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Blog: Waste

1. Chapter 14: Waste and Recycling

The first line that stood out to me was, “The fibers in paper break down and shorten each time they are reprocessed, so paper cannot be recycled indefinitely” (Robertson 2017, p. 279). This line surprised me more than anything because I did not know or never thought about the breakdown process of the paper and thought this was a very cool fact to learn. I always knew that paper was recycled and reused but never thought about paper’s lifespan or the number of times it can be recycled before it is not useful anymore. This sentence also made me think more about how much paper do I really recycle and how much do I just waste and throw away. I want to start trying to recycle paper and anything that is recyclable more often because It is such a waste to just throw it away. Paper is made by trees being cut down and the more paper we waste by not recycling the more trees we have to cut down is not completely necessary.

I found this picture that explains the lifespan of paper money that I thought was very interesting.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/410953534727076433/

2. Chapter 11: The Population Myth

The second line that I found interesting was, “... There is a strong correlation between global warming and wealth (Jackson et al., 2018, p.104). I find this really hard to wrap my head around but can also understand some of the viewpoints and what they are trying to say. Wealthier people have the money to spend on more fuel and can afford to use more electricity than the average person. However, I do not believe that global warming is making wealthier people gain more wealth like a lot of news articles are talking about. For example, here is a link to a news article explaining how global warming is causing the rich to get richer: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190502-how-global-warming-has-made-the-rich-richer.

I do believe that the rich can help stop global warming from getting worse by using their money towards it. They can afford an energy-efficient heater, A/C, water, and electricity which helps would help the average of their carbon footprints which helps global warming in general.

3. Waste Journal:

The first thing Im going to say is that I am really bad at recycling because my house does not have a recycling bin inside the house so I do not recycle paper or anything but I do recycle water bottles and amazon delivery packages when I take them outside to throw them away in the big recycle bin that gets taken to the road. I am also hardly ever home and pack my lunch when I go places in glass containers that are reusable so I really do not use a lot of items that are recyclable. On day one I meal prep for my week so I had a lot more waste to throw away than the rest of the week. I also eat the exact same thing every single day so it is very repetitive and did my best to remember when all I threw away that day but I have busy days and can’t remember every little thing. I feel like I don’t have that much trash that I throw away because I eat such a consistent meal plan and my daily routine is the same every day and do not have a lot of time to even create that much trash.

References:

- Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

- Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

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Blog: Climate

1. Chapter 5: Climate

- The first line that stood out to me was, “ Temperatures are rising more than twice as fast over land as over the oceans”(Robertson, 2017, p. 68). I have always known that the Earth was getting warmer and that people are complaining about global warming, but did not know that it was twice as high on land than over oceans. It is common though, that when you go to the beaches the temperature is always a few degrees colder due to the wind and the water, but for it, land to be twice as high as oceans is a bit concerning. I really hope that we find a way to stop global warming before it destroys to the point of no return. I know that global warming is affecting those animals and their habitats to where they are having to adapt, move or go extinct because of it, but if we could help prevent that from happening then that would be good. I have a few ideas of why the temperatures are rising on land but did not know a lot of the reasons, so I found a website that talks about how scientists say humans are responsible for global warming Here’s the website link: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/03/causes-of-global-warming/

2. Chapter 5: Climate

- The second line that stood out to me was,” 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. (Robertson, 2017, p.75 ). My first thought when reading this was “I find this really hard to believe”, but in the back of my mind, I expected it to happen. I have also watched a lot of documentaries about global warming and the effects on the Arctic Ocean and the polar bears. The text goes on to mention how there will be some positive benefits from this happening for our economy but not the ecosystems. This gives me mixed feelings because I have such a big heart for the animals and I know it hurts them, but the economy has a big part in my life too. I just wish global warming had only good benefits or did not affect the polar bears as much as it does. Having the ice melt does make it safer for boat passaging through which is a nice benefit but Im still conflicted because of the polar bears.

3. Carbon Footprint

- Since my results stated that I was 17% better than the average person, I was very relieved. I try my hardest to be very cautious turning off lights and doing the best I can while living in someone else’s home, but it still is hard because I can’t control what they purchase for their home regarding the bigger items like tankless water heaters and electricity. I did like how they gave me ways that I could reduce my impact and a lot of them I already do but it was interesting to see all the ways they think is best for reducing my carbon intake regarding housing. For transportation, I knew that I would have a smaller carbon impact than the average person because I do not drive as much as most but my vehicle is a truck so it is not as fuel-efficient. For shopping, I already eat a pretty low carbon diet because I eat really healthy and try to stay away from too much red meat and dairy. I eat mostly chicken and vegetables and that is exactly what the results said is best for a smaller footprint. Overall, I was impressed with how well I did on this carbon footprint activity, but it also gave me a lot of input and ideas on what I want to do when I get my own house to help the environment.

