Final Impressions

I am really glad I had the opportunity to take University Colloquium. The field trips that I took on this class were unlike anything I have ever done in the past. I feel like this class has really helped me find my sense of place. This class really helped me narrow down my true interests and passions when it comes to education and finding my career path. I recently was faced with the challenge of having to change my major because my previous one was not working out for me. Thankfully this class helped me find make my decision to change my major to Environmental Studies. This class was one of the most engaging I have ever been in, especially with the frequent class discussions. I have always been interested in hearing other student’s opinions and views on the current environmental issues at hand and this class gave me a way to not only expand on my own knowledge but gain a better perspective by hearing other student’s opinion on things. The only thing I would change about the class was to make the class more field trip based and less class room based. I feel there was very little reason to do anything in the classroom. The discussions, presentations, and pretty much everything else done in the classroom could have been done outside. But other than that I am extremely thankful for being able to take this class and would definitely like to take similar courses to this one in the future.

Image Source:
http://www.julydownload.com/images2/16650b.jpg

Spirituality, Religion and Sustainability

I think the religious groups discussed in “Renewal” were definitely on the right path. I think it is important for religious groups to understand and try to practice sustainability. Religious groups can be very large and tend to have a big influence on the actions of the general public. With religious groups like the ones mentioned in the documentary, I think that a big difference can be made as far as people making conscience efforts to become more sustainable. Spirituality can help us connect with the natural world on a much deeper level. Almost every single religion and religious events now and in the past are based here on earth, so I think that spirituality and religion are tied very closely to our planet… which is a good reason to practice sustainability and treat the earth with as much respect as possible.

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot:

Neighborhood Walk

As I walk though the FGCU housing area I don’t see much of a difference from the last time. The plants have grown pretty fast and have started to cover areas I used to walk through. The amount of trash on the ground and thrown in the wooded areas always bothered me, and it seems to have increased since the last time I walked around. While I was walking down the bridge over near building O I noticed someone somehow managed to stick a bottle in between two branches of a tree on my right. This really amazed me because I have no idea how they could reach that far over the bridge to get it there; it must have taken some real effort. I notice that I see more exotic species after taking this class. I feel more educated about the nature around me which I think is nice. I also stopped to take a look at the solar panel field on campus, I thought it was pretty cool how it was constructed; it’s nice that you can see it from the road. I think that I can appreciate being on campus a little bit more now that I have some more knowledge about its surrounding natural areas.

Sense of Place Interview

I interviewed a friend of my grandmother to find out their philosophy on sustainability, ecological perspective and sense of place. She told me that they felt had a much more personal connection with the environment than my generation. She thought that kids spend too much time indoors playing video games and watching TV when they could be having just as much if not more fun outside. She thought that it was important to respect the environment because it is not invincible and can be damaged by irresponsible people. She told me that in her lifetime she has seen many changes in the way people think and do things, and that the old ways of doing things are starting to not work anymore. She said that people need to be more sustainable for their own sake, and because it is our duty to the planet.

Environment in the Local News

Article: http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=51930
Green Jobs seem to be becoming more popular as we start trying to deal with environmental issues. According to the article: “Under the program, called Renew the Nation, Ponte Vedra Beach-based Solar Energy Initiatives will provide eight-week training sessions for displaced workers identified by the Northeast Community Action Agency and Worksource.” These green jobs are great because they give people without jobs or in-between jobs a way to make some income and help the environment at the same time. I feel that these jobs will only become more common as we move forward in the process of becoming more sustainable. Because this type of business sector is new, there are plenty of jobs that can be created and will be created. Since south Florida is the “sunshine state” I can see solar panel instillation and manufacturing becoming a big part of Florida’s economy.

Image Source:
Floridatrend.com: http://www.floridatrend.com/images/photos/09-11/ne-solar_initiatives.jpg

Field Trip # 6 – Canoe Trip at FGCU Marine Lab

The canoe trip at the FGCU Marine Lab was by far my favorite field trip of them all. This trip was going to be the first time I had ever gone canoeing so I was looking forward to going all semester. The experience of traveling through the mangrove estuary was fantastic. I think experiences like these are what can bring a person closer to their environment. The trip helped me better understand how a mangrove estuary worked and helped me develop a better sense of place. I also think that this trip brought us closer together as a class. I am definitely planning on going back to the Marine Lab to take another canoe trip, or possibly see if I can find an internship or community service there.




