carefortheplanet-blog

[carefortheplanet-blog]

According to Robertson, “social marketing is the application of marketing principles to support social change for the well-being of individuals and communities.” She mentions social marketing in such a positive light and I wonder if most of us have lost that perspective. There was mention of how social marketing can be used to influence people in a healthy and positive way and I have to agree that it should be use more for that purpose. I began to question myself and the type of content I’m sharing with my family and friends and perhaps now I can start to post more educational content. The use of social media platforms is such a powerful tool and even more so now a days because much of our world is based on technology.

Robertson also states, “people who choose to work in the service of a more sustainable world are change agents.” She is right in saying this because the level of responsibility and consideration that goes into fulfilling the job requirements is very high. From what I’ve learned throughout the course, I now know there is much to consider when trying to make changes towards a sustainable future and this not only includes social aspects but also economic, environmental, and mental. I firmly believe more change agents are on board and more people are looking to place emphasis on sustainability because they are realizing the dire need for action.

According to Robertson, “we humans are networked, social animals, motivated by the behavior of others.” This again goes back to the first quote mentioned by Robertson and how we have the power to create positive change in the world. We in fact have the power to influence others into behaving the way we do and why not show more of the great things we can accomplish in order to encourage others to do the same. I believe if more of us acted like the role models we should be, we can start by giving a great example to children. Influencing children to care about the well-being of the environment is a great place to start because they will continue to care for it long after we are gone and they will do the same with their kids.

Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://makeawebsitehub.com/social-media-sites/

https://starofmysore.com/relegated-role-models/

https://africanparadiseworld.com/2017/12/08/role-model-of-your-life/

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According to Robertson, “organizations decide to move toward sustainability for a variety of reasons; many involve either avoiding risk or gaining benefits.” Upon reading her statement I began to question why the motive, for the most part, is for selfish reasons on company ends. Instead of the reasons being mainly to avoid risk or gain benefits, how about making changes because its right not only for business but ultimately for the planet as well. If only more change was implemented to improve the health of the planet and not to save money or to avoid fines as she also mentioned.

Robertson states, “the ability of our species to survive and thrive will depend upon expanded and diverse knowledge and skills, with whole new approaches to thought and action.” The content that has been presented throughout the course has left me feeling more equip to take action and I’m endlessly thankful for the ways in which the course has made me more environmentally aware. Knowledge has become a beacon of power to create positive change and I’ve also come to realize that education is so important in making others about to make the right choices not only for themselves but for the planet, too. Through education in our course I am able to be more aware of how much waste I’m producing, how to recycle properly, and how to spread awareness on a variety of environmental topics.

Robertson also states, “the ability of our species to survive and thrive will depend upon expanded and diverse knowledge and skills, with whole new approaches to thought and action.” Again, we are brought back to how essential education is and how being well informed on what issues are going on in the world and more importantly, how to fix them, can change the world for the better. The spreading of awareness seems to be such a powerful tool to create change and this is because we can all spread a message to one another. Simply making others consider topics is enough to create a domino effect and I believe more of us need to try to do that.

Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://ed.stanford.edu/news/new-stanford-education-study-shows-where-boys-and-girls-do-better-math-english

https://nwlc.org/blog/we-owe-our-teachers-more/

https://www.panorama-consulting.com/five-ways-to-create-an-effective-and-efficient-organization/

[carefortheplanet-blog]

According to Robertson, “modern manufacturing of products gets most of its materials from the lithosphere in the form of fossil fuels, stone, and metals, which are mixed and recombined, sometimes becoming toxic. The materials are used briefly and then spread out across the planet in small amounts where they cannot be retrieved.” Upon reading this statement by Robertson I began to consider what our country is doing to manufacture modernly and it is draining fossil fuels at an alarming rate. I truly believe we should consider the toxicity we are creating in the atmosphere out of manufacturing our needs and desires. There should be a focus in controlling the amount of toxicity we produce because at the end of the day we are only harming ourselves in depleting fossil fuels, stone, and metals and polluting our air and water.

