As an ecologically conscious person, I strive to cut down on fossil fuel emissions as much as possible, despite owning a car and possessing a driving licence, I make the active effort to cycle as much as I possibly can, which could mean I cycle from my home in Blaydon-On-Tyne to Northumbria University, where I study, leading me to cycle 14+ miles daily. While I am studying abroad in Japan, my friends and I intend to cycle to and climb Mt. Hachimen as part of a cycling marathon, not only for our own health and expenses but to raise awareness of and offset the carbon emissions that it would cost bringing us across the world to the island nation. Once this has been done, we have plans to expand our cycling ventures further to cities like Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, or even Okayama, with our ultimate dream goal to cycle to Osaka and back. However, our goals of raising awareness for carbon emissions don’t just end there with cycling, we plan to remain active and climb the mountains of Beppu, mountains like Mt. Ohira, the Beppu Ropeway, and Mount Tsurumi among others.
I am attending Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University under the College of Sustainability and Tourism, so my leaning and this amazing scholarship opportunity align quite nicely, where what I can learn in the classroom can be used in the real world with great synergy. As someone who is concerned for the rising demand for electricity for artificial intelligence, and the waste that it leave in its wake, I hope to keep my carbon footprint as shallow as can be and encourage others in my daily life to do the same, swearing off such technologies until certain guarantees can be made to make the space more environmentally friendly.
This rare opportunity for me means a lot for not only my life academically as I am a firm believer in cleaning the Earth and preserving nature for future generations to come, which is why I intend to visit such beautiful landmarks and raise awareness for charities like Climate Stewards, Cool Earth, Carbon Community, and Clean Air Task Force who aim to help the planet that we all live on.
