Reflection

I believe that this class has changed my mind about the environment. Before this class I was very skeptical of global warming, especially due to the cold weather we had been experiencing. After learning about global warming and what it actually was my mind changed. On a personal level, I have been much more aware of my purchases. I own an aluminum drinking bottle instead of buying plastic bottles, but much of the time I leave it at home and end up buying bottled water. I have made a conscious effort to bring my own water bottle with me when I go places now. I have also become more aware of recycling, checking to make sure everything I throw away can not be recycled first. I have also caught myself lecturing my friends and family to make more environmentally friendly choices.

From an academic standpoint I have found that the progressive education style infused with the traditional style is very effective. We went on several field trips in the classroom allowing us to experience what we were being taught in the traditional style first hand. As an education major, I have learned that all students no matter their age have a falling off point during lectures where their attention span is shot. The field trips added a different twist to the class (this is the only college class I have had that takes you on field trips). This leads me to how this class has affected me in relationship to my major, and minor. I would like to be a high school American History teacher and this class has taught me the importance of progressive education as well as teaching students ecological history. I believe that ecological history can easily be infused into history lessons. For example, while studying the industrial revolution students can look at how the environment began to change, and how that affected the people. Progressive education is important for students and while I may not be able to take them on as many field trips as we went on in this class, I can definitely use more of a progressive standpoint while teaching. Shorter lectures, and more class discussion and group work.

I believe the high points of the class were the field trips and class discussions. The field trips really allowed us to experience nature first hand in relation to what we had been reading and talking about in class. I especially enjoyed the field trip to echo because not only does the organization practice environmentally friendly methods, but they teach people in developing countries. This helpspeople in poverty stricken areas as well as spreading the word about protecting our environment. I liked the class discussions because they allowed me to see other student's opinions and compare them with mine. I found that some of the concepts of global warming were quite difficult to understand because I am not very science savvy. I think that maybe looking at global warming from an elementary standpoint may have helped me understand better.

FGCU

I personally believe that FGCU is doing a very good job modeling sustainability. I believe that in the past two years FGCU has made a major effort to increase their sustainability cause. I know that my first two years at FGCU, I honestly did not even know that the school was considered a "sustainable or green" school. It was not until I took issues in science and tech that I realized the efforts of FGCU. I then started to notice certain aspects of sustainability. I am not sure if I was ignorant of it for my freshman and sophomore year or if it just was not as obvious.

FGCU models sustainability first and foremost through the immense solar field that was put in last year. While driving down Ben Hill Griffin road the field is in view. While doing my research for our presentation on the chapters I found that FGCU was one of two schools that had solar farms in the United States. FGCU also has trash compactors around campus as well as trash cans for recycling. Campus housing put in new recycling centers as well. I know as a freshman living on campus all trash went to the dumpster and that was it, there were no recycling centers. We learned in class that FGCU is part of a nature preserve program and in order to build on more land they must preserve more land elsewhere. While at times, this may be a hassle for the school, it is great for the preservation of the environment and a great model for other schools.

As silly as it may sound, FGCU also looks sustainable. The campus is built around swampy wetlands. The boardwalks to and from class not only make it a scenic walk but students are more in touch with nature here than other schools. For example, at FSU, UF, or UM campus is mainly a plethora of cement and brick buildings with not much nature. FGCU has strives to make the campus environmentally friendly and I think they do a great job. My friends are always amazed when they come to visit and they see the way our campus looks.

Overall, FGCU does a great job modeling sustainability. I believe that the colloquium class is important for all students to take so they know the importance of preserving and restoring our environment. I know many students complain about having to take the class but I believe ecological literacy is a must for all college students today. Education means power, and it is the only way things will change.

Downtown Field Trip

As a history major, I found the downtown field trip very interesting because there is so much history around downtown Fort Myers. I really liked the statue of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Firestone because it showed the important figures living and collaborating in Fort Myers. I also really like that there has been a major effort to maintain and restore the history of the city. Many of the buildings have been there for years, such as the Kress building. We learned that the awnings attached to many of the buildings are restored as well. Another building I found interesting was the postal office, I like that they kept the same building, and the sushi looked good!

