# 20 Difficulty and High Points

There were both high points as well as things  I found difficult while taking Colloquium.  I felt that the high points in Colloquium, was when I actually realized I was making a big negative impact on the environment.  I am glad that I now know my impact and if myself and others do not change, then we will be in danger.  Our future will be in danger.  Our children and grandchildren will look at us and think how we could have done something so drastic.  It is shocking and disturbing at the same time.  It was hard to listen about how the little things are affecting all of the animals around us.   We are destroying the growth of animals.  We learned how our actions have brought many species to extinction.  This is hard to overcome, because most people won’t believe  this and will never believe it, because they don’t think they are that empowering.  But, we really are.  It is hard to understand that the majority of people do not believe that there is a problem, or refuse to believe that there is a problem.  They think that it won’t affect them, so they don’t care.  But, they have to realize that it will affect them.  It will affect everyone.  It is also hard to imagine that even if we did something now and stopped the use of all fossil fuels, it would take years and years for it to actually take into effect and to make an improvement because of the long lag of reaction.  I loved the colloquium class, but it was very disturbing to learn about some of the things we learned about. 

# 19 Colloquium Class Experience

The Colloquium class really helped me realize how I am affecting the environment in my everyday life.  I have been able to take a step back and think about my impact and how I need to change how I do certain things in my personal, academic, and future career.  I am now shutting off my lights more, as well as unplugging electric outlets when they are not in use.  I conserve water a lot more at home, especially when I wash the dishes.  I think about how much water I am actually wasting.  Instead of taking an hour to blow-dry my hair, I let it air-dry a lot more often.  It does take much longer, but I feel like it is helping.  Colloquium has also helped me with academics.  In class, when I used to take notes, I used to always use only one side of the lined paper.  Also, in my classes which allow me to use my computer during class, I use my computer to take notes instead of wasting paper.  I also took online classes for the first time when I transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University.  I feel that online classes do help with the environment with driving reasons this would save much use of students’ giving to class all the time.   For my job, I work about thirty minutes from my house.  That is at least one hour driving time a day, five days a week.  If I was able to work at a place near my house, in my position, then I would.  It is just hard right now, especially in my field.  I could move, but I love where I live.  So, right now I am just going to have to drive an hour a day for work. Hopefully one day it would change.  The way I think has changed since I have taken Colloquium, and I plan on educating everyone I know on the things I learned. 

#18 Human Impact

We make a great and harmful impact to our planet.  I feel that we are the only living things who bring destruction and create a negative impact to our planet.  All the trash we produce, the energy we use, the pollution we create is and has been causing damage for awhile now.  

I think that if we all act now, then we would be able to make necessary changes to fix or stop the ongoing environmental downfall.  This is something we all need to take consideration about.  It cannot be only some of us, because some is not enough.  We need to be educated on what is happening to our environment and learn how we can make a difference.  Even the smallest actions count.  We can recycle all of the time, and not use certain products carelessly.  We can’t keep thinking that we are just one person, so if I do something bad it is okay, because I am so small on this planet.  But, a lot of think the same way.  Also, we can’t think that we are only one person so small things we try to do like recycle or turn off the lights won’t matter because you are only one person.  We need to think that we are one person, but if I make a difference, then I know other people are also making a difference, so every little thing would count.   If we keep taken for granted the things we take for granted, such as oil, then things won’t change.  But, if we start to make a change and believe that we can fix our mess, then I think there is a chance to make necessary impact to help improve our environment and to stop us from going in a negative direction.

# 17 The Nature of the Everglades

The “Nature of the Everglades”, by Marjory Stoney Douglas, basically talks about what makes it the Everglades and everything non-living and living thing in it. It was a nice and easy read and made me think about when I went to the Everglades to see the Everglades and alligators one day a few summers ago.  She talks about the different seasons and what happens throughout each season and how each season helps the Everglades stay being Everglades.  She is absolutely correct.  When I went to the Everglades, it was summer time, and I went on an air-boat tour.  Ii saw many alligators, but had to stay on one of the lakes, because it was too dry to go deeper into the swamp land.  My mother and aunt went the year before, but they went a few months later.   They told me that the water was much higher and they were able to go deeper into the swamps and trees, and they were able to see a lot more alligators.  I can remember some of the trees and animals she talks about in the chapter, as well as all the water-life.  I would like to go back to the Everglades again on an air boat and actually pay more attention to the different trees and look beyond the lake area into the mangroves.  It is a pretty neat thing to think about.  It is a completely different atmosphere.  They are not just a bunch of swamps, but an area much more than that, and I am glad I live so close to them, to have the chance to visit them again.

