I am curious to hear what is thought about the recent leaks from scientists on climate change. Scientists admitted that they used statistical "tricks"to make the data fit their information, making up documents to keep skeptic articles out of journals, and deleting emails that will out the whole scam.
I find it interesting that we study the articles published by these scientists, but now the scientists' emails are being leaked. Now we know that the data are incorrect because it has been fudged by scientists to fit their views. We also know that articles only make it into the mainstream if these scientists agree with what is being written.
These are the arguments I have been using all semester, and yet, when I said it, it was unfounded. Now we have proof. What do you say to that?
Please, email me a response to this. I honestly am curious why I was unfounded, but it obviously wasn't. And this isn't the first time we have found out that the data were being fudged.
November 23, 2009
November 19, 2009
The Crock of Sustainability
It is pretty sad when a fifth grade girl can find flaws in an argument that is supposed to be only fact. It was a scare tactic. Fear. It sells. An Inconvenient Truth is a scare tactic by progressives pushing for total control over everyone and everything. And a fifth grade girl, Kristin Byrnes, did just that. She found flaws and wrote a well known paper called "Ponder the Maunder." I find it amazing that we have to take an Al Gore-like class when there are flaws so obvious a fifth grader can spot them.
But on to my main point, this semester, we have been asked to "think critically" about all issues, but that is only when we are thinking critically about whether it is fire or brimstone, not whether it is either at all. And all semester, I have brought about articles discussing why the arguments presented in class aren't 100% factual, I have been turned down because I don't use "peer reviewed" sources. My problem with that is, only politically correct articles make it into the peer reviewed journals because the journals don't want to lose their mainstream status. That fact has been historical proven. Many articles aren't published in mainstream journals in Psychology when they don't fit with the current norms. Same with Biology. And I can't imagine what life would be like without some of the articles we found later, several decades after the author passed away.
I have found a national organization that will help me in my battle against this class. The National Association of Scholars is an association of scholars who know what they are talking about. http://www.nas.org/polArticles.cfm?doctype_code=Article&doc_id=997&Keyword_Desc=Sustainability I believe this article should help me make my point.
But on to my main point, this semester, we have been asked to "think critically" about all issues, but that is only when we are thinking critically about whether it is fire or brimstone, not whether it is either at all. And all semester, I have brought about articles discussing why the arguments presented in class aren't 100% factual, I have been turned down because I don't use "peer reviewed" sources. My problem with that is, only politically correct articles make it into the peer reviewed journals because the journals don't want to lose their mainstream status. That fact has been historical proven. Many articles aren't published in mainstream journals in Psychology when they don't fit with the current norms. Same with Biology. And I can't imagine what life would be like without some of the articles we found later, several decades after the author passed away.
I have found a national organization that will help me in my battle against this class. The National Association of Scholars is an association of scholars who know what they are talking about. http://www.nas.org/polArticles.cfm?doctype_code=Article&doc_id=997&Keyword_Desc=Sustainability I believe this article should help me make my point.
November 17, 2009
Journal Part III: Entries 16-25
Blog 16: Affluenza
My score was 14 points (10-15 No dangerous signs of Affluenza at this time) on the first quiz. On the second quiz, my diagnosis was Social Scars and resource exhaustion/social scars, which are symptoms of Affluenza. My case “appears to be moderate.” I agree with my first score, but not my second score. I don’t feel as though I am overly consumed in “stuff.” But even if I were, it would be okay, because we live in a capitalist society, where money buys stuff, and stuff is OKAY to have.
After our class discussion about affluenza and watching the movie Affluenza, I have not changed my opinion. Capitalism is all about profit, and I like Capitalism. I don’t think any consumer habits need to change, as they are presented in an extremely unkind light. In The Story of Stuff, the narrator says that people throw things away when they go out of style. Very few people do that, I don’t know anyone that does that. People I know took the assessment about how many Earths we need got more than 4 Earths, to me, that is a lot. But the people I know don’t do things like throw a shirt away when stars go out of style, like they say in “The Story of Stuff.” They just enjoy a large home, food that is not organic or totally natural, and gadgets like computers, TVs, and phones.
