Climate Action Figures

Season 2, Episode 31: Gurpreet

• John Whidden • Season 2 • Episode 31

Share episode

Join host John as he talks with Gurpreet, a student from India, about her experiences in Medicine Hat's Sustainability and Innovation program. Listen to her quick fix for climate action and explore how cultural transitions influence her environmental efforts. 

00:00 Introduction and Quick Fixes

01:35 Meet Gurpreet: Journey to Medicine Hat

04:42 Gurpreet's Science Center Project

08:07 Life in Canada vs. India

14:45 Gurpreet's Climate Actions and Hopes

16:19 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

https://www.instagram.com/gurprit_kaurx?igsh=MTl6dzYwcmZnaHdwZw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

climateactionfigures@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures
https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/
https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

Gurpreet:

hi everybody. My name is Ri and I'm here with Climate Action Figures.

John:

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Climate Action Figures. My name is John Whidden, and this week on the show you get to meet Gurpreet. But first, this week's quick fix we love to hear your quick fixes, plus we only have about three or four left, we need your quick fixes so please send them in to climateactionfigures@gmail.com. Or you can send it as a direct message on Instagram or on Facebook. And then we will use your quick fix on the program. Today's quick fix comes to us from Ainsley, who was a guest earlier this season. She is from Waterloo, Ontario, and she says, my quick fix is planning ahead. usually in those moments where we're running behind or we don't have enough time to make a plan that we think, oh, I need to drive to work now, or, I don't have enough time to walk, and I didn't have time to make a lunch, so now I have to pick something up and eat fast food, which includes a bunch of packaging. Whereas if you know that things are coming and you make an environmentally sustainable plan, even if it's just your day, you can plan to be able to make the walk, pack a lunch, or do any of those things that are more environmentally sustainable. Thank you very much for that Ainsley, and welcome Gurpreet.

Gurpreet:

Hi. Thank you.

John:

do you think about that quick fix from Ainsley?

Gurpreet:

I think I'm totally agree with her because it, it is important to plan things before you do them because it not only save your time, but the people you are meeting to beneficial or make you punctual. So, um, I agree with her.

John:

Gurpreet, we have talked with your fellow students, Patience, and Harvir over the past few episodes, so we know a little bit about your sustainability and innovation program. What made you decide to enroll in that program?

Gurpreet:

Actually when I was in my home back in India this thing was in my mind that rather than doing a job for somebody else, why you don't plan to do something by your own. So this program gives me like idea to be an entrepreneur and work for environment and then make money as well.

John:

That's a long ways to come for a program here. What was your motivation to come all that way to Medicine Hat College to take this program?

Gurpreet:

First of all my parents, like, they give me like wings to fly. From like, uh, because I was in my country from almost 20 years, and I was like this was in my mind that why are you, why are you staying in the same spot and being surround with the same people then when you can meet with other people and study abroad and get more opportunities to work, to make connections. So

John:

That sounds great to go out and experience something different now with all Of the different places you could go in the world. Why did you choose Canada and why did you choose Medicine Hat?

Gurpreet:

Okay. So when I was in my country, some of my friends are already in here, Canada, in different cities, and they tell me that in Canada weather is so cold. So I chose the city, which is neither too cold, not too hot. So I like the pleasant weather of Medicine Hat, so that's why I chose the city.

John:

Okay. And has it turned out that way? Have you been happy with the, uh, climate here?

Gurpreet:

Honestly, I was surprised with the winter because it's so much cold for me because in my country mostly we have summer season for longer. Not the winter. So we only have winter for four or five months. But here, I know it was not for longer, but it was way too cold as compared to my country and it's way too hot as compared to my country.

John:

Wow. So we have quite the extremes here. How about mosquitoes? Have you met any mosquitoes yet?

Gurpreet:

Uh, yes, they are bigger. I got bites from mosquitoes in the parks and sometimes on the bus stand, and it gives me itching and makes, my skin red.

John:

Oh boy. Yeah. Mosquitoes are not the best thing about Canada, but we'll talk more about Canada and India later But, Harvir, uh, having completed a project on cosmetics and Patience on invasive species. What did you choose to investigate?