# 16 Oil Reflections

There was a lot to learn from “Squeezing More Oil from the Ground” and the Crude Awakening DVD.  It really opened my eyes on how much oil we are actually using.  I agreed more with Crude Awakening because we are eventually going to run out of oil.  We need to find an alternative, because once we run out, we won’t have anything else.  I think the oil companies lie on how much oil we really have.  The article made it seem like there is a lot of oil out there and we can get to it from using different methods.  They say we can continue to get oil by steam injection, heat based processes, and injecting high pressure gases.  We can also improve on our technologies to improve how we get oil.  They said that difficult oil now will be easy oil in the future.  We have to come to reality though, that we will run out of oil.  Other companies are growing, such as China, and they are expanding their need for energy.  Their imports are increasing my 25%.  We need to do something about it. Only about 1/100 of people actually realize what is happening.  I know we cannot just stop using oil.  We need to find alternatives, while still finding new ways to get oil. Because, once we are out, we are out. There was a quote from the DVD. “If we can put a man on the moon in a decade, then we can stop the use of fossil fuels”.  I agree with this. I feel that we have the ability, we just need to be more aware and try a little harder.

#15 Dowtntown Field Trip

The Colloquium class trip to Downtown Fort Myers was one of the best field trips I have ever gone on.  We did a scavenger hunt throughout a series of streets.  At first I didn’t know what to expect, but once we received the scavenger hunt list, I knew it was going to be difficult. We were able to work in groups, and I felt that I was with a great group.  We got along and worked very well with each other on trying to find the different objects and locations we needed to find.  We had to find objects, which were located in different stores and restaurants, and statues with important information on past history.  This was probably the hardest part, because we didn’t know where we were really going, so we kind of kept going back and forth.  I felt some people probably thought we were crazy walking around in circles.  We also could not go into any of the restaurants and stores.  We were basically staring in the windows with people watching and wondering what we were actually doing there.  The funniest part was when we had to count the globes on the top of the ceiling in the Indigo hotel lobby.  One of my teammates was on the floor trying to count them all, because it was so difficult.  We kept getting different numbers, but we finally decided on one, and luckily it was the right one.  The best part was lunch.  We went to one of the pizza by the slice places and it was delicious.  It is one of my favorite places to go to get something to eat Downtown, so I’m glad we decided on there. My team did not win or even place, but it was a lot of fun and we were able to work together as a team.  I hope the Colloquium classes continue to do this so others get this experience. 

#14 Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium

Volunteering at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium was a great experience and I am glad I picked it as my Service Learning hours for Colloquium. There were animals I was able to see that i have never seen before, such as some of the different types of birds, and a cobra snake.  It was also pretty neat to see the pigs, because there were a bunch of little piglets which seemed to just be born.  It was fun being able to walk through all the trails.  I picked up every piece of trash I saw, but it still didn’t seem like much.  They must keep that place kept up very well.  The walk was very relaxing, it gave me a chance to reflect a lot and pay attention more to my surroundings.  The Planetarium was also a very cool place to clean.  I had the chance to explore the back office and to see how everything works when they actually put shows on.  It looks like a little IMAX theatre.  Counting inventory was sort of annoying for me.  It took be able three hours just to count inventory in the gift shop.  The gift shop wasn’t that big, but there were a lot of small items, and I did not know the names of certain items, and that is what took the most time.  They had everything from books, stuffed animals, finger puppets, honey, and little toys.  Once I finished I felt so relieved.  It was a long day at the center, but very fulfilling.  I learned a lot, and once I left, my supervisor gave me a couple free passes to come back and enjoy it one day.  I plan on going again sometime soon. 

# 13 Service Learning

My service learning hours were completed at the Calusa nature Center and Planetarium, located in Fort Myers Florida.   The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is a private, not for profit, environmental education organization.  They have a 105 acre site with a museum, three nature trails, a Planetarium, butterfly and bird aviaries, gift shop and meeting and picnic areas.  People are able to learn all about Southwest Florida’s natural History.  It was a great experience to have the opportunity to be able to help nature, animals, and other volunteers.  I am probably going to go back more often to be able to help, because it was such an inspiring experience. I was able to do everything from walking the three trails while picking up garbage left behind from others, helping count the gift shop inventory, help clean up the planetarium and the outside near the animals.  Some of the animals that I was able to see while cleaning, were pigs, fish, turtles, skunks, butterflies, and an variety of birds, such as the bald eagle, in their bird aviaries.  I also went to pick up about 200 pounds of frozen fish from Fort Myers Beach.  Once I brought the fish back, some of the workers and other volunteers were able to use them to feed the animals, such as the pelicans they had at the Center.  I would like to go back there one day and be able to visit everything, as well as being able to watch the movies played at the Planetarium.

