I thought the views from the edge of the water were very nice at Mantanzas Pass. That was the most remarkable part of the venture. The tide was out when I was there which gave me the chance to see the lower parts of the mangroves, I was surprised that so many of them were not deeper in the ground and that some ended where the water was when the tide was in. I suppose that is because they cannot grow in the water. I never thought too much about the mangroves being infused with the water's edge and how that would impact the plant.
The most memorable sound in the mangroves was the movement of the lizards in the leaves and fallen branches. It was sort of spooky actually because I was there alone. I also didn't expect to be eaten up by mosquitoes in the middle of the day, I was not prepared for that as I work a sleeveless top that day.
My hometown has grown in population. I grew up in a town called Savona, New York. When I lived there you could not find it on the map, I had 32 kids in my graduating class, and everyone knew everyone else. Now there are more families there, the school system has merged with another small town near us. They changed our school into an elementary school and the other town's school into a high school. The community must be more widespread, and less recognizable or tight knit.
Savona had a lot of natural elements, there was the steep hill that we (tried to) ski on, there is the woods that we hiked and hunted, the ponds and lakes that we fished, and the farmers with their dairy cattle and fields of corn to feed them. To sell that to build condos and turn it into a small city would take a lot from the environment and impact the ecosystem there. There are other areas that would be less damaged by such projects, they would have to look elsewhere.
When they were running the highway through a neighboring town many of the homeowners did not want to give up the land and the homes that they raised their families in. The state used eminent domain to acquire the land and people lost money on their lands. I always thought that was wrong and that they should have tried to change the route of the new highway. The road runs all along the base of the mountain, it took a great deal from the land and the environment. I would not sell for less than the land it's value, especially if it is a natural setting, unless it was to be used for a natural project.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Footprint Calculator
After taking the Footprint calculator my footprint said that if everyone lived like I do it would take 3.9 planets to sustain us. It appears the most of my footprint is created through my use of electricity (although I think my children make a much bigger impression in my footprint than I do, I am ALWAYS shutting off lights and fans after them). I will have to tell them about this footprint, although I have used saving the environment as a motivator without success but this may be a visual for them to understand the impact, in addition to this I could put up a clothesline, which I have considered for a long time to save the energy needed to use the dryer. Second, to my surprise was food. I understand that packaging makes a lot of waste but 17.8 tons of CO2, whoa!!!! I buy products that have less packaging (for instance cereal in bags, large bags of cat food, large bottle of laundry soap, etc.) but if I were to buy more non packaged foods it would be helpful in reducing that number. I didn't give thought to the land it takes to raise the crops and animals that I eat, 17.7 global acres needed to produce them-I don't even really like meats, but It appears that crops are the bigger issue in my overuse of this service. Using the bus instead of driving saves quite a bit on the environment, and is my smallest piece of the pie.
If everyone lived in a manner that it would take 4.6 earths to support us, the population on the earth would need to be divided by almost 5 to determine the number of people the earth could sustain at this rate. If there are seven billion people on earth the earth could sustain 1,400,000,000.
Sustainable Consumerism
Sustainable Consumerism is the wise use of resources, minimization of waste, using renewable energy sources within the capacity for renewal, all while meeting the needs of this generation as well as generations to come. Globalization is a positive driver in this because the entire world population needs to make practices in this effort or else it will not be productive. Capitalism can be a positive or negative driver in this based on the way things go-for instance, if renewable energy has a breakthrough and it can make a business profit then capitalism will be positive because a company will buy into it, on the other hand if we continue to make slow progress in the area of renewable energy then companies wont buy into it and capitalism will play a much more negative role.
When planning my shopping list I search through local ads, print coupons off the internet, and shop and many stores to save money on foods. I buy things when they are on sale, and plan meals around what is on sale. I do not see myself paying more for organic or local foods because I run on such a tight budget. If I had no concern for money, or if my budget allowed for more spending I would definitely support these efforts.
