Global Resource Systems

After a fantastic summer spent in Tofino, BC, I returned to UBC this fall to begin the third year of my undergraduate  degree. I returned with a new found sense of calm after spending a summer in a place like this, enjoying the surf and the ease of a slower pace of life. I entered into my semester knowing I wanted to study water, but unsure of what sector of this resource to place my focus on.

Cox Bay, Tofino BC

Luckily for me, one of my classes this semester exposed me to problems within water governance, and water’s growing emergence as a scarce resource. I became inspired by leaders such as Maude Barlow, who advocates for water policy rights and issues in Canada, ensuring that we work hard to protect this important and ever decreasing resource. This video was one of the stepping stones to me changing direction and aiming to focus on water policy and governance throughout my degree.

I was fortunate enough this semester, with the support of the Faculty of Global Resource Systems, to be sent to Toronto to partake in the “Beyond Green Environment Summit” at the University of Toronto. Here, I was inspired by speakers such as Tzeporah Bernman, Majora Carter, and Tom Rand – all inspirational leaders within our global community. Through partaking in breakout sessions and informative panel reviews, I was also inspired by the strength of indigenous people – and realized by strong emotional tie to BC’s west coast.

I have been fortunate this semester to change directions, and begin exploring new opportunities that I hope to take advantage of while I finish my degree. I find myself constantly thankful for the support I receive from the GRS staff, and the flexibility of my degree. However, it is true that sometimes this flexibility feels like a curse! The next obstacles ahead for me lay in determining how to strengthen my degree, and discovering the routes that will lead me into the world of global water issues, where I hope to one day make a difference.