About Peter
I am a recent graduate from The Evergreen State College. With a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree concentrating in Computer Science and Writing, I have remained in Olympia for the time being and am currently seeking employment locally.
As a freshman, I took a yearlong program called Trash, basically an introduction to environmental science. The program studied in-depth the idea of waste on the social, environmental, psychological, and economic levels. As a component of this program, we read quite a lot about sustainability, including Paul Hawken’s classic The Ecology of Commerce. Since then, I’ve been hooked on the ideas of sustainability, green architecture, and energy.
I reside in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, a place home to the last remaining rainforest in the North American region. I was born in Seattle, a city that embodies the conflict between environmentalism and commercialism by its very surroundings - drive thirty minutes in almost any direction, and you’re surrounded by trees. This area is home to Microsoft, Boeing, Battelle, and a wide range of software and chemical engineering houses. Surrounded by the Cascade range and such national treasures as Mount St. Helens, it can be easy to forget the world we live in - at least for a while.
I have made some part of environmentalism my own. I drive a hybrid car (a 2004 Prius, to be exact), conserve energy by using natural lighting during the day, and leave my thermostat off during warmer months. I also read books about environmental and political issues to stay informed.
But the actions of one person are not enough to solve the environmental problems we face. What do you do?