I am more likely to patronize chain stores because they have better deals. Mom and pop shops are good for some things but mostly things are less expensive in larger stores. However, using the chain stores will put the mom and pop stores out of business and create a monopoly. This happened among chain stores even-Walmart and Target superstores put a hurting on Winn Dixie and K Mart to the point where they closed down a lot of stores or sell out to other chains. People will go where the best deal is, especially now while the economy is in recession. This can be a problem in the long run. On the other hand if people bought only from mom and pop shops the competition would be fierce and that would drive the prices down.
When planning my shopping list I search through local ads, print coupons off the internet, and shop and many stores to save money on foods. I buy things when they are on sale, and plan meals around what is on sale. I do not see myself paying more for organic or local foods because I run on such a tight budget. If I had no concern for money, or if my budget allowed for more spending I would definitely support these efforts.
I am more likely to patronize chain stores because they have better deals. Mom and pop shops are good for some things but mostly things are less expensive in larger stores. However, using the chain stores will put the mom and pop stores out of business and create a monopoly. This happened among chain stores even-Walmart and Target superstores put a hurting on Winn Dixie and K Mart to the point where they closed down a lot of stores or sell out to other chains. People will go where the best deal is, especially now while the economy is in recession. This can be a problem in the long run. On the other hand if people bought only from mom and pop shops the competition would be fierce and that would drive the prices down.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Downtown
When someone says "downtown" I tend to think of daily grind, hustling of people and cars, crowded streets, busy offices and businesses, and strange people that fit into the landscape of the city. Over time downtown has become about accessibility, convenience, and getting among people.
Fort Myers has a lot of historic overtones, but there is a coming out in the city as well. The high rises that dot the area are new and flashy in comparison to the old, historic district. The historical element is still prominent in the city and the city has worked it well, with old style street lamps, brick pavers on the street, and storefronts that look like they came from the nineteenth century.
There is a lot of foot traffic in the city. Everything is within walking distance and it seems easier to get around by walking than to get your car into the traffic. This is helpful in minimizing the level of traffic, getting people to do business locally, and to get people involved.
Fort Myers also has some features that applauds the days of old. The fantastic buildings, the old courthouse with the words, "The First Order of Man is Justice", the ancient clock at the end of Monroe Street, The statues of Edison, Ford, and Firestone in the park, the charm of Main Street, and the nostalgia of antique storefronts all add to the time honored aura of historic preservation that is Fort Myers.
Fort Myers is probably more wealthy now than in the days of the original development. There are more people, more businesses, and wealthy people who reside here part of the year. In the days of Edison, there were very few people in comparison and with people comes business, with business comes money. This could cause Fort Myers to become less sustainable if people were to take from the milieu instead of trying to preserve and maintain it. Part of the benefit of maintaining historic values is that people are less likely to draw more out of their surroundings.
Fort Myers has a lot of historic overtones, but there is a coming out in the city as well. The high rises that dot the area are new and flashy in comparison to the old, historic district. The historical element is still prominent in the city and the city has worked it well, with old style street lamps, brick pavers on the street, and storefronts that look like they came from the nineteenth century.
There is a lot of foot traffic in the city. Everything is within walking distance and it seems easier to get around by walking than to get your car into the traffic. This is helpful in minimizing the level of traffic, getting people to do business locally, and to get people involved.
Fort Myers also has some features that applauds the days of old. The fantastic buildings, the old courthouse with the words, "The First Order of Man is Justice", the ancient clock at the end of Monroe Street, The statues of Edison, Ford, and Firestone in the park, the charm of Main Street, and the nostalgia of antique storefronts all add to the time honored aura of historic preservation that is Fort Myers.
Fort Myers is probably more wealthy now than in the days of the original development. There are more people, more businesses, and wealthy people who reside here part of the year. In the days of Edison, there were very few people in comparison and with people comes business, with business comes money. This could cause Fort Myers to become less sustainable if people were to take from the milieu instead of trying to preserve and maintain it. Part of the benefit of maintaining historic values is that people are less likely to draw more out of their surroundings.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Energy
Energy is pretty expensive, but that may be a good thing. If it were cheap people would misuse energy. We would be more careless about running our dryers too long, turning our air conditioning too low, leaving lights and fans on when we leave the room. Conservation would be only for tree huggers.
