Creative Post!

Since this is a creative post, I am choosing to rant...

I think that a lot of our environmental problems revolve around issues that start at home. In this generation, most kids sit at home on the computer and stay cooped up in a room for hours. When I was growing up, we were told to go play outside and run around to get out all of our energy. Being outside made me appreciate my surroundings, and made me care about its appearance. If you don't appreciate what you have, you won't respect it because it plays no signifiant role in your life. People should be encouraging others to get outside, take their children to the park, and explore all that nature has to offer. I think that this could be a great start to improving our environment because the first step is to get people involved.

Field Trip #3 - Corkscrew Swamp

I really enjoyed this field trip, there was so much to see and it was really relaxing. My favorite parts of the trip included walking up to the bird-watching sight, their colors were striking! It was crazy that we were able to get so close to a Cardinal. My least favorite part of the trip were the alligators, they were too large for my liking. I also didn't enjoy the amount of pink circular mold spots that is growing all around the boardwalk. I know that this is a sign that the air is healthy, but I was kind of worried that I would come into contact with it.

I would definitely visit to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary again, it was very serene. It would be easy for anyone to visit the Swamp and have an idea what to look for because they post helpful boards, which would definitely bring me back to explorer on my own.

State of the World Impressions

Below are the 3 issues that made the biggest impact on me during the State of the World presentations:

1. Water in a Sustainable Economy - I thought it was so interesting to find out that more than 70 percent of our water is used for things like food and for agricultural purposes, in attempt to help those who are in need. The other 30 percent is used for personal sanitation, drinking, and industry purposes. I was really surprised by these numbers, it really speaks volumes for how vital water really is.

2. The Challenge of Sustainable Lifestyles - This topic really interested me because especially with the state that our economy is in, people really need to live within their means. Sustainability requires limits, because in order to survive we must conserve. People always want more and are never satisfied with what they have and purchase unnecessary items. This has obviously lead people into a world of trouble and the words foreclosure and bankruptcy have become an everyday conversation.

3. Rethinking Production - The idea of being able to produce goods and transport them in an environmentally-friendly manner would make a huge different in the environment. Many people don't realize that something as simple as using recycled materials can make such a dramatic difference because production is done in mass quantities.

Daily Food Intake

Cereal with 2% milk: 170 calories
Italian BMT from Subway: 450 calories
Teriyaki chicken and brown rice: 489 calories
12 fl oz Gatorade: 310 calories
Yogurt: 60 calories
50 oz water

Estimated Calorie Intake: 1,479

Like the results of my water usage, I was a bit surprised by my calorie intake... I could definitley aim to consume less calories. Water was used to boil rice, was added to Gatorade, and was an ingredient in most of my foods. Fruits and vegetables could also be added to my diet to cut back on water and energy costs of labor to package and make these foods. My breakfast and dinner was environmentally-friendly, but the packaging of my Subway sandwhich wasn't.

Water Rights Reflection

I don't feel one person or entity should be able to claim a water flow beneath the ground and sell it for personal profit, but I believe that it should be accessible for all to use. If there are people in the world who are thirsty, I think that the water should be given to those who are in need of it and the idea that someone would make a profit off of it, shouldn't even be a consideration. This will impact the community and the wildlife because it will simply provide a natural resource. We all need fresh water to survive, our world's revolve around it. This could allow both the community and wildlife to flourish and evolve to create a sustainable environment. An alternative, in case this plan were to fail, would be water conservation because we must work with what we have and of course there is always a possibility that this could happen in Florida.

My Daily Water Usage

Garbage Disposal: 40 gallons
Dishwasher: 12 gallons
Toilet Flushing: 30 gallons
Bathing: 36 gallons
Laundry: 43 gallons
Brushing Teeth: 4 gallons
Shower: 60 gallons

Total Water Usage: 225 gallons

This number was shocking to me, and I definitley think that I have room for improvement in water conservation. I can definitley see how shorter showers and less frequent laundry could make a significant impact in the efforts to conserve our water, because the number of gallons that I use now seem outrageous. If every person does a small part in making a conscious effort to be aware of how much water they are using and wasting, a big difference can be made.