Robertson states, “the idea of waste is a human construct. In other parts of the biosphere, matter moves in continuous cycles and waste from one organism is food for another, but in the industrial model of the world the movement is linear.” I sincerely believe we keep having the wrong conversations and we instantaneously put “plastic” into a negative category. We are the ones that have to get better at disposing of recyclables because often times we do not decontaminate recyclable items or put them in the appropriate place. It is not the plastic that is the problem, it is the people disposing of plastic that is the problem. Also, after touring Covanta we learned that people need to become better at recycling and I even caught on to mistake I was making with recycling. I had no idea that putting all of my recyclables into a plastic bag would then make them garbage and I instantly changed that when I got back home. I’m thankful we took that tour as our last trip as a class because I learned so much about properly disposing of recyclables and waste.

According to Robertson, “in most regions the majority of municipal solid waste is sent to landfills, and the remaining amount is incinerated.” After visiting Covanta, I was amazed to realize that much of our waste in Lee County is incinerated and powers an incredible amount of homes in our community. I thought this was an excellent way to use our waste and convert it into energy. Some of the energy is also sold on the open market which is great because we are not only powering homes in the community but all around the world too. The trip to Covanta was my second favorite because we got to see tons of waste being brought in and that truly put things into perspective for me. Standing there I began to consider how much waste I produce and how I can reduce that amount and begin to recycle more efficiently.

Photo Sources:

http://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/tackling_increasing_plastic_waste.html

https://english.hi.is/university/recycling_what_to_put_where 

http://www.smartshanghai.com/articles/activities/how-to-recycle-in-shanghai

Text Sources:

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

[carefortheplanet-blog]

Robertson states, “every living animal take in food, metabolizes it to extract energy and nutrients, and discharges wastes. Perhaps nothing is more essential than food to the survival of every living organism, including us.” I often wonder about the quality of the food that I’m consuming and hope it’s more often than not a healthy choice. Since starting this course I began to become more aware about the foods I was choosing, as well as many choices that affect the environment in tremendous ways. I now view the human body similar to a vehicle and food and nutrition as the gasoline that goes into the vehicle. It is important to choose the right foods and ensure you’re getting all the right nutrients because it is a great way to prevent many health problems.

According to Robertson, “for around 20,000 years, humans lived by gathering and hunting for their food.” Humans no longer have to hunt for their food and gather because there are other ways of getting food right now. There’s research on humans living well on plant based diets and in some cases, have cured health conditions and I would like to be open to giving that a try. Maybe even finding a balance between indulging in delicious foods and plant based foods. Since we have discovered that the human body can sustain itself with a plant based or vegan diet and know we do not necessarily need animal products to survive, then why don’t more of us make more vegan choices in our days?

Robertson also states, “large scale producers who rely on long-distance shipping choose varieties for their ability to withstand harvesting equipment and 1 to 2 weeks of travel time rather than for flavor or nutritional value.” This part of the reading made me think of when resources run out and if we will be able to get food to places all over the world. We rely so much on transportation and the resources required to power cars, planes, and trains. I hope more companies invest in renewable energy research to be able to power some modes of transportation. We need to make a change because while we do not have those problems right now, we will eventually have to face them.

Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://www.pakmail.com/truck-freight

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/panel_of_the_lions.php

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/heart-healthy-foods/

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According to Robertson, “a green building follows examples of living things in nature. It uses free sources of energy and water that are available around it, particularly sunlight, wind, and rain.” When I came across this section I thought a lot about a green building we have at FGCU, Seilder Hall, which has a LEED Certification. I believe this hall has been platinum certified and it is amazing to know that the university has taken the measures necessary to make other buildings “green” as well. A few also include: Marieb Hall, Osprey Hall, and Eagle Hall. My personal favorite is Seidler Hall because it has a beach atmosphere inside and offers an increase in water efficiency and saves a considerable amount of energy. I initially learned about this building when I did my orientation as a freshman but learned much more about it when we did our campus tour.

