Though I could say, the more I learned and progressed in my studies the more in love I fell. When asked how she decided on such a rare field of study, Thiah told me: “To be honest, it’s difficult for me to summarise how I ended up in this field in a brief statement. “They will equip me with the tools and knowledge to make strides in that direction and be able to assist others in this sector to bridge the current gap between policy and practice.” “With these degrees, it is my hope to positively contribute to the environmental and sustainability field in The Bahamas,” Thiah said. Her track is a perfect one to tackle the environment through the lens of an archipelago like ours. Last year, she graduated from the University of The Bahamas with a Bachelor’s of Science in small island sustainability with a focus on marine science. Thiah is currently at the National University of Ireland, Galway, where she is studying for a Master’s of Science degree in environmental leadership. It may not be a typical college or university degree that you hear of, but the need for scientists focusing on the environment continues to grow, making these degrees vital for the future. Both are natives of Grand Bahama who have made the decision to focus their learning on environmental science. Thiah Farquharson and Havana Gibson are two bright, young Bahamians on a mission to make a difference in their country and the world. One of the ways to address this global problem is to have young people committed to focusing on the environment and finding tangible solutions to save it. HAVANA Gibson scuba diving, exploring a reef off Grand Bahama. Forests are also carbon sinks, and this country has vast areas of pine, mangrove and coppice forests to be concerned about as well. Surrounded by shallow seas and prone to tropical storms and hurricanes, The Bahamas has every reason to be even more mindful. This is having a devastating impact on marine animals and is also affecting the intensity of storms. The top part of the ocean, from its surface to 2,300 feet down, is warming up about 24 percent faster than it did just a few decades ago. Since the 1970s, oceans have sopped up more than 90 percent of all the excess heat energy trapped by carbon dioxide. Ocean acidification is causing the depletion of coral reefs and with them, devastation to marine species. Oceans are carbon sinks, absorbing the carbon dioxide and other toxic emissions. With some 180,000 square miles of ocean in our territory, we must consider the impact global warming is having on our waters. All around the world, countries are looking at ways to address climate change and the devastating impact that emissions from fossil fuels and other contaminants are causing to planet Earth.