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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