Gurpreet:

So my idea is to have a science center here. A big, uh, like an asset for medicine hat and big opportunity for students to learn here rather than going to big cities because, Some people like take courses here in college, but to get more experience and to get better job opportunities in the same field they study, they have to go to the big cities like Calgary, Surrey. I wanna have that thing here in Medicine Hat where they can get hands-on experience in the science center where they can, uh, learn about their different interest. For example, if somebody wanna go in the space exploration, there will be like hands-on experience and learning opportunities in the science center for students, and somebody wanna learn biology, then it will be there in the science center. Somebody wanna learn about robotics. It'll be there. And mostly I had planned that it, there will be separate exhibitions. About each, field and about climate actions of, uh, Canada and a medicine hat. So people can get knowledge about how winter, summer, and other seasons affect medicine hat and how they can, like, cope with the government to fight against these climate actions.

John:

Okay. And where will this, uh, is this a presentation you've set up or, uh, how, how will you get this information across to people?

Gurpreet:

so this was, uh, my last semester, so my instructor asked us to choose a topic. Of your interest. So when I was in my country, I completed my high school diploma in science. So my interest basically is in science. So that's why I chose the idea to have a science center here. And, uh, we, firstly, we created a proposal that our instructor had to. Approve. And then we created a methodology. Then we did a literature review and different parts. We created the whole plan, and at the end, the fourth part was a final product, which was the layout of the building of a science center.

John:

Well, that sounds very interesting. And would this be more geared for adults or, for younger students or anybody?

Gurpreet:

It is for everybody. For example, for kids, parents can bring their kids to like learn, and they can also use it as a picnic spot. While learning. And for students, they, they can have educational trips and it'll be like a good place of tourism and also for students, obviously for students and then for the community people to spend their quality time, learning and talking with people who are already working in the science center and they can like, get more knowledge about different topics.

John:

Well, that sounds like a very interesting project, and that ends your two year program. When you're finished the project completely, your program is over. Is that right?

Gurpreet:

Yeah, we are almost done.

John:

Wow. Well, congratulations on being almost finished now. When you're finished the program completely. Uh, stay around here or in Canada, or are you going to go back to India? What's your plan?

Gurpreet:

So I'm planning to stay in Canada for next, like two or three years. Then I'll, I'll go back to India, back to my roots,

John:

Do you have, uh, some work planned? Are you going to get a job? What's, or travel?

Gurpreet:

yeah, I wanna do a job here then make some money and then go back, fly back to India.

John:

some money to buy warm clothes for the winter.

Gurpreet:

No, to make money to like spend in India.

John:

Gurpreet, you go back to India, what do you think you might miss most about Canada?

Gurpreet:

I miss like people I met here and made good relationship. For example, right now I'm working with Martha for my course practicum and I wanna say she's such a nice lady. I. And she's so knowledgeable. she has so much experience. she's a, a bundle of knowledge. you can talk with her every day and you will, oh my God, this lady knows so much and she's so environmental and she also like reminds me that, oh, you are doing something good. You are on a right track. You're meeting right people. And then another thing that I, that I'll miss is the freedom that I have here, but not in my country. And it's not about like wearing clothes or eating or. Nothing like that, but it is the freedom of like being independent and doing everything by yourself. Because in my back country, I was totally dependent on my parents, but now here I'm managing everything by myself. I'm, I'm studying, I'm working, I'm managing my expenses, my bills, paying rent, and making like relationship with people I think this is a, this is a very, like, good thing to learn at such a small age because I'm just 22-year-old and if we, if I talk about in my, uh, back country India, people are not like able to do everything like we are doing as an international student. I am doing here by myself. But if you. If you suppose in my country, people at age of 30 or 35 or when they, they get married, then they like learn how to manage their expenses. How to like be an independent and how to like keep your relationships good with people or how to make good relationship with like new people.

John:

Right. I guess anytime you travel, you uh, have to take on more responsibilities. Let me flip the question around for you, Gurpreet, and ask you what are the things, we talked about climate, about the weather, you love the weather back home, but what are other things that you miss about Punjab and about India?

