At approximately the age of six years old, I started observing my surroundings and reflecting on what I saw; why were my favourite forests being destroyed, how could I be consuming the same animals I loved in the fields and who had the nerve to be so venal to allow for the pollution of the beautiful landscape I grew up in. My parents have collections of letters written at the age of nine, when my literacy skills had developed sufficiently, to corporations such as shell, McDonald’s and Scottish Forestry in which I expressed my anger – albeit crudely.
Since then, I grappled to understand the extent to which the world has such injustice and in that – my privilege. I am therefore determined to continue my passion that I have and contribute meaningfully to the planet.
My Achilles heel however is travel. I love it. I love meeting new people, the food, the culture and landscapes. I am thrilled about my upcoming year abroad to Melbourne, Australia. This comes with undeniable and unavoidable pressure on the environment. The flight alone emits a whopping 947Kg of CO2 per passenger (1). Australia is also still extremely dependant on fossil fuels, with three-quarters of domestic electricity sourced from the burning of coal (2). This means getting to and living down under violates the 7th and 13th goals of the United Nations (UN)(3) as it has negative ramifications on the climate, the energy consumed is simply not sustainable. It is my responsibility to combat this.
Firstly, I am going to continue my involvement and membership with Effective Altruism (EA). It is a philosophy and movement which aims to answer the question “using evidence and reason, how can I do the most good possible?”(4). Within the university setting, I will focus on furthering my education on global pressing issues. A vital part of the discussion process is ensuring emerging issues are being thoroughly researched. These often align with the UN’s goals, in particular goal three, as there are multiple fundraisers to directly improve global health and well-being. My personal goal is to raise awareness of donation opportunities that can create a broader, more meaningful impact. This is explained wonderfully in an essay by Toby Ord “The Moral Imperative Towards Cost-Effectiveness”(5).
Australia’s unique flora and fauna are admired and should be protected. During my first semester I will undertake the Field ecology (ZOOL30009) (6) module which will provide hands on experience investigating real world ecological challenges. Developing these practical research skills will be invaluable for the conservation-focused careers and internships I aspire to pursue. However, participation in this module incurs an additional cost of AUD $1,800. Receiving the BUTEX Scholarship would significantly help me meet this expense and ensure I can take full advantage of this opportunity.
Ultimately, I hope to have lived a life that honours my six-year-old self’s ambition to make a difference.
(1) https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/environmental-tools/icec – ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator (ICEC)
(2) https://www.ga.gov.au/education/minerals-energy/australian-energy-facts
(3) https://sdgs.un.org/goals
(4) https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/buddy-up/clubs/clubs-listing/join/6621/
(5) https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/research/the-moral-imperative-towards-cost-effectiveness
(6) https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/2026/subjects/zool30009