And, as we read in Civic Engagement, “Even if the individual example happens to be true, it sheds no light on the overall situation” (Loeb, P., 1999). I am not willing to make ANY changes to my consumer habits. I feel as though I live a modest lifestyle. I buy only what I need, and very little of what I want. I only buy new clothes when my old clothes are worn to bits. Even when his clothes are worn, I have to force my boyfriend to buy new clothes. I don’t feel as though I need to change anything.
After watching The Story of Stuff, I am even more frustrated by this course, and the objectives have become VERY clear. This courses name should be changed to “Global Warming: FGCU’s Political Agenda.”
Loeb, P. R. (1999). Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
Blog 17: Field Trip #5- Urban Fort Myers and Southwest Florida Historical Museum
This field trip was the most interesting field trip this semester. I enjoyed the museum, except for our guide, and the walk was fun.
This was a sabertooth cat, after it died. I thought that was REALLY cool.
This is the bedroom in a crackerhouse. What a tiny house for a whole family to live in! I couldn't imagine sharing a space that small with my family (especially my brother!!)
This is a mural behind the Indigo hotel. I think its really really cool! It is basically a history of Fort Myers, built into a mural. I think the idea is really neat, and the mural came out beautifully!
These are trees outside of the city hall in Fort Myers. They are old and to keep them standing in case of hurricanes, they have ropes around them. I understand that they want to preserve the history in the center of the city. But I don't understand why they would spend so much time and money fixing the trees, especially since most city/county/state governments are severely damaged by the horrible economy. I would also assume that it would interfere with the growth of the tree to tie them up like they did.
This is a kitchen on a train. The train we saw was an original train car that a wealthy family owned in the late 19th or early 20th century. I can't believe how nice it is. But I also couldn't imagine being so confined with my family for days on end in that car. The bedrooms are so small and the family room is not much bigger. I love having my own personal space.
This is a fire engine from the city of Fort Myers. It is an old one, but its pretty cool. I took this picture because I know a lot of firefighters and I couldn't imagine them riding on somthing like this to get to a fire. I also thought it was cool that they had a 9/11 memorial at the museum, because it has a very personal connection to my life.
Blog 18: The Earth Charter
I wish this question hadn’t been asked because you are not going to like my answer. My thoughts on the Earth Charter are simple. They are detrimental to our nation, because it calls for a global society. To become a global society, each nation must give up its sovereignty to create a supreme world-order. The idea of The United States giving up it sovereignty to solve some “problem” is ridiculous (especially since this is just a passing fad). All of our freedoms and rights would be gone. A global society means the destruction of individual freedoms. The idea literally makes me sick to my stomach. I love living in a sovereign nation with rights and freedoms, and I will not give that up.
As I stated in my discussion question for the quiz on this reading, creating a global society is a huge task (that people will NOT take lightly). How can people think that we can complete such a task if we cannot even maintain a civil community? We won’t be able to. The Earth Charter is a bunch of whack-jobs working towards a global society with no individual rights or freedoms.
Another question posed in my quiz is “What do social justice and economic justice have to do with sustainability and ‘saving the world.’ It seems as though this was a partisan effort by a certain side, not an independent commission.” I really don’t understand this. Social justice is like pay reparations to blacks (I will not say African American because they aren’t really African, just American). An example of social and economic justice is like taking from the rich and giving to the poor (taking from people who actually work and giving it to lowlife’s who don’t). I really don’t see what that has to do with the environment? The money taken from others and given to people who don’t deserve it won’t go into environmental research. I really would like an answer to that. Just because people are rich does not mean they destroy the environment, and the poor aren’t always caring to the environment. Often times, poor people eat the worst foods for the environment, so instead of attacking those who actually do the harm to the environment, the current system was designed to hurt those who can afford it, whether they harm the environment or not.
