RJ Lichten
2023/24
South Pacific
Finding your path is much more than following what you love, it is aligning your passions with actions that make a difference. Once you find your passion, any action can have a significant impact. These small actions could be anywhere from volunteering your time to an organization you truly care about to something as simple as reducing your plastic use. Did you know that one single 500mL bottle of water has a total carbon footprint of 82.8 grams? In fact, the average person in the US above the age of two drinks around 1000mL of water a day. By taking the simple action of using a reusable water bottle the average person in the US can reduce their carbon footprint by 64,824 grams per year. To put that into perspective, that one simple action results in a reduction to your carbon footprint equal to driving 500 fewer kilometers a year.
During my time with Carpe Diem, I gained an understanding of the impact I have on the environment. Since my trip, I have worked on both small and large actions to better my impact whilst still following my passions. One of my greatest passions in life is surfing. I have dedicated more of my free time to surfing this past year and worked to align this passion with two simple actions: never drive to the beach to surf (only biking or walking) and bring a bag to pick up trash on the beach. Since returning from my Carpe Diem trip I have surfed around two hundred and twenty times. On average I would walk around ten kilometers to the beach, which means I drove two thousand two hundred less kilometers this year. This simple action of walking to the beach lowered my carbon emissions this year by 307,800 grams. I have also picked up over 1,500 pieces of garbage from the beach over the same period. By aligning these two actions with something I am very passionate about, I made a difference. Even little actions can make huge differences.