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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry # 10

In my first journal I had a narrow perception of the class as I believed it was mainly focused on teaching about our local environment, and how we can use our specialties from our majors to assist it. While those were certainly components of the course, they did not make up the entirety of the class.

During my time in the class I also learned about many more issues that ranged from global issues, such as global warming, to very localized issues, such as the struggles of those living under Interstate 4 in Orlando, due to the pollution caused by cars driving on the interstate. We also discussed potential solutions to these issues that relied on and that did not rely on our specialized knowledge.

However, I did not feel that these components were the most important part of the class. I feel that the more important parts of the course were those that helped me learn how to connect myself with the environment better, and those that were meant to inspire me.

Conversations, such as those about sense of place were essential in helping me connect with nature and to realize its beauty and power it can hold over us. The first field trip and my service learning experience helped me to realize what sense of place actually is as these experience took me to places where I felt a powerful sense of place. I feel that without this learning, the rest of the class would not have been as impactful, which is why sense of place is one of the three major pillars of the course.

There were many inspirational teachings in the course, but the most major ones came from “The Hummingbird in Me” and the “Awakening the Dreamer” course. These learning experiences showed me that we don’t have to overwhelm ourselves trying to save and heal the environment. While, there is a lot of work to be done, as long as all of us do what we can then everything should be alright eventually.

To sum up everything, University Colloquium is not a course trying to teach us about environmental solutions and issues. While these topics are discussed and are a big part of the class, at the end of the day I now feel that University Colloquium is all about helping us feel more connected to the environment, and inspiring us to dedicate and spend time in it, however that may be. In my case the course achieved these goals and I feel more connected to the environment than ever before. From now on I will do my best to dedicate time to it whenever I am able to and to do whatever I can to mitigate the environmental issues of today.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #9

A. Introduction to A Sustainable Future Readings

Overall, the “A Sustainable Future” readings were mostly about many of the ecological issues going on in the world today. The chapters ranged from more localized issues, such as people suffering from living under Interstate 4 in Orlando, to focusing on global issues, such as global warming and catch-up development. One thing I noticed throughout this learning experience is that almost all of the readings focused on the fact that these issues are man made and were critical of how mankind has treated each other and the environment.

B. My learning experience from reading the two chapters

The chapters my team and I were assigned to read were chapters 9 and 10. From chapter 9 I learned about working conditions and slavery in South Florida from the early 80’s to the late 90’s. This trend started, because representatives of grower organizations traveled to Cuba and Mexico offering a better life to those who moved to Florida. They promised them many things, such as consistent pay, but this never came to fruition. Instead they were treated poorly and payed unfairly.

This lead to push back in the form of protests, such as the 30-day hunger strike, and the March from Fort Myers to Orlando. In addition a coalition began to form, which realized that the root problem causing all of these issues was racism. However these solutions were not enough and they had to find other solutions. In other words they “Banged their heads against the wall long enough until they realized it hurt and found another way through the wall. In the end they decided to go after the tomato brand by raising petroleum prices up, which was used heavily in the farming of tomatoes. This brand and other growers in Florida are still very powerful, but this push showed that the farmers had a lot of power as well.

From Chapter 10 I learned about the idea of catch-up development and why it is ultimately unattainable and undesirable. From what I read in the chapter I defined catch-up development as the development model that industrial societies utilize and uphold, which consists of the exploitation of underdeveloped nations with the promise that they’ll catch up eventually. This is impossible however, because developed nations will continue to advance while taking away from underdeveloped nations, which will lead to them developing even more slowly. Even in the best situation possible it would still take them about 500 years to catch-up, which was staggering to learn.

Catch-up development is ultimately undesirable as well, because it is leading to mass human suffering and environmental catastrophe in both developed and underdeveloped nations. People in underdeveloped nations are working hard to be paid little, and people in affluent societies are accumulating more and more, which is not leading to happiness, but rather unprecedented levels of sadness and depressions.

The final part of the chapter discussed whether women were liberated under this model of development. It is clear that the answer is “no” and they ultimately will not be able to catch up either. In addition this model is leading to a lack of solidarity between women as for example, women in the US are buying inexpensive clothes made by underpaid women in other parts of the world.

C. Reflection of my learning from other teams' presentations

From the other teams’ presentations I learned about many issues. In this reflection I will focus on chapters 1, 2, 8, and 12. From chapter 1 I learned about Tyrone Hayes and the challenges of universities. His story begins when he noticed that the frogs in a community were having developmental issues; especially sexual ones. He did a study and ultimately found that the issue was being caused by a herbicide named Atrazine made by the company Syngenta. However, the study was actually paid for by Syngenta and put all their effort into blocking Hayes from revealing his information, which also included the fact that humans were also being harmed by the herbicide. Tyrone is unfortunately still in this fight, but he has at least made considerable progress.

From Chapter 2 I learned about the concept of environmental racism, which I had never heard about. This concept entails policies that benefit white people, but force people of color to pay for the costs. Examples of this include unequal environmental protection, and the fact that lead poisoning is mainly affecting African American communities The concept goes beyond policies however, with situations such as the fact that the EPA has very few minority employees that could help combat these issues.

From Chapter 8 I learned how to “Think Like a Mountain”. This chapter was about a short story. In the short story a man sees a pack of wolves and kills them all to hunt them. As he does this he claims to see the fire of the mountain die in the mother wolf’s eyes. This sets off a chain reaction where more wolves keep being killed by other hunters until they all go extinct. This leads to the mountain slowly dying as one of its most important species goes extinct. The moral of this story was that people only think about the present without considering the future. Thinking like a mountain means considering the future and how we can continue to sustain ourselves. This was a very powerful story and helped reinforce the core sustainability component of the course.

