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Journal 10 - Post-Class Conceptions and Learning Experience

Truthfully, this course met most of my expectations. Having been exposed to more outdoor activities since my time here at FGCU, the trips themselves we kind of what I expected them to be and more. However, since I do not have a car, some of the locations were new to me, perhaps not in name but in terms of never having been there before.

This course helped me learn way more about how to live a sustainable lifestyle and how today’s technology may be something we take for granted considering the agricultural and communication advances we have made, among other things. Also, I learned a lot more about the history of Fort Myers. This helped put this even more into perspective of how much Florida has changed over the past few decades. 

The readings included books that, although intriguing, I may not have read on my own. Plan B 4.0 helped us as students learn more about the various ways through which we can educate ourselves and thus be able to do more to make have a positive impact on the environment. “A Land Remembered” helped us expand our knowledge in terms of Florida’s history through less conventional means by using everyday people’s lives to carry the story along. It was less conventional in that, although some of the story involved war and survival, it revolved around a specific family who was just trying to survive but also helped those who may need the help. The university’s book contained excerpts that helped us get a better understanding as to why we should strive to improve our lifestyles to help address environmental issues, from discussing the health benefits of being around nature to the preservation of the Earth’s biodiversity. 

ECHO farms helped me get a better understanding of the value in exchanging ideas. The nature trail walk helped me realize that I have yet to expose myself to nature the way that I could and probably should as well as that I had not done activities like that in awhile even though it is so close by. Six Mile reminded me that a certain peace of mind comes from simply walking and observing nature, even if it is for a short time. The class overall has helped me learn more not just about what I may not know, but also what I can do with newfound knowledge.

Nature Trail Walk, 2017.

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Journal 9 - Ecological Footprint and Campus Nature Trail Walk

I have a couple of favorite places I like to go to on campus, but it depends on what my goal in that moment may be. Also, the climate plays a definite role in this as well. If I want to eat lunch and read for pleasure but it is incredibly hot out that day, I try to find a place indoors or a shady spot to do so. If it is cool enough outside without causing me to be on the verge shivering, I like to sit outside of the library in the semi-circle concrete seating area. You can have a nice view of the body of water near the library while also being able to people watch or even just being able to read in peace, usually, while people pass by. Most people prefer studying in the library, but I personally like to sit in the Cohen Center in the eating area in high chairs facing the wall. I can focus by not looking at people while also being near food should I get hungry, which would also distract me from studying. 

Our campus has a lot more trees and the like than I am accustomed to back home on the other coast. Regardless of this, I think that my loved ones play a huge role in my “sense of place.” Although I may enjoy sitting alone on campus and doing things by myself from time to time, considering that our campus is smaller in comparison to most, good company is incredibly important and the memories formed in some of these place are what help increase or decrease their appeal. 

As a class, we recently went on a nature trail walk. It was an incredibly nostalgic experience for me for various reasons. The trails we went on are located close to the first-year dorms and I happened to go on one of the trails with a good friend of mine whom I am still friends with and lived with my first year at FGCU. In addition to this, one of our guides used to be president of FGCU Wildlife Club, of which I used to be an active member a couple of years ago. It was an even more interesting experience, personally, due to all of this. I would have enjoyed it more, though, if I had known it was going to be a wet walk since I would have prepared better then. 

Being a student that is all over the place, I sometimes forget that, due to being located on a conservation of sorts, our campus is home to plenty of wildlife. At one point, our guide, Taylor, presented some facts about the barred owls that live in the area and even called out to them by imitating their call in hopes that they would respond, which apparently they do sometimes. 

Using the following link, I recently found out my ecological footprint: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/. I hope to do better after I graduate since I will hopefully have more time and energy then but my ecological footprint results state that if everyone lives like I do, we would need 1.8 Earths. I do not have a car and do not usually travel far so I think that plays a huge part. I do admit, though, that i generate a lot of trash and would like to work on this. I could work on buying less packaged foods and buying good at the farmer’s market on campus more often. These are just some of the things I could work on but I know there is more that needs work as well.

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Journal 8 - Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

My group’s topic from Lester Brown’s Plan B 4.0 was urban issues. Although I have never lived in a city, per se, I grew up in an area of Florida that does experience quite a lot traffic congestion and involves having your home in close proximity to that of your neighbors, or at least in most cases. However, unlike in grand cities, there are no towering sky scrapers and the like. There are areas like not too far from where my family lives, though. Attending FGCU and living on campus is quite different from what I was accustomed to as everything is more spread out within the area near the university. 