#12 My Ecological Footprint

 I took the Ecological Footprint quiz at http://www.myfootprint.org/en/.  My results were for if everyone on earth lived my lifestyle, then we would need 6.51 earths. There are many things that I would be willing to change to reduce my ecological footprint and promote conservation. The mileage I use in my car is about 15,000 miles or more a year. Most of those miles are due to work, so I wouldn’t be able ride my bike, but if I were to just want to go over to my parents, I would ride my bike or run there. I am also going to have my car checked regularly, so it will run more efficiently. I plan on going through my house and changing all my light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs to save energy. I usually unplug my appliances when not in use, but sometimes I just forget, so I will make it so I will always remember to unplug my appliances when they are not in use. I’ve also always wanted to grow my own garden. Right now with school and work all the time, I really don’t have time to take care of a garden, but once I graduate I plan on growing my own.  I also want to stop eating so much meat. I love meat, all kinds, but I want to start eating more vegetables. Also, I would like to start eating more fresh vegetables and fruits instead of frozen or canned. This will help a lot more with waste and the amount of trash I throw out. I do recycle, but I don’t do it enough. These some of the things I would be willing to change to reduce my ecological footprint.  I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a start.

# 11 Corkscrew Sanctuary

The trip to Corkscrew Sanctuary was very motivating and captivating to learn more about nature.   It was peaceful and I learned a lot about the Sanctuary. It was a great walk through the woods and swamps, which made it very relaxing.  I am usually really busy, so to be able to go to the sanctuary really helped me clear my mind. I saw plenty of different types of birds, turtles, and one huge alligator just sitting on the dirt. There were an abundance of different types of plants and trees growing around the Sanctuary. You can tell the different throughout the trail with the elevation level as well. Different plants and different animals live at the different elevations.  The coolest thing was the tree which grows on other trees. I am not sure what the name of this tree was, but the tree can grow from the bottom or even from a branch and lives off the other tree.   Another thing was the tree canopy. This was basically a place where not much rain would be able to fall and it was very protective. The Indians and backpackers usually used and use these tree canopies when they are traveling. I really enjoyed when my group just stopped for a few minutes in silence and just listened to the wildlife around us. It is something I believed I should do more often, because it is very relaxing and soothing and can really help if you are having a bad day. I enjoyed Corkscrew Sanctuary, and I would like to take my family down to visit next time they are in Florida.

# 10 Capitalistic Free-Market

It is in my opinion that over time a capitalistic free-market economy will always as a necessity allocates resources. For example, Walmart used to be all American products, but to make more money, they started buying goods from different countries. Since their standard of living is cheaper, therefore their products are cheaper. Another example would be farmers and their cows with their grassland. Farmers know that when as their cows graze, they start to ruin the grassland. Each year a farmer may want to get another cow for dairy products and food so he could make more money. All of the other farmers will do the same. Even though they know it is doing harm, they don’t think it matters because it is benefiting them. If we had a capitalistic free-market then everyone is going to want to buy another cow even though it is depleting the land.  They would eventually have to move, but then they would do it all over again like a snowball effect.  Also, we can do things that benefit ourselves and others, but it could affect a third party. An example of this would be the harvesting by one fishing company in the ocean that depletes the stock of available fish for the other companies and overfishing may be the result. This is an example of the Tragedy of the commons. We do things all the time which benefit us, but does not benefit others or other things. Just like the use of burning fossil fuels. It benefits us and we use it as much as we do, because  we can.  But, we don’t stop and think if it is causing a negative effect on ourselves, animals, plants, and the earth.

# 9 Land Ethic

The Article by Aldo Leopold was very motivating and made me realize I need to look at how I treat the plants and surroundings a little differently. He talked about how we are the ones who stand in the way and who affect the surroundings around us, such as the soil, plants, and animals. We need to have more ethics with how we treat our surroundings. Just like if wanted to cook some fried food and then after just dumped the oil in the ground because I didn’t care, shows bad ethical behavior.  But, some people think this way and that it isn’t a big deal, but it is and it is something we need to change. Also, I am guilty for something like this as well. I have a huge acorn tree in my front yard, which constantly drops leaves and acorns all over the yard, driveway, and car. I want to chop it down, but that wouldn’t be very land ethical, to chop it down because I just don’t like it.  It is a great tree and has been there for many years, so after reading this article, I guess it is going to stay there for a long time. Some people are trying help things like this, such as animals. PETA(People for the ethical Treatment of Animals) is one group is trying to help animals, because they deserve this land just as much as we do and who are we to destroy it or them. Simple things we need to think about, whether it be to not kill a spider and release it outside to even to not drill in Alaska because it would stop the migration of certain species. We have to be more animal and land cautious when we do things. This article really opened my eyes and made me realize even the little efforts count.

