As educational tactics circulate globally, so too does the prospect of understanding sustainability amongst informed individuals and what it means for our society. Just in the past few decades, the environmental movement has changed the way in which people think about their own impact upon the planet. It is becoming a facet of common knowledge for society to realize the potential detriment of their actions, and for this, we should be grateful. However, there is much work to be done regarding all aspects of sustainability and environmental crises. This paper offers a look into the world of sustainable sunscreen usage, something that is not often thought about as an aspect of sustainable consideration. The task of this research opportunity was to examine a sample of survey respondents and connect their responses from 15 questions to different hypotheses. Alongside the discussion of sunscreen filters damaging sensitive ocean ecosystems, this research also looks into the overall importance of sunscreen for one’s health and the ways in which it can be used safely. My hope is that readers will realize the value of using sunscreen on a daily basis and become better informed of sustainability challenges and healthcare disparities.

This research paper explores how different relationships between people and nature can be fostered by learning experiences to bridge harmful gaps in the field of sustainability. Current disconnectedness from nature and people both within and across geographical borders hinder the cultivation of sustainable solutions. After attending a sustainability-oriented educational experience abroad in Ecuador recently, I decided to investigate how cross-cultural exchanges in Ecuador influences participants’ views of nature, new points of intersectionality participants learn while amongst nature in Ecuador, and what about this experience made it uniquely meaningful. Research methods included individual interviews and a group hike and picnic focus group discussion to collect qualitative data. I found that during this experience, students were able to lean into being vulnerable with each other, connect with indigenous community members beyond language borders, and connect with nature in ways that fostered awareness of the human position within it. From this, I learned that there were unique aspects of this learning experience that allowed for these relationships to be built and therefore for sustainable knowledge from the trip to stick when participants got back to the United States. The amount and flexibility of learning and processing time and dynamics created by classroom structure were important variables to the effectiveness of the learning experience. Institutions can learn from these experiences and connect people back to nature to implement successful sustainability solutions in the future.