes and overwhelming images of industrial civilization. Factories, highways, crowds of people, missiles launching, cities decaying. What struck me most was a scene of a woman and child on a beach right next to what looked like a power plant. The contrast was jarring. The film ends by returning to the same rock painting it opened with, which felt like a reminder that long before all of this, people lived differently. The final note described it as "a state of life that calls for another way of living" and I think that's the whole point. It doesn't tell you what to do, it just makes you feel that something is deeply wrong and that we alre...

       The bison documentary was interesting. I knew bison were a keystone species, to feed predators and feed on plants, but I didn't even think of how it was also their actions, like their wallowing, and impact on the environment, like their feeding style, that was similarly important. I also didn't know they left entire ecosystems to grow in their wake.

 The bison documentary we watched in class genuinely surprised me. I knew bison had been nearly wiped out but I didn't fully understand what their absence meant for the landscape itself. Bison aren't just large animals, they are landscape engineers. Their unique grazing patterns, wallowing, and even their dung create microhabitats that entire other species depend on. When the bison disappeared, those processes disappeared with them. The Banff reintroduction story was really moving to me. In 2017 bison from Elk Island National Park were transported to Panther Valley and not only survived but thrived, even moving to higher elevations which was historically normal behavior. What got me was the idea that they restored not just wildlife but cultural relationships too, since bison are a cultural keystone for Indigenous communities. Sixteen bison became a herd in just seven years. That's remarkable.

Thinking about rewilding and bison led me to read more about the Endangered Species Act that was passed in 1973, which is basically the legal foundation for protecting species at risk of extinction in the US. What surprised me is how powerful it actually is on paper. It requires federal agencies to ensure their actions don't jeopardize listed species and it protects critical habitat, not just the animals themselves.  But like the Clean Water Act, it's been under constant legal and political attack. There are ongoing debates about whether economic interests should be weighed against species protection and which species deserve to be listed in the first place. Reading about it made me think about what we discussed in class about environmental protections never being permanent. The bison we watched being reintroduced in the documentary exist partly because of legal frameworks like this one. Without them the story would look very different.

 After the bison documentary in class I started reading more about rewilding as a broader concept and it's honestly one of the more exciting things I've come across this semester. Rewilding is the large scale restoration of ecosystems by reintroducing species that have been lost, reducing human management, and letting natural processes take over again. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone is probably the most famous example and the results were remarkable. The wolves changed the behavior of elk, which allowed riverbanks to recover, which changed the flow of rivers. One species created a cascade of change through the entire ecosystem. It connects directly to what we saw with the bison reintroduction. These animals aren't just nice to have around, they are literally landscape engineers whose absence leaves a hole in how the whole system functions. I think rewilding challenges the idea that human management is always the answer and sometimes the best thing we can do is ...

 I've known about microplastics for a while but I did some deeper reading this week and I wish I hadn't a little bit. Microplastics are now found literally everywhere, in the deepest ocean trenches, in rainwater, and in human blood. They've been detected in placentas. Scientists are still figuring out what the long term health effects are but the early signs are not encouraging. What unsettled me most is how invisible the problem is. You can see a plastic bottle on a beach and pick it up. You cannot see or feel the microplastics that have already broken off of it and entered the water supply. It makes me think about everything we've discussed about resources being depleted in ways we don't notice until it's too late. This feels like one of those slow moving disasters that doesn't get enough attention because there's no single dramatic moment to point to.

 I went down a rabbit hole after class reading about whether clean energy is actually as clean as we think and it was a lot to sit with. The short answer is that it's complicated. Solar panels require rare earth minerals that are often mined using child labor in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wind turbines take up massive amounts of land, sometimes cutting into farmland. And AI data centers, which run on electricity, use enormous amounts of water for cooling and are being built at a rate that is genuinely alarming. The phrase that keeps coming back to me is "out of sight, out of mind." Clean energy feels clean because the mess happens somewhere else, in a mine far away or in a data center most people will never see. It connects to what we've been discussing about the hidden costs of infrastructure decisions. Nothing is really free and I think we need to be more honest about the tradeoffs involved in the green energy transition.

