I came across this experience through an email from one of my English Professors. As I
was finishing registering for my classes for the Spring semester, I received an email
about CORE P 201 (Environmental Justice Externship), and I thought, “Well, two extra
credits can’t hurt.” Little did I know what I was getting myself into. I was familiar with the
Sierra Club, I have heard about it; but I was not aware of how many chapters that
existed as well as the amount of people that support this organization. It’s incredible.
When I first joined the Transportation committee, I was fairly anxious. I was not sure
what to expect, but Lindsey Mendelson made me feel welcomed within the first three
minutes. All my nerves disappeared. Everyone on the board is passionate about their
work, and they set aside any differences that are not beneficial towards the common
goal. The members are very persistent. They constantly keep moving forward even if
they’re pushed back a bit, which is commendable. What I have also noticed is that the
people on the board emphasize the importance of having a plan but being able to
explain in detail how a plan can be executed. Anyone can have an idea such as “We
need to stop driving cars, it’s bad for the planet”. Yes, this is true but one needs to be
able to provide solutions, not just ideas or thoughts.
Prior to this externship, I did a little bit of work towards helping the environment, I
recycled for the most part, and I never littered. Within these 4 months I have learned so
much about climate change and how we are harming our environment on a day to day
basis. I considered myself environmentally friendly prior to this externship, but there are
numerous ways to improve as a person to help the community. Whether it’s spreading
awareness through social media, community clean ups, etc. One can always do more.
There are many ways to take more environmentally friendly approaches such as driving
electric vehicles, taking trains, walking or biking. Simply driving less is extremely helpful
as well. I learned that Transportation accounts for a little over a ¼ of GHG (Greenhouse
Gas) emissions. This makes this the largest contributor. Before I would drive my car
with no shame. But now, when I hear the engine start, guilt arrives.
Recently, I took notes on SB81 HB414 and these bills are in relation to creating an 18
mile railway system that runs from Charles County to Branch Avenue. It’s called SMRT
(Smart Maryland Rapid Transit). There are so many projects that are works just in
Southern Maryland alone, and I would not have heard about any of this had I not joined
the Sierra Club. Having reminders such as this are skills and habits that I must carry on
into my life.
My intention was to simply earn extra credits to get me closer to graduation, but I have
learned skills that not only can help the Sierra Club, but skills that I can apply to life.