From Chapter 12 I learned about some of the different ways humans deal with ecological issues and the concepts surrounding them. The first thing I learned about were opportunity costs, which are the alternatives given up when decisions are made. This is important, because many conservation strategies are based around, them such as which species to protect and which to leave behind. Several strategies were discussed, but triage strategy and conventional security caught my attention the most. Triage strategy is based on French wartime medical strategy during WW1. It entailed a three branch decision structure based on how much medical strategy a soldier needed and whether they could be saved or not. This same strategy has been applied to conservation efforts in some cases. Conventional security entails reducing military spending and converting to environmental protection spending, which I think is a great strategy.

D. Connections to: i) Sense of Place ii) Ecological Perspective iii) Sustainability Efforts

i) The readings that talked about the issues in Florida connected to my sense of place cause they helped me realize some of the issues my home state is facing. This reminded me of our initial discussions about how we should take care of our home and since Florida is part of my home identity I must do what I can to combat these issues.

ii) The readings connected to ecological perspective, because most if not all of them were told from an ecological perspective. The environmental racism chapter is a great example as racism is normally not considered to relate to the environment. However, the chapter interlinked the two topics that racism is leading to some environmental issues affecting minorities more than other groups.

iii) The readings connected to sustainability efforts, because they demonstrated a few efforts that have been used to combat the issues discussed throughout the readings. The best example of this is Chapter 12, which discussed many types of conservation strategies.

E. Wow moments

I had many wow moments throughout this learning experience, but my greatest came when I learned about the issues in Orlando and in the Florida farming industry. The reason why is that I had never heard of these issues and was shocked to learn that these things were happen in my home state without me knowing. I believe that this is unacceptable and that these types of issues should be taught about way before college. I have taken a few classes about our state government and none of these issues were discussed whatsoever.

The worst part of all of this, however is that I have taken many trips around the state including to Orlando. On my way there I have passed vast farm lands without a single though about the issues going on there. What saddens me the absolute most, however is while I enjoyed my times in the “Happiest Place on Earth” people mere miles away were suffering tremendously. From now on, on these types of trips I will remember these things that I have learned and do what I can to support the farmers of Florida, and the people suffering under Interstate 4.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #8

General Overview of Park

As shown below the Lover’s Key State Park consists of four barrier islands. These islands are Lover’s Key, Inner Key, Long Key, and Black Island. Most of our time on the field trip was spent at the nature trail on Black Island and on the beach at Lover’s key near the end of the trip. These islands contain a total of 5 different types of habitats, which are the Maritime Hammock, Coastal Strand, Mangrove Estuary, and the Marine/Inter-tidal Zones. The islands have moved quite a bit in the last 70 years in part due to the weather and surround lagoons.

Black Island Nature Trail

Lover’s Key Beach

Black Island Nature Trail Learning Experience

The first section of the trail took us into the butterfly gardens. Here I learned a lot of things about butterflies that I never knew. For example, the fact that they are actually an indicator species. This means that they can be used as a measure to determine how healthy an ecosystem is. Something I also learned is that butterflies can only land and feed on native plants, which I had never even thought of. If I ever take up gardening I will ensure to use only native plants so that local butterflies can make use of them as well.

The next section of the trail took us into a coastal hardwood hammock. Here I learned about some of the native plants including the gumbo limbo tree and the prickly pear cactus. While in the area I noticed that it was very humid and as I learned, this humidity is very important. If it gets too cold all the plants that were surrounding me at the time will die, which is heartbreaking to think about.

The next section was a coastal scrub habitat, which was filled with burrows, such as the one below. I was not completely sure what their purpose was until I saw the gopher tortoise below. These tortoises are a keystone species and very important to this ecosystem due to the burrows they dig. The reason why is that these burrows are used by other species as shelter; especially during fires. These burrows support over 360 species that wouldn’t be able to escape fires otherwise. I was very fascinated hearing all of this and this is all easily the most favorite thing I learned about in the whole field trip. I hope that these gopher tortoises will keep being able to protect their fellow species for years to come.

Our next stop tool us to an estuary. Here I learned that the salinity of the estuary changes depending on the season. At the time we visited the water was salty due to a lack of rain bringing in more fresh water. I also learned about the mangroves, which provide many ecosystem services. Some of these services include preventing erosion, filtering water, and combating red tide. They also provide a location for fish nurseries and oyster beds that can help to filter gallons of water.

Our final location was atop a hill constructed by the Calusa people. As I would have never guessed the hill was actually made out of shells. The Calusa people had a mostly shellfish diet and would use the leftover shells for many purposes including construction. In this case the hill provided a way to see enemies at a distance clearly.

Identification of Butterflies

The butterfly shown below is a monarch butterfly. Besides the ease of access I had to this butterfly the reasons I choose it are that monarchs are the most well known species of butterfly so I recognized what it was instantly and that orange is my second favorite color behind green.

Unfortunately, I did not manage to take an image of the other butterfly species I encountered, which was a pair of Zebra Long-wings like the one below. I choose this species of butterfly, because the stripes on their wings captivated me instantly.

Image Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliconius_charithonia#/media/File:Heliconius_charithonia_2021.jpg

“Walking along the beach” Poem

As I walked around there

I felt the wind in my hair

I was at peace

And let my worries cease

One last time I looked at the sea

And saw a reflection of me

Identification of Shells

I believe that the shell shown below is a Nutmeg Shell. I choose the shell, because it was one of the most if not the most well preserved shell I could find as it had no cracks or imperfections whatsoever. In addition, in my time looking through the sand I did not find a single other shell that looked like it. Part of me even regrets not having taken it with me.

I believe that this shell on the other hand is a juvenile fighting conch. I choose this shell, because it was the most well preserved of its kind, which allowed me to observe the entirety of its shape, which i liked. In addition it was the biggest shell I found in the pile that it was in, which drew my eye to it.

Anything Else of Interest (Discussion on the Beach)

There was not anything in particular that I found of interest outside of what I have already discussed, but I did want to talk about the discussion on the beach as I felt that it was very important. This discussion was about all of the pollution that plagues the oceans.

We started off by discussing red tide, which I learned is completely caused by humans as it is caused by chemical pollution. This pollution causes algae to eat too much and causes algal blooms. These blooms are devastating to aquatic environments as they block sunlight and release neurotoxins.