Environment in the News

The New York Times

"A Cellphone That Is Made With the Environment in Mind"

By Azadeh Ensha
Published: February 11, 2009

Motorola has designed a new cellphone called the Motorola W233 Renew that is environmentally friendly. These phones are made with recycled plastics and is considered to be a carbon-neutral cellphone. Benefits of this design includes the elimination of polyvinyl chloride, asbestos, chlorofluorocarbons and halons. The phones are packaged with 100 percent recycled paper, and they even include a prepaid shipping envelope for the customer to ship back their old cell phone so it can be properly disposed of.

Here's the link to the site: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/technology/personaltech/12renew.html?_r=1

Field Trip #2 - ECHO

It was interesting to see how ECHO taught the underprivledged how to fend for themselves and to utilize their resources to feed their families. With their mission, "to network with community leaders in developing countries to seek hunger solutions for families growing food under difficult conditions," they are able to fight world hunger by giving seeds, agriculture tools and ideas. I enjoyed tasting all of the edible plants and looking at the rabbits and goats. I didn't really enjoy looking at the tilapia pond and I was incredibly grossed out by the garbage pit.

I really don't have a green thumb, but I atleast try. I have a green fern on my lanai that always looks half-dead no matter what I do. Every other plant I've had has done really well for about a month, but then always dies. I think if I absolutley had to I could grow my own food, but from past experiences I don't think that it would look too appealing.

Sense of Place

"You can't know who you are until you know where you are." -Wendell Berry

My comfort zone consists of my family. I grew up, for the most part, in a close-knit family that made any house a home and obviously this became my comfort zone growing up. With life experiences I have sense of place, through learning about the environment and my impact on it. As I became older I learned that my surroundings had a purpose and that nature coexists within itself. Now I have a sense of place on my own as a college student and I am learning to how to be an independent and environmentally-responsible adult because I know what I can do to make a difference.

My Neighborhood

(I'm doing this on my parent's neighborhood, because my apartment complex wouldn't be too fascinating.)

For the most part, my neighborhood in Fort Myers is filled with manscapted yards and Lowe's flowers planted in mulch. But behind the palm trees and in my backyard is a lake filled with wildlife and greenery. This lake is home to egrets, water moccasins, ducks, and the occasional alligator. When I was about 6 years old, animal control had to come out to the lake and set up a trap that involved a fish hook, pole, and bait that looked like a brain. Our neighborhood has had quite the record of animal problems. At one point there were atleast two dozen ducks in the lake and many neighbors felt the need to feed the ducks on a daily basis... but of course some neighbors weren't so happy about it. These ducks are really ugly because most of them have red tumor-like bumps all over their faces, as you will see below.

Field Trip #1 - Campus Trail

Walking through the trails of the FGCU campus, I definitley saw a different side of our school. Most people don't realize that we are walking distance away from gorgeous oak hammocks, and many would be impressed to see the beauty that fire can produce.



I enjoyed most walking through the oak hammock, it was really relaxing. I really hated all of the misquitos that were flying around that day. I was impressed with how how hard everyone at FGCU works to create a sustainable environment and I definitley have a motivation to pull my weight after being in Colloquium.

Incoming Reflection

Growing up in New Jersey and Florida, I definitley was always surrounded by nature. In New Jersey I would climb trees with my brother and in Florida we would build forts in the woods for fun. So even though I love being outdoors, I was never really taught in depth the impact that we all have on the environment. Going into this class, I was definitley shocked at how much we can all do in our everyday lives to create a more sustainable environment... but yet most of us don't give it a second thought.



My personal goals for this class are to take these lessons home with me and personally make a difference in the environment by making a conscious effort of recognizing my carbon footprint. This class will be an important component to my life experiences because I want to obtain a sustainable environment so that my children and grandchildren have a clean world to live in.