The social and economic roles of downtown have gradually changed over time. In the early years the town was used for cattle ranching, which was very significant for the Confederates during the Civil war. The North used many blockades to cut off food supply to the South, so the cattle ranching industry in Ft. Myers was very influential. Slowly the town became a tourist industry after Henry Ford and Thomas Edison built their winter estates on the Caloosahatchee River. The city is still a place of tourism today, of course with most downtown areas, banking and business do prosper in the area.

The use of the Caloosahatchee River has definitely changed over the years. The river was basically a highway during the Civil War era and after until the automobile became a common use of transportation. Today the Caloosahatchee River is used mainly for leisure and fun. Today it is common to see boaters, jet skiers, and fishing on the river. Before, the city was ever established the Calusa Indians inhabited the area. Unfortunately, none of the Calusas are living today, there have been some theories that they migrated to Cuba but it is not proven.

Overall, Downtown Fort Myers, has much more of a historical record than I anticipated and i really enjoyed the field trip.

Poverty

This entry speaks to me because I have been involved in community efforts to help end poverty for most of my life. My family and church are big on helping out in our community and I have spent countless hours serving food to the homeless at the Cooperative Feeding Program in Fort. Lauderdale.

An impoverished area I have been to recently is the city of Immokalee. I am writing my senior history paper on Immokalee so I have spent a lot of time researching the area. When driving on Main Street in Immokalee you will see below sub standard housing, mostly of which consists of mobile homes that sometimes hold up to ten people at a time for ridiculous amounts of money. The buildings are mostly all in Spanish and are falling apart. When driving down Main Street there are many people walking around or riding bikes because most of the people who live there do not own automobiles. As you drive further down Main Street you will see the big Tomato Corporations that basically maniuplate and control the migrant population of Immokalee. It is sad that there are people who live in such poor standards, and work for long hours doing laborous work and yet they only make 45 cents for each 32 lb bucket they fill of tomatoes. This is happening in our backyard and yet many people choose to ignore it.

I believe there are many contributing factors to the conditions of Immokalee but I think one of the main reasons is the fact that many of Immokalee's residents are immigrants and they refuse to report abuse and wage gouging becuase they are scared they will be deported back to their countries. They are not aware of the United States' legal system. Corporations take advantage of their helplesness and it becomes a vicious cycle. I believe this is a very important crisis that should be taken more seriously but many people do not bleieve it is our job to help because of the fact that most Immokalee residents are immigrants. I believe it is a question of humanity. There have been many cases of involuntary servitude and abuse. Regardless if they are immigrants or not, it is ethically and morally wrong. The issues in Immokalee interlock with the major crisis of poverty in urban areas of the United States because they are all living under similar condtitions and engaging in low paying jobs.

I believe that hope and success are achievable for the Immokalee community if more people are educated on what is actually going on. The Coalition for Immokalee Workers have been very successful in aiding the migrant population with big wins over corporations like Yum Yum brands, McDonalds, Subway, Whole Foods, and Burger King. Although the money that was promised has not been passed on to the migrants because of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, the CIW is creating a sense of community among the workers and also bringing the issues in Immokalee to the public's attention.

Estero Bay Field Trip

I found the field trip to the Estero Bay Historic Cottage and the Matanzas Pass Preserve very interesting. As a history major, I was intrigued by the stories Jo had to tell because she was telling from memory. Pretty much everything she spoke about, she lived which puts the story into a different light than if she were merely reciting a history book. There was genuine emotion and opinion involved.

Matanzas Pass Preserve is surrounded by Fort Myers beach, which is industrialized and built up compared to the preserve. On the preserve we saw three kinds of magroves; red, black, and white. We saw crabs, and other wildlife. It was peaceful and calm on the boardwalk. Most beaches are tourist attractions, thus it is understandable that there are a plethora of hotels, restaurants, and shops. I think it is important that we preserve parts of our beaches, like the Matanzas Pass Preserve has. It has preserved the history, wildlife, and environment of what Ft. Myers Beach used to be like. For example, during Jo's talk she talked about the difference in trash that hurricanes brought in from then and now. Over time, the island has become much more of a tourist attraction, on a nice day in Fort Myers it may take over an hour to get to the Beach.

I believe that the Matanzas Pass Preserve and the Historic Cottage are sustainable and it teaches others about sustainability and its importance, but I do believe the rest of the beach could be much more environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, with a large group of people from all over, sustainability is not on the top of everybody's list which can make things hard. I believe, that the media coverage of the importance of our environment and sustaining it could make Fort Myers Beach much more sustainable in the future.