Within this section, Brown mentions traffic congestion, a high demand for resources, cities being built for transport systems rather than people, squatter settlements, and even goes as far as to talk about public transportation, particularly biking. I personally found it ironic how resources are taken from rural communities to provide for people living in the city. It forces to question how much of today’s world is truly natural, in a way. One of the girls in my discussion group mentioned recycling goods or rather materials from old buildings after their deconstruction. Although said materials may not be safe to use for newer buildings, they can surely be used for other purposes. 

One of the girls also mentioned how some powerful groups, particularly those in governmental positions, may see squatter settlements as immoral and thus may not see them as worth investing time and energy into. Brown mentions how destroying such settlements does not address the cause for their existence in the first place. I personally find that addressing said concern can be justified using ethos, pathos, and logos. From an ethical standpoint, we should help one another and have an obligation that people’s needs are met. From an emotional perspective, we can put ourselves in the place of squatters and wonder what it must be like in this day and age to not have a place to truly call home nor the resources to make progress even though there may be people nearby thriving and capable of helping. From a logical standpoint, the people who make up these settlements have the potential to become successful and thus contribute to society. There are multiple justifications for acting to make a change now. 

In terms of my Plan C, I think that we need to incorporate more of the natural world into cities, even if it is a gradual process. Urban areas may seem like a world all their own but they cannot survive on their own. Also, we should make changes that will encourage rather than hinder lifestyle changes, like biking and the like. I am a firm believer that smaller details and what may be considered smaller accomplishments are also important when attempting to make a difference, which can be applied when discussing this topic.

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Journal 7 - Six Miles Cypress Slough field trip

1. Reflect upon your Six Miles Cypress Slough field trip experience. What is the importance of its preservation? Please identify the various species that you saw or heard about on this trip.

It was interesting to return to Six Miles Cypress Slough after not having returned in a couple of years. I had gone there once during my freshman year at FGCU with a couple of friends. I remember it being serene this time around as it was that one time as well, although it may have been a hotter day when I had gone previously.

A couple of friends and I at Six Miles Cypress Slough, 2014.

It is kind of strange but also awe-inspiring after learning that students around my age were responsible for saving the land that we now know as Six Miles Cypress Slough. Our tour guide, Steve, explained how it was originally going to be destroyed so that farmers could cross over more easily with their cattle so they would be able to graze elsewhere, among other reasons. These students apparently would help with research in the slough and wanted to preserve it. 

Six Miles Cypress Slough, 2017.

As to the why, these students probably recognized the biodiversity of the animals that live within the slough as well as the vegetation that was vital to the surrounding ecosystems. Some of the trees there are essential in filtering the water that goes through the region. In regards to animals, alligators alone play a huge role in the biodiversity of the slough. Gator hole locations serves various purposes, including protection for birds who may choose to nest above them. Also, baby gators act as food for numerous creatures. 

Six Miles Cypress Slough, 2017.

This trip made me realize that my “sense of place” does rely heavily on my loved ones. Although I do not always require their company,  my experience at Six Miles Cypress Slough was different based on the goal, such as more social versus more academic, as well as on my relationship to those around me. I am still close friends with one of the people with whom I went there last and was wondering who I would like to share the experience with next as we walked along certain parts. Even just going alone and bringing a book to read seemed like it would be quite enjoyable. 

In terms of ecological imprint and sustainability, it brought to life some of the imagery provided in the book “A Land Remembered” that we were required to read for this course; it made me truly understand just how much we as people have probably changed the land in Florida and all around the world. Also, it made me think about invasive species as well since Steve also pointed out an invasive snail species and Florida is sometimes known for the wildlife that has been introduced into it, like pythons in the Everglades and the like. It helped me continue to learn just how much of a role we may play while, on the other hand, reminding me of how small we may be.

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Journal - Group Presentation: Goodall

My group and I ended up covering a section of our Colloquium book that revolved around Jane Goodall. She gives four reasons for what some people seem to see as being “unrealistically optimistic.” The reasons, in her words, are as follows: “our quite extraordinary intellect, the resilience of nature, the energy and commitment of informed young people who are empowered to act, and the indomitable human spirit.” 

