This past week I have begin to spend more time practicing mindfulness. I first begin practicing for about 5 minutes every day and noticed a small difference, so I took on the challenge to fit meditating in every day for 10 minutes.  Starting the day with meditation allowed me to feel refreshed and start with a clear mind. I will definitely include meditating in my morning routine from now on. Meditation and practicing mindfulness have allowed me to open myself to new information. I have always believed that fashion was simply a word to describe clothes that we wear however, after reading the article in class I have new idea of what fashion means. The author describes fashion as “a form of ugliness so unbearable that we are compelled to alter every six months”. This new definition made me think and realize how true it is. Fashion in todays society is all about the next trend and the things that are popular. During our group discussion, my team sided with the author saying that fashion is hindering progression in our world today. In order to have a more sustainable environment it would require a drastic reduction in our ecological front. Along with learning about sustainability, we also read an article about environmental degradation. Many people are oblivious of the affect we put on our environment in our day to day life. Environmental degradation is the loss in Environmental Quality from pollutants another human activity. In order for us to have a more sustainable environment we must come together and figure out a way to decrease our ecological footprint. Once we decrease our ecological footprint then the world would be more sustainable. During our breakout session I suggested that when dealing with fashion we should and must learn to use what we have instead of creating materials that use more energy. The best way to incorporate fashion while also having a more sustainable environment starts with being aware of the actual harm we are causing to the environment. The article about fashion has been my favorite so far because the author stated good points that has the potential to create controversy. The other article that we explored this week discussed the role that poverty plays in global environmental degradation. I was on the Yes side of this debate, stating that poverty was indeed responsible for the degradation. This is because developing countries demands for economic growth outweighs concerns for environmental protection. The focus is not on the environment because of all the other problems occurring. Developed countries have different circumstances. Which is why many environmental systems in developed countries do not work in the developing countries. The author in the article argued that poverty is not simply a number like everyone believes. I added to our group conversation by quoting the author, “Poverty is not a number it is a social relationship of competition among individuals, social groups, and the state in a pursuit of wealth in power”. When I first read this statement by the author I did not completely understand. I have always thought of poverty as a word to describe under consumers, however I have found that it is much more. I believe that poverty is both a result and a cause of environmental degradation because the countries in poverty relies heavily on primary economic activities. Both articles emphasized the need for a more sustainable environment, and I believe that we should all stand together before we have caused to much damage. The best place to start is with a clear mind and body.