Interviewed by Ellie S. (11th Grade)
Meet Jack, a senior in high school interested in programming, sports, and video games. He is a part of his school’s cross country and track distance team, and is studying as an electrical engineering major in college this fall.
Every journey has a starting point. Can you describe the specific moment (a class, a conversation, or an outdoor experience) where sustainability started being a personal mission?
Jack: I started going on daily workouts outdoors when I joined the cross country team in high school. I had been to national parks and such in the past, but with the cross country team I was experiencing going to new trails every week. That kind of exposure in my regular life made me feel connected to the outdoors, inspiring me to make sustainability a personal mission.
How do your environmental values influence the ‘non-negotiable’ choices you make—like where you want to go to college or the companies you choose to support?
Jack: In the past few years, I’ve mostly transitioned to transportation by foot or by bike since most of my everyday trips are less than 10 miles and I don’t believe there is much point in saving ten minutes at the expense of releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. I do brief research on products before I purchase them on how environmentally friendly they are. I’ve also taken my time to buy or collect e-waste as a hobby. It is fun to bring a relic back to life and also puts less strain on the environment to recycle machines.
If you could fast-forward ten years, how do you see your current studies or projects evolving into a career?
Jack: Because of my interest in electrochemistry and my studies in electrical engineering, I see myself working towards developing convenient and clean energy sources. Another potential career path I see for myself is programming since developing software tools is one of my hobbies.
Closing thoughts
Jack: My personal aspirations about sustainability is changing the way we generate power, and I hope to see a future where nuclear and fossil fuels become irrelevant as a source of electricity. I’m glad to see new breakthroughs in environmentalism, and I am excited to soon be a part of this effort.