In regards to our intellect, I believe Goodall wants to emphasize that, although animals are intelligent, our ability to reason and decipher what is right and wrong as well as what works and what doesn’t will allow us to overcome obstacles that we may face when trying to help the environment and its living beings. The resilience of nature allows it to bounce back and evolve. The energy and power of young people are important because it takes one person to start a movement and in greater numbers, people can work together to move forward. Also, as young people, they may have more time and energy, even if not entirely, to dedicate to a cause. The human spirit may be interpreted differently to different people but I believe she meant that our emotions and intellect give us a great capacity to love, learn, and push forward determinedly. 

Although I understand that it may be natural to fear what may be unfamiliar to us, at least upon a first encounter, jane Goodall’s relationship goes to show that one can establish a sort of bond with animals and can observe without disturbing their way of life. She also chose to observe animals in their own habitat, which I like. Sometimes we forget that wherever we go, animals may have lived there before or may still live there and must respect this, no matter how curious we may be. She also touches upon how saving animals requires the help of the local peoples as well. She showed that it is possible to familiarize with both the people and the animals, helping her do research without causing more harm.

Although I do believe that the cycle of environmental damage and progress is a continuous one, I believe that so long as there are people who do not care about the environment, there will be people who do. Also, as time goes on, we acquire more knowledge and thus can develop better technology to improve. Also, as times change, so do ideas and the core values of people, so, just as there will be times with other priorities, there will be times when people may dedicate more time to help.

Through this presentation, we as students have learned more about how we as individuals can start a movement. As young people, Goodall gives us a hopeful outlook and seems to believe in our capacity to do better. She also motivates us to find what we’re passionate about and play an active part in it. Overall, she is quite inspirational.

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Journal 6 - Lovers Key

enablFor those unfamiliar with it, Lovers Key is a beach in Southwest Florida. Now, I had heard of it before but had never actually been there until a couple of days ago. It is not quite as busy as some of the other beaches nearby, by far. 

In terms of the biodiversity there, we learned that there all sorts of life there, which is not surprising for a beach. I myself got to see a little crab of sorts scurrying in the water. We learned about how mangroves have salt on their leaves since they secrete the salt found in the water, which allows them to survive in water with a higher salinity. In fact, we learned about how the reason that they do not grow on the actual beach is due to the movement of the waves, which does not allow the seedlings to attach themselves to the sand and sprout. 

Animals along the beach include ones like sea turtles, of which we learned are still deeply affected by ecotourism. Although I had heard about this in little detail before, our guides explained in further detail how light pollution affect baby sea turtles’ journey to sea; upon hatching, they sometimes mistake hotel room lights near the beach and the like as the moon, which they refer to in order to head towards the ocean. We also learned about how a type of beach grass called sea oats help slow down the process of erosion along the beach. What I found most interesting was when we learned that we can still to this day write on and mail sea grape leaves. Even the seashells are good indicators of the biodiversity of the beach. 

The Shiva presentation from our lecture focused on biodiversity and thus this field trip really helped us see it and learn about it in action. The plants, animals, and even the water all worked together. Also, the presentation touched upon globalization and our guides touched upon ecotourism. 

The three concepts of Colloquium include the following: a sense of place, developing an ecological perspective, and enabling an understanding of sustainability. The sense of place was created for those who come to visit and those who have built there in addition to the animals and such. The second concept can be applied to this field trip since we were in the environment we were learning about rather than in a classroom setting. The third concept comes from the first two as we continue to learn. Overall, it was a pleasant experience.

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Journal 5 - Urban Environments: Downtown Fort Myers

1. A brief history of the city - how it started, how it has grown, its main functions, key people involved etc. 

People have lived in Fort Myers for thousands of years, specifically around 14000 years. These people started off as hunter-gatherers and sea levels were much lower, so it is not hard to imagine then that Florida, a peninsula, used to be larger.  

2. What did you learn from the field trip about:

a)  How the city government has addressed environmental issues - parks, water, buildings etc.

The city has fountains that help filter water from the Caloosahatchie river. The quality of water has decreased over time, although the mangroves do help as well. There are pathways and wide sidewalks to encourage walking, which helps decrease air pollution by reducing the use of transportation.  

b) The conflicts between efforts of environmental, historical and economic forces in the decision making  about the city functions 

There is a building that is not in use where people from across America would meet to , but it is still being debated whether or not it would be best to restore it, which would cost money, or simply tear it down and build more profitable buildings. It was mentioned on the trip that building hotels in that area has been considered since Fort Myers has been gaining popularity as of late. This would allow more people to visit by providing more rooms after payment, which would also increase the number of consumers within the city, particularly people who may want to purchase something to remember the city by. However, some believe that the building has too much historical value to tear down. Also, tearing it down would require tearing up the land.