Robertson also states, “green design results in buildings that have different appearances in different regions. A building suited to hot desert climates, where the primary strategies are ventilation, night cooling, and thermal mass, will have one look. It is important to consider which aspects are necessary depending on the region the building will be constructed. Considerations may include window size and whether or not to use thermal mass. She explains how thermal mass is best used in hot locations and this is what makes me wonder what considerations FGCU had to keep in mind when putting together it’s green buildings. I do remember our guide for the campus tour saying that the university put up a green tint on the windows to keep the buildings cooler inside.

Robertson also states, “one of the features of green design is that its solutions address many goals simultaneously.” I was immensely pleased to hear the features of green design address energy and water use reduction, the protection of natural resources, and so on. I believe that if more companies would transition their building to having green design then in the long run they would see a massive financial savings. They would then not have to worry about running through resources like crazy because they will have that area regulated to reduce costs. Even if companies implemented small portions of green design they would help save the planet and also save themselves some money.

Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/green-workplaces.aspx

http://faculty.fgcu.edu/gboyce/

http://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/thermal-mass/

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According to Robertson, “we will eventually run out of this nonrenewable resource, and before that happens we will be forced to make changes to our lifestyles to prevent runway climate change. But in terms of energy and cost, nothing else can match petroleum.” I had not considered what we as humans would do if petroleum ran out but in thinking about it, it seems like the smallest issue that arises. Many of us like the luxury of being able to drive freely but we do not think twice about how we are draining this resource at an alarming rate. One day we will need that resource to be able to transport food and water and we won’t be able to because we will struggle to find it. This is precisely why we need to make several changes to our lifestyles. I believe a step in the right direction would be to share rides or carpool more often, that way two or more than two people are not consuming more of this resource unnecessarily. I have always found it odd to have others drive individually when a group of people are meeting in the same place. I also now begin to consider the kind of impact companies like Uber and Lyft are having on the depletion of this resource. I have been seeing an increase in drivers for those companies and even several friends of mine have chosen to do that as a side job.

Robertson stated, “energy efficiency is the lowest-cost alternative to fossil fuels and the easiest to accomplish; saving fuel is a lot cheaper than buying.” When I came across this statement I could not help but wonder if some organizations use energy efficiency primarily because it saves money. I do not think this should be the driving force for implementing this low-cost alternative. While it is still a positive action, I believe it is done for the wrong reasons. As humans, we want to save money but not the planet and this to me seems backwards because without the planet we cannot have a place to make money or use the money we make. As for the companies that hire sustainability coordinators, I believe their hearts are in the right place because they take the measures necessary to implement sustainability into buildings such as schools. Over the years, I’ve seen schools such as Estero High use solar panels to power certain projects and areas of the campus. Florida Gulf Coast University also has its own 15 acre solar field. This is a great way to use the sun as a source of energy to power buildings and I am immensely proud to have graduated from Estero High and to be an attending student at FGCU.

According to Robertson, “modern society has massive amounts of infrastructure and technology all build around fossil fuels.” She goes on to discuss a possible economic collapse if humans were to transition to a new mode of energy. Unfortunately, we do live in a money world where it is needed to be able to live and thrive but I strongly believe the desire to have it in excess is the cause of massive fossil fuel depletions. If more of us were satisfied with having enough to live comfortably and by that, I mean in a reasonable living space with the appropriate amounts of material goods and resources such as food and water, we would be able to make our natural resources and fossil fuels last much longer. The fact that as humans we are dependent on the planet and many of its resources we should be giving back to the Earth and thanking it for all that it has given us.

 Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://www.carmudi.com.ph/journal/carmudis-guide-to-avoiding-the-headache-of-christmas-traffic-jams/

http://www.solaripedia.com/13/159/florida_gulf_coast_university’s_2mw_solar_field.html

https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/global-petroleum-survey-2015

[carefortheplanet-blog]

According to Robertson, “some observers argue that human population growth is the primary cause of the current mass extinction. They argue that if the human population lived within Earth’s carrying capacity there would be little to no habitat destruction, spread of invasive species, pollution, or over exploitation.” I would have to completely agree with her statement because the human population is responsible for the release of several invasive species which results in local extinctions. For example, Burmese pythons are native to South East Asia but they are found all over Florida because owners have released them into the wild. The release of these pythons has caused this invasive species to take over part of the ecosystem found in South Florida, specifically the Florida Everglades where they are often released. Python owners may not think anything of releasing a serpent into the wild because they assume there will not be any repercussions but they begin to consume small mammals at an alarming rate, causing a significant decline. While some may think that a decline in the population of small mammals isn’t anything to be concerned about, they are wrong because consequently this throws off the natural balance found in these already established ecosystems. Aside from the release of nonnative species, humans are also largely responsible for intentionally introducing nonnative plants because of their aesthetic appeal. We as humans seem to destroy valuable aspects of our ecosystems because we want to have exotic plants and animals in our possession. We must ask ourselves, is it worth it?

Roberson stated, “most of the living organisms and processes in an ecosystem are not visible to us. Thus the most effective way to preserve existing biodiversity is to protect not just species but entire ecosystems that are healthy and intact.” I had not considered the organisms we do not see but agree that they are just as important as the visible organisms. If as humans we focused on conservation and restoration we could improve the health of a variety of ecosystems. Robertson may be on to something important because I think that instead of selecting certain species to focus resources and energy on we can care for everything at once. If we were concerned with fixing the parts we have directly destroyed instead of ignoring them we could significantly reduce endangerment and extinction. By focusing on fixing, protecting, and caring for all species and their ecosystems we can collectively move in a positive direction and live more harmoniously.

According to Robertson, “pollution can be categorized by where it occurs: it can be air pollution, soil pollution, or water pollution.” I am especially amazed by this statement because all I see are three of the most valuable resources to not only the human population, but to all organisms of Earth. I cannot seem to wrap my head around why we have polluted these resources if we need them so desperately for survival. No amount of income is reason enough to continue polluting our planet but it seems to be the main reason why we continue to do so. The exhaust that emits from factories and industries largely pollutes the air we breathe and while this is known, there are little efforts being made to reduce this type of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon pollution. Industrial waste is also responsible for water pollution and while this is also known, companies still allow this to happen.

 Text Sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo Sources:

https://sciencing.com/list-water-pollutants-6309497.html

http://time.com/4375137/invasive-species-united-states/

https://www.earth.com/news/human-population-exploded-animation/

[carefortheplanet-blog]

According to Robertson, “extreme weather events such as prolonged heat waves are predicted to continue increasing in high intensity and frequency, with more crop failures, forest fires, and ecosystem damage.” Although this is a tremendously concerning fact, it is advantageous that we have this knowledge so we know the severity of climate change and the aspects that need tending to. By knowing the effects of these increasing incidents, we can therefore create awareness on a global scale. If crops fail it is not only the farmers that are economically affected by this, it is us as consumers too. Markets all over the world have less produce to sell and certain food items may become scarce. The families that live off what they grow will also be limited in nutrition and that could negatively impact their physical health. Often, we do not take topics seriously and refrain from acting on resolving major issues within those topics because we feel we are not going to be affected and it has nothing to do with us. As I have come to understand, we all share this planet and what affects one system, affects many more. We are all interconnected; plants, animals, humans, energy, and anything else under the sun. It is imperative we keep crop failures and further ecosystem damage from happening to ensure the survival of not only humans but all other forms of life, especially plants and animals.