References:

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog: Livable Cities

1. Chapter 11: Livable Cities

- The first line that stood out to me was, “ Transportation consumes 26 percent of the world’s energy produced and is responsible for 23 percent of the world energy-related greenhouse gas emissions”(Robertson, 2017). 26 percent seems like an excessive amount just for transportation. Now, I know we have a lot of people in the world who drive vehicles and since the world’s population will continue to grow it will just get worse. We are trying to switch over or create more energy-efficient cars but im not sure how well these vehicles help the amount of energy consumed by vehicles. I hope that the new teslas are helping with the energy issue but teslas do need to be plugged in which takes up electrical energy from homes or local stations that provide tesla charging. I hope we can find a way to cut down the percentage of energy being used from transportation because we are supposed to be only using 50% less than we are now in order to stabilize the global climate. 

2. Chapter 11: Livable Cities

- The second line that stood out to me was, “Planners talk about the importance of providing “third places,” spaces that are neither home nor work, but that provide places to gather informally, develop trust, and form associations” (Robertson, 2017, p. 217). I absolutely love this idea and think that it would bring our communities together instead of living for ourselves. I have been to places like farmers’ markets and find the atmosphere to be so fun and inviting and the people are so friendly. It really makes you aware of the good that the world has to offer. Obviously right now it is a bit harder to have these types of places because of covid and the restrictions it brought to our society, but in the near future, hopefully, this is something that can be implemented into all communities. These type of places remind of Paris from movies or shows that I have watched and it makes me feel like it brings joy and good memories to those who live in places like that. I think it would be an amazing way to build communities if third places were more common throughout our country. 

3. Chapter 4: Even breathing is a risk...

- The third line that stood out to me was, “The child poverty rate in Parramore is 73 percent and the median annual household income is $13,613” (Jackson, 2018). I grew up right near Orlando about less than an hour north of it actually, and have never heard of Parramore but knew that there were poorer neighborhoods in Orlando that were struggling. I hate how this particular neighborhood has been struggling with their air pollution inside the apartments and outside for as long as they have. It is very common for those to struggle financially, those of all races and cultures do, but to be forced or helpless living in a city or neighborhood where your health is affected this bad is something that should be fixed. Financially there are ways to increase your income by yourself, like finding a better job, but there is basically nothing you can do when it comes to air pollution except the officials who are in charge of making sure the cities air is healthy. I really hope this issue is resolved sooner than later and that air quality is taken seriously in the future.

I found a article that talks more about “ People of Color and the Poor Disproportionately Exposed to Air Pollution, Study Finds” that I found interesting. https://www.calhealthreport.org/2019/02/08/people-of-color-and-the-poor-disproportionately-exposed-to-air-pollution-study-finds/

References:

- Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00 - Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

- Cafe: https://www.parisperfect.com/blog/2019/04/cafe-terraces-in-paris/

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Blog: Food Part 2

1. Chapter 9: "Bang Your Head Against The Wall Long Enough"

- The first line that stood out to me was, “There was never any evidence connecting the boys to the alleged rape…” (Jasckson, 2018, p 84). This quote is regarding the Groveland case where 4 boys were charged with gang rape of a white newly married woman. Now the book does not really tell much more about this case except that it was African American boys who were charged but no evidence and that two of these boys were most likely not even in town. There are two reasons this situation can bother me. First is, if this did actually happen and this poor girl was raped and had no way to prove that these guys did so make me feel awful for her and for the girls who this happens to still to this day. The other reason is that I also do not like when women use their gender to place fake allegations against innocent men because they want something out of it like money or attention. I do not believe in lying about a situation because it will benefit you but forever harm the other person. These types of things happen all the time and it is sickening to see what people will do for a little fame or for a small feeling of pleasure.

- Here is a website I found that discussed more about the sexual assault statistics from 1990 to 2019. https://www.statista.com/statistics/191137/reported-forcible-rape-cases-in-the-usa-since-1990/

2. Chapter 9: "Bang Your Head Against The Wall Long Enough"

- The second line that stood out to me was, “ By the late 1990s and early 2000s, attention began to turn to the United States, but the focus was largely on the sex trade…” (Jackson, 2018, p 85). I was born in 1999, so I wasn’t born yet or was just born when this started to become a big topic of discussion. I also did not hear much about it when I was in grade school, but as soon as I went to FGCU I heard a lot more about sex trafficking and how common it is. Apparently, sex trafficking is very common in Naples and South Florida which I did not know until I already moved to FGCU. It really did upset me when I heard several cases near FGCU where college girls were almost kidnapped by cars driving by. One, in particular, happened right in my apartment complex where a car tried to take a girl walking to her room but thankfully got away. The next couple of weeks there was a policeman in the parking lot at night making sure they didn’t come back. I really fear for my future children that sex trafficking is still going to be common and I wish there were ways to stop this but I am not sure the way to even go about it except educate people about it. Overall, I wish there weren’t nasty people in the world who think it is enjoyable to participate in such awful things.

- Here is an article about parents wanting to protect their children from human trafficking in SWFL. https://www.winknews.com/2021/02/09/parents-want-to-protect-their-kids-form-human-trafficking-in-swfl/

3. Chapter 9: "Bang Your Head Against The Wall Long Enough"

- The third line that I found interesting was, “These workers needed to make something closer to $16,000 to $17,000 a year to live…” (Jackson, 2018, p 89). My first reaction to this statement was “No one could live off of that little amount of money” but then I started to think about how well off Americans to this day and how different times are. People now are not happy with $60,000 a year because the price has gone up on everything. Food, housing, leisure activities, gas, cars have gone up in money in just the last decade. When I have conversations with my parents or grandparents they will tell me stories about how much they spent at a grocery store or how much gas cost them and it always shocks me. Right now we are in an awful situation where gas prices are up almost a whole dollar amount. I can't imagine what prices will be in the next decade or so.