# 8 Cancelled

#7 Global Warming- Our Impact

After reading the articles, watching the video and learning the information from class has helped me understand more about the global warming issue and that we need to do something now about it, if we want ourselves and generations to come to make it. Since I was not too aware of the world’s present situation, most others seem to be not fully aware of the “idea” of Global Warming either.  It didn’t appear to be a big issue, because the past few winters have been immensely cold, but after reading, I have learned that the past ten years have been the hottest years ever recorded. Most people feel this same way.  I have realized that Global Warming is not a myth, or not just something people talk about, in less than a day. If people are educated about how the changes of climate are actually taking effect, then maybe we would have a chance, because that would be our only chance. It would be our only chance, because politics play a major and important role in the world. They influence many, and have a lot of control to make things happen.  If the president and other leaders in other countries don’t make it a big deal to do something about the environment, then other people will not either. It is not just the United States who is the problem; it is an international issue, and we “all” need to do something about it. China has just become the leader of global-warming pollution, with the United States following. Even if we know what we are doing to the environment is bad, we will still continue on our path. It is the way, us as humans think. It was shockingly true from a quote from “We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change” stated, “tobacco companies blocked constraints on the marketing of cigarettes for four decades after science confirmed the link of cigarettes to diseases of the lung and heart.”  We may know that is is bad, but that doesn’t mean it has become illegal or made every one stop smoking.  People just keep the mentality, “Oh, it’s not going to happen to me, so I don’t care.” But they are wrong, it may not happen to them, but it will affect them in some way, shape, or form. It’s scary to think about, “that our grandchildren one day may look at us like criminals, because their fate was in our hands” and we didn’t do anything about it. That is a way that is affects all of us.  This is not something we need to just stop at teaching, but to implement a solution and sticking by it. We as the United States are a leading and powerful nation, and if we take a stand, then other countries will follow. If we can start by teaching, then doing, then we can work on doing what is required to save our environment. There are signs, major snow fall, drastic hurricanes and draughts, rise in sea-level, glaciers melting, more floods, and species going into extinction. These are signs we cannot just ignore. People need to learn and then do something about it, not just wait for someone else to take the first step.

#6 TheOne Degree Factor

The National Geographic Movie of the “One Degree Factor”was very motivational and it taught me a lot on where we might be if we don’t change how we use fossil fuels and treat the environment. Temperate of the air, as well as the water is affecting the wildlife drastically, and if we don’t do something soon, we could end up eliminating many different species. Even the smallest living things in the ocean such as plankton could mess up the food chain. The plankton can travel 500 miles a day just to feed at night when predators don’t see them. They are used to the drastic changes in the temperate in which they travel to, but one degree more past their breaking point could destroy their species, which will eventually kill the plankton off if we don’t do something. Not just the smaller animals start off affected. Larger animals like the Caribou can also be affected, and if things don’t change, their entire species will be doomed. Climate has already changed for these animals, and if temperatures worsen, they will not be able to get food. Mosquitoes’ mating season will grow since the warmer season is longer, which will also affect the caribou because it will make them grow weak.  Since they will grow weak, predators will catch them. This is just another example of species dying out due to climate change. The last thing learned in the “One Degree Factor” is about the different diseases caused by climate change. This is big, because different parts of the globe can be connected to other parts of the globe, which in the end can make diseases travel without you even knowing it. One of the big diseases, which is causing Asthma to increase in the Caribbean is Sea Pan disease. This has started from a pathogen located in the dust, traveled from the Saharan desert into the Americas. This is not something small. Things are changing and we need to do something about it. Just because we may not see it in our own lives does not mean the problem is not out there. We need to ask ourselves, “What should we give up today?”

