Sustainability Minor Series: Lotte Carolina Damm

What inspired you to pursue a Sustainability Minor at Minerva? How do you see the Sustainability Minor complementing your major/s of choice?

I was born in the north of Germany, near a region called Wendland, where many nuclear power opponents moved in the 70s when a radioactive waste storage facility was supposed to be opened there. The exposure of my father, a river scientist, led me to prioritize the issue highly from early on. Besides considering the ways that I can live to maximize my impact and advocating in daily life, I have also made sustainability the “theme” of my education. Realizing that societal change towards preventing and adapting to the climate crisis must happen across professional fields and countries, I chose to study at Minerva. The longer I study, the more I feel myself drawn from my Natural Sciences major to also examining theories of responsibility and humans as the core element that needs to change, thus tending towards Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities.

How does the Sustainability Minor align with your future career goals? 

After Minerva, I want to complete a Master’s degree in Transformation Studies at the University of Flensburg in Germany. This interdisciplinary program gives much room for choosing and examining conflicts of this time. Since the climate realm is so vast, I prefer not to narrowly define my future role, as I am open to exploring many different opportunities. Instead, I focus on collecting characteristics of places I want to find myself in. For example, in my last summer internship, I learned that I like to sketch creative educational videos, and this summer, I found communications and organizing philanthropic activities very rewarding. Minerva allows us to “reinvent ourselves” every four months, which gives me a chance for this error and trial process.

Why do you think it is essential for future leaders to understand the long-term impact of sustainable decision-making?

Why? It is an easy answer in theory: the urgency of the climate crisis. Again and again, I find myself very surprised to come to a new country where plastic bags or cups are commonplace. When returning home, I realize there is much to do even in Germany, yet these smaller-scale changes seem so evident to me that I often struggle to understand why some places simply do not implement them. In that way, Minerva challenges me repeatedly to openly approach new places and people and realize from what privileged, niche place I am coming from. And sometimes, my assumptions about “how we should do things” do not actually target the right problem, and my “sustainable lifestyle” is just another trend, part of the same system.

What is an assignment you have completed for the Sustainable Minor coursework that you found particularly engaging or meaningful? 

In Taiwan, I analyzed the correlation between nationalism and climate awareness using the World Values Survey for my Political Science and Social Change class. I stumbled upon some really insightful, niche papers, theorizing that Taiwan needs geopolitical support so much that they will follow any trend the Western world presents, and if sustainable policies become fashionable in East Asia, it follows. Using photographs from the first nature protection protests, I examined connections between environmental slogans and the formation of a Taiwanese identity. This also matched my perception of the streets and events, where I saw sustainable advertisements occasionally, but the consumption culture spoke otherwise. In the end, my thesis received only partial support, but I found the process of discovering a new lens to see local climate awareness very intriguing.

Looking ahead, is there an area of sustainability you feel especially drawn to or passionate about exploring?

Currently, I find myself drawn to the ways we might incorporate the “philosophy of sustainability” into our lives. I say philosophy, because I believe the harms of consumption culture are not only environmental but also social and emotional. They shape how we relate to ourselves, others, and our time on earth. For example, I notice this phenomenon in digital media. Sometimes I feel the screen controls me, not the other way around. Is it an illusion that I have the choice to look happy online while I wait, lonely, in between likes? Why does it take such intense effort to “post aesthetic things” and “stay in touch”? And what would it mean to live a fulfilled life without social media at all?

These questions become sharper when I think about where I come from. In Germany, life often feels detached, with high screen times and little intergenerational exchange. Much time is spent alone. At the same time, we live with the paradox that the more time-saving devices we invent – the microwave, the smartphone – the less time we seem to perceive. What would it mean to live instead in a “wealth of time” and a “wealth of relationships”?

Some will say the answer lies in climbing to the top of big business, and only once you have power can you shift things toward sustainability. Yet big business, the rat race, does not feel balanced or lively to me. To me, what our society lacks can be found in something smaller: the way we treat each other and the way we treat our planet. I often ask myself: where is my place in this? How can I use grassroots action for meaningful change while also making my degree practical and impactful? How do I stay true to myself while still contributing broadly? And perhaps most difficult of all: how can I know what is “more sustainable” without slipping into superiority or dogma?

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‍If you were inspired by Lotte's story and are seeking a college experience that will teach you valuable pragmatic skills that will enable you to change the world, apply to join Minerva today.