My two favorite lectures of today were the first two at the architecture school. The first lecture got me thinking about how sustainability is promoted to the consumer. Companies greenwash sustainability campaigns such as plastic straws and paper bags, when things like eating beef has a much bigger environmental impact. The second lecture I loved learning about the geometry of how to make a building more energy efficient and hemp concrete that can sequester carbon. The future of sustainable buildings seems very interesting and like something I would like to learn more about. Particularly after carbon neutral buildings are there ways to take carbon out of the air or produce more renewable energy for the community?
The last talks of the day were slightly intense for me. I think it is very difficult to hear about how we are likely going to go over the 1.5 degree of heat increase. The way that I had previously learned about this problem was similar to doomsday, in that after this happens there is nothing left we can do. I think that attitudes have changed now, however I wish that the speaker addressed more what this will look like or what the adjusted plan is. This would have made the talk more digestible instead of feeding into some environmentalist anxiety and feeling like there is not anything we can do to save our planet.