 I work at a golf course and since taking this class I cannot look at it the same way anymore. Golf courses are incredibly resource intensive. The amount of water used to keep the grass that particular shade of green is significantly larger than I thought at first, and the pesticides and fertilizers required to maintain that level of appearance are not exactly gentle on the surrounding ecosystem. There's something almost ironic about it. People go to golf courses partly because they're beautiful and green and feel natural, but maintaining that appearance requires constantly fighting against what nature would actually do with that land. It connects to what we've been reading about prosaic versus mythopoeic relationships with the environment. A golf course is about as prosaic as it gets, land managed entirely for human aesthetic preference and recreation rather than ecological health.

 This chapter talks about how the trail is something of a healer, and how it can provide a form of therapy through the walking.  And I have to agree with that.  My grandpa, a Vietnam War veteran, has mentioned to me a lot how a way he had helped himself deal with the stress of being a war veteran was through walking, and hiking, as he did not want to fall to the bottle.  The act of walking, especially through nature, provides a great amount of a therapeutic feeling, and that it has a great benefit to the person doing the act.

 I visited the Virginia Living Museum a bit ago and I've been thinking about it since we started talking about native ecosystems and species management in class. The museum is set up to show Virginia's native plants and animals and what I loved about it was how intentional everything felt. Every exhibit exists to show you something about the relationships between species and their specific environments. The part that stuck with me most was seeing native fish species up close that I had no idea existed in Virginia waterways. It made me realize how little most people know about the ecosystems literally right around them. I think that kind of local ecological knowledge is exactly what Ostrom was talking about when she argued that communities with deep knowledge of their specific environment take much better care of it. You can't protect what you don't know exists.

 While reading this chapter, I realized how much of being in the wilderness is like a religion.  The adoption of a trail name, the community, both these make it seem much like a religion.  Since both religion and being in the wilderness offer a sense of community, a belonging, and a true equality.  Everyone faces the same struggles while on the trail, and in a sense, all of them become perfectly equal, wealth and status is gone, but their struggle on the trail is there.

A few friends and I went on a camping trip over spring break and I honestly did not realize how much I needed it until we were actually out there. We found a spot, set up our tents, made a fire, and just existed outside for a couple of days with no real agenda. It sounds simple but it honestly felt rare. What I kept noticing was how quickly my sense of time changed. Without a phone or a schedule everything slowed down in a way that felt almost anxiety inducing but my anxiety slipped away. Just looking at the fire and sitting next to my boys I started to calm, the time didn't matter to me anymore and I realized I felt totally disconnected from the urban micromanage lifestyle I have grown so used to.  I think this connects to what we've been talking about in class with phenomenology and bracketing. When you strip away all the noise you actually start noticing things, the way the fire smelled, how loud the silence was, how different the stars looked without any light pollution. Na...

 While I read this chapter, it had dawned on me that most of what I do while hiking is aesthetic tourism.  I realized that I do not just go on a hike to experience some form of spiritualism.  I usually go because I know that I would love the sights, and that it's a beautiful sight to see.  While sometimes I will go on a hike to do that, just to feel the nature.  Most times it is so that I can see the sights and take picture.  Why I take the pictures?  I do not know, I rarely ever post or show off the pictures, but I still take them.

 I want to revisit the Geo Aesthetics Conference paper from a different angle because I keep thinking about it. Something I didn't focus on enough the first time was the idea of creative symbol making and how it connects to our relationship with the environment. Dr. Redick talks about Susan Langer's idea that symbol making is a fundamental human need, as basic as eating or breathing. When we encounter something in nature that moves us, we instinctively try to express it somehow, through language, art, or just telling someone about it. This makes me think about why I always want to take pictures at the beach or describe what the ocean looks like to people who weren't there. It's not just sharing a pretty image it's participating in that gift exchange Dr. Redick describes, taking in what the natural world offers and giving something back. I think that's a really beautiful way to think about why art and environmental studies actually belong together.

 While reading the chapter, Wilderness As a Sacred Place, I had found my self agree more often than not.  Being in the wilderness it strips away the habits and comforts that we usually find ourselves with in the standard, modern world.  It gives us, or at least me, a great since of peace as I no longer am thinking about the stuff I need to do, but just on where I am going and the sights I will see.  While in the wilderness, the forests, I don't experience the passage of time as I normally do, everything seems to go by slower for me, I am not keeping track of the hours passing.  Why that happens?  I have no clue, but it always gives a feeling of tranquility to me. 