Conservation is not a dirty word, it is the smart way to handle the issue of energy use. We depend too much on foreign oils and it costs us dearly, we need to find a way to conserve energy and make it "hip" so that young people learn the value of conservation as well.
Jimmy Cardigan had it right, as president he could have thrown conservation out the window, let taxpayers pay the light bill-not Jimmy's problem! It is very honorable that he chose the more conservative roads to follow and led his team down that road as well. As a child, in upstate New York, I remember my mother buying us warm pajamas and slippers, we had layers of warm blankets on our beds, and she insisted that we put on a sweatshirt and keep the thermostat down. She was a smart lady!
I firmly believe in the benefits of alternative fuels. If I were to win the lottery I would donate, invest, and do whatever in support the development of renewable energy and biofuels. I did a research paper on the feasibility of solar energy in America and through the research discovered that it, at least at this point, is not very feasible-it is too expensive. I would invest in research to make the solar panels more affordable and durable.
I feel that wind energy is a missed value in this area. We could build wind turbines in rural farm lands, along highways, maybe even out in the gulf where it isn't seen by tourists. Then of course, biofuels. What a great way to reuse our waste!!! What a great way to reduce our dependence on foreign oils!!!! What a reduction of CO2 in the environment!!! (the amount of CO2 from the exhaust of biofuels are not any higher than the plant would've produced through natural decomposition).
The steps that I could take tomorrow to reduce my carbon footprint is to put up a clothesline instead of using my dryer. Most days that could be done, unless it is raining there is no excuse for not taking advantage of the climate to dry our clothes. In the next five years, I will need to buy a car (I use the bus system now to reduce my carbon footprint-I have access to a car if I need to go off the bus route or if it is later than the bus runs, but generally I use the bus whenever possible). When I buy my car it will be a hybrid so that I wont need to burn petroleum as much.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Climate Change
In my opinion climate change is a natural phenomena, a part of a cycle that the earth goes through. I would argue that the impact of human activity has increased the momentum of this change and has put our world on a fast track to a much hotter climate. NASA, whom I consider to be a reputable source for information on the topic agreed stating "Correlations between rising CO2 levels and global surface temperatures suggest that our planet is on a one-way warming trend triggered by human activity. Indeed, studies by paleoclimatologists reveal that natural variability caused by changes in the Sun and volcanic eruptions can largely explain deviations in global temperature from 1000 AD until 1850 AD, near the beginning of the Industrial Era. After that, the best models require a human-induced greenhouse effect (National, 2013).
The article goes on to argue both sides and in the end doesn't conclude either way, but admits that there just isn't enough information from historical data to determine if and how much our activity impacts the climate. It also states that computer models cannot be used successfully because computers can only analyze information that is inputted without historical data, the computer models are inconclusive. but we are undoubtedly encouraging this rapid change, how does the CO2 that we are pumping into the environment not have an impact on the atmosphere that protects us from the sun's harmful rays?
The impact on the earth is evidenced by noticeable weather changes and effects on the land and water. The Department of the Interior, another reliable source of information, stated that "The glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park are melting so quickly, they're expected to disappear in the next two decades. Rising seas are consuming the world’s first wildlife refuge – Florida’s Pelican Island – which President Teddy Roosevelt set aside in 1903....The impacts of climate change are forcing us to change how we manage resources. Climate change may dramatically affect water supplies in certain watersheds, impact coastal wetlands and barrier islands, cause relocation of and stress on wildlife, increase wildland fires, further spread invasive species, and more" (US, 2013).
The media seems to play a neutral card on the topic of climate change, they do not want to offend anyone, be insensitive, or appear to take sides. Some news organizations, the ones that advocate the issue, such as Climate Change News Digest, will always cite in the interest of human impact on climate change and possibly even create hype. The New York Times whom I would consider to be neutral stated "Global warming has become perhaps the most complicated issue facing world leaders. Warnings from the scientific community are becoming louder, as an increasing body of science points to rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related greenhouse gases — produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and forests" (New, 2013). Which shows some support for scientists who believe that humans have impact, but still stay somewhat neutral in the communication of their ideas, placing all of the information in the hands of the scientists.