The next part of the discussion was about plastic pollution, which was by far the saddest thing to hear about. Plastic is often eaten by sea animals, such as turtles as they think it is another food source, such as a jelly fish. These plastics don’t break down within the animals and after eating the plastic they think they are full, which causes many animals to starve themselves. While this was very heartbreaking to hear, the worst thing I learned is that baby turtles eat plastic almost immediately after being born. This is completely unacceptable and I believe we must all do our best to stop this from happening.

*All images without a source were taken by me.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #7

Overall, this field trip was very enlightening to me. I live close to the facility, and all I could ever see of it was the steam rising in the air above the facility. I like other people in the area had always thought that this facility was causing mass pollution and that the steam I was seeing was a bad thing. Unfortunately, I was one of those people that believed that the facility was a harmful incinerator. However, I have learned the error of my ways and have learned how important this facility is to sustainability, to my neighborhood, and to the overall Southwest Florida community.

The name of the facility is the Lee County Waste to Energy facility also known as the Lee Country Resource Recovery Facility. The facility is run by a company called Covanta, which means it is actually a more private venture than a public one, which I never would have thought was the case. Since this is the case, the facility is able to generate profits while still being partnered with the county.

As I learned during the field trip, the facility generates profits in numerous ways that also contribute heavily to sustainability. However, they all begin with collecting resources that people throw out and consider to be waste including things that me and my family throw out. The facility collects various things including household garbage, recyclables, and bulk waste from Lee County and Hendry County. Recovery of materials is very important to the facility and they even include it as an essential part of the the three r’s of reduce, reuse and recycle.

As shown below the facility has to recover more waste than I could have ever imagined. On average each of us generates a ton of trash per year that all either ends up in this facility, or out somewhere in the world as pollution. The average household produces 800 pounds of trash, which also was a staggering fact to hear. The facility has the burden of collecting as much of this as possible, while also having to make sure people dispose of things responsibly. For example, many people recycle things that can’t be recycled, which can cause problems for the facility.

After all the waste is recovered, it is dumped into the pit below and collected by the claw machine in the image. Before going over what happens next it should be noted that all the waste in this pit allows for the generation of 60 megawatts per hour and 30,000 megawatts in total that are sold in excess. 15% of these megawatts are used to power the facility, while the rest of it is used to power over 30,000 homes. This is fascinating and I never would of thought that all this trash could have that type of capability. From now on I will be more considerate with trash as I can see the capabilities it can have if it is used properly.

So with all that out of the way after the garbage is picked up by the claw machine, it undergoes several processes. One of these processes is to collect both ferrous and nonferrous metals contained within the garbage piles. This is done in a variety of ways, such as through the use of magnets on a conveyor belt to collect the ferrous metals. The facility then has ingenious systems in place to separate the metals, so that they can be organized more easily. Through these processes the facility can collect 50-60 tons of ferrous metals. This is very important as it reduces the need to mine for these materials, which is generally dangerous and unsustainable. This metal is then sold to sites, such as the formerly named Garden Street so that they may use these recycled metals as opposed to having to mine for new metals.

The other major process the waste goes through is an incineration process, which is the process that produces energy. When the waste is burned, it produces the steam I mentioned previously. The steam then turns a turbine, which powers a generator at the facility. in other words, through this process electricity is made. This all takes place near where I stood in the photo below as I could feel the heat emanating nearby.

After learning all of this I realized how important it was that more people learned how the facility works and the good that it is doing. Unfortunately, however as I learned on the field trip there are not many of these facilities around, and some of them are even being shutdown, which is heartbreaking. Another heartbreaking statistic is that only 9% of the waste we throw out ends up in facilities like these while the rest ends up in harmful and dangerous landfills. This has to change, but it only will if people’s negative assumptions regarding these facilities are changed. So the first thing I did when I got home after the field trip was to teach my parents all I learned about the facility.

*All photos were taken by me.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #6

Part 1 - Section Reflections

Where Are We?

After watching “The Challenges Facing the Environment” many negative feelings began to stir within me. They were mostly however, feelings of fear, anxiety and hopelessness. Images such as that of Florida getting consumed by the ocean in the years to come scared me greatly. On the other hand, hearing some of the statistics angered me, such as the fact that we’ve destroyed 80% of the Earth’s original forests.

After watching “Delving into Social Justice and Spiritual Fulfillment” I felt great sadness and discomfort. The following video encouraged us think of the good in the world after reflecting on the bad, but I was unable to at the time. In my head the images of the polar bear falling through the ice, and the violence being committed against people, such as the man’s head being smashed against the window while he was being arrested overwhelmed me and left me in sorrow and unease. I am rarely one to cry, but I could certainly feel my eyes watering as I watched the video.

Overall, after completing this section I did not feel very well. Many negative emotions, thoughts and feelings were overwhelming and consuming me and I felt disturbed and in discomfort. However, I knew that I had to push back against all of this as I can’t wallow in these feelings if I am to learn more about these subjects, and what I can do to help the world.

How Did We Get Here?

After watching “Examining Our Worldview and Assumptions” I realized that I do have a few unexamined assumptions. One of them is that success everything. I feel that this has been embedded within me throughout my studies, especially more recently in college as the major I am pursuing is undertaken in the College of Business and success is pushed greatly. However, I am now beginning to realize that success isn’t everything and that happiness is more important and can be achieved with much less personal strain and strain on the world.

The other assumption is that there is such thing as an “away”. Too many times in my life I have thrown things in the garbage bin without giving a second thought. However, at this point in my life I am now realizing that everything I have ever thrown out will come back to me in one way or another and it will not be good. From now on I will begin being much more considerate with what I do with my waste and think carefully about where it will end up if I simply toss it into a trash can.

A New Story

There have been quite a few times when disconnected and lonely. A more recent time I can recall is my first semester attending FGCU in person. At the time I had not known anyone on campus and always felt by myself even in a full classroom or the crowded cafeteria. This was not a good feeling as I felt an emptiness in my heart. In these situations i longed to get back home so I could feel connected once again with the help of my family.