Robertson mentions, “It is believed that sometime this century the Arctic Ocean will be entirely free of ice during the summer for the first time in about a million years. While this will have short-term economic benefits as new shipping lanes open up, it will have disastrous effects for some ecosystems and species such as polar bears.” I fear that although we know the consequences of climate change we will still not change our ways or take action to keep many of those consequences from being more severe. I fear this because the destruction of our planet is partly the fault of humans in the search for maximizing profits and if we see that shipping lanes open up we may start to look for the positives in what is occurring. Instead I feel it is just to care about the polar bears and protect their ecosystem. As I previously said we as humans may choose to not change or take action because well we are not polar bears and it is not our ecosystem which is at stake. We have the power to make a difference and keep extinction from happening by opening our eyes to the reality of the issue and caring about something other than ourselves for a change. We may not live in the Arctic, polar and glacial ice may not be our habitat, and our bodies do not require living in the temperatures present at these sites but we do have to be worried about rising sea level. We live on territories that could be potentially submerged if sea level were to raise high enough and that is where it becomes a direct problem for human beings. It should not be the only reason we choose to act or change because after all we have the capability to make great positive impacts on varying life forms completely aside from our own.

As stated by Robertson, “the combination of overpopulation, overconsumption, and uneven distribution of available water had led to a number of problems involving water. The most visible is water scarcity.” She brings up excellent points which I had not previously considered. For example, uneven water distribution, I had not thought about the distribution aspect of water and begin to think about the amount that is used for enjoyment. Such as having water parks, music festivals, etc. Water parks and music festivals are not a human necessity but still account for using hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and in my opinion that amount of water can seriously benefit other aspects of life. Bringing in clean water to parts of the world that do not have access is much more important than playing in water for mindless pleasure. The part she mentions about overconsumption can be understood by in the ways we use more water than can be replaced and that causes scarcity. There was also mention of scarcity increasing competition between people and this is yet another brilliant point I am glad to have now considered. Competition is typically associated with conflict and that is what I imagine would happen between people and even countries collectively. The extent to which conflict would progress at that point is unimaginable but I am sure it would get to a physical level where people are hurting each other to get what they want. Something as simple as water.

Text sources:

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photograph Sources:

Photo 1:

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/extreme-weather-tops-list-of-global-threats

Photo 2:

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-cryosphere.html

Photo 3:

https://flores.unu.edu/en/about/media/releases/call-for-water-professionals-to-fill-out-survey-on-water-quality-indicators.html

[carefortheplanet-blog]

According to Robertson, “the ways in which energy is transferred and matter is moved often make systems seem static and unchanging, but this is mostly appearance. Look a little deeper, and many networks of dynamic flows can be seen.” Following our campus field experience Tuesday, I must agree with Robertson’s observation because the transfers of energy and matter moved on our campus are ever changing. We will see changes among the waves of students that come in every year and even among the students that have been there for years. The way they choose to do something as simple as disposing of trash and recyclables directly impact the progress we have made to improve and increase sustainability on campus. Our guide for the trip mentioned something surprising about recycling on campus and how if more than fifteen percent is waste then the entire bag of recyclables is therefore considered waste. If students are conscious of this fact and try to avoid adding waste to the recyclables then we can, as a school, recycle much more.

Roberson also defined an ecosystem as, “a combination of living and nonliving parts, with each part playing an important role.” During our trip, I thought about the parts we as humans on campus play and the effects we may have on the animals that share the same space. As living parts who construct nonliving parts such as buildings, we must consider how much we expand and the effects we have on our nonhuman parts of the ecosystem. I considered this when we were on the bridge talking about the new building they are working on and have hopefully considered flooding concerns. I thought the creation of the food forest was brilliant and something not only beneficial for the students on campus but for the animals as well. I saw it as a wonderful habitat for snakes, bees, and birds to find shelter and nutrition.