Image Source:
fgcu.edu

State of the World Impressions

The three issues presented in State of the World that had the biggest impact on me were “Farming and Land Use to Cool The Planet”, “Not Too Late to Act”, and “Year In Review” section. I thought The farming and land use section was very important because I feel it’s one of the easiest changes we could make that would effect climate change on a large scale. Many of the farming techniques used today are highly inefficient and could be easily changed. The section titled not to late to act was important because I constantly people say “it’s too late anyway”, that kind of attitude will get us nowhere. This section really does a good job going in depth about the many reasons that changes made today could still benefit us and the planet. The year in review section was great because it gave a general overview of the many accomplishments made in the fight against climate change. This section paints a picture of what can be accomplished and proves that if we put in the effort, even more things could be accomplished in the future.

The Earth Charter

I think the earth charter is a great concept. We have discussed a lot of ideas and environmental problems in class such as the overconsumption of earth’s resources, the destruction of natural habitats for due to urban sprawl, and the growing “biophobic” mentality of today’s youth, which all are touched upon in the Earth Charter. I think that it is becoming more and more necessary to start taking the health and carrying capacity of the earth into consideration. I think the Earth Charter is a great idea because it puts the well being of the environment and the organisms living within it as the top priority. The Earth Charter focuses on the well being earth and its resources which in turn branches out to the well being of the people as a whole. I think that the Earth Charter if it can be done could help create a much better standard of living for everyone. It would bring people closer together and create a deeper bond between people and the earth.

Image Source:
http://www.townofbeloit.org/earth.gif

Field Trip # 5 – Urban Fort Myers and Southwest Florida Historical Museum

I thought the trip to Urban Fort Myers and the Southwest Florida Historical Museum was a lot of fun. Before this trip I was not very familiar with the history of South West Florida. I was surprised to see how much of the old Fort Myers was still intact. The part of urban Fort Myers that amazed me the most was how elaborate it looked in comparison to the Fort Myers of today. The old buildings and structures were beautifully constructed with an incredible amount of detail and effort put into them. I thought it was great that the city has kept these treasures so well preserved because it gives the chance for students like me to step back in time and see Fort Myers as it was so long ago. The Museum was just as interesting as the walk through urban Fort Myers. I found it incredible that they had old relics and bones that dated back all the way to the dinosaurs. My favorite part of the Museum was walking through the area with all the incredible photographs taken by Clyde Butcher.

Affluenza

I scored a 14 on the affluenza test which determined that I had “No dangerous signs of affluenza at this time.” On the second test I tested positive for some signs of affluenza…however, I don’t think the second test was very accurate. I think the ridiculous materialistic mindset of today’s society is disturbing. It is not only damaging to mental health but also to the health of the environment. I thought the movie “Affluenza” was very interesting. I can see how our way of living today is much more materialistic compared to the ways of living in the past. I think this “affluenza” can damage relationships and cause an unnecessary amount of stress on a person. I do think that we need to change our consumer habits. As of now I think we are consuming way too much at a rate our planet can handle. We need to change our consumer habits not only to help bring each other closer together again, but to give the planet a chance to rehabilitate itself.

Image Source:
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200712/r210553_807967.jpg

Field Trip #4 Corkscrew Swamp

The trip to Corkscrew Swam was probably my favorite trip so far. At first I was not looking forward to spending a few hours in the boiling hot sun; but it was not too far into the walk that I started not to notice the heat anymore. There was an unbelievably diverse amount of plants and animals everywhere I looked. There was one point in the trip that we walked through a huge field of yellow flowers which was quite a wonderful sight. I also saw a small (4 foot) alligator laying on a floating piece of wood. There was also a raccoon walking around very close to the boardwalk at one point. I thought this was odd because I usually see them out only at night. The trip was really enjoyable and I am hoping visit the swamp again soon with my family.

