Final Thoughts Blog 10

I first heard of Colloquium during FGCU’s orientation for new and incoming students. University Colloquium is an interdisciplinary environmental education course designed to explore the concept of sustainability and ecological literacy.  Within my first semester I had heard so many negative comments related to Colloquium, I too began to develop a jaded perception of the course and the reasoning behind it.  Why was I being forced to pay and take a course that was not related to my concentration of study? As a result I had pushed off taking the Colloquium as long as I could and opted to take it during the summer since I knew it would be a short six weeks of what I thought would be an unenjoyably experience.

Upon our first class meeting I arrived at the off-campus location and quickly questioned what I was thinking. The parking was limited, the room was small and crowded and the chairs were uncomfortable. However By the third class meeting my attitude and perception quickly began to change for the better, I actually started to enjoy and relate to the class. I realized that over the years I have become so focused on my career and school that I have lost the connection with nature that I once had. My life has been driven by an almost selfish pursuit of degree and career goals, with the assurance that I will be accomplished and successful if I focus all my attention on school. It was during this class that I remember just how important the environment is and much we take it for granted.

As David Orr advocates “all education is environmental education.  By what is included or excluded, emphasized or ignored, students learn that they are a part of or apart from the natural world.  Through all education we inculcate the ideas of careful stewardship or carelessness” (Orr, 1992). Colloquium has taught me that effective environmental education requires changing the modern curriculum and changing our current mindset, encouraging innate biophilia, a land-ethic and a sense of place, fostering ecological intelligence and literacy, and developing the analytical and practical skills required to love the life we have and thus fight to preserve it.

Earth Charter Blog 9

Earth Charter is an excellent resource for educating and creating a sustainable, and peaceful global society.  Earth Charter is an international declaration of fundamental values and principles. It was created by a global consultation process and endorsed by organizations that represent millions of people.  The Charter “seeks to inspire in all peoples a sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family, the greater community of life, and future generations.” [Earth Charter Initiative: “What is the Earth Charter?”]  The Earth Charter tells us that humanity is at a crossroad with our future.  As humans we must join together to create sustainability for our global society.  We must also take into consideration our future and our children’s future as it is important to respect all nature and maintain universal peace.

Earth Charter is composed of four pillars and sixteen principles and basic values aimed to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community.  The four pillars consist of; “Respect and Care for the Community of Life, Ecological Integrity, Social and Economic Justice, and Democracy Nonviolence and Peace.” (Earth Charter Initiative: text from the Earth Charter)  Pillar one is simply stating that we should respect all of Earth and life and to care for our surrounding communities, in respect to our futures and our children’s futures.  Pillar two summarized is to protect and restore the integrity of Earth’s ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.  Pillar three is basically stating that we should affirm gender equality and to eradicate poverty as a societal imperative.  Pillar four says to strengthen our democratic institutions at all levels and promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence and peace.

In order to live up to the principles and basic values established by Earth Charter we must develop a sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility while applying the vision of sustainability and a peaceful way of life.  

For more insight on the Earth Charter, or on how to build a more sustainable and peaceful world visit:

http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/invent/index.php?cat=15

Downtown Ft. Myers Blog 8

 

When I think of downtown areas I generally neglect to think of the historical aspect of the city and often focus most of my attention to the busy streets, tall buildings and the crowds of people. When I heard we were going to downtown Ft. Myers I thought to myself this is going to be a waste of time, considering I have been there more times then I could possibility count. However Despite my initial negativity the experience was rewarding on multiple levels.  Upon our arrival to Downtown Ft. Myers our first stop was to the Ft. Myers Historical Museum. I have been there several times before as a young child and each time I go I learn something new! Fortunately this time we had Professor Wilkinson there to give us a tour of historical southwest Florida and the history that is embedded in the Ft. Myers area. We learned about what prehistoric creatures roamed the earth such as the giant sloths, huge sharks that were bigger than the largest sharks that now exist, alligators and crocodiles.  There was also a model of Florida that showed the different water levels of Florida at the different times throughout history.  We then learned about the history of the Indians that were in Florida at around the time of 1800s, and the story of Billy Bowlegs. After the museum we drove to the area where multiple high rise projects were proposed to be built but as a result of the recession, only a select few were erected. The few that were built there the first to be built within the downtown city limits, and were difficult to initially fill due to the initial cost of each unit and the uncertainty of the area. Since the initial construction of the high rises, The River District, formally known as downtown Ft. Myers has go under extensive renovations and a revitalization of the city center is well under way.

