I wasn't always conscious about my impact on the Earth. I remember the first time I ever littered thinking it was the "cool" thing to do. It took time for me to learn and really understand exactly how important our daily choices are and the effects those choices have on the world around us.
Jane Goodall once said:
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
I've spent most of my life growing up in Hawai'i, and through all my travels and time away, I still find it to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever experienced. Because of my roots in these islands, I've grown to appreciate the intrinsic value of nature. It's hard not to when you're surrounded by lush forests, rigid mountains, and the jaw dropping hues of blue in the ocean.
I fell in love with nature and the ocean, so much so that I wanted to make it part of my life's work. After a year of being undeclared in college (basically not knowing what I wanted to do with my life), I started getting involved with as many non-profit organizations as I could. I volunteered most of my weekends to cleaning beaches, removing invasive species, restoring native Hawaiian fishponds, cultivating native plants, and educating the public about plastic pollution. These experiences ignited a fire inside of me as I continued to learn and make a difference within my community. I found my calling.
My passion for sustainability and conservation became even more apparent when I started interning for Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i in 2015. SCH is a grass roots non-profit organization that inspires local communities to care for their coastlines through fun, hands-on beach clean-ups, educational programs, waste diversion events, and public awareness campaigns. Working for Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i was a turning point for me. Yeah, I cared about the Earth and participated in community service projects all the time, but this was where the real magic happened. I met so many amazing people through SCH who inspired me to do better. Most of the lifestyle changes I've made came from learning from my friends and physically seeing how our consumer behaviors have taken a toll on my home island and many other places I've visited around the world. Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i changed my life for the better and I attribute all of my major life accomplishments and continuous drive to them for the invaluable lessons and experiences they have given me.
So, fast forward to 2017, I received my bachelor's degree in Marine Ecology and Conservation from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and I'm now pursuing my master's in Conservation Biology in what I believe to be the coolest grad program in existence because I get to 1. travel, 2. study what I love, and 3. continue to make a difference.
I understand that many people did not grow up in the same backyard as me or have the same opportunities, and may not understand why they should care about littering or using less plastic if they live somewhere like the middle of Kentucky. I'm building this website to offer some perspective. The environment has everything to do with everything. If you like living and breathing, and you enjoy all the things you get to do as a living breathing human, then you should care about the environment and your impact on it.
The following post will dive into why we should be more conscious about our plastic consumption and offer alternatives to help you sustain the health of the planet (and in turn, your own health!).
