Hello! My name is Claire. I’m a third-year student at Dickinson College studying Environmental Studies and Educational Studies. I’ve lived in many different countries and states for various jobs and study abroad opportunities throughout my life, but I’ve always considered my home to be my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. I lived in the same house in Asheville my entire life before graduating high school. The environment, culture, and values surrounding my home have shaped me perhaps more than any other influence on my life.
Asheville is situated in the Appalachian Mountains. While many areas of Appalachia have long histories of fossil fuel extraction and poverty, the area I grew up in has a long history of preservation and recreation. I grew up hiking, swimming, and backpacking in the public lands surrounding my city with family and friends. Connection to the natural world and time outside is a big part of my family’s values. As a child I spent hours in the yard around my house climbing trees, caring for my animals (we have chickens, a dog, and a pet rabbit), and helping my parents in the garden. In the morning before school I would run to collect eggs and harvest veggies for my breakfast. This lifestyle might seem typical of a rural upbringing, but I actually live in a pretty densely populated area. I grew up just over a mile away from our downtown. There are bus lines, bakeries, daycares, auto shops, and an elementary school all within a ten-minute walk from my front door. I also grew up surrounded by neighbors. The families and individuals on my street and those surrounding it were some of my best friends and mentors growing up. We shared meals, favors, and front porch gossip regularly. A culture of care and community is what stands out to me most about my neighborhood, especially as I’ve lived in different communities in my adult life.
Sustainability is also a big part of my home culture. Many of the stereotypical practices associated with sustainability are a big part of my family’s life. We compost our food scraps which help fertilize the garden. We are mostly vegetarian, and walk, bike, and use public transportation when possible. We have LED light bulbs and low-flow faucets and shower heads. We try to limit our use of air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. We have an electric heat pump and solar hot water heaters. I also grew up buying second-hand and being told to reduce my consumption wherever possible. While these practices are important, I believe sustainability extends far beyond personal behavior change. There are many organizations and leaders in my community that have worked to take larger action on sustainability. My town is fairly politically progressive and environmental sustainability is usually a key part of politicians’ platforms. I also learned a lot about social and environmental sustainability in school growing up. However, there are also many ways in which my home is unsustainable. A high and growing cost of living combined with gentrification has made making a living in Asheville hard for many. Our schools have some of the largest racial achievement gaps in the state. At the surface, we have a lot to be proud of, but we also have deeply inequitable structures that have been long overlooked.
While Asheville will always be home for me, home has become a more fluid concept over the past few years. Since graduating high school I have lived in Costa Rica, Perú, California, Maine, and Pennsylvania for various periods of time. Each of these places has had unique relationships to sustainability, community, and care. I have loved learning about the environment, culture, and values of each of them and look forward to learning more about your homes in the UAE!
Haneen El Sharif February 5, 2023
Thank you Claire for this delightful introduction. It is lovely to read about your love for nature and the outdoors. The activities you mentioned seem very thrilling! It saddens me to say that i have not been able to experience this in my current home. I have gone hiking once in my life, yet never experienced backpacking, climbing trees, or farming activities. Nonetheless, I have definitely enjoyed the city life UAE has to offer!
I must also add, it is beautiful to see you incorporate sustainability into your daily life. Since you are taking Environmental Studies, I am positive that caring for the environment is a big part of your life. This makes me excited to learn practices from you and integrate them in my life! In my household, we are starting to opt for solar panels and re-usable energy, but I would love to go beyond that with your guidance.
Finally, I would like to say that I completely resonate with the idea of home being a fluid concept. I have moved around quite a lot as well, but not nearly as much as you. I would love to know, where do you see yourself moving to next?
Zaina Haj Issa February 5, 2023
Thank you Claire for your introduction. It’s nice to read about different lifestyles. I am also a big fan of the outdoors! Even though there isn’t much greenery in Riyadh, my family has always planned hiking trips when the weather is nice. I also love the fact you harvest your own eggs and vegetables. This is something that hopefully I would do in the future. It’s nice to see that you grew up living a sustainable life. Thank you for mentioning the different ways in which you live a sustainable life. It’s very helpful. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you or your parents come to that decision?
How did the fluid lifestyle affect you? I ask this question because growing up, I hated the idea of changing my school or hometown.
Finally, thank you again for helping us getting to know you better
Sarah Qaddumi February 5, 2023
A pleasure meeting you Claire! I am very amazed by the activities you have experienced. I love hiking it really relaxes the mind and just brings peace when we need it most. It must have been fun growing up with so many animals and pets! I have never had a pet but would love to get a rabbit one day.
What’s it like majoring in Environmental Studies? I have always wanted to take a course here about Environmental Studies but unfortunately never had the chance to over the years. I admire your lifestyle and how sustainable you are! It is very refreshing to hear about people using solar panels, we do not have a lot of that here.
Finally, I must say again that I am just completely amazed by the amount of countries you have lived in, you were able to experience so many different cultures and traditions and that is very influencing. Thank you Claire for sharing some wonderful details about yourself and your home.
Luna Al Mallah February 5, 2023
Claire! Thank you for the wonderful introduction! I loved the fact that you were trying to incorporate as much detail as possible into what you are saying. I was able to imagine all of these things while I was reading. Such a wonderful and thorough introduction. I unfortunately was not able to relate to any of your experiences as I have lived in cities my whole life. My home in the UAE might not be 100% sustainable yet, however i am proud to say that they have been in progress on the road to sustainability for years now and there has been many improvements! For example, almost 65% of restaurants and cafes here have opted out for paper straws instead of plastic. I am assuming that you took interest in studying Environmental Studies because of your upbringing. I wish I could grab my ingredients from my backyard to make my meals! That is so fascinating!
My question for you is, how would your lifestyle be influenced and what changes would you make in order to maintain sustainability in a highly polluted and over populated city like Dubai, or New York? What advice would you give to individuals who are trying their best shot at sustainability but however have little to no resources to maintain sustainability?
Finally, I have moved around quite a bit but only between cities. My future goal is to live in as many countries as I can before I leave earth. I am a very adventurous person and love the idea of having a fluid home as i am also the type of person that fits in everywhere. Change is not a hard concept for me. I dream of one day exploring the world and different cultures as much as you have!
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