This has little influence on my ideas, I believe that humans have a great effect on the environment and that we are fooling ourselves by saying that it is merely a cycle. It has had altering effects on my lifestyle, I choose not to buy a car until I have to, I ride the bus in an effort to be green (not use fossil fuels or pump carbon into the environment), I recycle-even went into the city and got recycling buckets for my neighbors and asked them to join me in recycling, I have my plants strategically placed to catch the water from the sprinklers and from the rain off the roof of my home, I reuse the bags from grocery shopping in my garbage cans instead of throwing them away and buying tall kitchen bags-that saves by reusing and is cost effective too!
I think that my children and their children will need to use renewable fuels, we cannot continue to burn fossil fuels. I wonder what effect that will eventually have on our earth, will it cause earthquakes because the lubricant is burned? Will it cause a void and the earth collapse in areas that have been drained of the oil? Will it become unbearably hot because we have drilled all of the coolant out of the earth? I don't think that we can go on forever using oil, our children will need to be smarter about it and find a better way. I also wonder what shape the land will be in, I don't think that we will be in a situation like the movie Waterworld, but I believe that we will have some land lost and the population will need to consider building upwards.
References
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2013). Science News: Earth's Fidgeting Climate. Retrieved from http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast20oct_1/
New York Times. (2013). Science: Global Warming & Climate Change. Retrieved from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html
US Department of the Interior. (2013). What we do: Climate Change. Retrieved from http://www.doi.gov/whatwedo/climate/index.cfm
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus trees require a lot of water to survive, the roots soak up most of the water wherever they are
planted. This could cause the swamps to become drained if planted in high numbers around FGCU
(extrinsic concern). Many insects, especially termites depend on the eucalyptus as a food source, this
could increase the number of termites on campus, which are not desirable around structures (intrinsic
concern). They have a broad pollen spread, which could lead to invasive and detrimental environmental
effects on the forest present in the area (extrinsic concern). They are rich in oils that are flammable,
raising the concerns for safety on our campus (both intrinsic and extrinsic concerns).
Another intrinsic concern with the eucalyptus tree is the falling branches. The trees crop branches unexpectedly, to conserve water that they need during seasons when there is less rain. This is a concern because they can cause damage because they are dense and heavy with resin. If people are camping under the trees during a drop the weight of the branch could kill someone.
One way to reduce the risks involved with eucalyptus is to have farms that are specifically set up for them. This would reduce the number of them in the forest while we can still enjoy the benefits from maintaining eucalyptus. This would create jobs, and have economic impact on the area.
The eucalyptus have a lot to offer, most importantly, the biomass. With that we could create biofuels and reduce our need for imports. The oils stored in the leaves can be used medicinally, and are very fragrant. The jobs that are created from plantations of eucalyptus would extend to the community through the marketing of the products. the timber can be used for building materials. Although these are great arguments for the planting of eucalyptus plantations or forests, the fact that the eucalyptus is non-native and will soak up the waters in our wetlands would not be worth the benefits.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
ECHO Farm
ECHO was different than I expected, it was not as remote as I thought, and much more visited. I thought that their mission of sending seeds to third world countries instead of sending food was excellent. I thought that it was very cool that they trained Peace Corps volunteers and prepared them for their work with the limited resources in the countries in which they intend to serve. It was way different than I expected.
The thing that stands out in my mind is the primitive tools and systems that they used. The irrigation systems, the hay baler, the insecticide tree, and the planters made out of anything. I also found it very interesting how they were able to grow food using a carpet and waste (corn cobs or pine cones). I realize that this is to train the volunteers who will go on missions but it also taught me a lot.