3. How can you apply aspects of biophobia, biophilia and topophilia in the city?

There is a fountain in the city where kids could try and play with baby alligators; due to safety hazards, this was shut down not long after. Perhaps this idea stemmed from wanting to interact with nature more and accustom children to becoming comfortable with other creatures, although the result may have had the opposite effect for some. There is also a bridge that allows you to stand over the Caloosahatchie river, which allows you to get closer to nature.

4. How does the learning on the city relate to the readings and the course objectives? 

The city had plenty of historical monuments. These monuments may help us want to learn more about our past, which can help us prevent similar mistakes for the future, such as with the quality of the river’s water. 

5. Anything else of interest to include in your journal?

The trip was interesting, although it would have been nice to have more time to eat and discuss what we had learned. 

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ECHO Farm and the Food Footprint

Going to ECHO really opened my eyes to how much we as people are actually capable of doing to live and promote a sustainable lifestyle. As a state with a sub-tropical climate, we may be able to grow certain plants that we may not be able to grow elsewhere, which is something we should probably take advantage of and appreciate more.  

Organizations like ECHO are essential in general because it not only promotes sustainability, but it also encourages the exchange of acquired knowledge. New New techniques that are proven to be successful are introduced to other communities via ECHO and seeing as how we all have common needs, including food, communities can thrive thanks to this intellectual exchange. For instance, using perennial peanuts to help a species of avocado flourish may not have been discovered otherwise or at least something possibly well-known within sustainable communities.

Our tour guide, Vic, explaining one of the ways to use natural resources to transport water, 2017.

Our tour guide at ECHO, Vic, explaining the relationship between the avocados and the perennial peanuts, 2017.

Although I have never had a “green thumb” in the past, ECHO made me realize that even I can try to grow produce  and find other uses for plants as well as inspire others. The interns there seem to come from all over the world and the organization itself has headquarters in various locations worldwide. At the end of the day, we can all make a difference somehow, whether it be big or small.

I vaguely remember being a part of a garden club in fifth grade. Upon entering a local flower arranging contest, we all did pretty well; I remember placing in the top three. However, my basil plant ended up being the only one to die. From a young age, I wondered often about life and death as well as how interconnected we all are; I was told and found myself to be an empathetic person. My plant’s death made me sad for two reasons: it was, again, the only one out of the group to die and I had hoped to see it grow wonderfully. We had a butterfly garden at my elementary school that we would help look after, but as much as I enjoyed it, I was not much good at helping the plants grow. I also remember learning how cotton grew while visiting family in Guatemala once, which helped introduce me to the idea of growing your own plants possibly being commonplace.

Me with my flower arrangement in 2006 or 2007.

I love cooking and I have a deep love for food, which is kind of funny now since I was a picky eater for most, if not all, of elementary school. You can see the shift in my mood when I am hungry; I become broody and quiet, often responding to questions with much more concise answers. When in need or in an emergency, I can ignore my hunger more, but on a regular basis, I cannot imagine not having easy access for food, or rather, I can picture it and it makes me sad for those who have to overcome numerous obstacles just to eat. 

One issue I personally think we have in America is that produce and other healthier foods are much more expensive than junk food. Also, as much as we like to plant trees here and there in cities and other urban places, we do not promote growing our own produce as much as we could. Doing so could help feed poorer communities and serve as an income should they choose to sell their produce. Also, as someone who hates throwing away food, perhaps I could look into cooking with foods of which the growing process is not as harmful to the environment. It was an interesting learning experience after all. 

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Journal 2 - Nature Deficit Disorder (Louv), Restorative Environment (Orr)

I grew up in a place that is not really a city but not really a small town either. There are parks here and there but you’re not going to come across acres and acres of forest either. I guess I had the opportunity to decide to distance myself from nature or embrace it. 

As a child, I was the little girl who loved to play dolls and with my toy kitchen set but also loved climbing trees, chasing lizards, and pretending to be a superhero outside with my neighbors. As of right now, I think I rotate between distancing myself from and embracing nature, much of which probably has to do with familiarity and lifestyle.

