Before I heard Councilmember Brown speak, I did not think very much about the financial implications of my issue. One topic that Councilmember Brown spoke about was recycling and that the city of Columbus has to obtain bids from recycling companies. However, some of the smaller companies do not have the ability to reach everyone in Columbus that wants to recycle. With my issue, it will be important to consider what companies are able to organize and follow through on ocean clean-ups. Along with this I need to think of who the government can partner with to make positive change in the ocean. My biggest takeaway from the discussion was that there are many behind-the-scenes actions that take place in order to make and enforce policies. Along with this the process often takes a very long time. Those involved in government work are not always working on the most glamourous projects but these smaller tasks need to be accomplished in order to achieve a larger, final goal.
While this is a long term goal, I would personally like to pursue a degree in Environmental Policy and by doing so, my end goal is to work for an environmental agency like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I will then be able to work to create policies to protect the ocean. Currently, I feel I could participate in protests and raise awareness about the issue. I could also volunteer to help with cleaning the ocean or participate in undergraduate research regarding issues with the ocean.