Tiago's 2026 Blog

 Biodiversity has been a topic that I have been briefly informed on with other courses, however this week I have had my understanding of the topic be expanded upon and deepend. My initial understanding on biodiversity was about the variety of different species in an ecosystem, but now I have come to realize that it is also connected to topics like evolution, natural selection and genetic variability. Not solely being on how many organisms coexist together but how these lives adapt to their environments over periods of time. Genetic Variability was the topic that stuck out the most to me when going over our lecture, how over time mutations in a organisms genes start to create subsets of species, referred to as gene pools. These gene pools allow the species that has adapted best to its environment to reproduce and continue to survive while the weaker gene pool species are more likely to die off. This process of genetic variability is what allows species to be able to live on in their...

My initial thoughts regarding sustainability categorized it as being basic and ordinary. Reusable grocery bags, reusable bottles, unplugging unused devices, turning off lights, making sure faucets are shut, and, most recognizable to me, recycling were all things I initially thought of when thinking of sustainability. When introduced to the increased scope of sustainability provided in my environmental issues course, I came to the realization that even though these topics have significance and I understand the importance of them, there is a deeper level to understand.  Progressing through the course materials and lectures, sustainability isn't something as simple as a change of habit, but in the grand scheme of things, analyzing how society as a whole consumes a significant amount of resources. I first realized this fact during an earlier lecture in my environmental issues course, where our resources were stated through a graph illustrating how 70% of our resources are used by only ...