In the most recent lecture for this course, we learned mainly about how we as people cannot truly avoid nature and be indifferent to it. We also learned about how our evolution as human beings -in terms of entertainment, use of resources, and more- may have consequences that we may or may not think about enough. Some of these consequences may include conditions like ADHD becoming diagnosed at an earlier age and nuclear warfare. As living beings, particularly ones that drink water and use it cleanse ourselves, get our nutrients from plants and animals, and more, we cannot be truly indifferent to nature.

These ideas can be applied in real life and now even more so with Hurricane Irma having hit recently. My family is not the most active or social for that matter, therefore FGCU appealed to me in that I could walk around campus and expose myself to nature a little more. 

However, when I went back home for the hurricane and we were without power for a few days, I was finally able to get back into reading for fun -something I still do but not as often anymore- rather than just streaming shows online or stressing about online homework, among other things. I also did not realize just how accustomed I was to air conditioning. I was not able to sleep well at all due to having to go without it. The hurricane also made me realize how we as people view time and revolve our lives around it. In addition to all of this, it also made me realize that nature is more powerful, for better and worse, than mankind gives it credit for. 

Preparing to entertain ourselves during and after Irma, 2017.

Trying to play dominoes without power with my mom and uncle, 2017.

Finally finishing The Book Thief, with my dog nearby, 2017.

In regards to my “sense of place,” I have come to realize that the people that live in Florida usually either love it or hate it. Much of that, i believe, has to do with the heat. I also came to realize how important it is to not only cherish your loved ones but also spend quality time with them, especially outside, where we can just rid ourselves of stress due to responsibilities and material distractions every once and awhile. 

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Journal 1 - Introductions, Pre-Conceptions, and Sense of Place

For those of you who do not know, Colloquium is a course offered at Florida Gulf Coast University that we are all required to take in order to graduate. I may look like I’m fifteen years old, give or take, but I am actually twenty one years old and graduating in the upcoming spring semester with a bachelor’s degree. 

Here is where I get to be a little conceited and talk a little bit about myself.

I am a Community Health major with a Theatre minor. As you may able to tell from the previous statement, I love the arts and the sciences -although there are plenty of other topics I love as well. 

My hobbies are all over the place, but some activities I enjoy include reading, practicing martial arts, photography, dancing, and watching movies. I believe strongly in working together to fight for human rights, among other things. I also like to think I am an empathetic and determined person.

By what I can tell, if you asked students about what they know of the course prior to taking it, including myself about a week ago, they would tell you that it revolves around Southwest Florida’s environment. I expected to learn solely about the environment and how we as humans affect it. However, after the first day, something my professor said stuck with me. 

I have always appreciated extracurriculars since high school because they give you the opportunity to interact with you may not be able to otherwise, be it because of your year, your major, etc.  Our professor mentioned how we should take advantage that this course not only allows us to learn about the environment, but that it also is one of those rare classes where upperclassmen of varying majors and thus people of varying interests can come together to work towards completing similar tasks and sharing similar goals. 

Being someone who believes in the “butterfly effect,” I think that we will learn about the environment but also will learn to use the newfound knowledge and awareness we may acquire to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, even if we only make small changes. As students, especially in a course where we will have to work in groups, I think that we should expect to learn about how we can apply different ideas from various fields into one field of study. 

In terms of what my “sense of place” is, I believe that, different from what the word “place” implies, my sense of place stems mainly from my loved ones, including my dog that I love dearly. What is a place without good company to create memories with? As someone who values their alone time, I understand that there are exceptions, but we as people get attached to places due to memories that we form there.

 When thinking of my attachment to physical spaces, as someone who prefers the heat over the cold, Florida is my home and has been my entire life. I am attached to it in some shape or form. One noteworthy thing about Florida too is that each part of it can be vastly different from another. I am from the East Coast, which is much different to where FGCU is, on the West Coast. However, through engaging with people, particularly through extracurriculars, I have found my sense of place here -at FGCU- as well. Being known for emphasizing an environmentally-friendly lifestyle, I think that this course will supplement whatever attachments I have here for the better.

To end this journal, here are some of my “attachments” pertaining to sense of place and more:

FGCU International Reception, 2016.

USHF Hapkido Seminar at Indiana University with FGCU Martial Arts Club, 2016.

Project pertaining to how we perceive culture for Occupation and Participation course, 2017.

Eagles Ropes Course with international students, 2016.

Tabling with FGCU Rescue Team, 2016.

Florida International Leadership Conference at Camp Winona, 2017.