American agriculture is very routine compared to ECHO Farm. The sunken fields, raised fields, even plants grown on the top of a tripod are out of the norm for farming in America. These examples are relevant to the developing world because sometimes they only have hillsides to plant on and need to have experienced agriculturists teach them how to use the land. The soils in are not usually prime for farming and the water is at times contaminated, the farm gives hands on training to work around or even change those factors that prevent the hungry populations of our world to live healthier and provide nourishment for their families.
Appropriate Technology is the primitive systems that I found to be the most interesting part of the site. It is using compost to create fertilizer and mulch for the farm, it is capturing rainwater in barrels, using the irrigation barrel in the fields, it is pumping water with a homemade water pump using everyday items, it is raising worms to aerate the soil, it is using the insecticide tree instead of pesticides, it is using minimal resources to maintain the farm.
I would be interested in performing my service learning there, the mission is great and it isn't a handout. I think that the natural setting and all of the appropriate technology would lend a lot to learning. I have seen what is on exhibit at the farm, it would be very interesting to work among those who work the mission. However, I have already committed to helping out at The Burrowing Owl Festival. If ever I have time to volunteer I would definitely consider ECHO Farm.
Sustainable Farming
Seems the major elements of sustainable farming is to utilize the land and water appropriately. Sepp Holzer has a great operation as he uses the land and plants to do the work of the farm. The less amount of human input the more likely that the system will be successful. A viewer can see that he is able to produce so much more food in less space simply by designing his farm in a manner that is self maintained and well planned.
Sustainable farming is ecologically sound because the farmer encourages the systems that work together and benefit each other. For example, how the plants are placed in the farm can not only provide themselves with the necessary nutrients, but it also allows for predatory insects to control without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. It is using the ecosystems services to support the farm without much human input.
I am unable to buy much organic food because of the cost of the staples, but I would if I could afford it so that I can support sustainable farming and promote environmentally sound practices involved with the concepts. I do not feel connected to the industrial type of farming that is used so widely, as a matter of fact I feel kinda disconnected from it because of the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
I do not live on or visit campus but I would be interested in growing my own fruits and vegetables. When I lived in New York we grew a lot of fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes, broccoli strawberries, onions, corn, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, watermelon, and herbs. We canned and froze a lot of our crops and they lasted for a long time. We didn't use insecticides, maybe because we were mixing up the plants we never had too many problems with pests. We didn't use fertilizer but spent a lot of time in the garden, weeding and mulching. I would grow a garden here, in Florida, but the soil is not very conducive to gardening and I live in a much more urban site and have less land.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Global Environmental Issues
I think that our most pressing global environmental issues that we face today is the use of fossil fuels and the impact that it is having on our environment. It is increasing the momentum of global warming by piping dangerous fumes into the atmosphere, it is draining the oils that our earth needs to cool, we are spilling crude into our oceans killing the wildlife that inhabit that world-all at an alarming rate.
If I were to be granted $100 billion dollars to address the situation I would put it all into the research and transition into biofuels, wind energy, solar energy and research into other, undiscovered rescources.
I would invest most of the grant into biofuels. Our vehicles are what is ruining our atmosphere more than the exhaust from our homes. Lee County recently opened a factory, Algenol Biofuels, that uses algea to create fuel. They are using it in the Lee Tran Buses (which they have already begun to transition into hybrid buses), this will leave a much smaller carbon footprint.
Use of methane in factories is cutting edge, but not impossible. There is an onion farm in California that uses its waste from processing the onions and turns it into methane gas to run their salsa factory. The website for Gill's Onions states that "Using biogas in the fuel cells is saving $50,000 to $60,000 per month in electricity purchases, Gill says. Another $500,000 is saved annually by eliminating the hauling and spreading of onion waste in the fields. The project is also earning money by selling the onion cake as cattle feed. Taking into account the savings, sales of by-products, self-generation credits and investment tax credits, the $9.5 million project expects payback in five years." (Greer, 2012)
Finally, I would put money into main street to grant people money to convert their vehicles to biodiesel. there would have to be rules (like the person would have to pay some of the cost, so that they take ownership in it too and they would have to sign a contract that states that they will buy cars that run on diesel to continue to use the biofuels in the future--imagine putting the oil tycoons out of work!) but without incentive people would just keep doing what they are doing. I would give it to mainstreet rather than the auto industry, the auto industry is too big of business-but if consumers were buying biodiesel cars, then they would have to change to get the business.