A recent time where I felt very connected with fellow people and with nature was on the first Colloquium field trip when the class silently stood in the water. During the experience I felt relaxed and fulfilled as I felt that we were all one and that were all experiencing the same thing. The video and this event reminded that all living things are experiencing the same thing, which is simply life. While we all go about it different ways we all need similar things and one of the most unspoken ones is to be connected.

What is Possible Now?

There are many things going on in the world that inspiring me and giving me hope for the future. To start, the work being done by many organizations, such as ECHO makes me realize just how many people are striving to change the world for the better and how impactful their work has been so far. In addition all the advancements in technology that have been occurring inspire me greatly as well. This is especially inspiring to me, because I am majoring in Computer Information Systems and I feel that one day I could make a difference through this field. One technology I am beginning to see the effects of clearly is solar panels as my dad has installed a few in our home. Just these few panels are already generating more power than I thought they would and helping greatly to power my home. I think massive change could occur if everyone begins implementing technologies, such as these in their home.

When I was asked to envision a better world there are a few things I saw. The biggest thing that stood out was that people were overall much happier, livelier and talked with each other more. The people that I saw came from a variety of backgrounds and weren’t all just from one place. I also saw more use of renewable energy, such as solar panels on rooftops and windmills in the distance. Overall, it seemed like a world that would be preferable to live in, and one that we should all try to strive for.

Where Do We Go From Here?

To express my commitment for a thriving future I will make some significant lifestyle changes, aid my local Southwest Florida community/environment and I will strive to make change in the field of Computer Information Systems. None of these things will be easy, but I will try my best as much as I can in these regards. When it comes to lifestyle changes I will change eating habits as I currently eat unsustainably and utilize a more efficient mode of transportation. In terms of aiding y community, I will volunteer more including at organizations with a focus on the environment. Finally, in my field i will try to find ways to make computer information systems more environmentally sound, and encourage more equality between men and women in the field. I’m unsure when I will accomplish all these things, but I’ll strive to work towards them all starting now and in the coming years.

Part 2 - Wow Moment

Similarly to the Earth Charter, I would have to say that my wow moment regarding all of this is simply that I had not heard about this course before now. This is unfortunate, because it means that many others probably have never heard of it either. However, I believe it is a course that should be implemented into all education systems as it is powerful and transformative. I am thankful that taking Colloquium has given me the opportunity to participate in this course as it has given me renewed hope for our future and has helped me figure out what I can do to reach a better future.

Part 3 - Overall Reflection

At first I was thinking the course would be difficult to get through due to the first few videos presented, but now after finishing the course I feel transformed and have a greater appreciation for the Earth and the life on it. I have gained a clear understanding of the importance of realizing that everything is connected with everything else. From now on I will take everything I learned during the 2 hours to heart, and will carry it with me as I proceed with my life. As I proceed with my life I will strive to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, socially just human presence on this planet.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #5

1. Reflection

a. Learning from Class Conversations

From our class conversations I learned that that there are various global efforts that have been made to promote and encourage sustainability. One of the biggest was the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. At the summit the UN gathered to work on several sustainability efforts and agreements. One of the most important to come out of it was Agenda 21, which outlined sustainable development goals for the 21st century. A decade after the summit concluded came the document, which was the focus of our discussion. The Earth Charter is a document that highlights values and responsibilities that we should all undertake to promote a sustainable way of life and to unify the people of the world. To this end the document lists out sixteen basic principles that should be followed that range from treating all life fairly to promoting democratic societies. The document also highlights some key ideas, such as the need for us to rethink a lot of things, as well as the need to realize that the whole world is interdependent.

b. Reading of the Earth Charter

From reading the Earth Charter I was reminded that there are still a multitude of global issues that have yet to be resolved including issues that wouldn’t be considered environmental issues necessarily. Issues, such as gender inequality are still rampant and I had not realized how integral they were to sustainability until now. For example, gender inequality can lead to things, such as birth rates that overly high and that are not sustainable. Now I also understand just how important equal human development is to sustainability. Without it only nations that are developed further can put their attention on promoting sustainability. Less developed nations can't put much effort into this as they have to strive to take care of themselves, which can be difficult. This all makes me sad and makes me realize just how much work the entirety of the world still has to do. After reading the charter I have been motivated to do my part and to follow the teachings of the charter as I know that everything I do matters thanks to principles, such as Principle 1.

2. Relevant/Applicable Principles

I think that most of the principles are still relevant and applicable today. One of the ones that I think is most applicable today is principle 16. Given the current conflict in Ukraine I believe it is important for all to heed this principle. While this conflict is raging, the environment of Ukraine is being devastated and many resources all over the world are being used in fear of the further conflict that could arise. This is all unsustainable and can not continue if we want to secure the future of humanity and the planet as a whole. However, if we begin to allocate these resources more towards environmental preservation, this could greatly aid the environment. Overall, I believe that this principle is so important, because it can be the difference between a destructive worldwide conflict or a peaceful and prosperous future for the planet and the human race.

Another principle, which I think is one of the most relevant is principle 1. It is often forgotten that everything and everyone matters and can affect many things or people around it in one way or another. This has lead to many negative consequences, such as the extinction of species, the eradication of peoples and large amounts of environmental degradation. When this occurs it can lead to even more devastation, as for example the extinction of one species can lead to the extinction of another. Unfortunately, with the way things are in the world currently these things continue to occur more and more. I believe that many of the world’s problems could begin to be resolved if this principle begins to be followed by all. This is because respect for something is needed for people to treat it sustainably and in many cases there is a lack of respect and understanding, which leads to these ongoing tragedies.

3. Irrelevant/Inapplicable Principles

One of the principles, which I think can be relevant/applicable, but can also be problematic is principle 3. The problem I find with it is that democratic societies can create divisions, which are harmful to sustainability. This is especially the case if the majority is in favor of something that is unsustainable or that works against sustainability. For example in the United States there are many interests that are in favor of sustainability as well as against it. In addition there is a clear division between the two dominant political parties about how environmental matters should be addressed. This causes times where the democratic process works against sustainability, which is problematic. Overall though I do believe that democratic societies are the most equipped to promote sustainability.

