One Page Reflection: Journal

For this week's reflection, I must admit that I am a bit confused. Should we be writing our reflections about our journals or about the assigned reading in Ecocities? Also, are we reading a chapter of our choice in Ecocities or are we reading all of the chapters listed? In any event, in the interest of time, I am going to write this week's reflection about my journal.

I began my journal writing experience extremely lost and a bit uncertain. As I mentioned during a class session, although I have been introduced to theories of environmental stability I have never been asked to put those theories into practice. Actually, I guess I have been asked, but I have never seriously challenged myself to make these types of behavioral changes in my life. For me, this expectation to write about my experiences has forced me to make a serious effort to put theory into practice. Interestingly, much of what we have been discussing with Agyeman, falls along the same lines. Agyeman challenges environmental organizations to put their theories of Just Sustainability into practice. Certainly as a planning student I recognize and fully accept the importance of developing ecologically and socially sustainable communities. Looking at the larger picture, I understand why these concepts are extremely important. BUT as they apply to my own personal life, I have never been able to put them into practice. This journal writing experience has been challenging, but it has also been extrenely positive. It is making me accountable and making me take on the difficult task of practicing what I preach.

Journal Entry: September 4, 2007

I'm sitting at my desk attempting to write in my journal, but all I can think about is how horribly I've failed at this behavioral change experiement. Even as I sit here writing, all of my lights are on as well as the television and fan. Not to mention the fact that my garbage, which is begging to be taken out, is unrecycled. The personal goals that I set at the beginning of the semester were rather general. I set out to recycle my garbage and conserve energy more efficiently. I thought that setting general goals would somehow increase my chances of accomplishing them. That obviously is not the case. So, I am going to turn off some lights and take my garbage out, right after I seperate the recyclable from the non recyclable items. I'm a little bit worried though about turning off the fan. My room gets unbearably hot. Its an old house that I live in and the heat gets insufferable. I think I'll leave the fan on and one lamp. Well, maybe I'll leave two lamps on. It's a little bit difficult to write in my journal in the dark. I'm defiantely going to turn the television off though. That appliance is definately unecessary.

In regards to my social interactions, that's coming along just as slowly. My relationships at the moment are in a fixed position. The people that I spoke to yesturday are the same people that I spoke to today and I'm certain that they will be the same people that I'll speak to tomorrow. To add to that, we talk about the same things everyday. Writing in this journal is making me realize how stagnant my relationships are and in some ways how two dimensional they are. I'm going to make an amendment to my social interactions behavioral change experiment. Everyday, I am going to share something new about myself to the people that I trust and love. This will force me to create a deeper more meaningful relationship with the people around me and help me move closer to achieving my goals.