I would save some for the generation of wind energy, I realize that the time hasn't come for that yet, but it will. Areas that are prone to winds could benefit greatly, even generate energy to put back into the system and save using fossil fuels, it just needs to get off the ground a little more. It's time will come.
Same with solar energy, I would plug some (not much) into that industry. I would want to research ways of creating the energy in a way that would be less expensive and easier to maintain. It is too expensive for most people to buy into, at least at this time.
References:
Greer, Diane. (2012). Gill's Onions: BioCycle - Onion Grower Invests in Digester And Fuel Cells. Retrieved from http://www.gillsonions.com/node/184
If I were to be granted $100 billion dollars to address the situation I would put it all into the research and transition into biofuels, wind energy, solar energy and research into other, undiscovered rescources.
I would invest most of the grant into biofuels. Our vehicles are what is ruining our atmosphere more than the exhaust from our homes. Lee County recently opened a factory, Algenol Biofuels, that uses algea to create fuel. They are using it in the Lee Tran Buses (which they have already begun to transition into hybrid buses), this will leave a much smaller carbon footprint.
Use of methane in factories is cutting edge, but not impossible. There is an onion farm in California that uses its waste from processing the onions and turns it into methane gas to run their salsa factory. The website for Gill's Onions states that "Using biogas in the fuel cells is saving $50,000 to $60,000 per month in electricity purchases, Gill says. Another $500,000 is saved annually by eliminating the hauling and spreading of onion waste in the fields. The project is also earning money by selling the onion cake as cattle feed. Taking into account the savings, sales of by-products, self-generation credits and investment tax credits, the $9.5 million project expects payback in five years." (Greer, 2012)
Finally, I would put money into main street to grant people money to convert their vehicles to biodiesel. there would have to be rules (like the person would have to pay some of the cost, so that they take ownership in it too and they would have to sign a contract that states that they will buy cars that run on diesel to continue to use the biofuels in the future--imagine putting the oil tycoons out of work!) but without incentive people would just keep doing what they are doing. I would give it to mainstreet rather than the auto industry, the auto industry is too big of business-but if consumers were buying biodiesel cars, then they would have to change to get the business.
I would save some for the generation of wind energy, I realize that the time hasn't come for that yet, but it will. Areas that are prone to winds could benefit greatly, even generate energy to put back into the system and save using fossil fuels, it just needs to get off the ground a little more. It's time will come.
Same with solar energy, I would plug some (not much) into that industry. I would want to research ways of creating the energy in a way that would be less expensive and easier to maintain. It is too expensive for most people to buy into, at least at this time.
References:
Greer, Diane. (2012). Gill's Onions: BioCycle - Onion Grower Invests in Digester And Fuel Cells. Retrieved from http://www.gillsonions.com/node/184
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Corkscrew
The swamp was drier than I expected when I went on my trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary yesterday. There were some areas that we wet and others that the ground was soft but for the most part it was much dryer than I expected. The most outstanding thing I remember is the sounds. The birds, they were everywhere but you could not see them. And it seemed when I did see them they were equally curious about me but kept a far enough distance from me that I could not capture one of them on camera. Finally, was surprised at the number of visitors. There were people that had huge cameras, one that just stood there with his camera on a tripod, I think he saw something at one time and was waiting for it to come around so that he could capture it on camera.
The swamp provided a habitat for snakes (one of my pictures was of holes in the ground, I assumed that it was snakes, but I suppose it could have been rats or another type of burrowing animal), insects ( I saw many butterflies, more there than during the FGCU trip, which makes me think that the wetland is more to their liking), birds (like I said it was incredible, the number of different bird sounds, just incredible), gators (although I didn't see one, they may be more present during rainy season), and a variety of different species of plants and trees. The forest was another awesome part of the walk, first because I wasn't aware that forest was so dense in the wetlands, but also the sheer age of them! The boardwalk had white spots all over it in the forest, I didn't know if that was bird droppings or if there was some kind of mold or something from the wetlands. Either way it added to the aura of the forest.
