News

The relationship between science, medicine, the environment and our communities

Karina Rice - Source: PlastikDetox

My name is Karina, I am a student at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. I am studying a Bachelor of Biomedicine and I aspire to one day be an obstetrician and gynaecologist. I have wanted to study medicine since I was a baby, and I am hopeful that one day I will achieve my dream. 

We all have interests in life, and I strongly believe that succeeding in life is finding a way to positively pursue and develop your interests, in order to be an active member of society. The best way to achieve this is to have an open mind. One interest does not limit you from having other interests, and by exploring and experiencing life in many different ways, one can fully execute their goals.
My passions lie within science, medicine, and giving back to my community. It comes as a shock to people when they hear that I am doing an internship at a waste management non-government organisation, in Bali as an elective for my Biomedicine course. To me, learning more about my environment and how I can contribute to caring for it, is just as important as learning the core subjects of my course, like physiology and biochemistry. 

The air we breathe and the food we eat is all influenced by our environment. Learning about sustainable tourism in Bali also helps gain an insight into just how precious culture and social interaction can be and the important role it plays in understanding communities and how they function. 

My experience at PlastikDetox has been incredible. I highly value the opportunity to gain an insight into just how important implementing sustainable practices is. Unfortunately, many countries do not have access to understanding just how detrimental plastic and waste can be for our environment. Interning at PlastikDetox has helped me see all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and makes me eager to continue to learn more about it. 

When I graduate, I want to have an open mind and be full of knowledge, from all the hard work I have put in. Caring for things beyond our interests helps us to contribute to our society, but most importantly, it allows us to influence others into sharing what they are fortunate to know.

Writer: Karina Rice (PlastikDetox's student internship)
Editor: Luh De Dwi Jayanthi (PlastikDetox's coordinator)