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