Corporate Ethics

Corporations run much of the world we live in, whether we are aware or not. I often do not think about the ethical standards of corporations. I shop at publix about once a week, I stop to get gas usually once a week as well. Corporations are important in my life because I am a consumer. I could shop at local grocery stores but to be quite honest, it is not convienient, I hope eventually my attitude will change. I have no choice but to buy gas, even if the prices are high because I need my car to get around.

Ethical standards within a business are very important for not only human beings but also the environment. The discussion on where things come from in class the other day really opened my eyes to how much time and effort is put in to transferring our everyday needs. For example, a carton of orange juice, I never realized how much is involved in producing orange juice and how bad it actually is for our environment. It is important that corporations take the incentive and start using energy efficient methods to produce goods. We live in a consumer based world, and unfortunately I do not believe that is something that will change. Thus, the way things are produced must involve better ethical standards.

I chose to look at the ethical standards of Chevron because I get gas there about once a week because it is close to where I live. Chevron's website states that they lead the future in biofuels and other renewables. Chevron claims "Our design standards for new capital projects require consideration of environmental aspects and resource conservation." The website lists a plethora of environmental causes such as a new project that would make water safer when drilling oil, projects that would minimize emissions, discharges, and waste at their current locations, and their support of biodiversity. Chevron's websites and commericials make it seem as though Chevron is quite environmentally friendly, doing everything in their power to help the environment. But after taking a closer look, Chevron is not so innocent. There is the destruction caused in Ecuador's Amazon Rainforst because of the Chevron company drilling. There have also been claims that Chevron promotes off shore drilling, and tapped into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

It seems that although big corporations may claim to be "green" and environmentally friendly, not all of them are. It is important that we look into the ehtical standards of the corporations we shop at, because although they may run much of our economy, we are the consumers, we can make a major difference if we come together.

24 Hours

Sunday, March 7th

When I woke up I had a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. I used my laptop to do homework. I drove my car to Publix to get a wrap with turkey, cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, and mayonnaise. My wrap was wrapped in wax paper and put in a plastic bag. I also bought a bottled iced tea. I drove my car to the beach, where I drank a beer out of a plastic cup. I threw away my trash in a trash can at the beach. I had a bite of a burrito from taco bell, and an apple empanada. The empanada and burrito came in paper wrapping and a plastic bag. I ate dinner which consisted of pork tenderloin, baked potato and broccoli. The pork came from Sams and the potatoes and broccoli came from Publix. The food came in plastic wrapping which my mom recycled. We ate on dishes that we put in the dishwasher and cleaned the pans that the food was prepared in. I then ate ice cream from publix that came in cardboard container. I ate the ice cream out of a bowl which I put in the dishwasher. I then woke up this morning and had coffee with cream and sugar again.

I had roughly 1268 calories, it is hard to tell with the home cooked meal.

ECHO Field Trip

I found the ECHO organization to be very interesting and effective. I like that they use the saying "give a man a fish he will eat for a day, teach him how to fish he will eat for the rest of his life." I think this is important for developing countries. I found our guide to be very informative and she seemed to really care and want to make a difference; something that is important in all non-profit organizations.

ECHO bases their food production off of sustainability and what is right for certain environments. For example, ECHO sends seed samples to certain parts of the world to make sure the plants will grow rather than have the people plant an immense amount of seeds only for the crop to go to waste. ECHO also stressed the importance of using the environment in which people live. For example, countries that get a lot of sunlight can create safe drinking water by placing it in the sun. For people who live in urban cities, they can grow crops on the roof where the sunlight hits the most. In countries where bamboo is native, it can be used to build houses and buildings due to its strong durability. Animals can also be important resources. For example, in developing countries one goat can be a very important resource. We also learned about the use of ducks and their waste to feed tilapia. The ECHO field trip allowed me to see the importance of using the resources available in our country as well as the importance of teaching developing countries how to farm in environmental standards.

There are a variety of organic food available at local markets. The Cape Coral Farmers Market offers not only a variety of vegetables but seafood and plants as well. Fresh Organics SWFL also offers organic produce and eggs.

My Carbon Footprint

If everyone in the world lived my lifestye, we would need 4.89 earths. I am below the country average when it comes to my carbon footprint, my food footprint, and goods and services. I am a little over when it comes to housing.

