My Learning Experience: Journal Entry #7

            My experience in my Florida Gulf Coast University’s Colloquium class has been very interesting. I had predicted from the beginning that I probably would not enjoy this class because it was very depressing about how the Earth is going to end and we need to figure out something about it. However, my prediction was incorrect because I did enjoy learning about these things. I was right that it was at times very depressing and it was emphasizing the impact that we are having on Earth; however, this class gave light, ideas, and inspiration in showing ways that we may be able to help fix the negative impact that was imposed on this planet.

            I feel that this has made an impact on me because I have always felt like I wanted to help, but have kind of slacked off and relied on other people. However, this class shows investments that can change the world, such as solar panels on your house or even car pooling more to places. I find Colloquium to be relevant to my education major and future career as a teacher because I can in some way instill these ideas of sustainability into my students. The one thing that I did find difficult with this class is being able to keep up with the terms involved. I feel that we did a lot of reading, but sometimes we did not always discuss certain terms in our class. For example, after reading about biophobia and stewardship, it would have been nice to go back and discuss these in our classroom.

            Overall, I found this class to be very interesting. I think it is a good thing that our University makes it a requirement to graduate and that we all need to do service learning pertaining to helping the environment. I enjoyed my Colloquium experience. 

Humans, just another cause of pollution: Journal Entry #6

           

           In today’s society, humans think that they are superior to any other specie on the planet. This mind set it wrong in many ways because in this world, all the species work together rather than one being greater than another.

            David W. Orr spoke about the idea that people are becoming uncomfortable with nature. They do not feel safe and have no desire to be involved with nature and look at it as a decoration. This is becoming increasingly common and when we speak about global warming and problems in the environment, these people do not feel the need to help. The work is not distributed fairly and people are relying on scientists and environmentalist to fix the world’s problems without their personal contribution.

            After reading this discussion, I realized how much I sometimes feel the same way. I do not mean to be lazy or ignorant, but I feel that there is not much that I can do to make a difference. However, I do try to do small things around the house like switch to the light bulbs to environmentally ones, recycle as much as possible, turn off lights and fans when I am not in the room, and unplug small electronics that I do not use on a regular basis. After taking the Ecological Footprint Assessment test, I saw that if everyone on the planet lives my lifestyle, we would need 3.93 Earths. The global average is 1.50 Earths. I found this shocking. This makes me realize how important it really is for each individual to try to be greener and that I need to take bigger steps in helping with this problem.

            In our reading, the Earth Charter, it speaks about steps that we can take in protecting our home. We need to change our attitude, help protect and restore our planet, prevent disasters, and adopt new ideas and technology to make a difference. The problem is ours and no one but ourselves are going to do something to make a change. The time for change is now. 

Revealing the Heart of Fort Myers: Journal Entry #4

Fort Myers is very fortunate for having so many historical buildings preserved. The scene of these buildings and structures in downtown Fort Myers is the true heart of the city. Fort Myers was originally named Fort Harvey, a military outpost that was named after a soldier who died in 1841.  The city was one of two cities in the original Monroe County. Monroe County consisted of Fort Myers and Key West. However, in 1884, Lee County was established, named after General Robert E. Lee, which included today’s Hendry and Collier County as well.

 Something that I found very interesting was the effect that Thomas Edison had on this city. He came in search of bamboo and before you knew it he was buying land, having visitors, building homes for family and friends, and becoming a city icon. I see his name throughout the city, but never understood the impact he had on the city’s development. Also, in the 1940’s Fort Myers was known as on of the top producers in the world for gladiolus. Boy Scouts used to knock on neighborhood doors selling gladiolus for fundraisers.

I also discovered how certain developments would actually hurt the soul of the city. In 1968 the Edison Mall was opened and it actually hurt the business and scene for downtown Fort Myers. Many people decided that they would rather spend their day in the air conditioned mall rather than walking the streets of the town. This made me realize how important it is to conserve the city’s heritage so we can show the development foundation of the city. Overall, I discovered a lot about Fort Myer’s history and how fortunate we are to still have historical structures preserved as well as keep the story of this city’s development alive. 

How Location Defines and Teaches Me: Journal Entry #2

I was born and raised in Florida and love my surroundings. I love the beach, the mud, the water, and the heat. I enjoy laying in the sun, go swimming, driving through the mud, and just being in the fresh air. When I am asked about my sense of place I think of how much I enjoy the outdoors. I know enough to get me by such as do not pollute, do not use items that will harm the ozone, and try to always recycle. However, I feel that since the environment plays such a huge role in my life, I should take the time to learn more about it.

I believe that I currently know the things that I do because of my surroundings. I grew up in a family that believed that being outdoors is essential to life. We were taught very young to pick up trash outside and how it can be harmful. I also believe that the reason I think it is so important is because I attend Florida Gulf Coast University which is a very “green” school. At just about every corner there is a trash can with a recycling bin. Florida Gulf Coast University encourages you to turn off lights and computers when you leave the room in order to save energy. This school makes me feel like a part of a bigger community that respects our land. I enjoy being outside and would devastated if one day the world became so polluted that we would not be able to enjoy the outdoors. 

Well managed biodiversity can bring back life: Journal Entry #1

   Biodiversity is a very important topic in today’s society. Biodiversity means the diversity of life forms on our planet. I find this to be an important topic because if we can preserve all life forms then it can bring us clean air, nutritional food, and effective medicines. Those three things are very critical to our lives. Humans depend on plants and animals just as they depend on us. If we all keep each other in good condition then we can all help each other out. For example, it is known that biodiverse ecosystems can recover more easily from natural disasters as well as prevent some, like global warming. We all need each other to survive in this world so let’s respect each other.
   Some may think that the world is polluted and it is just too late now; trying to preserve our planet would just be a waste of time. Those people are wrong. There is always hope for change. If people take the time out of their busy days, they can see the living proof right before their eyes. I feel that water is one of the most important things that we need to survive and it is one of the first things to get polluted. Sometimes pollution goes unseen until it is overwhelming and causing devastating effects. For example, just in the United State it was once stated that Lake Erie was a fire hazard. However, if you look at that lake today you will see plenty of fish in clean water. Turning around negative effects may not happen over night, but the wait is well worth it.