Aldrin Aujero

August 2, 2018

Although I am currently only a rising 11th grade high schooler, I plan to pursue a university degree in economics with a focus on social impact and environmental studies.

Why this major?

Economics has long been a fascination of mine. From reading books like the Freakonomics and ArmChair Economics to taking actual Economic classes in school and in summer programs, I?ve developed a strong interest in looking into the incentive mechanisms, behavioural phenomenon and market systems that drive our world today.

In addition to economics, I also want to pursue my interest in the field of sustainability. Hence, the intersection of economics and sustainability is what I am most passionate to explore since it combines both my interests.

What can I do with this major?

Having this major pursued in university would allow me to gain the necessary skills and tools to examine the world sustainability with a rigorous economic perspective. This translates to having the ability to evaluate environmental policies such as carbon taxes or plastic regulations. Moreover, I will also be equipped to advise and consult Non-profits and non-governmental organizations that are working in social impact for the management of their finances and budget. But what excites me the most is how I can use my skills in the area of social entrepreneurship.

What is social entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is the utilization of a self-sustaining business creating a social impact in the community on social, cultural and environmental issues. A classic example of a social enterprise would be the TOMS shoe company which donates a pair of shoes to children in developing countries for every pair of shoes bought from them.

In a way, social entrepreneurship epitomizes the intersection between economics/business and sustainability since business functions as the means to attain the end which is that of imparting a social impact to the community. The management and creation of a social enterprise would require business skills that can be attained through an economics major while the impact aspect can be maximized by having a background in environmental studies to better understand the context and nuances of social and environmental problems as well as the appropriate and most efficient solutions to them.

A Problem to Solve

One prominent problem in the Philippines is the degradation of environmental resources due to massive urban migration and commercialization. A specific example would be the Cordillera Rice Terraces in the Philippines which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site but was nonetheless listed as one of the World Heritage Sites in Danger in 2001 due to local people not being able to take care of the upland forests and biodiversity thereby leading to many negative consequences such as constant erosion and decrease in crop output. To solve this problem, a social enterprise can be founded to increase environmental awareness specifically pertaining to the region amongst the youth of the next generation. I myself have been working on such an enterprise called the Project PUNO which stands for ?proactive utilization of natural opportunities?. We are currently in the process of putting together an eBook that raises awareness and enthusiasm for taking care of the environment amongst the youth.

Solutions like these are what I am passionate about as I can contribute positive impacts on the environment while having the solution to be self-sustaining.

Sources:

"Community & Social Enterprise - The Community Council for Somerset." http://somersetrcc.org.uk/community-social-enterprise/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2018.