The services that the ecosystem provided are so important to life, the maintenance of fresh water and decomposition of waste that helped to preserve the habitat. There was also some sort of pollination happening, I kept seeing these white fuzzy things, like the white things that come from dead dandelions when a child blows them off the stem, only these were bigger and floated around in the air. The ecosystem also provided services to humans in recreational, spiritual, and educational levels.
Conservation is the protection and preservation of natural resources, stewardship is the responsibility of overseeing the protection and preservation of those natural resources. Non-profit organizations play a role in this because they are inexpensive management, can get the community involved, can incorporate government assistance as needed, and can facilitate training and get out information in a more effective manner.
People that are interested in the preservation of nature can make a difference by raising awareness, recruiting more followers, and aggressively performing preservation activity. Civic engagement is important because everyone makes a difference but collectively people have more impact. The government's impact would be support through protection from developers, funding opportunities for restoration of the wetlands, and legislation upholding the preservation of our natural resource and the endangered species therein.
The motivation to preserve Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is the preservation of natural habitat. It is untouched and wild. To bulldoze the sanctuary would be destroying the habitat of the wildlife and flora, and one which we, humans, count on for recreational and educational self-promotion.
The swamp provided a habitat for snakes (one of my pictures was of holes in the ground, I assumed that it was snakes, but I suppose it could have been rats or another type of burrowing animal), insects ( I saw many butterflies, more there than during the FGCU trip, which makes me think that the wetland is more to their liking), birds (like I said it was incredible, the number of different bird sounds, just incredible), gators (although I didn't see one, they may be more present during rainy season), and a variety of different species of plants and trees. The forest was another awesome part of the walk, first because I wasn't aware that forest was so dense in the wetlands, but also the sheer age of them! The boardwalk had white spots all over it in the forest, I didn't know if that was bird droppings or if there was some kind of mold or something from the wetlands. Either way it added to the aura of the forest.
The services that the ecosystem provided are so important to life, the maintenance of fresh water and decomposition of waste that helped to preserve the habitat. There was also some sort of pollination happening, I kept seeing these white fuzzy things, like the white things that come from dead dandelions when a child blows them off the stem, only these were bigger and floated around in the air. The ecosystem also provided services to humans in recreational, spiritual, and educational levels.
Conservation is the protection and preservation of natural resources, stewardship is the responsibility of overseeing the protection and preservation of those natural resources. Non-profit organizations play a role in this because they are inexpensive management, can get the community involved, can incorporate government assistance as needed, and can facilitate training and get out information in a more effective manner.
People that are interested in the preservation of nature can make a difference by raising awareness, recruiting more followers, and aggressively performing preservation activity. Civic engagement is important because everyone makes a difference but collectively people have more impact. The government's impact would be support through protection from developers, funding opportunities for restoration of the wetlands, and legislation upholding the preservation of our natural resource and the endangered species therein.
The motivation to preserve Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is the preservation of natural habitat. It is untouched and wild. To bulldoze the sanctuary would be destroying the habitat of the wildlife and flora, and one which we, humans, count on for recreational and educational self-promotion.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
FGCU Walk
I went for my field trip to the campus of FGCU on January 18th. I walked the nature trail some, but I was alone on the trip and was a little nervous about being vulnerable to the elements. I used to spend a lot of time at a lake near my home, but since I have been urbanized I seem to have lost some of the bravery that I had in my youth. I decided to leave the trail when a grasshopper flew into my hair. Now, I'm not afraid of grasshoppers on a normal day, but since I was alone and in unfamiliar territory I got a little freaked out.
I think that the campus is a great site for eco-empowerment! The environment is raw and among the wetlands in south Florida, where better to encourage the importance of preserving our earth. According to the FGCU website, the 15 acres of solar panels reduced the dependence on Florida Power and Light by 18%. That is a great step toward the school being sustainable with the environment.