- Here is a website that shows the median annual income by level of education from 1990 to 2010. I found this to be a pretty interesting chart. https://www.infoplease.com/business/economy/median-annual-income-level-education-1990-2010

References:

- Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

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Blog: Food

1. Chapter 12: Food

- The first line I found interesting was,” Animals in these facilities live miserable lives” (Roberston, 2017, p 226). I have stated before that I am an animal lover and watching videos or reading articles about farms being exposed of mistreating their animals infuriates me. I know humans are viewed as ones who are more entitled to this world and what it has to offer/produces, but that does not mean we should harm animals who are providing food for us. The least the farmers could do is to treat the farm animals respectfully and have them live the best lives they can since they don’t live the longest lives in general. There have been several dairy products that have been exposed and proved that they were treated their animals horribly and were only being used for what they were producing. After hearing these claims I completely boycott those brands and do not give them my business because I do not agree with what they do and how they treat their animals. I hope more farms and businesses start treating their animals with respect and give them decent lives since they are only alive to give us food. 

- I have found a website that is about creating a more humane world for farm animals. I love what they are about and hope more companies try to create a better life for farm animals. The website is: https://www.aspca.org/shopwithyourheart/business-and-farmer-resources/companies-committed-improving-animal-welfare

2. Chapter 12: Food

- The second line I found interesting was, “Researchers do not yet know whether sugar can lead to true physical addiction or whether it is simply a feature of preference” (Roberson, 2017, p 228). I personally can see both sides to this matter. I know people who do not care for chocolate or really anything sweet and I don’t know if this is just a preference or if they don’t have a “sweet tooth”. I however love chocolate and like to have some every day. I don’t really know if I would consider myself addicted to it but I sure do love eating sweets. I have gone months before without eating any sort of chocolate and was pretty successful for the most part, so I do feel like it’s more about willpower than true physical addiction. I would view sweets as like me loving spending time with my mother but I would not say im “addicted” to her. I would love to see more evidence or research on what they come up with related to addiction to chocolate or sweets, but as of right now this is where I stand on the subject. 

3. Movie: Food, Inc.

- The first quote that I considered a “WOW!” moment was not in a positive manner but negative. The quote was, “If you can grow a chicken in 49 days, why would you want one you gotta grow in three months?”(Food Inc). I find this quote horrendous for several reasons. The first is obvious, they do not care about their chicken’s life or quality of life. They believe it’s more of a system and not a privilege to raise these chickens and to give them the best life they should have. Second, they are in the business just for the money and not to let their farm animals have been treated properly. Now, Im not going to say that I don’t agree with eating chickens or any meat of that matter, but I do think that if we are going to utilize these animals that they should be treated right first. I do not like watching documentaries about food or farm life because I don’t agree with the majority of these farmers and it just upsets me. I understand we need these farmers and their business to feed the world, but there are other ways to go about it than treating them like they are useless when in reality we need them to survive. 

References:

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog: Pollution

1. Chapter 8: Pollution

The first line I found interesting was, “A cancer cluster is a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases, usually associated with exposures to toxins in the workplace” (Roberston, 2017, p 134). This line was from a book published in 1998 and explains more about cancer clusters. I know that cancer is very common now but to think that it can come from toxins where you are working makes me feel unsafe. I know cancer can be genetic and that you can’t control it in that aspect, but there are ways you can control or try to control not getting cancer. There are people that eat super healthy because they are afraid cancer comes from the food we eat from fast-food restaurants and I agree that the food we eat now can cause cancer. It is also known that tobacco products cause cancer and people tend to stay away from tobacco too. However, everyone has to go to work in order to live comfortably, and hearing that you aren’t even safe in your workspace is scary. I know times are different now but it is still scary to hear statistics like these.

2. Chapter 8: Pollution

The second line I found interesting was, “ Over 50 heavy metals are known to be toxic; 17 of these are also readily available” (Robertson, 2017, p 143). First off, I feel so unaware of how many toxins there are in the world and that some of the most common things we use are considered toxins. Lead and mercury are both very toxic metals when used in large amounts, but both of these are used almost daily. I was told as a child that lead is poisonous and that we should not have it near our mouth but I thought they were just saying that to make us not put pencils in our mouths. Now, I understand more the reasoning behind it and how dangerous lead can be for children. I also went onto the mayo clinic and read more about lead poisoning because I was very interested in it and found a lot of good information. I will leave the link below to the website.

Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20354717

3. Chapter 3: The Obligation to Endure

The third line I found interesting was,” To adjust these chemicals would require time on the scale that is nature’s; it would require not merely the years of a man’s life but the life of generation” (Jackson et al., 2018, p 29). I hate to hear facts like these because I feel like all humans do is negative towards the environment. We alone produce a lot of toxins that the environment can’t handle in that much quantity. There also are not enough people in the world to care enough about fixing these problems because they do not want to put other needs above their own. I can understand why those people do not want to help because by the time they start to make a difference they will not live long enough to really see the difference. If we can try and learn to do things for the betterment of our country and environment so it can last generation then I think the environment and world would be in a better place in general.

