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