 Professor Redick briefly spoke about Charles Mann's book 1493 and I found it interesting enough to write about here. The argument is that Columbus didn't just change human history, but he changed and reshuffled the ecology of the entire planet. For 250 million years the world's ecosystems had been developing separately after Pangaea broke apart. Columbus essentially reconnected them by moving thousands of species across oceans that had never interacted before. That's why there are tomatoes in Italy and chili peppers in Thailand. Neither of which existed there before 1492. I keep thinking about how this connects to what we're learning about invasive species and ecosystem disruption. The Columbian Exchange was essentially the largest unplanned ecological experiment in human history and its consequences are still playing out today.

 We were introduced to phenomenology in class and it took me a minute to wrap my head around it. Merleau-Ponty's idea is basically that to truly understand the environment we have to return to our true core experience of it before all the theories get in the way. He says the real must be described, not constructed. Even the word "environment" becomes a construction once we start over-theorizing it. What clicked for me was the concept of bracketing, setting aside your preconceptions and letting things reveal themselves as they actually are. I think this is why being outside feels so different from just reading about environmental issues. When you're actually there you're not theorizing you're just present. I'm curious how this connects to everything else we'll cover this semester.

I've been fishing since I was little and it's always just been something I do to relax without thinking too much about it. This semester has made that harder in the best possible way. Every time I'm out on the water now I find myself noticing things I used to tune out, what the water looks like, whether there are fewer fish than there used to be, what else is living in and around the area. After reading about the cod collapse and discussing overfishing in class, I also think more carefully about what I'm catching and whether I'm putting it back. Recreational fishing seems harmless at an individual level but we've learned enough this semester to know that individual actions add up. I'm not going to stop fishing but I think I'll be a more thoughtful one going forward.  

 Something I've been thinking about lately is how much food gets wasted every day, especially in places like restaurants, grocery stores, and even at home. It's kind of crazy to realize that a lot of perfectly good food just gets thrown away, while at the same time there are people who don't have enough to eat. For example, last night I was at the dining hall when they were closing things down, and I watched them throw a huge tray of perfectly good chicken nuggets in the trash. From an environmental perspective, it's not just about the food itself, but all the resources that went into producing it, like water, energy, and land. When that food gets wasted, all of those resources are basically wasted too. I've also learned that food waste can create methane when it sits in landfills, which contributes to climate change. It makes me think about how small changes, like only buying what you need or saving leftovers, could actually make a difference over time.

 At one of the last classes of Environmental Studies, Dr Redick wrote a paper for an upcoming conference he has after the semester ends. One of the main parts that stuck out to me was how we are all pushing for renewable energies, but the process of actually creating them is still extremely social, economic, and politically difficult. After listening to the paper, I wanted to dive deeper into why this is, and what measures could be taken. In one outside source I read, there are a couple resource reserves that are partly the reason why its so difficult to switch. Lithium, which we all commonly know inside of batteries and electric cars, is a very water-intensive mining practice. As we all know, this excessive use of water ruins the supply for those around and erodes the environment near it. Cobalt is one of the most politically and social diffcult ones. In the DRC, where it primarlily is primarily mined, child labor is very common, which makes it both cheaper and more dangerous. The...

 For my term paper, I wanted to write about the negative effects that suburbs have on our environment, and how we can fix them. When writing it, one thing that caught my eye was how bad frequent mowing is for the environment. I mean, this was something that I completely related to since I love to mow multiple times a week during the summer. So I decided to dig a little deeper and read through an article I had found with more information about it. One of the biggest things that caught my eye was how much I need to reduce the amount of time I spend mowing. Once every two weeks can provide such a big difference by allowing smaller pollinator plants to grow in just a 14-day period. That blew my mind, and here I was cutting the grass 4 times the amount I should be doing. One thing I'm currently doing, which I think everyone should be is using the recycle mode on mowers. It actually keeps the grass clippings in the yard, which can help recirculate them back into the soil, while providing...

 In American Camino, one part of this chapter stuck out to me: the concept of leave no trace. In this chapter, he reflects on the experience that one hiker had where he carved into a stick and wanted to leave it at the top of the summit. To him, this was meaningful. It highlighted the journey that he had walked, and it served as something of an appreciation to him. Though environmentally, it was impossible for the place where he laid his stick to happen naturally. At the top of the summit, it wouldn't decompose properly and would also interfere with the experiences of the hikers who come after him. The idea of Leave No Trace is to try your best to not take, leave, or interfere with nature, and this reminded me of when I was a scout. I was drilled to have this concept in my mind. Through every hike, campout, or anything in the wilderness, they made sure that we knew this concept, and I thank them for it. Using Leave No Trace, I've been able to fully be within nature, knowing tha...