After a brief rain shower we were allowed to venture off on our own and experience downtowns eclectic culture and architecture. We had enough time to grab a slice of pizza from Downtown Pizza and enjoy our surrounding. (Take it from experience if you are embracing the night life downtown Ft. Myers has offer, Downtown Pizza is a must stop place to eat at two in the morning!)  

Our last stop of our trip was to a corridor behind the Indigo Hotel and the Justice Center. To my surprise was a large mural in which I had never seen before that depicted the culture and history that makes downtown Ft. Myers so special.

For more information on downtown Ft. Myers please visit:

http://www.downtownfortmyers.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Inconvenient Truth Blog 7

 

 

After watching An Inconvenient Truth, I am confident when I say that I have a much better understanding about global warming.  This film features former vice president Al Gore, as he reveals the common misconceptions and myths about global warming.  Al Gore travels around the world doing what he is most passionate about, informing as many people as he can about this planetary emergency, before it is too late.  I was surprised in how much information this 90 minute film actually entailed.  Throughout An Inconvenient Truth, not only does Al show us that global warming is no longer a political issue, but also one of the biggest moral challenges our planet is facing today.  Although most of the information he provides us with isn’t exactly exciting news for colloquium students, Al Gore still seems to hold uplifting spirits and he actually provides ways in which we can help prevent further destruction to our beloved Earth.

 

The evidence of global warming is somewhat disturbing.  Plants and animals are being forced from their habitats, glaciers are melting, and the number of severe storms and droughts are increasing.

As a nation we must focus our efforts on eliminating our dependence of fossil fuels and focus on a   renewable and greener approach for a more sustainable and livable future. 

 

After doing some research, it has come to my attention that since this educational film was  released in 2005, a lot has been done to help with this morally challenging issue.  Over 106,000 tons of carbon was offset in the year following the film’s release, which is equivalent to 225 million car miles.  President Obama created the new position of Assistant to the President for Climate and Energy.  The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives established a select committee on energy independence and global warming.

 

However despite the changes that have been made, we must continue our efforts to combat global warming. As Al Gore predicted in the film we as a nation have currently reached the highest level of atmospheric CO2 on record. This number will only continue to climb until we as a nation work together and focus our efforts on creating a greener more sustainable future.

For more information please Visit:

http://www.climatecrisis.net/index.php

http://co2now.org/

 

 

Estero Bay Blog 6

When someone brought up Fort Myers Beach prior to this field trip, I immediately thought of tourism, bars, and college spring breakers.  Now, I have a completely different outlook of this historic and tropical land.  Upon our arrival to Ft. Myers beach we toured the Davison cottage which was once originally located on the beach in 1921 and relocated to its current spot in 1995. Here, AJ gave a delightful presentation of her past experiences of Estero Bay, before air conditioning, electricity, and mosquito control.  She put together a timeline of Estero Bay within the last century. It was very interesting to hear about the changes this little island has gone through in the past.  Ranging only seven miles long and one mile wide (at its widest) Estero Bay has seen a lot.  Shrimpers netted pink gold, a hurricane severed a land connection and mosquito hordes clouded the air.  There was a wooden swing bridge built in 1921 that was soon washed away in

1926 from the hurricane.  This hurricane also separated the slim neck of land that attached San Carlos to the mainland, making it an island.  Towards the end of AJ’s presentation she quoted a passage which stated how lucky we are to live in an area where nature has granted us with many gifts and we should protect these natural wonders.  She also mentioned that humans cannot live without nature and that protecting the environment is extremely important to ensure the survival of mankind.       

After AJ’s insightful speech and some homemade guava jelly, we went through a mini hike on a boardwalk through the mangroves, seeing the manmade mosquito control drenches along the way.  Mosquitoes are attracted to the water in these drenches, laying eggs and thriving in the wet area.  In turn, the fish in the drenches eat the mosquito eggs, controlling the population of mosquitoes.  My favorite part of the hike was when we reached the bay area.  The water was peaceful and acted as a reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a diverse and beautiful area..

For more information on the Estero Bay Cottage and others like it please visit:

http://www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov/index.aspx?NID=305

Food Inc.