I found this website that gives advice on how to reduce exposure to toxins and thought it was a good read: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/01/8386/environmental-health-expert-offers-advice-how-reduce-exposure-toxins

References:

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

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BLOG: WATER

1. Chapter 6: Water

- The first line I found interesting was, “According to government and industry estimates, about 25 percent of bottled water is actually just tap water, often with no further treatment” (Robertson, 2017, p 95). I used to be really big on buying bottled water and would always have it stocked, but over the last year or so I have stopped buying them. The reason I stopped was that I was just using my fridges water filter and using a reusable water bottle because I did not want to use more plastic than needed. Learning now that around 25% of bottled water is actually just tap water makes me more inclined not to buy it again and just use reusable water bottles. I know there are other water bottle companies that try to make their water purer, but the mere fact that plastic bottles are now an issue in pollution and the ocean makes me want to stay away from it completely if it can be helped.

URL: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/538039486733658770/

2. Chapter 6: Water

- The second line I found interesting was, “ Switching from a hamburger to a vegeburger for one meal can save about 750 gallons of water” (Roberston, 2017, p 94). The reason I picked this line is that I was unaware of the amount of water consumption it takes to make the food we eat. I always knew people who were very passionate about not eating meat but I never really looked at their reasons why. After reading this statement I can totally understand why some people would choose to switch over to a vegan lifestyle if it meant saving close to 1,000 gallons of water. I do not think I could ever switch over to a vegan/vegetarian because I really do enjoy eating meat and do so every day. Although, I won’t be so quick to judge or get upset if someone makes a comment to me about eating meat because I feel most of their intentions are good and are trying to better the environment.

URL: https://www.cleanwateraction.org/2020/11/19/plant-based-diets--be-healthier-while-reducing-your-water-footprint

3. Water Footprint: Results

- While I was calculating my water footprint, I was positive my water intake would be more than the average person but I was wrong. I was proud that I beat the average person and made me feel better. The reason I thought I would be over the average person was that I love to take baths and take them frequently, but I guess the average person takes either more baths than me or longer showers than me and my family. I’m not really sure how I can use less water except the saying “if it’s yellow let it mellow” but I find that rather gross and don’t know if I could do that. I could make a conscious effort to shut off my faucet when it’s not necessary to have it on and maybe try to do less laundry each week or mix my family and I’s clothes so we can lower the number of washes. Overall, I was pleased with my results but want to try to do better.

References:

- Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog: Ecosystems/ Biodiversity

Picture: https://www.worldapefund.org/news/2015/10/10/orangutans-lose-habitat-to-forest-fires1.

Chapter 7: Ecosystems and Habitat

- Habitat destruction is the most significant driver of ecosystem damage, biodiversity loss, and species extinction and comes about because of a variety of human activities” (Robertson, 2017, p 112). I can not stress it enough that humans have too much control over the environment and that we are selfish when it comes to other species. I know for a fact that any human would be devastated, angry, or hurt if some other species came and took their land or came to hurt them, so why do we do it to others? It really does hurt me to know that because of human activities it is why the ecosystem is being damaged, species are becoming extinct and there is a loss in biodiversity. I know there is nothing I can really do because I am just one person, but I am going to try my hardest to do as much as I can to preserve the animals left and keep our environment happy.

Chapter 12: Biological Diversity and Global Security

- The line I found interesting in this chapter was, “ Conversely, humankind has no right to exterminate a species” (Jackson, 2018, p 110). I would consider myself a very passionate person when it comes to animals. I adore all animals and feel as if they all have their purpose on this earth. This particular sentence from this chapter means a lot to me because of how humans treat animals they find worthless or that their lives are not as important as ours. It hurts my heart to hear the statistics of endangered animals and the ones that have gone extinct due to humans. I really wish that everyone had the same or similar mindset as me on this topic but sadly they do not. I have heard numerous stories on how hunters are using animal parts to make money and it sickens me. What if this were to happen to them and they were the ones being hunted. It really does bother me how selfish humans are and I know I’m not innocent on that but I feel we should try to treat the animals God created with respect.

Picture: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367324913336371862/

Video: How Wolves Change Rivers

The first thing I really loved about this video is how it mentioned that even though wolves kill other species, and this is because it’s the circle of life, that they give life to many others. The wolves saved the Yellowstone National Forest because they helped the other species not overtake it and caused a balance. I find that so interesting how one species can be so much of a help to a specific location. Having wolves come caused an insane amount of other species to be able to come out and thrive. I never knew the back store of the Yellow Stone National Park, but I can say now that it was one of the most interesting stories I have heard. Of course, because I just love animals. I would highly recommend anyone to watch this short video on how wolves change rivers.

References: 

Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog: Human Sphere

1. Chapter 4: Human Sphere

- The first line that stood out to me in this chapter was, “... social equity for women results in fewer children” (Robertson, 2017, p 49). The reason I picked this line is because of the relevance it has today. Today, women are trying to be equal in almost every aspect as they can. Since this is happening I feel that a lot of women’s dreams have changed because of the potential they have now. Before women only dreamed or knew of being a stay at home mom who takes care of their kids and husband. Now, women are wanting to gain more and more independence from men and try to be stable on their own and we’re killing it. We can afford to live independently and move up in our jobs because of the equality women have as a whole now. This also plays a part in there being fewer children too because women crave power and equality and have other dreams than being a stay at home moms or have children. I can only imagine what women back in the day would think of women now.

