Ponder upon following questions and write your reflections:
1. What are the energy/emission related impacts of your actions and lifestyle currently? What do they mean to you?
2. Which areas of your lifestyle are of particular concern to you? Why?
3. What have you already done in response to these energy/emission impacts and your concerns?
4. What are you currently working on or would like to do in the future in response to the remaining issues? What is preventing you? How will you overcome them?
5. What other positive impacts do you see yourself making beyond your immediate personal lifestyle? How?
6. Are you indirectly investing in or financing climate change and fossil fuel industry? Have you checked if your banks and your Super funds are funding climate catastrophe? Do you know you can switch, divest and go fossil free?
I have answered:
1. Everything I do is somewhat related to carbon emission. The only part that’s minimal is transportation as I live on campus and close to shops. I mostly walk and do not own a car nor do I fly often. Other than that, I consume products and energy that contribute to a lot of carbon emission or environmental damage. Especially my waste, usage of paper for printing, owning a lot of electronics that contain hazardous waste when thrown away, high use of electricity for heating, carbon footprint from eating meats.
2. The one that concerns me the most is the fact that I eat meat for a large part of my diet. Specifically, red meat and seafood. I found out lately that red meat especially has very high carbon footprint to vegetarian diet. The reason why I eat a lot of meat is simply because I like them, even though I do not to eat that much.
3. In spirit of Lent I have reduced consumption of red meat especially. In Sydney, its beef that I avoid the most whenever I can. I have switched to more sustainable (and cultivatable) seafood for source of good protein; from salmon and tuna to flathead and prawn.
4. Another concerning thing is perhaps the fact that I live alone in a studio room. Living alone compared to living together has more impact as I do not share the load of my heating, cooling, lighting, etc. I consume/emit more per person than if I live in shared apartments. The reason I live alone is that I feel more comfortable as an architectural students to live this way. I have a lot of stuff lying everywhere including models. I also do not want to disturb other occupants when I have to do long hours for large projects. However I do try to consume less by not using the conditioning system as much as possible. In addition I intend to move with a friend after I am done with my Masters.
5. By studying architecture with the intention of professional practice and focusing on high performance I do hope I can contribute to efficient design of buildings. I do not have the delusion that I can change the world by myself or anything drastic like that but I am confident that simply buy making smart passive design that makes the building use less energy I can at least help with the effort of sustainability.
6. Unfortunately the bank I store my Australian funds does indeed invest in fossil fuels. Interestingly all other major/famous banks in Australia does it as well though. Although the amount in said bank is not significant ie only stores a few months’ worth of funds at any time that still means I indirectly contribute to fossil fuels. Most of my family asset is back home. Yet sadly they are not nearly as transparent as the banks in Australia so I do not know if they are investing or fossil fuels or not. I did not know that I can actually do fossil free. I shall keep that strongly in mind when going for financial independence.
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