This is a big eye opener for me because I honestly thought it would be a lot lower. I guess you don't realize how much of what you do effects the earth. For example, shopping at supermarkets like Publix, Target, and Walmart contribute to our carbon footprint. It would be better if I shopped at local farm markets, or grew my own vegetables (something my mom does). Not to mention, shopping at local markets or growing my own vegetables would help me not contribute to the slave labor that takes place in many agricultural fields including Immokalee. Simple things such as unplugging appliances when they aren't in use can make a big difference as well. Recycling is also a very important part of my carbon footprint because although I do recycle when I am at my parents house I do not always do it at school or when I am out and about. I was a bit surprised that my housing was over the average because I do not live in an elaborately huge house, it is only one story and my dad even has a solar panel on the roof. I guess compared to the many below substandard houses in the world, my house would be considered huge to some.

I believe it all comes down to convenience. We want to do whatever is convenient for us, it is not always convenient to take the extra steps to unplug an appliance when we are in a hurry, or to take the extra steps to recycle something, or to drive a little further or spend a little more on vegetables that are locally grown. That is the sad thing about the culture we live in, we are so used to having things at our fingertips that taking those extra steps seem like a big deal, when in reality not taking them will be a much bigger deal. I hope that with taking this quiz and seeing how much I really do contribute to the environmental crisis I can change my ways and actually make a difference.

Cold Weather and Global Warming

The cold weather that has been setting records across the world has led many people to believe that global warming is just a hoax. How can the climate be warming when Florida has had one of the coldest winters in 60 years? According to news source, Voice of America, we must remember to distinguish between climate and weather. Secretary of the World Meteorological Organization, Michael Jarrud states the trend towards global warming is still there. There will be record setting temperatures every year, whether it be because of cold or warm weather, or storms. According to Deke Ardnt a scientist at the National Climatic Data Center states that the cold weather most of the world has been experiencing is due to "bending airflow." He stated "we basically have seen just a big outbreak of arctic air" in the MSNBC article Experts: Despite Cold Snap, Earth Still Warming. Air flows east and west between the Arctic and the Tropics and it acts as a fence to keep the arctic air confined, but this year the air was let loose because of a zigzg pattern. Michelle L'Heureux, a meteorologist at the Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that the zigzag pattern we have been experiencing is normal from time to time, but scientists are unsure as to why it is so strong this year. Although cold weather has been prominent this winter, Deke Ardnt reminds us that 2009 ranked in the top ten hottest years ever. The cold weather has ruined 70 percent of Florida's tomato crops, hurting growers and farmers, but more importantly, hurting the migrant workers who cant afford to miss work because of weather. It seems that everybody is ready for the warmer weather to come, I know I am, but we must not forget that global warming is still happening, and that we must start changing our ways.

Outdoors Log

I have found that I spend more time outside than I realized because of the sports I play. Most of my time spent outside was playing sports, or sitting around waiting for games to start. Since I started taking this class I have tried to be more aware of my environmental surroundings and enjoy the nature around me. I have found that it is hard for me to focus on nature during sports because there is so much else going on. During my service learning at Koreshan I was able to focus on the environment around me and enjoy it.

Outdoors Log

Monday - 20 minutes; walking to and from class.

Tuesday - 1 hour and 20 minutes; intramural soccer game and walking to and from class.

Wednesday - 5 hours and 20 minutes; service learning at Koreshan State Park, and walking to and from class.

Thursday - 2 hours and 20 minutes; intramural flag football game and walking to and from class.

Friday - 6 hours; flag football tournament at FGCU

Saturday - 6 hours; flag football tournament at FGCU

Sunday - 4 hours; flag football tournament at FGCU

In seven days I spent a total of 25 hours and 20 minutes outside. For my current lifestyle I feel that this is a good amount of time but I also realize that much of this time is not an every week occurrence. For example, I spent five hours at Koreshan for class, and i spent 16 hours playing in a flag football tournament which does not happen every week. I am going to try to be more aware of my time outdoors and try to spend more time outdoors.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

The field trip to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary provided me with first hand experience on how wetlands work and the variety of wildlife that live there. I enjoyed seeing the abundance of animals; alligators, raccoons, woodpeckers, ibis, and many more birds. There was also a variety of plant life;, cypresses, pine trees, mangroves, and sawgrass. I think my favorite part of the Big Cypress swamp was seeing all the different types of wildlife that inhabited the area. It's amazing that there are so many species of plant and animal life in the swamp. I never realized the beauty and importance of the wetlands. While i have been on air boat rides in the everglades, the sanctuary is different because it is silent, allowing you to really take everything in on another level. It makes me happy that we have preserves like the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary because it not only preserves the land and water but the life that inhabit it.