2. Chapter 4: Human Sphere

- The second line that stood out to me in this chapter was, “According to research, well-being increases with income only up to a point and beyond that point stops increasing” (Robertson, 2017, p 56). I love this line so much because I understand the meaning behind this more than most. I have grown up with a lot of close friends and family who strive to make more and more money and are never satisfied with their income. Little do they know that down the road the well-being of their family is decreasing because they focus so much on their income increasing. I strongly believe that money is the root of all evil. Now, I do not believe money, in general, is a bad thing because I do want to earn a good living so I can support myself and my family in the future but I will not let money consume me and my happiness. I do not want money to control my well-being and I want to use my money for good things not evil or negative things.

3. Ecological Footprints

- Okay well first off, the results did shock me. I really do find the results hard to believe. If everyone lived like me and my family we would need 5.3 Earths. That seems insane to me because I did not think that I lived that badly to where it would negatively affect the earth so much. My personal Overshoot day is March 10th. I know for a fact I do not eat enough or drive enough to have used the entire earth’s resources, so I’m not sure if this is accurate. I could just be shocked or upset and in denial but I do find it hard to believe. I would make a few changes when I’m in charge of my own house and food. I would like to have solar panels and more conscious of the electricity I am using. I would also like to have a vehicle that is more economically friendly and buy from more local food stores after I make enough money to comfortably be able to do so.

References:

- Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog: Biosphere

1. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The first line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ A carbon atom you just inhaled in your breath was flung into interstellar space billions of years ago by an exploding star…” (Robertson, 2017, p 27). The reason this sentence stood out to me was that I knew everything circled back and was reused and recycled but I never thought of it as the sentence describes it. It’s amazing how something from a billion years ago is still being recycled through the earth and the solar system. It even goes on to talk about how the same atom I inhaled could also have been inhaled by a dinosaur 100 million years ago. Like what?? That’s so crazy to think about. Now, I am not someone who is super interested in space or science in this aspect, but It is really neat to think about how science works.

I found this article on national geographics that explains how we are all made of stardust and thought it was an interesting read. I will leave the webiste link below:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150128-big-bang-universe-supernova-astrophysics-health-space-ngbooktalk/

2. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The second line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ Our own star is about halfway through its lifespan” (Robertson, 2017, p. 28). So, for some reason, I did not put together that stars die and more are made, but to think that the sun is going to die is kind of scary to imagine. I am a pretty religious person and I do believe there will be a time that God comes down to earth to destroy it and take his people to heaven. I feel like this may be around the time the sun dies. Now, I am not stuck on this theory or even believe it 100%, but it feels like it might correlate. I can’t imagine the earth being around after the sun dies because it’s needed in order to live. I get nervous talking about the end of time but since stars live for around 10 billion years and our sun is halfway then it has 5 billion years left. That’s a long time for the earth to stick around before the end of time, so it is hard to say really when the end of time will be and it does not mention when that will be in the Bible either.

3. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The third line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ If life disappeared from Earth, oxygen would quickly recombine with elements in rocks and oceans and vanish from the atmosphere” (Robertson, 2017, p 31). Okay, so this sentence is also a very scary but real thing to think about. It goes along with what I was talking about before because once the end of time comes, meaning life disappearing from Earth, then there is nothing left for Earth to offer anymore. This makes me think more about what will happen to Earth once life does disappear from it. I wonder if it will look similar or look more like an abandoned planet. This chapter also goes on to say that there is only 21 percent of oxygen left in the atmosphere. I find it cool how the oxygen basically adapts to the elements that would be left on Earth instead of staying at 21 percent or close to it

References:

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

The Sun's Lifespan: http://www.sun.org/encyclopedia/starsend

Oxygen: https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/775252523336918579/

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Blog: Biosphere

1. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The first line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ A carbon atom you just inhaled in your breath was flung into interstellar space billions of years ago by an exploding star…” (Robertson, 2017, p 27). The reason this sentence stood out to me was that I knew everything circled back and was reused and recycled but I never thought of it as the sentence describes it. It’s amazing how something from a billion years ago is still being recycled through the earth and the solar system. It even goes on to talk about how the same atom I inhaled could also have been inhaled by a dinosaur 100 million years ago. Like what?? That’s so crazy to think about. Now, I am not someone who is super interested in space or science in this aspect, but It is really neat to think about how science works.

I found this article on national geographics that explains how we are all made of stardust and thought it was an interesting read. I will leave the webiste link below:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150128-big-bang-universe-supernova-astrophysics-health-space-ngbooktalk/

2. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The second line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ Our own star is about halfway through its lifespan” (Robertson, 2017, p. 28). So, for some reason, I did not put together that stars die and more are made, but to think that the sun is going to die is kind of scary to imagine. I am a pretty religious person and I do believe there will be a time that God comes down to earth to destroy it and take his people to heaven. I feel like this may be around the time the sun dies. Now, I am not stuck on this theory or even believe it 100%, but it feels like it might correlate. I can’t imagine the earth being around after the sun dies because it’s needed in order to live. I get nervous talking about the end of time but since stars live for around 10 billion years and our sun is halfway then it has 5 billion years left. That’s a long time for the earth to stick around before the end of time, so it is hard to say really when the end of time will be and it does not mention when that will be in the Bible either.