The connections that I recognize between this course and The Earth Charter are simple. People working for a certain cause are forcing political agendas into our throats. I see nothing more from either. The Earth Charter is an extreme proposition on how to break down the current system to create a world-order in which there will be no freedoms or rights. University Colloquium is a required course (which barely any one wants to take) that forces the agenda of The Earth Charter. We may not learn specifically about the Earth Charter until more than halfway through class, but it is the underlying theme throughout the whole semester.
The Earth Charter is unrealistic in many ways. For individuals, at least those who appreciate their rights in this country, it will rob them of everything they hold dear. Several people that I know would rather die than to have their rights stripped from them, including myself. That’s why many of my family members are in the military. They want to fight to preserver our freedoms!!!! It is unrealistic for the community because there will no longer be a sense of community. Your focus would have to be solely on the global society. Screw your neighborhood, work on creating a better world-order. For nations, it is similar to the individual. The national freedoms that we enjoy (and many like you take advantage of) would be gone. Our freedom of speech, religion, right to bear arms, and every other freedom/right that we LOVE would be gone. We would be under a global rule. We could kiss the individual goodbye, and welcome a collectivist society where one’s personal thoughts are not accepted.
I will not apply The Earth Charter to my daily life. I refuse to give up my freedoms, at least without the biggest fight I have in me. It will be over my dead body that the freedoms I cherish will be stolen from me by nut jobs who think a global society will fix all of society’s ills.
Blog 19: State of the World Impressions
First off, let me start by saying this question is worded in such a biased way. How can you say that you are respectful and understanding of everyone’s views when the entries you ask us to write are worded in such a way that I have to agree with what you are shoving down my throat. According to this question, there MUST be something that affected me; actually, there must be three things that affected me. This doesn’t allow for critical thinking. Instead, it allows for uniform thinking among all. It says “you can have your own opinions, as long as they fit what I’m telling you.” Unfortunately, nothing did. But I will make some up, just for you.
1. One presentation that made an “impact” on me is the Climate Connections Article called Women and Climate Change: Vulnerabilities and Adaptive Capacities. I was interested in this one because I do not understand the connection between women and climate change. I do not understand how educating women is going to reduce climate change. Just because a person is educated doesn’t mean they will be brainwashed to believe the malarkey about a global crisis. Also, women have been caring for their families in these ways for centuries. Why is it all of a sudden a crisis?
2. Another article was The Security Dimensions of Climate Change. This is the article I read and presented and I still don’t understand what climate change has to do with homeland security. This article made me realize how far stretched this lie is to cover all aspects of our government, to allow for a total government take over. It is actually really sad to read articles like this because it worries me that people actually believe this. And after sharing this article with someone who actually believes the whole global warming conspiracy, even he said this article didn’t make sense. It’s pretty sad when someone on your side explains why the “proof” we are presented is wrong. Maybe its time to rethink things. (Not me, you.)
3. The last one I will tell you about is Building Resilience to Drought and Climate Change in Sudan. I did not understand anything in this article. To be honest, I really don’t care, so it went in one ear and out the other.
Blog 20: Field Trip #6- Canoe Trip at FGCU Marine Lab
******DON'T EVEN BOTHER READING... YOU AREN'T GOING TO GIVE ME POINTS, EVEN THOUGH I PUT IN THE EFFORT OF WRITING THE JOURNAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahhh. This is the blog I was waiting for. I did NOT go on this field trip. Here are my reasons. I am scared of canoes. I don’t trust anyone in this class. And my main point: How can you hold me accountable for driving to a field trip when I paid $86 for course transportation? If this wasn’t included in course transportation, we shouldn’t have done it. And you gave us the option to (actually, told us we had to) carpool. Unfortunately, as I said before, I don’t trust anyone in the class.