The campus is arranged in a circle all in the middle with the outlaying areas mostly remaining untouched. The campus has water and small lakes dotted throughout but the wilderness of the property surrounds the campus. The on-campus student housing is at opposite ends one with a lakefront, and the other in a more pristine setting. It is a beautiful area all around.
There was a lot of controversy over the university being built on the land. Manasota 88, a local environmental group, protested, arguing that the that the land would challenge the panther population and shouldn't be used. The legal dispute set back the start of the development, but the community and university leaders won in the end and an agreement was approved in 1995.
I think that the campus is a great site for eco-empowerment! The environment is raw and among the wetlands in south Florida, where better to encourage the importance of preserving our earth. According to the FGCU website, the 15 acres of solar panels reduced the dependence on Florida Power and Light by 18%. That is a great step toward the school being sustainable with the environment.
The campus is arranged in a circle all in the middle with the outlaying areas mostly remaining untouched. The campus has water and small lakes dotted throughout but the wilderness of the property surrounds the campus. The on-campus student housing is at opposite ends one with a lakefront, and the other in a more pristine setting. It is a beautiful area all around.
There was a lot of controversy over the university being built on the land. Manasota 88, a local environmental group, protested, arguing that the that the land would challenge the panther population and shouldn't be used. The legal dispute set back the start of the development, but the community and university leaders won in the end and an agreement was approved in 1995.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Colloquium
I hope to learn more about the environment and ways to act locally to be more environmentally friendly. I hope to learn more about stewardship with the land, the sea, and the atmosphere.
Sustainability is keeping the human race at a capacity in which the earth can support us for generations to come. We have to maintain populations (be careful not to grow our populations too much), be conscious of the resources that we use-try to not take more than we need, and beware of the footprint we leave behind.
I am in the field of criminal justice. I wish I had gone to school for what I wanted to do (meteorology) but I was employed in the field of criminal justice and thought I could get ahead in a field I am already in by getting a degree in criminal justice. Well, that didn't work as I got laid off in July! Environmental friendliness can be integrated into the criminal justice field though. The Department of Juvenile Justice is working hard to become paperless and maintain all of their records online. That is a definite BIG step in the right direction for them! In the program that I worked in they captured rainwater to use for irrigation, were working on installing solar panels, and were teaching the youth environmental awareness and going green.
I remember when I worked in New York and recycling had just become a big thing. I was working in catering and the old guy that I worked for said, "I don't understand why we are doing all this extra work, we didn't have to recycle when I was young." Yep, he needed to retire, the catering world would be a better place without him. So many people don't understand the importance of recycling, reusing, and reducing! They think that the earth is big enough to handle their little "spills", or the attitude that no one will know I have taken more than my share of fish, or overkill on deer, etc. These are the attitudes that need to change to ensure sustainability.
Sustainability is keeping the human race at a capacity in which the earth can support us for generations to come. We have to maintain populations (be careful not to grow our populations too much), be conscious of the resources that we use-try to not take more than we need, and beware of the footprint we leave behind.
I am in the field of criminal justice. I wish I had gone to school for what I wanted to do (meteorology) but I was employed in the field of criminal justice and thought I could get ahead in a field I am already in by getting a degree in criminal justice. Well, that didn't work as I got laid off in July! Environmental friendliness can be integrated into the criminal justice field though. The Department of Juvenile Justice is working hard to become paperless and maintain all of their records online. That is a definite BIG step in the right direction for them! In the program that I worked in they captured rainwater to use for irrigation, were working on installing solar panels, and were teaching the youth environmental awareness and going green.
I remember when I worked in New York and recycling had just become a big thing. I was working in catering and the old guy that I worked for said, "I don't understand why we are doing all this extra work, we didn't have to recycle when I was young." Yep, he needed to retire, the catering world would be a better place without him. So many people don't understand the importance of recycling, reusing, and reducing! They think that the earth is big enough to handle their little "spills", or the attitude that no one will know I have taken more than my share of fish, or overkill on deer, etc. These are the attitudes that need to change to ensure sustainability.
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