3. Chapter 3: The Biosphere

- The third line I found interesting in Chapter 3 was, “ If life disappeared from Earth, oxygen would quickly recombine with elements in rocks and oceans and vanish from the atmosphere” (Robertson, 2017, p 31). Okay, so this sentence is also a very scary but real thing to think about. It goes along with what I was talking about before because once the end of time comes, meaning life disappearing from Earth, then there is nothing left for Earth to offer anymore. This makes me think more about what will happen to Earth once life does disappear from it. I wonder if it will look similar or look more like an abandoned planet. This chapter also goes on to say that there is only 21 percent of oxygen left in the atmosphere. I find it cool how the oxygen basically adapts to the elements that would be left on Earth instead of staying at 21 percent or close to it

References:

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

The Sun's Lifespan: http://www.sun.org/encyclopedia/starsend

Oxygen: https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/775252523336918579/

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Blog: Ethics of Land Use

1. Chapter 6: Reclaiming the Commons:

- The first line from this chapter I found interesting was, " ... John Flynn ... study and publicized the effects of acid rain on the Appalachian forests" (Jackson, 2018, p. 52). The reason I picked this line is that I had heard of the acid raid before but never really knew exactly what it was. After reading this chapter and doing more research online I found out what it is. I'm sure most people know what acid rain is but for those of you who don't it's when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are mixed with air or water causing it to be harmful to the environment. I will link a website I found that explains exactly how acid rain is formed and what all it does to the environment.

Webiste: https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain

The picture below is also taken from the website I provided above.

2. Chapter 6: Reclaiming the Commons

- The second line from this chapter that I found interesting was, " The mountains are our history" (Jackson, 2018, p. 56). I feel like this sentence has a pretty powerful meaning behind it. If we didn't have any way to record anything that has happened in the past we would only be left with what we can see for ourselves and that would be land. The land holds a lot of history because it is one of the only things that stay while humans and animals move on. If we want to make sure our history and future are successful then we must make sure that during our lifetime we are doing our part and taking care of the environment so it can be there for the generations to come. This also makes me think about the old times where they had no way of writing down what events have happened and are only left with evidence that was left on the ground. Today we have lots of mountains that are known for having a historical background, and I found a website that goes into further details that I thought I would share too.

Website: https://www.touropia.com/mountains-of-the-world/

3. A place I feel an Emotional Connection to:

- The place I felt I had an emotional connection to was the Airport. The reason I picked the airport is that that is the place we would always go to pick up my Grandma and grandpa. I loved my grandparents so much as a child that when my parents said that we needed to go to the airport to pick someone up I would get so excited because I knew that meant I get to see my grandparents. Even now when I go on trips that involve me flying I get excited because I just love going to the airport because it brings good memories. I feel as if the place is a more calming experience for me which I feel is ironic because the airport is mostly considered a chaotic and fast pace. Overall, I feel as if I will always have an emotional connection to the airport because that's where I always go to pick up my grandma and grandpa. Although right now it is just my grandma because my grandpa has passed away, I still have the same feelings when I'm in the airport.

The picture below is my own drawing of the Orlando International Airport because that is the aiport I always went to. The picture in particular is the area where my family and I would wait for my grandparents to arrive and we would meet them. There is also a hotel inside this airport, so that is why you see the Hyatt Regency in the picture. Im not the best drawer but I did my best.

References:

Book: Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

Acid Rain Picture: Webiste: https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain

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Blog #4: A Land Ethic

1. Chapter 7: The Land Ethic in a Sustainable Future

- The first line from this chapter that stood out to me was, "Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land" (Jackson et al. 2018. p.67). This simple sentence has a lot of good meaning behind it that everyone should try to understand, in my opinion. Basically to me, this sentence is trying to say that when we treat the land well than the land will treat us well which is known to be called conservation. We humans and the land are in "harmony" then it will go smoothly, and this can almost relate to anything and everything. For example, if you treat your body well then your body will treat you well and show positive results.

2. Chapter 7: The Land Ethic in a Sustainable Future

- The second line from this chapter that stood out to me was, "When one asks why no rules have been written, one is told that the community is not yet ready to support them; education must precede rules" (Jackson et al. 2018. p. 68). I feel like our countrywide community right now resembles this statement. I do not like to bring politics into things but when one side believes something the other doesn't then one tries to kind of force the other side to believe in what they do instead of respecting their beliefs. If there has not been a rule or law about something then it is most likely for a reason and we should not force something that shouldn't. I'm not entirely sure how this statement can relate to land ethic but to me, this is what came to mind when I read this statement.

3. Three examples of evidence where I exhibit an ethical relationship with the human and nonhuman community in which I do live:

1. I do use reusable shopping bags when I go grocery shopping. I feel that is more efficient this way because you fit more items into one bag and not waste several plastic bags.