Not to mention the fact that I AM SCARED OF CANOES! How can I go on a canoe trip if I am scared of canoes? Seems like it would be VERY difficult!!! It has nothing to do with stepping out of my comfort zone. It is a fear that I have had since I was a VERY little girl and my brother tipped the canoe. And especially after hearing Patrick (I think?) say he wanted to tip the canoe, I really don’t want to be around that. Even knowing that no one tipped any boats, I don’t regret that I didn’t go. I can’t stand canoes, they scare the crap out of me, and I really don’t find that its fair that we are forced on more field trips than the FGCU requires.
It is not a core field trip, so it only counts for regular attendance points. I am not worried about that.
Blog 21: Environment in the Local News
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/nov/06/otter-worldly-theyre-social-animals-love-water-per/
Otter Worldly: They’re social animals that love the water, perfecting hunting skills and survival moves
There are a lot of otters in Florida. They are more visible right now, because the young are migrating away from their mothers to find their own dens. They den on land to have their pups and then when the babies are old enough to learn how to swim, the mother teaches them to swim and hunt. As social animals, otters hunt in big groups. That allows more eyes to search for food. They eat clams and mussels. River otters love to be in the rivers, and there are sea otters that live on the Pacific Ocean in California.
I thought this article was interesting. Otters are neat animals, just ask Jerry Jackson. Even though I liked the article, I feel that it was written for a child. It was simple, maybe a little too simple.
Bishop, Katy. (November 6, 2009). Otter Worldly: They’re social animals that love the water, perfecting
hunting skills and survival moves. Naples Daily News, Retrieved from
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/nov/06/otter-worldly-theyre-social-animals-love-
water-per/
Blog 22: Sense of Place Interview
When I spoke to my grandfather, he said “I am very, very, very in favor of sustainability.” He told me that when he was a boy, his father was a salesperson for a petroleum company and in 1955, he told my grandfather that in 50 years, the Earth would run out of petroleum. Even though we haven’t yet, he was tooting the same horn we are tooting now. He understands that “if we continue on our path, we will run ourselves out.”
When I asked him about his ecological perspective, he said, “we talk, but nothing is being done.” He compared it to the commercial about the water bottle ‘a night on your nightstand, forever in a landfill.’ His final comment about ecological perspective was, “ecologically, I don’t like what I see and we need to change. We are killing ourselves.”
When I asked about his sense of place, he said, “I am most comfortable in more rural areas. I don’t like cities and I don’t trust people.” He is bothered by the closing in of areas, trees being cut down and cities growing.
His upbringing differed than mine because, according to him, the moral values have deteriorated. He also feels that he “learned a lot more than people today because we learned concepts. We also learned not only the how of problem solving, but also the why.”
When I told him about this course, and what I have learned this semester, he said, “basically, I think you are learning a bunch of shit.” He explained to me that global warming doesn’t exist because the logic doesn’t make sense. And when I said that according to the cycle, we should be cooling, his response was “the cycle is not a perfect circle. It differs all the time.”
Blog 23: Neighborhood Walk
My perspective of my neighborhood has not changed since taking this course. I still cannot identify the exact species of the ducks or other birds, except the vultures. The only plant or animal species we talked about in this class were the red, white, and black mangroves and oak trees. Those aren’t really common in the city. Our neighborhood is probably not sustainable, especially since the complex just removed the recycle bins away so the vultures wouldn’t make a mess.
We have a lake in the back of the apartment and there are many fish. There is no fishing in the lake, so they will never disappear. Birds can nest in the trees surrounding our complex. There is also a fountain in the middle of the lake that never gets turned on, so birds nest there, too.
Just as before, the complex isn’t sustainable and they don’t seem to care much about green building or sustainable design. Perfect for me because I don’t care either.
This is a group of ducks outside the lanai door. There are always ducks hanging out back there.
This is a picture out my kitchen window. There was a flight (is that what a group is called) of White Ibis'. They were cute.
