Hello! My name is Krista Brown and I’m currently seeking a degree in Environmental Science, a true passion of mine. I created this blog simply as an outlet: a place where I can write about what I’m currently interested in or things that I have recently researched and am excited about.

Whether it be good or bad news, I always find news about the environment to be inspiring- it’s either encouraging, or it promotes change and resilience. In 2008, a survey was done showing that more than 80% of Americans reported that they are interested in new scientific discoveries, but only 21% said that they follow environmental news “very closely” (Feldman, 2011). Throughout my education, I’ve come to realize that the scientific community, especially when it comes to environmental science, is somewhat closed-off from the general public. Coming from someone who didn’t understand or enjoy science for a long period of time, I feel like I understand how intimidating or even boring some articles and research can be. Scientific writing, which can come across as very dull to those who aren’t particularly passionate about science, often leads to misunderstandings and misrepresentation of scientific topics to the public. What I want to do with this blog is show my own perspective on issues and how I understand them, in a way that reads easily. Communicating science in a way that is understandable by anyone is possibly as important as the science itself.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
—Margaret Mead

That said, I am always still learning and am no scientist or professional writer, so I will do my best to avoid any discrepancies or falsehoods, and give credit to any sources that I use. However, this being a personal blog, I don’t feel that I have to emit all personal beliefs or emotions, because I want to create a more casual atmosphere, almost like a conversation between me and you. It’d be awesome if my blog reaches at least a few people, because a positive impact is all I want to have.

So why “Both Oars in the Water”? Apparently a common idiom that I had never heard of. Once I heard it, I knew it’d be perfect. It’s about balance. You’d call somebody a fool if they only rowed on one side of their boat, they’d just go in circles. If someone doesn’t have both oars in the water, they probably know that what they are doing isn’t productive, but simply don’t want to change their ways (Carmichael, 2014). On the other hand, if someone is said to have both oars in the water, they are able to remain in a calm, stable, and sensible state or condition, not impacted by exceptional changes in their situation (Have, n.d.).

To me, the connection between this saying and environmental topics makes so much sense to me. You have to look at these issues with a stable mind and through sensible eyes. How many people don’t change their ways just because they are comfortable? They stay stagnant, just going around in circles- floating. I love change, growth, learning, and progress. Nothing makes me feel better than being productive. One of my major interests is sustainability, which is all about balance and thinking ahead. Balance may just be the most important thing. For example, you can’t expect to live 100% sustainable, create zero waste, and be incredibly successful in the modern world. Everything is about balance, and it’s important to find the right balance for your own priorities and what you value. Personally, I find it way more exciting to live with both oars in the water.

References

Carmichael, A. R. (2014, March 17). Keeping both oars in the water. Retrieved January 22, 2019, from https://alisacarmichael.blog/2014/03/17/keeping-both-oars-in-the-water/

Feldman, L., Leiserowitz, A., & Maibach, E. W. (2011). The Impact of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report on Public Attentiveness to Science and the Environment. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1838730

Have both oars in the water. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have both oars in the water