 In class, we were discussing the drift, which is a century-old tradition where cattle are moved from the ranches down south to the mountains up north in the summer. The goal for this is to let the cattle graze in the mountains in order to let hay be produced in the southern ranches for the winter. This has been a continuous yearly movement since the 1890s and is still commonly practiced today in the US. The practice of the drift is a perfect example of a counterargument to Garret Hardin's theory on the tragedy of the commons.  It shows that rather than overconsume the land around them (commons), they all commonly unite to move their cattle up north in the season to protect the commons around them.

I've been thinking about how fast fashion affects the environment, especially since it's something people my age are really into. Brands are always dropping new clothes, and it makes people want to keep buying more even if they don't need it. What I didn't really realize before is how much waste that creates because a lot of those clothes get thrown away after only being worn a few times. It also takes a lot of water and energy to produce clothing, and that has a bigger environmental impact than most people probably think about. It kind of makes me question how much of what we buy is actually necessary versus just influenced by trends. At the same, it's hard to completely avoid because fast fashion is usually cheaper and more accessible. This makes me wonder if people would change their habits if they understood the impact more, or if companies need to be the ones to make more sustainable options.

 Something I've been noticing more in my everyday life is how much plastic I actually use without really thinking about it. Things like water bottles, food packaging, and even stuff from fast food all add up pretty quickly, and most of it just gets thrown away after one use. It made me realize how convenient plastic is, but also how big of a problem it creates for the environment, especially in oceans where animals can mistake it for food. What's kind of frustrating is that even when people know it's harmful, it's hard to completely avoid because it's everywhere. This makes me think about how much responsibility is on individuals versus companies that produce all this plastic in the first place. It also makes me wonder if small changes, like using reusable bottles or bags, actually make a difference, or if bigger changes need to happen on a larger scale to really reduce plastic waste.

I've been thinking about how cities keep expanding and how that affects the environment, especially when it comes to green spaces. Where I live, I've noticed more trees getting cut down to make room for things like buildings and data centers, and it makes me wonder what we're losing in the process. Green spaces aren't just there to look nice, they actually help with air quality, temperature, and even people's mental health. Without them, cities can get a lot hotter, which reminds me of the idea of the "urban heat island" effect that we've talked about before. It also feels like once those natural areas are gone, it's almost impossible to bring them back in the same way. This makes me question how cities can keep developing while still protecting the environment, and whether enough is actually being done to balance those two things.

A few friends and I have walked the Noland Trail a couple of times and it's one of my favorite things to do when I need to reset. The trail is about five miles and loops around a reservoir. It's very beautiful, especially in early spring when everything is just starting to come back to life! I think that outdoor spaces like the Noland Trail are important to me because it's where I can apply the ideas that we're learning in class to a real environment. The last time we walked it I kept noticing a lot of different things about the water. I noticed how it looked different in shade versus sun, how the trail would get closer to the edge and then further away, and how the birds were louder when we were closer to the water. I think that this class has taught me to pay more attention to nature and the outside world. Instead of just walking the trail, I'm noticing relationships between the water and the trees, or the trail and the ecosystem around it in general.

Since we've been talking a lot about water lately, I wanted to read more about policies involving water. Based on an article from History.com, the Clean Water Act, which passed in 1972, was basically the foundation of water pollution regulation in the United States. Before it existed, industries could dump waste directly into rivers and lakes with almost no consequences. The Cuyahoga River in Ohio actually caught fire multiple times because it was so polluted with industrial chemicals (who knew a river could catch on fire!!). I believe this incident was what finally pushed Congress to help. The Clean Water Act made it illegal to discharge pollutants into navigable water without a permit and I think that a lot of American waterways are much cleaner today because of it. What really stuck with me is how some people are still opposed to it! There have been ongoing legal battles about what actually counts as "navigable waters" and falls under federal protection. It made me rea...