Blog 24: Spirituality, Religion, and Sustainability
The religious groups presented in the film Renewal were interesting. It was refreshing to see people of different religions working together for a common goal—healthy, locally grown food, free of antibiotics and other chemicals. The Bible (Torah or Quran) says that we must love the Earth because the Lord created it. To love the Earth is to care for it and not destroy it. We must keep the Earth precious for our children and their children and so on. The Earth is here for all to enjoy until the Lord (in Christianity) comes for us on judgment day.
I am a Christian. I do not practice in the normal “go to church” sort of way. But that really isn’t what this blog is about. I believe that we must care for the Earth and not destroy it, but I don’t believe all this bologna about climate change and the other stuff Gore and his posse is spouting.
Spirituality can help us connect with nature because it is an experience that is like no other. To relate to God is to relate to all of His creations.
Blog 25: Final Impressions
My final impression of University Colloquium is that it is a waste. This class is both a waste of time and a waste of money. It hasn’t changed my views on climate change and I feel as though I honestly didn’t learn anything. I am honestly not taking one thing away from this class. The biggest change I would make to the course is to make it not a required course (which, of course, would probably eradicate the course). Nevertheless, if that were impossible, I would change it so that it isn’t just the pushing of a political agenda, but it is a class that teaches facts from all angles. I honestly did not like any of the readings. To be honest, I only read what I needed to get by. Skim a few articles and look for key terms in the book. If you think most students actually want to take this course and are actually interested in the readings, you are greatly mistaken. I suggest that the canoe trip and slough slogging be taken out of the course. After paying such high fees for the course, you are expected to ruin clothes to go slough slogging. Walk the campus trails (while they are dry) as almost all the other classes do. Also, don’t require that students drive themselves if you want them to go somewhere. Students pay for transportation ($86 to be exact) and it is crazy that we are expected to drive ourselves to a field trip that isn’t even required.
Actually, I am taking something from this class. I did enjoy reading A Land Remembered. So, there, I am taking something from this course. However, I probably would have ended up reading the book eventually because it was on my wish list a few years ago.
My score was 14 points (10-15 No dangerous signs of Affluenza at this time) on the first quiz. On the second quiz, my diagnosis was Social Scars and resource exhaustion/social scars, which are symptoms of Affluenza. My case “appears to be moderate.” I agree with my first score, but not my second score. I don’t feel as though I am overly consumed in “stuff.” But even if I were, it would be okay, because we live in a capitalist society, where money buys stuff, and stuff is OKAY to have.
After our class discussion about affluenza and watching the movie Affluenza, I have not changed my opinion. Capitalism is all about profit, and I like Capitalism. I don’t think any consumer habits need to change, as they are presented in an extremely unkind light. In The Story of Stuff, the narrator says that people throw things away when they go out of style. Very few people do that, I don’t know anyone that does that. People I know took the assessment about how many Earths we need got more than 4 Earths, to me, that is a lot. But the people I know don’t do things like throw a shirt away when stars go out of style, like they say in “The Story of Stuff.” They just enjoy a large home, food that is not organic or totally natural, and gadgets like computers, TVs, and phones.
And, as we read in Civic Engagement, “Even if the individual example happens to be true, it sheds no light on the overall situation” (Loeb, P., 1999). I am not willing to make ANY changes to my consumer habits. I feel as though I live a modest lifestyle. I buy only what I need, and very little of what I want. I only buy new clothes when my old clothes are worn to bits. Even when his clothes are worn, I have to force my boyfriend to buy new clothes. I don’t feel as though I need to change anything.
After watching The Story of Stuff, I am even more frustrated by this course, and the objectives have become VERY clear. This courses name should be changed to “Global Warming: FGCU’s Political Agenda.”
Loeb, P. R. (1999). Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
Blog 17: Field Trip #5- Urban Fort Myers and Southwest Florida Historical Museum
This field trip was the most interesting field trip this semester. I enjoyed the museum, except for our guide, and the walk was fun.