I was excited when I found out we were watching Food Inc. in class.  I had watched it once before and it’s really an eye opening experience. Despite the fact that you may never want to eat at McDonalds again after watching the documentary, I think it should be shown to every individual to educate them on the food industry and where the food they eat is actually coming from.  Most individuals blindly eat their food with little regard to where it came from our how it was made. They are unaware that most of the chicken they eat at any fast food restaurant or even buy at Wal-Mart is just a mass produced genetically modified organism. 

The hardest part for me was to see the horrible conditions that these animals live in just to be killed for our eating pleasure.  It’s not the killing of the animals that gets me; it’s the inhumane conditions and treatment many corporations consider fit for the animals.  Grant it I grew up on a farm so slaughtering animals is nothing new to me. However we never treated any of our livestock in the ways depicted in the documentary. Often time’s organizations pump chickens, cows, and pigs with hormones, antibiotics and other unnatural chemicals just to increase the size and weight of the animal. In many cases the animals are unable to walk because their body weight grows so fast their muscle and skeletal system can no longer support them, causing the animal to lay on the floor the majority of its life.

The true story from Food Inc. when the mother talked about her two and a half year old son dying from E-coli infected beef from Jack in the Box was the most disheartening aspect of the documentary. She mentioned that her son was so thirsty in the hospital but the doctors wouldn’t allow him to drink water, they would just give him sponges that were dipped in water.  He was so thirsty that he bit the head off of the sponge.  What that child and his whole family went through is something that no family should ever have to go through.  I will never understand why we allow large corporations to continue to exhibit total disregard and unsafe practices just to increase revenue. This corporation was aware of the E-coli outbreak but neglected to take the necessary measures to recall the contaminated meet. Furthermore if we know that this strain of E-coli can be eliminated by allowing cows to eat grass and hay instead of the corn that they are being fed, why do we still continue to feed the cows corn?

ECHO Field Trip

Our trip to ECHO was a humbling and eye opening experience. I had previously been there once before in middle school, but found this trip to be much more rewarding and educational. ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization located on a demonstration farm in North Fort Myers. “ECHO exists to improve the abilities of community development workers assisting poor farmers by providing useful, important information and by networking their skills and knowledge with one another. ECHO simply does not "teach" people how to farm, but instead they work to make farmers more effective at growing food-producing crops under harsh conditions.” They do this through core services such as education and training, innovative options and networking.

During this trip I found ECHO to be much larger then I originally remembered it, mainly because ECHO has expanded to nearly 50 acres.  By just walking around the farm you get this sense that the people that work and volunteer at ECHO are truly genuine and care about what they are doing. To run an entire farm solely to benefit not only farmers in our nation but around the entire world is truly a great accomplishment and gift.

Upon our arrival we were told that our tour guide was the best ECHO had to offer! Before starting the tour he gave us a brief insight into ECHO’s mission and purpose. Throughout the tour he provided overviews of each region within the farm and the advancements that have been made.  He also explained how everything was grown in each specific climate, as well as what each crop was and how it was important to that area of the world.  All in all it was a great experience!

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

I have lived in Southwest Florida my entire life and to this day, I am still fascinated with the habitats that thrive in this area.  Going to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary reminds me that Southwest Florida is more than just an area for vacationers, business men and women, and a retirement communities.  This area is home to an abundant amount of wildlife species, some of which are endangered or threatened.  

Upon learning that Corkscrew Sanctuary was one of our listed class field trips, I was excited because I had never been there before. There were a few things that I had not been aware of before going on this trip.  Before we toured the boardwalk in the sanctuary, we went over the Everglades restoration project.  I had little knowledge regarding the magnitude or importance of this project until I enrolled in colloquium at FGCU. This project is vital for the protection and restoration of our unique ecosystem that sets southwest Florida apart from any other state.