In class we discussed the Lewis and Clark expedition in the context of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. I knew the basic story but I'd never really thought about how it relates to the environment. Lewis and Clark followed the Missouri River west looking for a water route to the Pacific Ocean. They encountered the Continental Divide, which we talked about in class as the line that separates water flowing to the Pacific from water flowing to the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean. They were basically mapping the water system of an entire continent, all while looking for passage to the Pacific Ocean! During class I was thinking about how differently Indigenous nations interpreted those same waterways, because while Lewis and Clark were finding routes for expansion, the Native peoples had developed spiritual relationships with the rivers over many years.

 When reading this chapter of American Camino, there was already some background information I already knew: Dr Redick had served in the military, and I knew he had journeyed/Backpacked across the US for some time. In reading this chapter, Bumpass Hell was hiked by Dr Redick and a friend, John, after being discharged from the Marines. The themes inside were deep, such as how their personal trauma was kept within them, similar to how the environment around them was. I honestly got a little emotional when reading this. To many veterans, the journey back to civilian life is difficult, and can sometimes cause them to feel lost when returning back. The trauma experienced is also why it is so difficult to return to the normal life they had before serving. Dr Redick reconnected through the environment by hiking on different trails, the road, and attending university while getting an education to help Him discover his place in the world. This chapter left me in a state of sitting in silenc...

 In reading further into American Camino, I got to the part in the chapter called Spiritual Rambling. The part that caught my attention the most was when Dr Redick led a hike in the Scottish Highlands. As someone who is Scottish from both of my family trees, I've always been fascinated with the environment surrounding the country. I feel that from where I live in the east, nothing can compare to the hills and green scenery that surround Scotland, and I feel quite jealous of it. Further into the chapter, there was a part where one of the hikers had an MP3 player in, and how using it made the hike more memorable to him. I feel that today, everyone has music in their ears through AirPods and headphones, and while at the time having music was seen as unusual and maybe helpful in the wilderness, I personally feel that we need to do the opposite now. I think we need to disconnect from the music and technology we have and fully appreciate the environment that surrounds us. 

 Recently, we had our class outside at Lions Bridge. I didn't expect there to be a history lesson, but I learned that Anna Hyatt-Huntington had designed multiple of the sculptures there on the bridge, including the massive one by the water. I also learned that she was the daughter-in-law of Collis P. Huntington, who helped influence the massive railroad system that goes through Newport News up north. He also founded the Newport News shipyard nearby. For a good bit of class, we spent it analyzing the massive sculpture of the horse and four Greek men around it. It was called "Conquering the Wild". We had concluded that it was about the domestication of horses, but after reading more into it, its acutally signifying the attempts that her father-in-law made to capitalize on the railroad industry around him, but never fully succeeding. I don't know why I never bothered to look into the history of this sculpture, but after learning about it, I realized that a lot of my init...

 Columbus was credited with discovering the Americas for Europe in 1492. Multiple historians recount his journey and the things he did, but Charles Mann provides a different account of him. This was told from an environmental point of view rather than an economic or social one. He credited Columbus as the person who changed the world forever, by altering the natural 250-million-year cycle that the world had been on.  Coming to the Americas, a multitude of new resources were brought to and from Europe.  This led to the creation of many new foods, spices, and technologies, all through coming to America. This is the reason why countries such as Italy have tomatoes, creating pizza, or why Switzerland has chocolate. The discovery of America led to the whole world's ecosystems connecting, rather than isolating. 

An article by Craig Childs about Glen Canyon and Lake Powell was shared with us and I wanted to write about it here because I've thought about it since reading it. Lake Powell was created when Glen Canyon Dam flooded 186 miles of river canyon, and it's now drastically below capacity due to drought, climate change, and a century old water compact that massively overestimated how much water was actually available. What surprised me the most was how cottonwoods, willows, and springs were coming back as the water receded (things that were only known from old pictures!) as well as an entire ecosystem reviving itself with almost no human help. One researcher literally hugged a 50 foot cottonwood growing where there used to be nothing but water! However, the dam is starving the Grand Canyon of sediment it needs, warmer water is helping non-native fish outcompete native species, and Indigenous nations whose sacred sites were flooded are stilling fighting for water rights they were prom...