This was a sabertooth cat, after it died. I thought that was REALLY cool.
This is the bedroom in a crackerhouse. What a tiny house for a whole family to live in! I couldn't imagine sharing a space that small with my family (especially my brother!!) 
This is a mural behind the Indigo hotel. I think its really really cool! It is basically a history of Fort Myers, built into a mural. I think the idea is really neat, and the mural came out beautifully! 
These are trees outside of the city hall in Fort Myers. They are old and to keep them standing in case of hurricanes, they have ropes around them. I understand that they want to preserve the history in the center of the city. But I don't understand why they would spend so much time and money fixing the trees, especially since most city/county/state governments are severely damaged by the horrible economy. I would also assume that it would interfere with the growth of the tree to tie them up like they did. 
This is a kitchen on a train. The train we saw was an original train car that a wealthy family owned in the late 19th or early 20th century. I can't believe how nice it is. But I also couldn't imagine being so confined with my family for days on end in that car. The bedrooms are so small and the family room is not much bigger. I love having my own personal space.
This is a fire engine from the city of Fort Myers. It is an old one, but its pretty cool. I took this picture because I know a lot of firefighters and I couldn't imagine them riding on somthing like this to get to a fire. I also thought it was cool that they had a 9/11 memorial at the museum, because it has a very personal connection to my life.Blog 18: The Earth Charter
I wish this question hadn’t been asked because you are not going to like my answer. My thoughts on the Earth Charter are simple. They are detrimental to our nation, because it calls for a global society. To become a global society, each nation must give up its sovereignty to create a supreme world-order. The idea of The United States giving up it sovereignty to solve some “problem” is ridiculous (especially since this is just a passing fad). All of our freedoms and rights would be gone. A global society means the destruction of individual freedoms. The idea literally makes me sick to my stomach. I love living in a sovereign nation with rights and freedoms, and I will not give that up.
As I stated in my discussion question for the quiz on this reading, creating a global society is a huge task (that people will NOT take lightly). How can people think that we can complete such a task if we cannot even maintain a civil community? We won’t be able to. The Earth Charter is a bunch of whack-jobs working towards a global society with no individual rights or freedoms.
Another question posed in my quiz is “What do social justice and economic justice have to do with sustainability and ‘saving the world.’ It seems as though this was a partisan effort by a certain side, not an independent commission.” I really don’t understand this. Social justice is like pay reparations to blacks (I will not say African American because they aren’t really African, just American). An example of social and economic justice is like taking from the rich and giving to the poor (taking from people who actually work and giving it to lowlife’s who don’t). I really don’t see what that has to do with the environment? The money taken from others and given to people who don’t deserve it won’t go into environmental research. I really would like an answer to that. Just because people are rich does not mean they destroy the environment, and the poor aren’t always caring to the environment. Often times, poor people eat the worst foods for the environment, so instead of attacking those who actually do the harm to the environment, the current system was designed to hurt those who can afford it, whether they harm the environment or not.
The connections that I recognize between this course and The Earth Charter are simple. People working for a certain cause are forcing political agendas into our throats. I see nothing more from either. The Earth Charter is an extreme proposition on how to break down the current system to create a world-order in which there will be no freedoms or rights. University Colloquium is a required course (which barely any one wants to take) that forces the agenda of The Earth Charter. We may not learn specifically about the Earth Charter until more than halfway through class, but it is the underlying theme throughout the whole semester.
The Earth Charter is unrealistic in many ways. For individuals, at least those who appreciate their rights in this country, it will rob them of everything they hold dear. Several people that I know would rather die than to have their rights stripped from them, including myself. That’s why many of my family members are in the military. They want to fight to preserver our freedoms!!!! It is unrealistic for the community because there will no longer be a sense of community. Your focus would have to be solely on the global society. Screw your neighborhood, work on creating a better world-order. For nations, it is similar to the individual. The national freedoms that we enjoy (and many like you take advantage of) would be gone. Our freedom of speech, religion, right to bear arms, and every other freedom/right that we LOVE would be gone. We would be under a global rule. We could kiss the individual goodbye, and welcome a collectivist society where one’s personal thoughts are not accepted.