Packaging

Daily portable items:
Computer – came in box with a lot of plastic and Styrofoam
Notebook – no packaging
Pen –came in pack made up of plastic and cardboard
MP3 Player – came in a box with plastic and cardboard
Cell Phone – also came in a box with plastic and cardboard

All of these portable items most likely were mass produced in some sort of large factory. I am not sure how much energy all of these items needed to be produced but I am sure it was a fairly large amount. I have noticed certain cell phone companies are now offering phone recycling services or even phones made from recycled materials. You can also buy notebooks that use recycled paper.

Energy Usage

Field Trip #1 - Campus Trail

I really enjoyed walking through the FGCU campus trail. The campus naturalist was a great guide and had a refreshing enthusiasm about nature in general. It was great to get a closer look at the natural environment here on the FGCU campus. I found it amazing that the water was as clear as it was. I thought the trip was a good team building experience as well. Everyone was helping each other keep balance as we were walking through the deeper parts of the path. I left the trip feeling a little more connected to the natural surroundings on campus.

Food Intake

Bowl of Kellogg’s Fruit Loops Cereal: 240 Calories
Water: 0.5 liters, 0 calories
Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme Meal: 710 Calories
Water: 0.5 liters, 0 calories
Bannana: 120 calories
Pasta and tomato sauce: 800 Calories
Water: 0.5 liters, 0 calories

Total: 1870 Calories

I think this is a little less than my typical daily food intake. I consumed a total of 1870 calories by the end of the day. Most of my calorie intake came from taco bell and home cooked pasta and tomato sauce. I am not sure how much energy or water is put into making my Crunchwrap Supreme meal at taco bell but I think it would probably take less energy and natural resources if I were to make it myself. The pasta and tomato sauce meal probably used about a liter of water.

Nutrition information from: http://www.thedailyplate.com

Conservation 20/20

Conservation 20/20 is a county-based land acquisition program whose aim is to preserve the undeveloped natural areas of Lee County. This is not the first time I have heard about Conservation 20/20. In the past I visited one of their preserves called the “Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve”. The experience of walking though part of the preserve was one of the best and most influential of my life. The preserve was extremely well taken care of and had a great guide to point out some of the sloughs great features. I am planning to visit a few more of these wonderful nature preserves in the days ahead. I think land preservation is very important and is well worth paying taxes for.

Field Trip#2 Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve

I thought the field trip to Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve was fantastic. I thought the history of the Cottage and Matanzas pass was very fascinating. The history lecture gave me a much clearer picture in my mind of what Forty Myers would have looked like when it was first colonized. The walk that we took after the lecture was great also. I enjoyed seeing many of the plants and animals native to the area.

Water Rights Reflection

I do not believe that a single person or entity should have the right to capture and divert water flowing beneath common ground for self profit. I do not believe that water is a resource that should be purchased and sold in the way that is mentioned in the article. I think it is horrible that a person can become so obsessed with profit. Rather than spending all this time and effort trying to find a way to make a profit from water, why look for a way to make this human necessity available to everyone who needs it. This project not only has the potential to seriously disrupt the ecosystem, I believe it is a step backwards in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. Research needs to be done to find ways of supplying, not selling, fresh water to those who need it.

Image Source: http://www.townofbeloit.org

List your daily Water Usage

Shower: 40 Liters
Toilet Flush: 8 Liters
Brush Teeth: 0.2 liters
Drink: 1 liters
Food: 2 liters
Toilet Flush: 8 Liters
Drink: 0.5 Liters
Shower: 40 Liters
Dish Washer: 30 Liters
Toilet: 8 Liters
Drink: 0.5 Liters

Total: 138.2

I don’t think a 138.2 total is terrible, but I could probably cut down on a few things. A big party of my daily water usage is showering. I could cut down on the amount of time I spend in the shower. I could also wash dishes by hand rather than use the dish washer. I make it a point to try to use the least amount of water as possible throughout my daily activities. Keeping a long of my water usage daily could help me determine if I am keeping good water conservation habits.