Principle 13 also adds on to this and can cause a few problems of its own. Mainly that it encourages all opinions to be respected and considered in a democratic society. I think that this is important and not necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to the rise of opinions that are against sustainability. If this occurs it will work against the mission of the Earth Charter. As with the previous principle however, this is unavoidable for the most part and simply has to be accepted as part of promoting effective democratic societies. I still believe that democratic societies are important in promoting sustainability, and promoting sustainability through other means, including the other principles will help to counteract this.

4. Forces Against Earth Charter Implementation

One of the forces that has worked and will continue to work against the implementation of the Earth Charter is human greed. It is general human nature to acquire and accumulate as much as a person can. However, this is very unsustainable and will cause many to go against the teachings of the Earth Charter. This is a very difficult force to overcome and may never be completely overcome. However, to begin overcoming it, people must be encouraged that they don’t need to accumulate so many things and that people can be happy with little. Perhaps this can be done by demonstrating examples of people without many things that are happy and people with many things that aren’t very happy or fulfilled with their life.

Another force that has worked and will continue to work against the Earth Charter is the feeling that these problems are too large for any of us to solve alone. This causes people to be complacent and simply accept that these issues are occurring without push back. Once again this is a difficult force to overcome, but there at least a few ways to begin overcoming it. One of these ways is to simply encourage people to do their best. I felt that the “Hummingbird in me” does a great job of this and even helped me to overcome this force. Sharing stories, such as this one can help encourage people that every effort they make matters.

5. Wow Moment

My wow moment when it comes to all of this is simply the fact that I had not even heard of the Charter prior to taking Colloquium. I feel that this is, such an important document that all should be exposed to at least once throughout their education. In addition I believe it is very unfortunate that this document isn’t talked about more in general. I have heard many mention things, such as the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence being good guides to follow. However, I have never heard the Earth Charter mentioned in this regard and I think it is one of the most important guides available to everyone. I believe that all people and all societies should heed the teachings and principles of this document so that we can witness a better future.

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university-colloquium-journal · 3 years ago

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Journal Entry #4

Section 1 - My Learning on the Farm

Introduction to ECHO Global Farm

During the introduction to the site I was able to get a really clear understanding of what the farm’s goals are and how it achieves them. As a Christian organization ECHO wants to honor God by ending hunger and engaging in sustainable farming worldwide. As part of this mission ECHO constantly researches new agricultural techniques and “appropriate technologies” that they then send to regional impact centers.

Appropriate technologies are a key part of ECHO’s mission as it ensures that agricultural workers around the world are given small-scale technologies that they are able to use effectively. This is essential, because for example; giving a small village a tractor will not be very effective. The reason why is that the villagers likely will have a difficult time using it and up-keeping it. This will most likely lead to it being tossed away somewhere and not being used again.

ECHO SEEDS

At the ECHO SEEDS portion of the farm I learned seed storage is very difficult in developing countries. This difficulty causes many seeds to be lost, which can drastically minimize the amount of food that is being grown, and can lead to food shortages. ECHO has come up with several methods to store seeds effectively. One of them is the frame in the second image that utilizes a pulley system. This frame keeps animals, such as insects and rodents away from the seeds. In addition the frame is an effective tool to dry seeds, which is important to keep them healthy in storage.

Another method is the Earth Bag House in the third photo. This structure can be built by anyone as long as they have clay and a few other materials, which makes it an effective seed storage technique in many locations. Inside the house many bags of seeds can be stored, which will be kept safe from outside animals, and will be kept at a consistent temperature, which is critical to seed health.

ECHO Pond & Water

At the next section I learned about how ECHO sources the water on its farm, and some techniques that can be used to purify water. The first photo is of a treadle pump. This mechanism pumps water from the bottom of the pond, because the lower water is purer than the higher water. The mechanism works like a bike and is a good example of an appropriate technology, because once it has been built it is very easy to use. However, it should be noted that the collected water still has to be purified.

That is when the clay pot in the second image comes in. The pot is another great example of an appropriate technology as it can be built by virtually anyone that can source the clay to make it. How it works is that water can simply pass through the pot as time goes on while leaving behind any particulates.

Adobe Bricks

After the water section, we were taught a little about the process of creating adobe bricks and adobe structures. At ECHO the bricks are home made so that visitors can get a close look as to how they are made. I learned that bricks have to be made very precisely, so that structures made out of them don’t collapse on themselves. As shown in the first image these bricks can also be made with the help of straws and soda battles, which was very interesting to learn about, as I believe it is a great way to reuse these resources. I also learned about the brick press in the second photo, which can be used to make many bricks a day, which can be very helpful to rapidly build shelters and homes.

Appropriate Technologies Village

To me this was the most interesting section of the farm as I got to learn the some of the creative ways that ECHO reuses resources and teaches others to do the same. In the village nothing is thrown away, which means that everything in the below images came from something else. For example the two bikes below are made from various components that had been thrown out and the items in the second image where all made of tires that were no longer in use.

I also got to learn more about the two bikes. The one on the right can be used to grind corn and ones like the one one the left are gifted to women who have lost their legs so that they have a reliable means of transportation. It was very sad to hear, but in some places women who have lost their legs are mistreated, which should not be the case whatsoever. It was nice to hear however, that ECHO tries to help these women even if it is not an issue related to agriculture.

Tropical Highlands

The next section took us into a recreation of what tropical highlands agriculture looks like. I learned that farming in areas like this is difficult due to erosion, but that many farmers are forced into these areas due to a lack of land availability. As this is the case farmers in these areas must adapt and one of the adaptations commonly found in these areas are terrace walls like the ones below. These walls are effective in deterring erosion.

