Sustainable Interconnection is my framework for understanding how natural, social, and

political systems are deeply intertwined in the pursuit of environmental justice. It recognizes that sustainability cannot exist in isolation; it must be integrated with equity, governance, and systemic resilience. However, because sustainability and resilience are not universally accepted as intrinsic values, fostering sustainable interconnection requires bridging ethical and cultural perspectives to create inclusive and adaptable solutions that drive real-world positive change. 

  

While at the University of The Virgin Islands (UVI), I took an engineering class called Island

Systems Resilience (EGR 220) and learned a framework from my professor called the Socio-Technological-Ecological (SET) Systems Theory. This framework taught me that human (social), technological (infrastructure), and ecological (natural) systems are deeply interconnected and must be considered holistically for sustainability and resilience. This theory emphasizes that these three systems must be understood as a whole in order to build resilience and sustainability. This theory was proved through the extensive analyses we would perform as a class of each critical infrastructure system: food, water, and energy systems; at the end I got to do one of my own and I selected the port system. I have linked an outline to my port system project below. Every system we would find would depend on pumps and pipes, effectively all interdependent on the transportation of said materials and maintenance resources. We took site visits to see these systems in action, which further cemented my understanding of how critical infrastructure functions and interacts. 

​

-Link to port infrastructure project outline (EGR 220)

  

Through these visits, I gained a deeper appreciation of how disruptions in one system, whether from climate change, economic pressures, or infrastructure failure, can cascade through and affect the entire island. This real-world exposure helped me connect theory with practice, reinforcing the idea that resilient systems are not isolated but must be understood as interdependent. 

​

This experience directly influenced my approach to sustainability and resilience, reinforcing the importance of a holistic perspective that integrates social, technological, and ecological systems. It also helped me appreciate the importance of building systems that are adaptable to change and resilient in the face of unexpected challenges, whether they be environmental or technological in nature. The course and its fieldwork not only deepened my understanding of the USVI's systems but also shaped my thinking about how to approach sustainable development in a way that acknowledges and respects the interconnectedness of all systems. 

  

Resilience and sustainability, like concepts of equality and equity, are not universally seen

as intrinsic values. Claiming they should be universally accepted would be challenged by the is/ought fallacy, a concept I came to understand in my Environmental Ethics (ENVR 322) course at USC a year later. This course prompted me to think critically about why values like sustainability aren't universally embraced and to recognize that these concepts must be framed in ways that resonate with different cultural and ethical perspectives. 

​

When making an ethical judgment, such as "single-use plastic is harmful to the environment, therefore we ought not to use it," it's important to remember that ethical judgments aim to seek agreement. Failing to recognize this can lead someone to mistakenly think that ethical judgments are simply relative. A key consequence of this is that moral agents cannot be morally obligated to act if the action is humanly impossible. Additionally, factual statements are "motivationally inert" because they do not inherently guide action. This is referred to as the fact-value distinction, or Hume's Guillotine. Motivationally inert statements require ethical premises to drive action or conclusions, typically grounded in normative ethical theories. I’ve linked class notes that further explain these concepts.

​

-Link to is/ought fallacy notes (ENVR 322)

-Link to metaethics notes (ENVR 322)

​​

Outside of the classroom, my work at Riverbanks Zoo as a Conservation Engagement

Instructor put these ideas into action. I wasn't just discussing conservation in an abstract sense; I was actively engaging people, making sustainability and conservation relatable to peoples lives.  

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​

​

​

​

​

​​​​

​

Above are photos of me on the job as an instructor. At Riverbanks, simply stating environmental issues (like the harm caused by unsustainable practices) isn't enough to drive action. Just as factual statements alone are motivationally inert, discussions on conservation and sustainability at Riverbanks needed to go beyond just pointing out the problems. I have to frame these issues within ethical premises that resonate with my audience’s values and cultural perspectives to drive meaningful change. In my role, I ensure that environmental actions are framed in ways that motivate the audience, making sustainability not just a concept but something actionable and relatable.

 

Just like ethical judgments need to seek agreement and guide behavior, I applied the same principle by aligning the message of sustainability with the ethical and cultural values of your audience. This helped people not just understand the environmental issues but also feel motivated to take action. Because I work with large crowds of all ages, I often have to try to appeal to a median range in the audience. It is important for me to take into account that not everyone, everywhere is capable of making the same contributions to sustainability given varying levels of things like accessibility to willingness to pay. My goal is to sway people's thoughts that drive their actions. I have found that the best way to do this is by connecting with them on an emotional level. This way, I can inspire a sense of shared responsibility and motivate them to take action, even if it's just starting with small, manageable steps that fit their individual circumstances.

​

Working with Riverbanks as a collective allows me to put my systemic and ethical frames to work in other ways. I collaborated as a volunteer with the Turtle Survival Alliance doing turtle surveys for a day on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. This experience was a direct application of both the SET framework and the is/ought distinction. The physical work of carrying a survey pole and net through knee-deep pluff mud along the island banks in early May demonstrated the technological and ecological aspects of conservation. Every measurement recorded and every turtle tracked contributed to long-term ecological monitoring, reinforcing the interdependence of infrastructure, data collection, and environmental systems. This experience also highlighted the ethical and cultural dimensions of conservation. Local surveyors, some of whom had been monitoring the turtle populations for generations, shared how this work was not just about data but also about preserving their cultural connection to the land. I have inserted pictures from this experience below with my coworker and Conservation Manager.

 

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

Together, these experiences shape my key insight: sustainable interconnection requires not just understanding systemic relationships but also bridging ethical and cultural perspectives to foster real-world engagement and change. By applying the SET framework in both practical and theoretical settings, I’ve come to understand that true sustainability and resilience are only achievable when we consider the full complexity of the systems we live in and work towards solutions that honor and integrate the social, technological, and ecological dimensions of those systems. The merging of my lessons from within the classroom and through my work suggests that to foster sustainable systems, we need to understand and address the different cultural and ethical perspectives on what ought to be prioritized.