My Earthbound Path Anonymous

The chirps of crickets in lush grass, the gurgling of a clear book on a warm summer day, and the eerie whistling of a north wind in the winter all impart to me a different understanding. Nature and the environment have been treasured subjects for me since the days of my youth, when I parked myself in front of the TV to watch marathons of “Amazing Animals”. As I approach the age at which I must choose a career path, I realize that my choice has always been made; I want to pursue the study of the environment, and of its interactions with mankind.

This summer I had an experience which even further affirmed my desire to major in environmental science. I had been chosen by my school to attend the Keystone Policy Summit in Colorado. The purpose of the Summit was for students from across the nation to convene to debate and draft legislation regarding the future of U.S. energy. I had been assigned a stakeholder to research beforehand and to then represent at the Summit, a group determined to ensure that coal was a player in the future of U.S. energy. I was one of a small handful of students given such a “non-green” stakeholder. Over the course of the week, I argued for research funding, tax breaks, and lenient standards for coal...