Community Gardens

After the Tropical Highlands section we entered the community gardens hosted by ECHO. These gardens are worked on by several families of the community and are also used to educate about gardening. In the gardens there are many flowers that are grown and while at first I thought they were mainly for aesthetic this is not the case. Their main purpose is to attract pollinators to promote a healthy garden.

In the garden there is a tree called the Moringa Tree, which was fascinating to hear about. The tree is called the miracle tree, because it provides way more vital nutrients compared to most other fruits and vegetables, and it even has the ability to purify water.

Arid Region

In this section I learned some interesting information about agriculture in arid areas. For example something that astounded me was that the tree below is unlike many other trees. The reason why is that it loses its leaves during the rainy season and regrows them during the dry season, which was the opposite of what most other trees do.

I also learned about a necessary agricultural technique in arid areas, which is Zai holes like the ones in the second image. In the holes farmers place all the organic matter necessary so that plants can grow in the holes. These holes are effective, because they help keep moisture in, and they provide protection from things, such as wind.

Urban Area

To me this area was also just as interesting as the Appropriate Technologies Village. Here I learned various ways that agriculture can be done in a mostly urban setting while reusing waste. For example, the tire gardens in the second image can be quite effective as they help keep soil compact and they help to reduce tire waste. I also learned about wick gardens, which make use of carpets. These types of gardens allow seeds to be grown directly on the fibers of the carpet, which was pretty fascinating to learn about.

Wrap Up

Before we left the farm we were reminded of a few unfortunate facts, that we must all strive to change. These facts include that there are around 1 billion people who are living in hunger, the average farmer only produces half of what is needed for their family, and that every several seconds a child dies from hunger. I believe that all these things are completely unacceptable and am thankful that organizations, such as ECHO are working to change these facts. However, it is now up to me to also do my part in helping to end all of these issues.

*All photos taken by me

Section 2 - Reflection on the Experience

Overall, I had a very informative experience on the farm and I learned a lot about agriculture around the world. Regarding sustainability, I learned that there are many ways to engage in it. In agriculture alone there are many ways to practice sustainability, such as through the use of polyculture over monoculture, and by only putting in the amount of resources necessary. For example, rice cultivators tend to use too much water to grow plants, which is unsustainable and not as productive as using less water.

Organizations, such as ECHO are important to us all for a variety of reasons. To begin, they are very educational and can teach many people the proper way of doing things, such as farming. In addition, they are at the forefront of agriculture knowledge and are the most equipped of finding new ways to do things that are more sustainable and healthier for the planet. Finally, they help to promote sustainable practices and are able to encourage people to be more sustainable on a mass scale.

One example of an adaptive technology is the clay pot I discussed in the water section. To recap, the pot can be used as a water purifier, as water will slowly get out of the pot, while leaving behind particulates. This is an adaptive technology, because it can be used anywhere where clay can be sourced and can be made and used without needing too much knowledge regarding water purification. In many cases water purification systems used in countries like the United States don’t work as well in developing countries, which is where the adaptation of clay pots to purify water came about.

One plant that I encountered at ECHO was Napier grass. ECHO uses the plant as a pest control measure over things, such as pesticides. The grass releases gases that are able to kill insects, but that aren’t harmful to the rest of the surrounding life. Another plant I encountered at ECHO is bamboo, which has many uses. One of its primary uses is as a material to build small huts that can be used as homes and shelter. These huts can last up to 20-30 years if built well. Bamboo is also burned at ECHO to be used as biochar. This char can be used in compost to make it much more effective after it has gone through the curing process.

One thing that I discovered at ECHO that I will try and apply to my own life is that many things can be reused in ways I wouldn’t even think of. From now on I will try to reuse a lot more waste and try to find creative, but effective ways to reuse it.

Section 3 - The Food Footprint

How would your life be different if you had to find or grow your own food, as many people around the world have to do?

My life would be drastically different if I had to find or grow my own food. My life would be much more difficult, because I would likely have to spend the majority of the time ensuring that I have enough food for myself. This means I would have less time for things, such as education and entertainment. In addition I would also have to be much more wary of things, such as droughts as they could completely ruin my food supply.

Why do you think it is important to grow a biodiversity of foods?

It is important to grow a biodiversity of foods for a variety of reasons. The first is that it allows people to gain a more diverse set of nutrients, which is important in maintaining health. The second is that polyculture is more effective than monoculture, because plants and crops help each other grow. Finally it is important so that you have multiple sources of food instead of just one or a few as an event can occur where the singular source of food is eradicated. Other sources of food on the other hand may be able to handle the event well or even thrive even more so during the event.

Reflect on your food footprint- where does most of your food come from? Is it locally grown or imported? How many miles did it travel to get to you? Do you think it contains pesticide residues? Is most of your food prepared/processed or a whole food?

Overall I do not have a good food footprint. Most of my food is not local and comes from far away places. I am unsure how far away it travels to get to me, but I do know that it is too far to be sustainable. I am unsure if the food contains pesticide residues, but it would not surprise me if they do contain some even though I try to clean the food to the best of my ability. Unfortunately, most of the food I eat is prepared/processed and is not whole food.

How might you reduce you footprint on the land? What obstacles might you face in adopting these new food habits, and how do you plan on overcoming those obstacles?

I can reduce my footprint on the land by eating more sustainably. This includes eating more whole foods and locally sourced foods. This also entails eating less animal products. Some obstacles I may face while implementing these habits include potentially having to pay more for organic foods, and simply having a difficult time moving away from the food I currently eat. To overcome these obstacles I will implement these habits slowly so that I don’t overwhelm myself and become discouraged.

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university-colloquium-journal · 4 years ago

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Journal Entry #3

1. Introduction of CREW

Our field trip to CREW began here at the parking lot of the site. Here we learned what CREW is and got some general information about it. As the image below shows CREW stands for Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. I learned that a watershed is an area that collects and holds water that is used to recharge aquifers. As I saw throughout the rest of my trip, they can also create a vast ecosystem and habitats for many species. The land was bought by the South Florida Water Management District so it can be protected and so it can continue providing us with clean water.