Our class visited Mariners' Lake and I've actually been there before with my friends, so it was cool to experience it initially a totally different way this time. We looked at different types of trees, stood by the water in silence, and just noticed things. Sounds in the distance, the difference between natural sounds like birds and water versus human made ones like cars and planes passing by. It sounds simple but it was actually pretty interesting to notice things that I would have missed on a regular basis. The speaker shared the slogan of Mariners' Lake which is something like "connect with the water amid a serene forest filled with adventure and wonder" and we focused on three words specifically: serene, adventure, and wonder. I thought that was a really interesting set of words to sit with because they point to completely different kinds of experiences. I think that serenity is quiet and still, adventure is active and a little unpredictable, and wonder is tha...

I wanted to write about the 2024 Geo Aesthetics Conference Paper that was shared with us because I thought it was beautiful but also complicated at first. It's about his experience hiking the Continental Divide Trail and the connections between respiration, transpiration, and inspiration. The core idea is that breathing is a form of exchange with the living world, not just a biological function. We inhale what plants release and they transpire what we exhale. We are literally sharing breath with the forest, which is incredible! The word inspiration even shares its root with the word for breath, which I thought was really cool. The part that stuck with me the most was his encounter with a bull moose near Glacier National Park. He and his son just stopped in complete silence, totally held by the presence of this massive animal. Their breathing actually changed. I think that's an aesthetic event like we've talked about in class, something unpredicted that completely shifts how...

 In reading Dr Redick's American Camino, the chapter of asthetic tourism seemed interesting to read. I didn't really know that "the wild" was seemingly avoided by most people who weren't seeking a religious journey. It was also seen as ugly, which I couldn't even believe. My whole life, I've always thought nature to be the most beautiful thing that one could lay their eyes on and experience, and reading that it used to be unappealing is crazy to me. From the book, one sentence stuck out to me: "If the wilderness becomes another object of aesthetic imagination, can it remain in the place of a stranger?" This stuck out to me because it made me think that even when we as humans seek the thrill of nature, it will always instill terror into a small part of us, even with the beauty that comes with it.

 I know we've all heard about invasive species: they are organisms that come into the ecosystem of natives and outcompete them, wanting to drive them out completely. After reading Invasive Species Aren't Always the Bad Guys  by Isobel Whitcomb, I've started to realize some of the positive effects they can have on the environment around them. Due to climate change, seed dispersal is starting to become much higher, and with that, more invasive species are finding themselves growing in native plant areas. Though many native areas are now becoming extinct much quicker than previously, and invasive species are actually increasing the rate at which dispersal happens, allowing the species to not become extinct in the area it used to be in. I think it's important to recognize that while invasive species do outcompete and negatively affect native species, it's also important to recognize that not everything they do is a negative, and can actually help the native populations.

 Earlier in the year, we had an assignment on reading two articles about eco and forest bathing. One that I read was about ocean-bathing and the effects it could have on us. I've always been a swimmer, but a couple of weeks ago I decided to go to the beach with the water at about 60 degrees and force myself to swim in it for a bit. After swimming 100s of yards, I decided to try to float after I'd become used to the temperature. In that moment, I had never felt calmer and freer. The stress of school all left my mind, and I didn't feel present anywhere but the ocean I was floating in. The water even changed my mood for the rest of the day. I felt energized, similar to taking a cold shower in the morning, and was overall in a better mood. This method of ecobathing is one I'd recommend to anyone, but probably when the water is much warmer. 

 When searching for outside readings, I realized I had recently read Dune again, and I noticed that there were a lot of parts in the book that reflected some of the ideas we learned in class. One of which was the Sublime, which we focused on in class through nature, which means for something to leave us in awe, or to have multiple emotions. In the book, this sublime is the desert in which Dune takes place. It is described as a massive place (the whole desert), and it invoked a feeling in me as something majestic and beautiful at the same time.  In class, we also focused on us as humans and the effects we have had in the past on the environment. In the book, the humans want to turn the whole desert into a green forested place, even though it would kill the life already living on it. It really shows how we, especially on Earth, know the negative effects that we could have on the environment, but we still continue to do things to benefit us. 

 In our last class, we watched a movie from the 80s called Koyaanisqatsi. Walking into it, I expected a narrated film that would've had a clear story, but in reality it was a silent one, not spoken with words, but through the visuals I saw. I didn't think I could find an hour and fifteen-minute movie with 10-second clips of the environment interesting, but I did. I was blown away at what the film was communicating to me. I even had a "wow" realization when I saw a clip with beachgoers, and then a massive infrastructure plant right behind them. Even when new clips kept appearing, I was so focused on that one scene for 15-20 minutes. 