Robertson stated that “what is needed is an equitable distribution of goods and food in the developing world and an adjustment to consumption patterns in the developed world, from a condition of excess consumption to a condition of adequate consumption.” Overconsumption seems to be an issue common in the United States and to the point where overconsumption turns into an over production of waste. Restaurants and supermarkets dispose of so much food every day and more so around holidays. Publix supermarkets, specifically their deli section, prepare all their deli meats for their subs and at the end of the day they throw away the meats that were not used. We all know those meats can be used the next day but they are not because if someone gets sick they can sue Publix for it. For their famous chicken tenders and rotisserie chicken, they are disposed of every four hours if not sold. There is a clear example of the way we waste food because we try to cater to our levels of consumption.

Text sources:

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Photo sources:

https://www.floridatrend.com/article/19156/a-grow-slower-plan-at-fgcu

https://sciencing.com/about-6325114-information-forest-ecosystem.html

https://www.globest.com/2018/03/21/publix-supermarkets-buys-9-retail-stores-in-fl-ga/?slreturn=20190423234530

[carefortheplanet-blog]

Many of the problems that get in the way of sustainability affect more than just a single species and by ignoring interconnected aspects, we would fail to offer true resolution and progression towards reaching sustainability. According to Robertson (2017), “we are a part of linked systems of humans and nature, so the study of sustainability goes beyond environmentalism.” While it may be easier to consider the humanistic aspects of sustainability and to primarily be concerned with ensuring our access to resources, it is also essential to take animals into consideration and their need for the same kinds of resources. Plants and animals are a crucial part of the system and should have the same value as humans and the conservation of natural resources. Robertson (2017) found “legal scholars look for ways to codify environmental ethics into law. One arena is animal rights law. For example, a team of animal law attorneys at the Animal Legal Defense Fund works to protect animals from abuse by filing civil lawsuits on their behalf.” I have noticed the presence of abuse among those who either do not have a voice or the means to have their voices heard and taken seriously. It is unfortunate that animal legal defense is needed in today’s society because I believe we are no longer at a point where it is necessary to treat animals as if they are only a means to fuel our survival. 

With the release of so many studies showing the success of people living healthfully off of plant based diets it is clear to see that we don’t need to consume animals to survive. I believe many of our issues with sustainability came up and worsened as a result of humans wanting to mass produce animal products. In order to produce many animal products and to raise animals for human consumption there needs to be the allocation of tons of resources such as food and water. The food and water that is used to sustain those animals could be instead used to feed and hydrate humans living in poverty and in turn less land would also be used up by those animals. There are people all over the world facing starvation and we have the resources to fix that but instead we use those resources to mass produce animal products so companies can make more money. The focus should not in achieving sustainability for the sake of keeping up our financial stability but instead for the sake of caring for the only home we have, the planet. The planet should be cared for because as humans we have the most power in making a difference and doing things right for the wellbeing of all beings that call Earth home. We have also been the ones to create the most problems for our environment and many of our ecosystems. According to Robertson (2017), “environmental justice works to address environmental inequalities, particularly among low-income people and people of color impacted by toxic pollution and unfair land use patterns.” 

Again, I come back to the point of money being a primary driving force of significant issues in sustainability. Toxic pollution and unfair land use patterns are of concern for low-income people and while this is also unfortunate, it is an important aspect of reaching sustainability because there needs to be equality. Trying to have equal living conditions for all beings on earth would cause the world to move in a positive direction. I am not saying that everyone needs to live in the same size homes and eat the same quality of food but at least the air they breathe should be clean. It is severely unfair that the low-income population suffers from more illnesses and diseases than others because of their living conditions. My only hope is that those voices will be heard or fought for as we learn more about sustainability and try to change the aspects that are hard to accept.

Text sources: 

Robertson, M. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice. New York, New York: Routledge. 

Photo sources:

https://web.sonoma.edu/campusrec/sustainable/

https://poetsandquants.com/2018/11/17/the-top-business-schools-for-sustainability/