2. Pine Flatwoods

The first stop we made was at a pine flatwoods ecosystem similar to the first stop on the FGCU nature trail. Here we covered some things I had learned about in the previous field trip, such as the sandy soil and the dominant pine trees as well as some new things. The most important thing I learned here is about the saw palmettos in both the images. These plants are good for burning and are often used for prescribed burns in this area. I also learned that prescribed burns aren’t controlled, which I did not think was the case. The reason why is that plants in this area are resistant to burns, such as plants that use their “boots” to protect themselves so the burns do not have to be actively controlled.

3. Seasonal Marsh

The next stop we made was at a little boardwalk overlooking a vast seasonal marsh. Here I learned that the water level in this ecosystem is reliant on the season. In Florida’s case there is simply a dry and wet season. When we visited it was the dry season so the water levels were very low, as can be seen in the second image. Here I also learned that this ecosystem is good for purifying water, because it drains particulates from it and then the water rushes to other areas.

4. Fire

Our next stop was a little further down the trail and here we had a long discussion about burns and fire. Something really interesting I learned that I had no idea about is the difference between prescribed burns and wildfires. Prescribed burns move slowly and don’t climb trees while wildfires start on top of trees and jump to others, which makes them significantly more dangerous and harmful. Besides this we covered a few points from the last field trip, such as why fire is beneficial. To restate this point, the reason why is that it clears underbrush and returns nutrients to the soil.

5. Ecotone

Our next stop was in the middle of an ecotone that transitioned from the pine flatwoods to the oak hammock ecosystem we were entering. To recap an ecotone is a transition between two ecosystems where there is an increased amount of biodiversity. As we walked through the ecotone I could feel a drop in temperature. As the images below show I could also begin to notice that the ground was starting to change some as we walked, which was a sight to behold.

6. Saw Grass Marsh

The following stop was at a wooden structure that overlooked a 5,000 acre sawgrass marsh. Here we discussed ecosystem services like we did on the previous field trip. As before we talked about some of the common services that ecosystems provide, such as food, water and shelter. In terms of the sawgrass marsh, it provides similar services as the seasonal marsh, such as purifying our water.

Unfortunately, during the trip I did not manage to see many larger species, such as panthers, which are known to frequent the area. However, I did at least get to see the condor in the second image, which gave me a small glimpse of the type of wildlife present at the site.

7. Air boat Ramp

The next stop was at the site’s air boat ramp where we talked extensively about it, as well as the wooden boardwalk we were standing on. About the boardwalk, I learned that it is made out of ipe wood. It was interesting to learn about this wood, as it does not need to be chemically treated nor does it rot. I had never heard of wood like this, but it is fascinating.

I learned a lot about the airboat ramp. First of all, I learned that SWFL management dug it out to conduct research further into the site. The ramp was partially dug out by alligators, which I would have never guessed. The ramp also serves another purpose as it provides a habitat for fish and the alligators.

8. Pop Ash Slough

The following stop was at a boardwalk on top of a pop ash slough. The areas is filled with cypress trees, which love to get water under them. As shown below the trees are deciduous, which is why they don’t appear lush. Regarding the ecosystem as a whole, I learned that slough is the slow movement of water, which means that water doesn’t rest in this area, but rather moves through it.

In this area there were many epiphytes as well as blood lichen. When I saw the blood lichen I remembered that it was a sign of great air quality from the previous field trip, so I took some deep breaths while I was in this area.

9. Oak Hammock

Our second to last stop was in an oak hammock ecosystem like the one we visited on our first field trip. Here we touched upon many of the points that we touched upon in the first field trip, such as some of the characteristics of the ecosystem. Some of these points include the fact that this ecosystem is generally cooler than others that surround it, and that it burns every 6-10 years. While we were discussing, I constantly looked at the hole in the second image as I was curious if some animal would come out of it. This would have been unlikely, because we were standing there so the animal would have been hiding, but I do believe that there was something in there.

10. Pavilion

The final stop of the field trip was at Suzanne’s Pavilion. Here me and my group reflected on our experiences. Those reflections will be in the section below.

Personal & Group Reflection

Personally I felt very relaxed and calm during the field trip. The cool weather on the day made it a pleasant experience to walk around the trails. It was a wonderful experience witnessing the FGCU nature trail, but on a grander scale, as that is what the trails felt like. It also felt fulfilling being able to recognize things that we had talked about on our previous field trip.

My group also shared many of these same feelings. It was an overall consensus that we enjoyed this trip more and that we made more of a connection with CREW than the FGCU nature trail. Some of my group members cited specific parts of the trip they really enjoyed. Pablo for example really liked the discussion regarding the ipe wood just like I did. Overall, we all enjoyed the field trip and I think that we all formed some type of sense of place while we were at CREW.

*All photos were taken by me

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university-colloquium-journal · 4 years ago

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Journal Entry #2

FGCU’s Sustainability Efforts

Before this field trip I had no idea just how many sustainability efforts FGCU has undertaken. One of the first efforts I learned about during the field trip was the water school that can be seen in the distance in the following image. FGCU is building this school so students can learn more about our local water. It will include facilities, such as laboratories where we can test our water. Prior to the trip I was completely unaware of what this building was going to be, so it was interesting to learn more about it.

The image below portrays a few sustainability efforts. The first is FGCU’s commitment to using native plants on campus rather than exotic or foreign plants. I pass by these plants a lot and have never thought about them. Now I can pass by them with a smile as I am aware that they are a part of FGCU’s sustainability efforts. The other effort that the image demonstrates is the campus’s open design. I was unaware that this was a deliberate choice so the university can encourage more outside activity rather than indoor activity. By doing this the university is combating nature deficit disorder. This is a phenomenon where people are spending less time outdoors. The phenomenon can be harmful in various ways.

One sustainability effort that I never would have thought of was right below my feet. These river rocks are used to recharge our aquifer. They are effective, because they slow down rain water and cause no gutters. I always though that the purpose of these rocks was to add to the aesthetic on campus.