Image Source:
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/water/images/watertex_md.jpg

Calculate your Ecological Footprint

According to If everyone on the planet lived like me, it would take 3.3 planets to sustain that lifestyle. This score was surprising to me because my family and I try to be as environmentally conscience as possible. I always keep in mind to look out for products that were made with environmental sustainability in mind. I try to buy locally grown groceries or look for products that are organic. This quiz was helpful because I can now work on the areas that I did poorly on. The area I need to improve the most is the “food” section. I can do this by changing my eating habits or finding more efficient methods of transportation.


Image Source:
http://ecoglobe.ch/images/11thhfootprint.jpg

Future of Food

My favorite snack is “GRANDMA'S® Vanilla Mini Sandwich Creme Cookies”. It is a product of the Frito-Lay company. The ingredients list located on the Frito-Lay website was far too blurry for me to make out. The company seems to be taking many steps to help reduce its ecological footprint. According to the Frito-Lay website “Over the past five years we’ve eliminated five billion square inches of packaging by reducing the materials we use by 10%.” The website also added that “At our Casa Grande, AZ plant we are working to cut our electricity & water by 90%. By early 2011, we’ll complete the retrofit to enable our Casa Grande plant to run almost entirely on renewable energy and recycled water while reducing waste going to the landfill to less than 1%. (2011)”. http://www.fritolay.com/our-planet/steps-to-a-healthier-planet.html I thought The Future of Food movie was very informative and well made. I had no idea that genetically modified plants were so widespread. I also found the whole idea of patenting life horrifying. This film definitely has encouraged me to spend more time reading and finding out what exactly I am eating.
Images provided by http://www.fritolay.com

Field Trip #1 – ECHO

When I first got off the bus at ECHO I was not looking forward to the next few hours I was about to spend in the scorching hot sun. Not too long into the trip however my attitude completely changed. I thought the many different farming techniques that were on display were absolutely incredible. The miracle tree was definitely my favorite part of the trip. The fact that the plant had so many different nutrients and could even be used to help breastfeeding mothers was amazing. I have grown a few things back at home such as pineapples and mangos but that’s about it. Overall I think the trip to Echo was a great experience.

http://www.echonet.org/

Sense of Place

I have the most feeling of sense of place when I am at the beach. Whenever I am at the beach I feel a certain sense of harmony. The beach has a sort of therapeutic effect on me, it takes all the stresses and problems I may be wrapped up in at the time and puts them in perspective. I can have this sense of peace and happiness that is hard for me to find anywhere else. Laying a towel down, grabbing a drink, and watching the ocean is what I would call my happy place. If I had the option to build a house anywhere I would like, I would choose to live on the beach without even thinking twice.




Image by sicho at Deviantart.com

Your Neighborhood

One of the reasons I love going to FGCU is because you can go and take a walk through campus at any point in the day and see all sorts of amazing wildlife. During one of my many trips through campus I came across two eagles fighting a hawk for a bag of McDonald’s that was laying on the ground just a few feet in front of me. I managed to find a quiet place to watch from that would not be disruptive. I spent an exciting 10 minutes or so watching these massive birds fight for lunch not much more than an arms length in front of me. I have really come to appreciate all the natural areas around the FGCU campus. I have traveled through the campuses different nature trails and have walked across the various wooden bridges on my way to class and can honestly say that I never thought I would be able to do something like that right outside my dorm at college.

Incoming Reflection

I initially was unsure of what this class was going to be about. I knew the class would be about the environment and consist of field trips and community service but that was pretty much it. I was presently surprised after just a few classes at how much environmental sustainability is tied in to the class and its teachings. I am not one to spend a lot of time outdoors but I am hoping that with this class I will start getting back in touch with nature and spend more time outdoors. A few years ago I took a trip to Alaska with my family. We visited Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and stopped at Vancouver for a few days. At Skagway I traveled to the top of a glacier where I got to walk around and explore the vast sheet of ice and snow. I was very humble by the experience and was absolutely amazed at how quiet it was at the top of the glacier. I also had the chance to drink real glacier water from a small stream that was flowing through the ice.


I didn’t really have many reservations about taking university colloquium; I had not heard anything bad or good about the class so I was more curious if anything. By taking this class I feel that I will develop a closer relationship to the natural world. Society today is far too detached from nature and that is why classes like this are so important to take. I hope that this class will help me become more knowledgeable about nature and therefore allow me to help and protect our planet.