#5

Post #5 was Canceled

#4 Erik Assadourian

 After reading Erik Assadourian’s article, it has really put me on a slightly different point of view. On the stand point of ecological footprints, it’s hard to believe that we could possibly use more than what the earth is capable of producing, but reading all of the statistics, it may be believable and we are in a great downfall.  The more money we as humans have, the more we consume. We are in a depression right now, but we are still spending.  We are using and consuming more and more than what we should be demanding from the earth and sooner or later we are going to crash, not physically. On the norms part, it is hard for us humans to change.  We are not going to change, if we do, it will be a miracle. As stated by Mr. Assadourian, climate will change, and it is due to our heavy consumption.  A way to look at this is through consumerism. We want to compete with others in our social status with goods and services.  Each year it grows more and more.  People have to realize that these big consumptions will not always lead to success or well-being, which a lot of people fail to believe. You could buy everything in the world and still not be happy, but some people do believe this.  A lot of people try to take the easy way out, and I admit that I do sometimes as well. I rarely go to fast food restaurants, but on occasions, I do. This is the norm for most people.  Water is another. I try to filter most of the water I drink, but sometimes I get into  bind and am really thirsty, so I’ll purchase bottled water, which should be free.  It is hard to change, but if we don’t do something, then years to come, there may not be any hope. We have to start educating and letting people know that more is not always better, and elaborate more on the natural things in life.  We also have to start eliminating waste. In Assadourian’s terms “Cradle to Cradle. Things need to be completely recyclable and we need to start using renewable resources. We make the waste, not the animals or agriculture. So, we need to try to eliminate it.

#3 Favorite Place at FGCU

My favorite place on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus would have to be the little pond with the fountain.  Every day that I do have class, I walk from the Resort and Hospitality department to the Library, which this semester, will be three times a week.  I love walking by it, because I can hear the water from the fountain splash into the pond. It is so peaceful and gets my mind off of stressful things which occasionally go on in my life. It is also fun to look in the pond, because you never know when an alligator may pop up. There have been alligators before and I know they are in there, so I always try to look for them. I have only found one once, and it was a baby alligator. This was a couple years ago when I was checking on my application status to even attend FGCU. Ever since then, I have always looked in the pond.  Now, I usually only see turtles floating through the water.  You can also hear small splashes sometimes which are not coming from the fountain itself, but the different wildlife in the pond. It is also nice to look at how the plant life in the pond is growing. It has grown a lot since I first started FGCU, and each semester it always looks slightly different.  After I graduate in May, I will actually miss walking by the little pond. But, hopefully one day I will have to come back to FGCU for some reason and I will make sure I take a look at the pond and see how it has changed.

# 2 Sense of Place

Right now, my current “sense of place” is basically school and work. I take 18 credits for school and work 40 hours a week, as well as homework. I feel like I really don’t have much time for anything else but school and work. I’ve actually lost a lot of motivation to do some of the things I love and would usually do every day, such as cook and run.   I loved running because I would always run outside and try to explore new places to go and find different things to look at. When I was a student at Florida Southern University in Lakeland Florida, I would run about 40-45 miles a week and it was just beautiful. The city was made of dozens of different lakes with different wildlife and plants at each one.  That was probably my favorite thing to do to get my mind off of things.

Now, I work on Fort Myers beach as the Activity Director. I do get out doors a lot, since I try to gather up as many bean-bag and Volleyball games I can outside of our resort.  I do love my job and get the luxury to take care of my 55 gal. fish tank and a dozen of little Hermit crabs. It’s fun, so I can’t complain too much.

I would love to learn more about what I can do about helping the beach about making sure it is always clean. Whenever I see trash out on the beach, especially outside of my resort, I always pick it up. I’ve learned a lot and I hope to learn even more. I think that working so much will really help me in the future with being organized and appreciating the time I actually have off to do things for myself.

#1 Colloquim Expectations

At first, I thought Colloquium will be just another mandatory class that I needed to take before I graduate, but after my first class, it made me realize how I take little things for granted. I first thought Colloquium was basically learning how to help the environment. I now recognize that if I don’t do something now, than it can affect me later on down the road. Simple things, such as recycling can make a big difference. I would like to learn how to recycle a lot more than I do at home as well as at work. My work goes through paper like water and if we can reuse unwanted printer paper as scraps or the other side of the paper then that can even make a difference. I know it’s just the act, but we don’t do it, and I would like to get the hang of doing it more often. 

I love learning new things, and another thing I would love to learn about are the different types of animals in southwest Florida and how we can help them if they we to get into danger. Just like all of the Pythons which have been released into the everglades. There should be something done about that, but how would we be able to help?

My first class in Colloquium, we also learned about our galaxy and stars, and that is very interesting to me. I watch “The Universe” a lot at home and it’s nice to know about some of the things I hear about in class as well on TV. I do hope we will continue to learn some more about space, as well as beyond our galaxy.

I am looking forward to my Colloquium class, and I hope after this class, it will help me become more eco-friendly.