2. I also like to shop locally rather than order online. I enjoy helping out local businesses when I can afford it because I know how hard it is to start a business and I want my community to thrive.

3. I use paper or metal straws instead of plastic straws because I want to stop the pollution of plastic and help save the turtles. I have seen numerous videos of how turtles have come in contact with plastic straws and get them lodged in their nose and can't get it out. It saddens me that so many turtles are in pain because of our laziness to throw away plastic properly or switch to a more ethical alternative like metal or paper straws.

4. Three examples of evidence where I exhibit an ethical relationship with the human and non human community in which I do not live:

1. Unfortunately, I do not drive an electric car. I am still driving my first vehicle which happens to be a gas truck. I know it is more economically friendly to switch over to electric vehicles and not pollute the earth with fumes, but I do not drive a diesel truck and those have the most negative impact on the earth especially if they are deleted. One day I will sell my truck now and upgrade to a more economically friendly vehicle.

2. I happen to also eat red meat, and I understand the negative consequences of my contribution to this but I simply just don't want to give up red meat. As selfish as it is I just enjoy it so much, but I have cut back on how much I eat of it a lot in the past year. Maybe one day I will cut it out of my diet but right now I am not and I do apologize because I know it is environmentally harmful.

3. Lastly, I do not recycle as much as I should. Right now I live at home with my parents and one of my brothers and they don't recycle. I have tried before to teach them to get in the habit of recycling but it did not last long at all. I do however plan to recycle when I move into my own house in the future.

References:

Recycle Picture: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444519425693811405/

Book: Jackson et al. (2018). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy. ISBN: 9781524966409. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524966409/cfi/4!/4/2@100:0.00

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Blog #3: Agents for Change

1. The Bioregionalism Quiz (Robertson, 2017, p. 319)

- Before I start I just want to mention that I have never taken a Bioregionalism Quiz before, and after taking the quiz I was quite disappointed in my knowledge of bioregional thinking. There were 20 questions and I only knew the answer to about 6. I have never had an interest in history or biology, so I can understand why I might not know a lot about the history of my town and all that comes with it. I also feel as if a lot of these questions I would be able to answer once I'm older and have my own house and being established, but I could always try to take this quiz again in my later years. Out of all 20 questions, there was one that I wish I knew the answer to and that was “Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap (Roberston, 2017, p.319) ”. I never really thought about tracing my tap water but after doing some research I couldnt find an exact answer but that my town's water supply last year had 4 contaminants detected. The website I found that information also stated that, “ tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards”(Group, 2017). I had no idea that water could have 4 contaminants detected and still be considered healthy drinking water. As I was researching the water in my areas I came across some statistics about US Cities that have the best and worse tap water quality that I wanted to share also. 

https://knoema.com/infographics/itkhmkd/attention-usa-drinking-water-quality

2. Chapter 17: Working as Agents for Change

- The line from this reading that stood out to me was, “ As the world makes its transition out of the industrial era perhaps our most important asset will be healthy communities of people able to work together to provision themselves and create thriving local economies” (Robertson, 2017, p. 341). The reason this particular line stood out to me is that I wish it was easier nowadays for our communities of people to work together and utilize each other's strengths instead of dividing ourselves over childish things. Especially at my age, I have experienced a lot of division in my generation when we could have just accepted each other differences and made an actual difference in the world when it needed it. I really do believe that it will be our most important asset to come together in everything we do, but in this instance, if we can come together to create a healthier environment that would be amazing. I want to have hope that our country will come together and learn to work together but if things keep going the way they are it seems that we will keep dividing. Although I am going to keep a positive outlook on my future and say that one day it will happen and we will have one of the most thriving economies everywhere. 

https://twitter.com/concern/status/1263785863294713856

3. Systemic Racism Explained Video Clip

- In the Video, talks about the triple bottom line of sustainability and those are the people, planet, and prosperity. Each of these things correlates with each other in one way or another. In this clip, they showed how two different boys, one white and one black, grew up close together but were treated differently based on their race. The white boy had so much opportunity purely because of his race while the other boy did not have as much opportunity because they didn't like his race and felt like he didn't have much to offer. The white boy lived in an area that was considered wealthy which gave him better schooling and sports while the other boy did not because he came from a poorer neighborhood. The white boy had more chances at getting into school and getting a new house than the black boy even though they were very similar it was because of his race. The way this story fits with the triple bottom line is that people who are of the majority and live in a better neighborhood tend to gain more opportunities and money to advance and do better in life. The minority who live in underdeveloped or not as nice of neighborhoods do not get many opportunities to advance in life because they weren't given the option to. 

https://blogs.chapman.edu/sustainability/2020/08/03/intersectional-issues-environmental-racism/

References:

Group, E. (2017). EWG's Tap Water Database: What's in Your Drinking Water? Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/system.php?pws=FL3350858

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog #2: What is Sustainability?

