I love my daily walks. it's great getting fresh air and having time to unplug. I think in WW there could be some improvements to the sidewalks because they are very uneven and I've caught myself tripping multiple times from not paying attention to the ground and where I'm walking

I can do my best to recycle cans & bottles that I use. I have a bad habit of throwing cardboard into the trash instead of the recycling, so I'm trying to be more mindful of that.

This week I learned more about how to implement sustainable fashion practices in my life and the impact that fast fashion has on the environment. My friend and I were talking about how we need to do spring cleaning because we are starting to look like hoarders with all the stuff, especially clothes, we have. We both exclaimed that we barely wear most of the things in our closets. We talked about the shift in our view of fashion and the clothes that we buy. Specifically, when we were younger, we bought a lot in bulk for very cheap. Most likely, a lot of these places were fast fashion, and we know some people who still buy from those stores like Shein. We discussed how these types of fast fashion sites target younger people, and promote consumerism and accumulation of items that we don't actually need. Her cousin who is 13 consistently buys from Shein, likely influenced by media, ads, and her peers. When we were younger, we would also buy so much more just because it is cheap, not necessarily because we wanted it. When my friend first stopped utilizing fast fashion, it was not because of sustainability. Rather, she did not like how cheap the clothes looked and they work break easy. She started to realize that the buying in bulk of cheap things was not worth the investment. It made much more sense to invest in a nice, high-quality, sustainable brand for more money that lasts. Now, we have both learned much more about the negative impacts of fast fashion, as well as waste production when it comes to overconsumption. We decided we both need to try reselling the clothes we don't wear, or donating them, rather than hoarding them or throwing them out. I have had both a Depop and Poshmark account for awhile now, but haven't used it in over a year. This week, we both took out all the clothes we didn't want and started posting them to Depop to promote other people reusing our clothes.

One of the most interesting things to learn about sustainable aquaculture practices is that over half of the seafood we eat today is farmed rather than caught in the wild, through a method called aquaculture. This is important because wild fish populations around the world are declining due to overfishing, poor resource management, climate change, and unsustainable consumption habits. Aquaculture can reduce the pressure on these wild populations by providing an alternative source of seafood, but only when done responsibly. Sustainable aquaculture involves using farming techniques that minimize environmental harm, such as managing wastewater to prevent the spread of disease and water pollution, and using feed that doesn’t rely heavily on wild fish. It also includes using more selective fishing gear that reduces bycatch, the unintentional capture of other marine species, and avoids damaging ocean habitats like coral reefs. Additionally, sustainable practices ensure that the people working in the seafood industry have fair, safe conditions. Governments play a crucial role by setting and enforcing regulations that promote responsible farming and fishing. Consumers also have power: by choosing sustainably sourced seafood, people can support environmentally friendly practices and encourage producers to protect ocean ecosystems for future generations (Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, 2025).

Taking the quiz was really eye-opening as it helped me reflect on my choices and their impacts on the environment. The result of my carbon footprint survey was that if everyone lived like me we would need 4.7 Earths which was truly unexpected. I knew that I was not living a net-zero lifestyle but my consumption was much greater than I expected. One thing that I will change going forward is to buy more unpackaged and locally grown food from the farmers market near my house, which is set up on Thursdays. One of the challenges to me reaching this goal is that I typically have class or volunteer during the hours that the farmers market is open. I will look at my schedule beforehand and see if I can move my obligations around so that I am more free on Thursdays.