One of my favorite classes I took in high school was AP Environmental Science. On the first and last day, my teacher gave a very in-depth explanation of the greenhouse effect. He did this to ensure that if we were to only take away one thing from that class, it would be how this process worked. It was that very first day of class that sparked my passion for environmental sustainability, and I have been doing things to help the environment ever since. For example, it only took until the APES midterm for me to completely change my diet. As soon as I learned about how disastrous the factory farm industry was to global climate change, I essentially decided to boycott the concept of factory farming as a whole. I stopped consuming all animal products immediately. I then did my own research outside of class that only validated my decision to live a vegan lifestyle.

To me, environmental sustainability means being able to generate power, get rid of waste, etc., with minimal detriments to our planet. We live in a world that may, on a basic level, appear alright, however the number of excess greenhouse gases that are trapping the heat in our atmosphere is skyrocketing. With advancements in technology, and an expanding knowledge of the root of environmental problems, I believe a healthy planet should be sustained, and that all life on earth can and deserves to thrive.