#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?”