Gurpreet:

Firstly, I miss food, Indian food a lot. I know we uh, Indian stores, a restaurant here, but they, they doesn't taste like India, like the original Indian food.

John:

Is it not hot enough for you?

Gurpreet:

No doubt. I eat spicy food. Very spicy food, but it's like, it gives you the, a feeling of like sickness. When you eat spicy food here. Doesn't matter if it's Indian or Canadian, but in, in my country, I can eat like extreme level spicy food and doesn't get any sickness or problem.

John:

I'll have to go to India someday to try the extremely spicy food to see if it agrees with me.

Gurpreet:

Sure.

John:

I'd like to ask you a question I asked Harvir a ago, and, same question to you: what will you take back from Canada when you go to India? What would you like to, something you've learned here that you would like to take back to India with you?

Gurpreet:

I think in sense politeness when you are talking with people and for example uh, Canadian people, they say, sorry, and thank you for everything. Like for little things too. But in my country, people don't do that. And also going in the store or anywhere people hold the door for you. But in my country, people don't do that. And also, like Canadian people, they are like so self-aware. They care about themselves, for example, if something is happening in your neighborhood. Canadian people don't really care about that. They're just being by their themselves. But in my country, if there's something happening in the next street, you will know what's happening and you will go to see that. And you, you, you get yourself involved in, in their matter. And here, people don't do that. And I, I, I like it because people should mind their own business unless it's an emergency or.

John:

well, that's very interesting, Gurpreet, because I asked Harvir another question that I'm going to ask you, which is, what could we learn from India? And her answer to that question was. We could know our neighbors better here. And she said in India, as you know, you know your neighbours. She said, if you have a new baby and you need to go to the store, you give your baby to your neighbor, they look after your baby, you go to the store. She said Here, it doesn't quite work like that. You have to find someone you really know well or you pay them or something like that.

Gurpreet:

Yeah.

John:

what is something that you would, uh, like Canada to learn from India?

Gurpreet:

everything is perfect here. but the only thing that I don't like is that your elders the relationship you have with them. For example, people here, they call their elders their grandparents by their names, but in my country we don't do that. It's really disrespectful. even if our aunts and uncles, we, we just call them auntie and uncles, sometimes we call them big, big father, big mother. But here people, or even kids, call them by their names. So I think that's the only thing Canadian people can learn from Indians.

John:

Well, at least we have something to learn. I'm sure there are other things. You're maybe just being polite. See you've learned to be Canadian and be polite, but you haven't said I'm sorry yet. Now, before we leave, Gurpreet, we need to ask you what your action is today.

Gurpreet:

generating less garbage. I'm trying to do recycling of the plastic bottles that I use. For example, my water bottles and sometimes my pop bottles. And also I'm actively working with, environmental groups in medicine hat. I've participated in cleanups, city cleanups and also I'm doing invasive control, invasive species control, and are three students who are working with Martha and we adopt the Connaught pond here. And we are cleaning there we go there weekly, do our nature's walk and pick up garbage. And also we are like looking for opportunities to like work more for the community as well as for the environment. So that's the thing that I'm doing

John:

a lot of climate action. So

Gurpreet:

Yeah.

John:

wonderful things and just listening to all the things you're doing gives me hope. Let me ask you, Gurpreet, what gives you hope in the world today?

Gurpreet:

to me, the thing that gives me hope is that I'm not alone. There are people with me, my people, my city community, doing things for the environment, and that gives me hope that. I'm not the only one who are involved in this, such a activity or action. So I think this is the only thing that inspire me to work more and keep, and it, and it keeps me on the track.

John:

Well, thank you so much for taking time out of your day. We know you're busy trying to finish your program, so thanks for joining us, Gurpreet,

Gurpreet:

Thank you for having me.

John:

and we hope the mosquitoes don't eat you this summer. And dear listener and viewer, we hope the mosquitoes don't eat you this summer either. We're getting close to the end of our season two here. We'll be wrapping up with Kayla, our creative consultant very soon, and we'll have that episode for you. If you have not already done so, please look us up on Instagram or Facebook and like or follow that really helps to get the word out. We will be back again next week, same time, same place to hear from another climate action figure until then.

Gurpreet:

Go Figures!