During this trip we talked a lot about the building below due to the platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Envrionmental Design) certification it has acquired. The building has earned this certification for a variety of reasons including its sustainable construction, high efficiency lights and reflective roof. The roof helps reduce consumption needed for cooling the building. FGCU is striving to attain this level of certification for all of its buildings including the water school mentioned previously.

FGCU has made a few man made ponds on its campus including the one pictured below. They imitate real life ponds. These help provide ecosystem services, such as recharging the aquifers and providing a home for local species like alligators. The ponds even include pipes that allow gators to move between them so they have a much wider area to roam in.

I had never seen the facility below prior to the trip, which is the ice refrigerator/central energy plant. This facility is very important to the campus as it determines how many buildings we can have. The facility has saved the university $300,000 a year on electricity, powers Seidler Hall and produces 2 megawatts of power. I had always thought FGCU was powered through outside means, so I was very surprised when I learned that the campus powers itself through inside means.

The final sustainability effort we discussed on campus itself was the trash/recycling compactors shown below. These are better than regular trashcans for a variety of reasons. The main reason is that it does not require trash bags, which minimizes trash bag waste on campus. Other reasons include that they emit no odors and that they don’t allow animals in. This keeps animals away from bad situations. These help demonstrate how committed FGCU is to sustainability very well, because the university bought them for $5,000 when they could have simply opted for much less expensive trash bins.

The Nature Trail

Our journey through the Nature Trail began here. Here we were told some guidelines to follow during the walk. We were also informed about one particular species of plant that we may encounter on the trail. That species is poison ivy.

The following two images come from our first stop within the trail. I learned that at that point we were currently situated in a pine flat woods ecosystem. It is known for its tall pine trees like the one shown below. Some characteristics of this ecosystem include its sandy soil, and its need for burning, which will be discussed further below. I also learned about the “boots” on certain trees like the one in the second image. They protect the tree from fires and can serve as mini habitats in some cases. A long time ago natives would hang their boots on these things, which is where the name originated from.

Our next stop was a little further down and here we went more in depth regarding the burning. I learned that burning is essential in this ecosystem in order to remove accumulated underbrush. Burning this underbrush can help return nutrients to the ecosystem if done right, and is helpful to smaller species on the ground. FGCU engages in prescribed/mechanical burns to help aid in this process, sometimes using prison labor. While it may not seem like it is a sustainability effort, it turns out it is actually a very important sustainability effort.

As the image below shows the local species have adapted to deal with the burns. For example the tree below is mostly unharmed thanks to the boots taking the brunt of the burns. Other species, such as gopher tortoises can dig up to 40 foot burrows to protect themselves from the fire.

After the first few stops we moved on towards an oak wood hammock ecosystem. This ecosystem is dominated by oak trees like the one below. Characteristics of it include lower temperature, shadier, less sandy soil, more organic matter, and lower elevation. The detritus (dead plant matter) in the ecosystem feeds the plants and contributes to it being much more lush than the pine flat woods.

The particular ecosystem we where in also had high air quality. I learned that I could tell by looking at moss (the white spots) on trees such as the one below. The more moss there is on trees, the higher the air quality as moss can only thrive in areas with high air quality. This turned out to be quite the opposite of what my first impressions were, because at first I believed that white spots on trees where signs of sickness. With all of this in mind I ensured to take lots of deep and refreshing breaths while I was in the area.

Our next stop was a quick one where we discussed epiphytes. Unfortunately, they can’t be seen very well in the image below, but epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants. I encountered many of these on the trail and would not have noticed them if we had not talked about them. Therefore, I am very glad that we did. I learned that these plants are not parasitic, but too many of them can be bad for the plant they are situated on.

Our next stop was situated right in the middle of an ecotone. I learned that an ecotone is the area where there is a transition of ecosystems. These areas are known to be more resilient than surrounding areas due to high amounts of biodiversity. The image below does a great job demonstrating this, as you can see the drier pine flat woods behind the more lush oak wood hammock. In this stop I also learned that pine trees are deciduous trees. This means that during colder months like the current month, the trees lose their leaves and then they grow back during warmer months.

Our second to last stop was situated in a cypress swamp/dome. In this ecosystem there is elevated water and cypress trees. The bigger trees are situated in the center, while the smaller ones are situated on the outskirts, which is why it is given the dome title. Here I learned about something that has always confused me, which is the difference between a marsh and a swamp. I now know that swamps primarily have trees, while marshes mainly have grass.

I also learned that this area has the best air quality, which could be seen by the blood lichen growing on some trees. I made sure to take even more deep breaths while I was in this stop.

As can be seen in the image below, the water contains oil slicks. At first I was disgusted by the slicks thinking they came from human waste. However, it turns out that they are actually oil secretions from the trees. After learning this I breathed a sigh of relief.

Below lies our final stop on the trail and on the field trip. This area has a few benches where outdoor classes can take place. I had no idea that FGCU had a dedicated location for outdoor classes prior to seeing this area.

In this area I was also able to take a better image of a species of epiphyte. I learned that the epiphyte in the second image is called “resurrection fern”.

My Time In the Water

When I stood in the water and everyone was silent, I felt at peace and very relaxed. My ears could pick up the slightest of sounds including distant birds and small movements in the water. For the first time in a long time my mind was completely blank and I thought of nothing. Instead I took in all the nature around me. It truly was an unforgettable experience. I will always remember the tree I stood next to, which is the one below.

It seemed that many other people had a similar experience. During our discussion I heard many people say the word “relaxed” and mention being able to hear the slightest of sounds. The main difference in experiences was that some people could not feel as much harmony with nature, because the water was making them too cold. However, some were able to overcome this and be just as in harmony with nature as I was.

All of this connects to sense of place, because it demonstrates what being connected to nature really feels like. It also demonstrates factors that can disconnect people from nature. After this exercise I can now fully and truly understand what is meant by the term “sense of place”. I am now better able to determine what my sense of place is, which I had difficulty trying to determine prior to this experience.

*All photos in this blog post where taken by me.

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