1. The first line in the textbook reading that stood out to me is, "Earth is currently operating at 140 percent of its capacity ... and on track to be operating at 200 percent by the 2030s (Robertson, 2017, p. 5). I had no idea that Earth was operating that much over its capacity and that it's only going to keep increasing if we won't do something about it. I believe we must take care of the planet we live on and if we don't respect it then it won't be sustainable which in the end hurts us. I found a website that explains the amount of waste a human makes daily. Looking at the trash I go through daily does not seem like a lot, but in a household of 5, we have to take out the trash more than I feel like we should. Then if we take into account everyone on earth its an insane and I can't even imagine how must waste that is all together. Looking at all these statistics from the textbook and the website I linked down below makes me want to start making sure all my friends and family recycle and stay on top of it so we slow down the amount of waste we create daily.

Here is the webiste URL: https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/lifestyle/trash-one-person-produces-year/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20EPA%2C%20the,That's%20a%20lot!

2. The second line that stood out to me from the textbook is, " We live at the beginning of a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene, a time in which human activity has become such a powerful force that has a major, planet-scale impact on climate and every living system" (Robertson, 2017, p. 6). The reason I picked this line is that I had never heard of the term Anthropocene until I read the textbook. Now, I did know about the impact humans have on the climate and how it's causing climate change but I didn't know we had that much of an impact on every living system as well. Some of the most common man-made disasters that I can come up with off the top of my head are oil spills, fires, and terrorism. It is human nature to make mistakes, but we really should try our hardest to save our planet and not make the same mistakes over again. It kills me to see on the news how many forest fires that happen that start as a controlled fire but turn into a disaster. Forest fires can even happen because of climate change which causes a forest to become super dry and even a cigarette butt can cause it to go ignite.

Forest Fire Picture URL: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/08/12/forest-service-launches-new-wildland-fire-website

Forest Fire Picture URL: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/08/12/forest-service-launches-new-wildland-fire-website

3. The third line in the textbook reading that stood out to me is, "Once a species has gone through a listing process and has been listed as threatened or endangered, FWS and NMFS are required to create a detailed recovery plan (Robertson, 2017, p. 14). The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is such a wonderful Act to be created, and I hope from here on out our country does more to look out for the animals that are on living on our planet whether they be endangered or not. 7 animals went extinct in just 2019 and those are the Sumatran Rhino, Chinese Paddlefish, Yangtze giant softshell turtle, Indian Cheetah, Spix Macaw, Catarina Pupfish, and the Indochinese Tiger (Desk, 2020). This makes me so sad to hear and I feel it will only get worse because humans can be selfish and hunt certain animals so they can make money off their body parts. Animals, especially endangered or near endangered animals should be left alone just like we want to be left alone. I can tell you for certain that humans don't want to be hunted and have our lives ended based on selfish ambitions, so we should treat the animals who live with us the same way.

Rhino Picture URL: Desk, I. T. (2020, March 03). World Wildlife Day 2020: 7 animals that went extinct in 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/world-wildlife-day-2020-here-are-7-significant-wildlife-species-that-went-extinct-in-2019-1652013-2020-03-03

References:

Desk, I. T. (2020, March 03). World Wildlife Day 2020: 7 animals that went extinct in 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/world-wildlife-day-2020-here-are-7-significant-wildlife-species-that-went-extinct-in-2019-1652013-2020-03-03

Robertson, Margaret. (2017) Sustainability Principles and Practice 2nd Edition. Routledge. SBN-10: 041584018X

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Blog #1: Welcome

1. When I first came to FGCU I noticed the name Ben Hill Griffin and I had no idea where that name came from. I thought it was someone who just donated money, but after watching this video The first thing I heard that was interesting to me is how Ben Hill Griffin is connected with FGCU. I loved that he was a smaller businessman who was able to make fast decisions and offer another million dollars to have FGCU be built on his land. The bigger businessman was not able to make money decisions that fast without talking to headquarters first, which gave Ben Hill Griffin the upper hand in this transaction. I now understand where the name Ben Hill Griffin comes from. 

2. The second thing I heard that was a little concerning was when I heard from this video that the land FGCU was built on was once a panther habitat. After listening to a little bit more I was happy to hear that lee county bought a big plot of land to move the panther habitat off of the land FGCU is built on and onto this new piece of land so they could create new and safe habitat. I am a person who grew up loving animals and hearing that they had to destroy panther habitat in order to built on it was upsetting, but I'm just grateful that they were able to move them before they starting building. I am a firm believer in transporting animals somewhere safe if you bought a piece of land and plan on invading their habitat. We humans would want someone to help us if this situation were reversed and we were the ones whose habitat was being invaded. 

3. The third thing I found pretty cool is that Florida Gulf Coast University is the only university to make taking a colloquium class a requirement to graduate, and I absolutely love this about this college. I think it is extremely important to learn about the environment and how to keep it sustainable and treat it with respect. This class also goes perfectly with FGCU too because they are very nature-oriented and everywhere you go you are surrounded by nature. I was also surprised to hear that other colleges do not offer classes like this, but I do believe that if they did our environment would become even more sustainable in the future.

References:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HD1X_Y25w&feature=youtu.be

Panther Picture: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwf.org%2FEducational-Resources%2FWildlife-Guide%2FMammals%2FFlorida-Panther&psig=AOvVaw1FQtOx8hMmm2EHxwDcj3JY&ust=1610667384901000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCKCwp-qJmu4CFQAAAAAdAAAAAB

Tree Hug Picture: https://www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/new-respect-for-ancient-trees/