Synergetic Sustainability

Just wanted to get down a few thoughts that have caught my attention lately. This is going to be a slightly more abstract article but just really wanted to let my thoughts flow.

I get this weirdly exhilarating feeling the more I learn about sustainability, because the more I meet different people from different fields I realize that everyone has their very own unique perspective on sustainability which blows my mind. One would expect things pertaining to sustainability to be quite uniform across disciplines, but I have come to realize that this could not be further from the truth, and I am all for it. As one of my closest friends told me a while back, "Everyone's reality is as real to them as it is to you." My experiences and exposure is shaping my perspective on sustainability in a way that only I can comprehend, and so is the case with everyone else.

But funnily enough as far as I know, I can't help but notice that these differences in perspectives have not been explored as much. During my Masters, I have had the privilege of doing some courses from the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Politics, Business Management, Economics, etc. and my oh my did it really open up my mind to a whole new world (*Aladdin song plays*) . Being an engineer by virtue of my bachelor's, I was programmed to approach things a particular way. Nothing wrong with the approach I was molded in, but I realized that my creative problem solving stemmed out of the mold I was placed in, and no matter how radical I would think, it always was grounded within the framework of a systematic engineers approach. The more I got the chance to be embedded in another discipline, it blew my mind to think that their approach varied as much as it did.

For me, every course, session and interaction I was involved in, broke my own mold bit by bit. Initially I was a little concerned thinking that I would be losing out since I may not be able to solidify my technical approach, but then I realized that I was actually growing. For example, working with people from the Urban Planning department, made me understand the importance of how urban spaces are set up and what design strategies (non technological) could be used, which intertwined with the perspective I had been developing that its not only technology that makes cities smarter. Working closely with the people with a background in Politics, made me understand the nuances involved in legislation, which ultimately impacts sustainability and smart city implementation on a national and international level. Working with people from the fashion industry, made me realize every discipline is uniquely positioned to influence societies in a multitude of ways, and exploring synergies is crucial.

You might be wondering, where is he going with all this? All I want to get at is take a step outside your comfort zone. Meet new people from different backgrounds, disciplines and beliefs. Engage in conversations and see how real their view is on whatever it is they do. Don't start every conversation with the intent of establishing a synergy - then you kind of lose the point of the exercise - let the synergies come through naturally (believe me, if you are willing to really listen, they will come). The more I do this, the more what my father told me rings true, "Everyone has something to bring to the table, never discount anyone just because of your preconceived notions as to what they can and cannot bring to the table. Work on creating the right environment, and watch wonders happen."

To wrap up, just want to give a heartfelt shout out to everyone I have encountered on this journey of mine. Every single interaction, has shaped my reality and outlook on sustainability and has given me a drive to meet and understand as many new people as possible from various disciplines. Thank you