Hej everyone! I want to talk today about sustainability in Sweden. I’ll start this off by mentioning a failed party piñata moment from my birthday earlier this week. In Sweden, plastic is generally avoided. Foods and objects are often wrapped in paper when possible instead of plastic. As I went to fill my birthday piñata, […]
Month: October 2023
4. Flight of Redemption: Offsetting a Carbon Footprint
Traveling is an amazing experience, but it often comes at a cost to the environment-which of course, effects us all. For example, let’s consider the carbon footprint of a flight from Texas to Seoul (my flight in this instance), and explore ways to locally offset the emissions generated during such an (excruciatingly long) amazing journey. […]
Week 4: Carbon Footprint
When I flew to France in August, I noted in my Paulson journal about the irony of participating in an environmentally-focused fellowship while traveling by plane. Using a carbon footprint calculator, I found that my flight here generated 0.79 metric tons of carbon. To offset the emissions produced by my travel, there are a few […]
2: Water & Energy (Budapest & Vienna)
For this prompt, I am away from my usual sit spot. We are on a two-week excursion — one week in Budapest and one in Vienna. Despite spending only a short time in each location, I will try to answer some of the questions expressed in the prompt. In both cities, we were able to […]
Prompt 4: Local & Climate Change
I’ll start with some unfortunate news… construction has gotten a little too busy right next to my sit spot, and I’m forced to find another. I’ve been thinking about a place near a patch of bougainvillea trees on campus! It’s near the front of campus, so loads of students pass under them every day. I […]
2: Leaves!
The lake was really beautiful today, especially after the rain. For sounds, there were birds and water drops pattering. I could hear a crow and also the faint sounds of a songbird. The smell was wet wood and dirt, humidity, and smoke. It smells like fall. It feels a little chilly, but humid. I could […]
Rainy Day Contemplation
It’s finally raining here! And the weather has gotten colder, I couldn’t be happier about these changes. I’m also very glad because I went on a trip to France over the weekend and I had never been and it was so very beautiful. I would like to go again and of course I want to […]
Week 3: Roman Roots
Thinking about the subject of water in Aix-en-Provence is especially pertinent to the city’s history and the general history of modern civilization. In the first century BCE, modern-day Aix was under the control of the Roman Empire. They founded a city here named Aquae Sextiae, which is where the word “Aix” comes from in the […]
3. Sustainability at SNU: Unpacking Water Sources and Energy Choices
Water Source and Purification in Gwanak-gu, Seoul: The water supply in Seoul, including Gwanak-gu (where my university is), primarily comes from the Han River and other local sources. This water is treated and purified through various processes, including filtration, disinfection, and quality testing to ensure it meets drinking water standards. The purification methods can vary a […]
2. October Tranquility: Observing the Changing Ecosystem by a Small Green Pond in Seoul
In October, Seoul, South Korea undergoes a climatic transition from the warmth of summer to the cooler, drier embrace of autumn. With average temperatures ranging from 13°C to 20°C, reduced rainfall of about 60 mm, approximately 6 hours of daily sunshine, and diminishing humidity levels, October marks the arrival of a comfortable and scenic autumn […]