Wetlands like the everglades are very important because they are home to many different species of plants and animals. If we were to clear land to build on the everglades we would be displacing thousands of plant and animal life which would ultimately lead to endangerment and possibly extinction. Preserves like the sanctuary help manage water, especially storm water. This management of water helps protect and preserve water quality. Watersheds play a major role in wetlands like the sanctuary because they help divide the wetlands from other bodies of water. This helps with water quality. According to our book State of the World "with rapid growth in demand for water and with water scarcity looming in many countries watershed revegetation is now getting serious policy attention" (Sherr, Sthapit, 44). Therefore, preserves like the sanctuary help preserve wetlands and watersheds which will ultimately become a necessity for survival in our future. We must change our ways due to the changing climate, but we also must preserve what we already have.

Sustainability

I believe that the concept of sustainability in our environment is very important. In order to ensure a future we must all live sustainable lives to protect our environment. I am a history major and an education minor and I plan to teach either middle or high school. Although the environment and sustainable living is rarely a topic of discussion in my classes, I believe it may be something I can stress the importance of when I begin to teach. History is the study and analyzing of the past, thus we can use history to study the history of environment and sustainability among our ancestors. How did people live in 1850? Did they recycle?

Sustainability within my personal lifestyle is important but unfortunately it is not something I am constantly aware of. I do make an effort to use the three rs, I do use the "green" bags that many stores are now providing instead of plastic, I recycle glass, plastic, and paper, and I always pick up after myself. Sustainable living is something that I know is important and I attempt to live sustainably but I also know that I do not put in as much effort as I should.

I believe that the concept of sustainability in university education is very important. As college students, we are the future. Learning about the environment and the importance of its protection allows us to start living that way but also allows us to spread the word. I believe it is especially important for students going into the field of education. I can honestly say that before attending FGCU I did not know much about the environment and what can happen if we continue to live the way we do. My science and technology class opened my eyes to the plethora of environmental issues we face. There are so many environmental issues that need to be addressed and I believe that is the duty of university education to make sure students know what lies ahead if we do not change our ways.

My Favorite Spot on Campus

I have attended Florida Gulf Coast University for all four years of my college experience. I have enjoyed the wildlife, the lakes, and the forests that cover a significant amount of the campus. I had to really think about this entry...I have not really thought about my favorite spot. After much thinking on the topic I decided that my favorite spot on campus is on the rec/intramural fields when the sun is setting. I have played intramural sports all four years of school and when I am out there and the sun is setting, the school creates a beautiful backdrop.

Since the sun is setting you can faintly see the lights on in the library. The trees in the background make a pretty scene, almost like a painting. I think what completes the scene though is the fountain in the lake that is in front of the library. Whenever I am on the fields playing or warming up for a game I always stop and pause to watch the sunset, it always gives me a peaceful calm to see the red, pink, purple, and blue colors setting right over one of the most beautiful parts of campus. Even when there are a lot of people on the fields, and there are football games going on in every direction, the sunset drowns everything out and makes it seems as if I am the only person on the field. The picture below is not the same angle from which you see the sunset from the intramural fields ( here you cannot see the fountain) but it is very similar.

Expectations for Class

I have heard a lot of things about this class....some good, and some bad. After taking issues in science and technology last year with Dr. Demers, I was somewhat excited to take the colloquium course. We discussed the environmental problems we face in great detail in that class...in a way preparing me for colloquium.

I hope to learn about the environmental problems we face and how we can prevent/fix them. I know there are simple tasks such as recycling, unplugging things not in use, and using recyclable grocery bags but I also know there is more and I am excited to learn about how I can make a difference. I expect to to engage in discussions about the environment that can enlighten and challenge opinions.

I am also looking forward to the field trips. I have heard horror stories of walking through the water and muck, but I feel that these field trips will allow me to better appreciate nature and the environment around me.

All in all I expect to learn how to live a sustainable life, and have a better understanding and appreciation for the environment. As I said before I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions in my science and tech course and I believe that colloquium will further my knowledge of the importance of protecting our environment.