Genetic modification is the process of altering an organism’s DNA to achieve certain traits, often used in agriculture to improve crop yield, resistance to pests, or environmental tolerance. It can improve agriculture and solve problems, but it also raises concerns about long-term ecological effects. But how do we decide when technological solutions are worth the ecological risks? One of the biggest challenges is deciding when the benefits outweigh the risks. For example, genetically modified crops can reduce the need for pesticides, but they may also impact surrounding ecosystems in ways we do not fully understand yet. I think this topic is complicated because it involves both innovation and uncertainty. It reminds me of environmental ethics because of the balance between innovation and risk, as GMOs can be beneficial, but also create unintended consequences.

Invasive species are organisms that are introduced to a new environment where they are not native, often causing harm to the existing ecosystem. They can disrupt ecosystems, which is often a result of human activity. However, managing them raises ethical questions. This is because controlling invasive species often involves removing or killing them, even though humans are usually the ones responsible for introducing them in the first place. What stands out to me here is the idea that humans often cause these problems, but then make the decisions on how to fix them. This creates a cycle of intervention. However, who decided that humans have the right to remove or control invasive species, even if it harms them, when humans were the ones who introduced them? How do we find an answer to this question to keep everyone safe and healthy?

  Lawn culture emphasizes neat, controlled landscapes, but this often comes at the cost of biodiversity and environmental health. Lawns reduce biodiversity because they replace a variety of native plants with a single type of grass, which limits habitats for insects and animals. They also require large amounts of water, fertilizers, and pesticides, which can harm surrounding ecosystems and contribute to pollution. What stands out to me is how normalized lawns are, especially in suburban areas, even though they are not environmentally beneficial. This makes me question why this standard exists and why people continue to maintain it. I think part of it has to do with aesthetics and social expectations, where a “perfect” lawn is seen as a sign of success. It reminds me of environmental discussions about how human preferences shape ecosystems, often in harmful ways.

Environmental ethics focuses on how humans should treat the natural world. Different perspectives argue for conservation, preservation, or sustainability. It is very difficult to balance human needs with environmental protection, and there is no single solution to this problem, making these issues complex. One thing I find interesting is how different people justify their actions depending on what they value most. For example, some prioritize economic growth, while others focus on long-term environmental stability. A real-world example of this is climate change, where governments and companies often struggle to balance economic interests with environmental responsibility. This creates conflict when trying to make policies or decisions that affect both people and ecosystems. I think environmental ethics is not just about finding the “right” answer, but about understanding the consequences of different choices. Is it more important to prioritize immediate human needs or long-term environ...

Nature is often defined as something separate from humans, but I personally think that definition is too simple. Humans are a part of nature, even when we build cities or change the landscape. People say that nature is something “out there,” such as a big mountain or a nice beach, but it is actually something we are constantly interacting with. Humans are, in fact, a part of nature, and directly contribute to it. Whether this is through environmental changes, appreciation, or just general interaction, we all play a part in nature. Not acknowledging this can create a lot of disconnect in the definition of nature for people. If people saw themselves as a part of nature, as I do, would they make different environmental choices? Would people care more about what they surround themselves with and what they take care of?

  In her article, Erica Gies focuses on forest bathing and how spending time in forests can improve lung health and overall well-being. Something that stood out to me was the scientific explanation behind forest bathing, because being in nature is something that seems so simple. The concept of trees, grass, and water releasing chemical compounds that benefit human health made me realize that our connection to nature is way more physical than we think it is. Many people just believe that it’s the aesthetic of nature, such as sitting in the sun or going for a nice walk, that affects their health, but it’s really more than that. This connects to some of our earlier readings about interconnected systems and the importance of nature for humans. A question that you could ask yourself is: Should natural spaces and our usage of them be considered a public health priority?