Once on the boardwalk, I was able to experience Southwest Florida’s wildlife at its finest.  Our tour guide Kim was very knowledgeable and often added to our experience with her dry sense of humor!  Kim shared that Corkscrew Sanctuary has four main habitats: Pine Flatwoods, Wet Prairie, Pond Cypress, and Bald Cypress.  Pine Flatwoods habitat is dominated by slash pine, saw palmetto and sable palm.  Wet Prairie habitat is marked by nutrient poor soils and is home for cord grass, sedges, and rushes.  The dominant species of the Pond Cypress habitat is the pond cypress which grows along the edge of the wet prairie. This area is flooded nearly ten months of the year.  The Bald Cypress habitat’s dominant species is the bald cypress. Some trees at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary are estimated to be 700 years old. Though I was familiar with many of the plant species in each habitat I had never heard of the Swamp Apple. Interesting enough when asked Kim stated that she have never tried the fruit from the swamp apple but was told it tasted like melon.  

Unfortunately on our tour we did not have the opportunity or privilege of seeing any panthers or Ghost Orchards in bloom; however we did see a large American Alligator and her hatchlings in a small pool of water, a couple different bird species, and a cigar orchid. Despite the fact I have lived in Florida my whole life, there’s still something special about being able to open your back door and experience the qualities of nature that make Florida so unique!   

 

Last Child in the Woods

When I first started reading Louv’s Last Child in the Woods I found myself sitting at a cold and uninviting desk located within a spare room in the corner of my home.  Coincidentally enough, I found myself distracted by Facebook, the new hit song on the radio, and the sound of the television in the other room.  After repetitive years of such distraction I have found it difficult to read or study without them. Upon reading the first few pages of the excerpt I decided to take my reading outside.  Within a few moments of sitting under a large oak in my backyard, I noticed I was much more relaxed and in a better position to focus and direct my attention to the reading. It was at that moment I realized the significance of the reading and human’s relationship with nature.

Reading Last Child in the Woods reassured me what I have known all along, nature is just as important for children as good nutrition is for your health.  As a child I grew up on a farm and always looked forward to spending time outside with the animals.  I would often finish my homework on the bus just so I could spend more time rummaging through the old barn behind the horse stable or creating new trails to my tree fort.  As a kid I was never into video games, I couldn’t grasp the concept sitting in one spot for hours killing zombies or collecting “coins” to advance to the next level. To this day I still do not own a gaming system and still have no desire to sit for hours killing zombies! As stated in the excerpt many kids don’t know what it’s like to play outside, mainly because outside doesn’t have any outlets!

Many kids will argue “why do I need to go outside to learn from nature when I can just watch it on television?” Don’t get me wrong a lot can be learned for watching television or educational videos on you iPad, but for most of us we have not truly learn from something until we experience it firsthand.

So next time you find yourself distracted my technology, take Louv’s advise and take a moment to lose yourself in nature.

Canoeing Fishtrap Bay

There is a difference between having knowledge about nature and actually experiencing nature.  As Professor Wilkinson mentioned in class on the first day, children these days know a lot about nature.  However when it comes down to actually knowing what it is like to be in nature, a lot of children lack the experience and connection.  Most kids today can tell you what species is prominent in which areas, or what type of trees is found in which ecosystem, but when put in the actual environment they lack the ability to point out the obvious such as a mangrove or a mockingbird. This just reiterates the fact that it’s not only important for us to have knowledge about nature but the true experiences within nature are just as important if not more important in one’s development and sense of place.

I must say I was actually excited for our canoeing field trip. I have canoed multiple times before and I find it to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. There’s something about being outside on the water that allows you to disconnect and focus on the things that really matter.  It was our second day of class and for many of us the second time of actually meeting and getting to know each other. My canoeing partner, Fazal seemed confident in his ability to canoe and offered to take the position in the back of the canoe. Within the first three minutes of canoeing I quickly realized it was going to be a long and rememberable day!  After a rough start, some mangroves and some assertive coaching on my part we were off on our way. About midway through our canoeing experience, we were once again heading toward the mangroves. I remember Fazal trying to steer us in the other direction when all the sudden our canoe flipped over! Both Fazal and I looked at each other in disbelief and embarrassment and all I could do was laugh. However our misfortune was a learning experience for the class for Professor Wilkinson demonstrated how to perform a “rescue” and re-flip our canoe back over.

What I liked most about canoeing was the feeling of being surrounded by complete nature and experiencing what nature offers in our own backyard.  There were no buildings or roads nearby; it was just us students and nature.  It was also nice to have Professor Wilkinson with us, for he was very knowledgeable on the estuary, the animals that call it home, and the different types of mangroves. After learning about the oysters and the role they play within the ecosystem, I don’t think I will ever eat another oyster again!