I am currently a fourth year student pursuing two honors degrees in geography and business at Western University. My passions for sustainability have led me to join clubs such as the geography club, sustainability club and energy club all to better enhance my understanding of the industry. Academically, I have been driven to understand the social implications that make and break environmental issues ranging from nuclear disposal to wind turbine activists. Outside of school, my passions include coaching swimming and rock climbing with a personal goal to visit every national park in Canada and US via road trip!
Additional Information
Personal Definition of Sustainability
My personal definition of sustainability is to be able to run an organization, or personally live your life, while maintaining a balance of social, environmental and financial balance. I think that too often there is a misconception that sustainability only pertains to the environment or just to being eco friendly. To me it is much broader that that and encompasses most aspects of daily life, making socially conscious decisions. Sustainability to me is also about being able to live today without taking away those same privileges for future generations. It’s about living holistically and always acting in the best interest of your future and the future of the planet.
Sustainability-in-Action
In my last year as a geography student I took on a thesis to understand first nations responses to nuclear waste. This project was my first true interaction with sustainability and helped broaden my understanding of the social aspect behind why sustainability and alternative energy is a sometimes-debated issue. This year, I have been working as a research assistant for the Ivey Energy Centre; trying to connect the social responses to wind turbines in Ontario. My job has been to find and compile all data that would quantify social resistance and determine what demographic indicators could be responsible. Finally this summer, I will be working part time as an environmental consultant for projects involving biomass and wind technology. Each of these activities has reaffirmed my position that sustainability must be at the forefront of all business but also that it must be done so in a way that is transparent with the community in order to see successful implementation.