  In “Spiritual Experiences in Ecotherapy: A Systematic Review” by Minwoo Kang and Terry Hanley, the authors explore how nature-based therapy can lead to emotional and spiritual growth. The article explains that spending time in natural environments can help individuals feel more connected, grounded, and reflective, often leading to a deeper sense of meaning. What stood out to me was how nature is not just beneficial physically, but also mentally and spiritually. The idea that nature can act as a form of therapy makes me think differently about how we treat natural spaces. Instead of seeing them as optional or recreational, they could be considered essential to well-being. But, if nature can play such a strong role in mental and spiritual health, should ecotherapy be more widely integrated into healthcare systems? This query connects to ideas we have discussed in class about human connection to the environment and how that connection can influence behavior. It also relates to menta...

  Written by Douglas W. Smith, Decade of the Wolf explores the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and the ecological impact they had. Wolves were removed from Yellowstone due to predator control programs, but when they left, elk populations began to grow rapidly, causing an ecological imbalance. This is because overgrazing began to happen, destroying the natural environment. The return of wolves affected prey populations, vegetation, and even river patterns, which shows how interconnected ecosystems are. I related this to the topics of keystone species and ecological restoration. Sometimes, humans do not realize how important a keystone species can be for an environment. Humans also do not realize the impact their actions may have on an ecosystem, as they were the ones to originally remove the wolves, and they were the ones to put them back. Without their intervention, there would have been no need for a restoration project, raising questions on whether or not humans are rest...

  Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac introduces the concept of a land ethic, which argues that humans have a moral responsibility to care for the environment. This reminded me of the environmental ethics discussions we have had in class, especially about how humans justify their actions towards nature because of “sustainability and conservation” efforts. Humans are a part of a larger ecological community, and Leopold says that we should treat the land with respect, not just as a resource. This changed how I think about environmental responsibility, making it feel more ethical than practical. We, as a society, should focus more on the land ethic and take a step back to realize what our relationship with nature truly is.

  I read Into the Wild for AP Lang in high school, and the book has been my favorite since then. It tells the story of Chris McCandless, a college student who leaves society behind to live in the Alaskan wilderness. His journey reflects a search for meaning and independence, as he travels the entire country and explores many different environments. What stood out to me the most was the fine line between freedom and isolation. Chris wanted to escape society, but his lack of preparation ultimately led to his death. While on his trip, he met and formed relationships with many people, despite claiming he wanted to be alone. He relied on others multiple times to stay afloat, lodging with some for days and eating meals with them. Does he represent courage in pursuing his beliefs, or does Chris not realize that pure isolation in the wilderness cannot be possible? Does he underestimate the dangers of nature, did he care about those he left behind, or did he not care at all?

  Revisiting American Camino , Dr. Redick talks about how journeys through landscapes are not only for aesthetics, but are also journeys of understanding. The act of walking is more symbolic of reflection and awareness. One of the biggest realizations I came to during my reading of American Camino is that repetition deepens meaning. Returning to these similar themes throughout the book made me recognize that understanding nature is not something that happens at once, but through continuous reflection and thoughtful intention. This is related to a concept we have discussed in class about how environmental awareness is a process rather than a single realization. I believe that repeated exposure to nature can change someone’s values over time, do you?

  In “Respiration, Transpiration, and Inspiration,” Dr. Redick discusses the relationship between human perception and environmental processes. The reading connects things like physical processes (such as breathing) and water cycles to how we experience nature. It made me realize that landscapes are alive in ways that we do not always recognize. Thinking about respiration and transpiration as shared processes between humans and the environment makes nature feel more connected. It changed my perspective from seeing nature as an external thing to something we are constantly interacting with. This reading connects to a lot of important ideas in environmental philosophy about interconnected systems and the importance of recognizing human dependence on ecological systems. But does recognizing our connection to natural processes influence the way people approach environmental responsibility? Or, does this awareness stay theoretical without actually changing much?

I n Glen Canyon Revealed , Craig Childs explores the transformation of Glen Canyon as water levels shift, exposing landscapes that were once submerged. This happened because of the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, which flooded the canyon and created Lake Powell, which submerged ecosystems that had existed for centuries. This reading highlights both loss and rediscovery of the land. The idea that destruction can also reveal something meaningful is what stood out to me the most. While the flooding of the Glen Canyon erased the ecosystem, the reappearance of it shows that nature is not static. This made me think about how human actions can have long-term consequences, but also how environments can adapt in unexpected ways. I would personally connect this to our class discussions about ecological restoration and climate change, where shifting conditions are constantly reshaping environments. A question I leave with is: When a landscape has been permanently altered like this, should re...