Student’s Corner

Hi, everyone! I’m very excited to announce that the Green Dandelion has a new edition – the Student’s Corner! Every Friday, you’ll see a post written by a student that will shed light on the student perspective of sustainability locally and globally.

And our very first topic (drum roll please)… is how we communicate about sustainability – or anything controversial, really. It’s no secret that sustainability has become a hot button issue, right up there with politics and religion. Many people have very strong opinions about certain aspects of sustainability. “Going green,” as the movement has been coined, has only relatively recently become an issue of great widespread concern, so not all research out there reports the same findings. The most effective ways to implement, measure, and market sustainability have yet to be discovered.

Sustainability in itself raises so many questions. What does sustainability even mean? Which areas of sustainability are the most important? What about the least? What actions make the most impact to help the environment? Which make the least? Which issues are valid concerns, or just hype? Is it our duty as human beings to treat the environment well? Will later generations truly perish from our actions? What roles should the government, businesses, industries, and schools have? I could go on forever.

The chances are that you have answers to these questions. But so do other people, and the answers don’t always match up. How should we handle these types of differences?

Here are a few key behavior guidelines to keep in mind when talking about any hot button issue.

1. Play nice. Remember that saying your parents and teachers used to repeat? “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Try to remember to use this advice even long after it’s been given. It is perfectly okay (in fact, it’s encouraged!) to be passionate about sustainability, or another controversial topic. But passion can come across as rudeness and stubbornness if not expressed in a kind and respectful way. If you approach people with a smile and kind words, you might not be able to get them to agree with you, but they will appreciate your maturity and respect you for it.
2. Forget technology. When was the last time you read an email or a text message and weren’t sure exactly how to interpret the sender’s intent or emotions? Yesterday? Today? 5 minutes ago? This is one of the major problems with technologically communicating: we have no idea what tone of voice, body language, or facial expressions the person would be using if the sentiment had been expressed in person. By leaving out that personal touch, we lose our ability to read people and to know how to respond to them in the best way. That’s why, when talking about a hot button topic, it’s crucial to always communicate in person.
3. Listen. We all know how hard it can be to bite your tongue and nod along as someone spouts an idea or a criticism that you just can’t agree with. Even if the person you are speaking with is blatantly incorrect about their facts, everyone deserves common respect. This means genuinely listening to them and not interrupting them. Be careful about body language, too – crossing you arms, rolling your eyes, or letting out a heavy sigh can make your opponent feel disrespected, despite your keeping quiet. When it comes your turn to retort, remember # 1.
4. Stick to the facts. This one can be tricky when it comes to sustainability. There are “facts” swirling around that completely contradict other facts. It can be hard to know which truths are really truths. This is why it is important to respect another person’s sources, even if you disagree with the validity of the fact. You can reply with your own fact; providing the source and date can be especially helpful with boosting your credibility. In general, try to only use credible reported findings and studies to support your opinions, and when you do, send them along to your opponent so they can read and interpret it for themselves. On the contrary, if you just use vague and unproven ideas to support your point, people will be much less likely to listen to you and to respect your opinions.
5. Know when to fold ‘em.  In my experience, there are certain issues you are simply powerless to change someone’s mind about, even after you’ve been kind, heard them out, and provided tons of credible facts. This typically depends on personality and core values. If sustainability, or a smaller facet of it, is on the top of somebody’s “Very Important Issues” list, it may be extremely difficult (perhaps impossible) for you two to reach agreement. In this scenario, I say let it go. You might drive yourself crazy trying to get someone to even hear you out. Everyone has those opinions that you just can’t talk them out of – kind of like trying to get someone to like a food that they just can’t stand – and it’s important that you recognize and respect how important those opinions are to them, even if you disagree.

And there you have it, folks! The next time you find yourself arguing and getting upset about a controversial topic, remember these points. Remember: a conversation isn’t a battle to be won. Discussing hot button issues should be about gaining alternative perspectives and enriching each other’s minds.

By Melissa Kullman, Class of 2014