Dear Merri,
This year has taught me so much in terms of sustainability and in terms of life as a whole. At the beginning of the year, I talked about how sustainability is equivalent to respect. This relationship between sustainability and respect still holds true to me, but I have seen how much deeper this relationship goes with the more I learn. Earlier this year, I did not know that sustainability had to do with social issues. These social issues are rooted in disrespect and could be solved by actually respecting people and their opinions. My idea of what sustainability is really hasn't changed, but the greater implications that it has become more evident to me after this sequence.
It has been three years since you have taken this class and I hope that you are doing well and living by our sustainability ethic. There are a couple of things that I set out to do that I hope you are still living by. One is that I hope you aren't using disposable plastic products anymore. If you think you respect the environment and are still using those utensils, then you are wrong. It's not too hard to carry your own utensils so you don't have to waste more plastic than is necessary. Another thing that I hope that you are doing is shopping for what you need and not just for what you want. There are so many things you don't need but buy, which is what is causing so many problems in our world. Don't BUY into that consumeristic lifestyle and be more mindful of your purchases. This counts for food as well and you should not be eating out as much as well. I hope you are respecting all people and all things on earth. That is probably one of the most important things that I hope that you are doing because it is so important for the sustainability of our earth and our people. If you don't respect anything, then you're living a very selfish life and I don't know you anymore. So please respect people and the environment through your actions, words, and ideas.
Lastly, I hope that you are keeping up with this blog. I think it is important for you to keep writing and getting your ideas out there and it will make sticking to your sustainability ethic so much easier. Keep writing and keep loving. It's been real fun.
Sincerely,
Merri
