Jung Kim

Hi, my name is Jung Kim. My major is International Studies concentrating on International Politics. I am from Korea, and I spent my high school year in California. I recently studied abroad in Seoul, Korea. It was pretty fun experience to study abroad in my hometown. I am taking this class for my core course for SIS requirement. This is my first environment class, so I am very excited to learn new things. I do not consider myself as an environmentalist, but my interest in environment increased after many horrible natural disasters in recent year. I hope that I could have better understanding and appreciation for the environment that is crucial for our lives. I realized how much I have used up and destroyed the environment, so I want to learn what I could do to preserve the environment for my future generation.

After reading I am, Therefore I Pollute by Stanley Fish, I asked myself if I am an environmental criminal. I think I am or in some sense we all are. Every single action we take brings good or bad impact on the environment. Even a little thing like breathing effects the environment. This present moment when thousands and thousands of people are killed by unexpected natural disasters, changing our “human-centered” lifestyle to “environmentally friendly” lifestyle is not an option but mandatory. I do not mean that we all need to breathe less to save the environment. However, there are many ways as easy as breathing that could help the environment.
When I first came to the United Sates, I was shocked by how many plastic bags I was given at the cashier every time I go to grocery shopping. About 5 years ago in Korea, the Korean government started the national campaign to bring own reusable grocery bags to shop. Furthermore, we need to pay ten cents for every plastic bag and 25 cents for fancier paper bag we like to use. However, we could get our money back if we bring those used bags back. When the government first started this policy, I was not sure anybody would bother to bring their own bags to avoid paying such a small amount of money. However, in 5 years, “bringing own grocery bag” places at the very top of “things to buy list” for almost everyone shopper.
I totally agreed with Stanley how he said “it is possible to believe something and still resist taking the actions your belief seems to require.” Bringing own grocery bag, using environmentally approved light bulbs, eating local meat and recycling could be easy for some of people but more challenging to other. I think to live in an “environmentally friendly” way in the modern-day US, we need to find what we like to do for the environment. Everyone has different ways to save the environment. If you are caught up with so many create things that other people do for the environment, you could be overwhelmed even before you actually do something for the environment. What I am saying here is having expensive solar energy panel at home is not more valuable or meaningful than turning off the running water when you brush your teeth in the sense of saving the environment. Therefore, I think if each one of us picks few things small or big that one likes to do or good at doing, we could make the world “environmentally happy” place. .