I will not apply The Earth Charter to my daily life. I refuse to give up my freedoms, at least without the biggest fight I have in me. It will be over my dead body that the freedoms I cherish will be stolen from me by nut jobs who think a global society will fix all of society’s ills.
Blog 19: State of the World Impressions
First off, let me start by saying this question is worded in such a biased way. How can you say that you are respectful and understanding of everyone’s views when the entries you ask us to write are worded in such a way that I have to agree with what you are shoving down my throat. According to this question, there MUST be something that affected me; actually, there must be three things that affected me. This doesn’t allow for critical thinking. Instead, it allows for uniform thinking among all. It says “you can have your own opinions, as long as they fit what I’m telling you.” Unfortunately, nothing did. But I will make some up, just for you.
1. One presentation that made an “impact” on me is the Climate Connections Article called Women and Climate Change: Vulnerabilities and Adaptive Capacities. I was interested in this one because I do not understand the connection between women and climate change. I do not understand how educating women is going to reduce climate change. Just because a person is educated doesn’t mean they will be brainwashed to believe the malarkey about a global crisis. Also, women have been caring for their families in these ways for centuries. Why is it all of a sudden a crisis?
2. Another article was The Security Dimensions of Climate Change. This is the article I read and presented and I still don’t understand what climate change has to do with homeland security. This article made me realize how far stretched this lie is to cover all aspects of our government, to allow for a total government take over. It is actually really sad to read articles like this because it worries me that people actually believe this. And after sharing this article with someone who actually believes the whole global warming conspiracy, even he said this article didn’t make sense. It’s pretty sad when someone on your side explains why the “proof” we are presented is wrong. Maybe its time to rethink things. (Not me, you.)
3. The last one I will tell you about is Building Resilience to Drought and Climate Change in Sudan. I did not understand anything in this article. To be honest, I really don’t care, so it went in one ear and out the other.
Blog 20: Field Trip #6- Canoe Trip at FGCU Marine Lab
******DON'T EVEN BOTHER READING... YOU AREN'T GOING TO GIVE ME POINTS, EVEN THOUGH I PUT IN THE EFFORT OF WRITING THE JOURNAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahhh. This is the blog I was waiting for. I did NOT go on this field trip. Here are my reasons. I am scared of canoes. I don’t trust anyone in this class. And my main point: How can you hold me accountable for driving to a field trip when I paid $86 for course transportation? If this wasn’t included in course transportation, we shouldn’t have done it. And you gave us the option to (actually, told us we had to) carpool. Unfortunately, as I said before, I don’t trust anyone in the class.
Not to mention the fact that I AM SCARED OF CANOES! How can I go on a canoe trip if I am scared of canoes? Seems like it would be VERY difficult!!! It has nothing to do with stepping out of my comfort zone. It is a fear that I have had since I was a VERY little girl and my brother tipped the canoe. And especially after hearing Patrick (I think?) say he wanted to tip the canoe, I really don’t want to be around that. Even knowing that no one tipped any boats, I don’t regret that I didn’t go. I can’t stand canoes, they scare the crap out of me, and I really don’t find that its fair that we are forced on more field trips than the FGCU requires.
It is not a core field trip, so it only counts for regular attendance points. I am not worried about that.
Blog 21: Environment in the Local News
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/nov/06/otter-worldly-theyre-social-animals-love-water-per/
Otter Worldly: They’re social animals that love the water, perfecting hunting skills and survival moves
There are a lot of otters in Florida. They are more visible right now, because the young are migrating away from their mothers to find their own dens. They den on land to have their pups and then when the babies are old enough to learn how to swim, the mother teaches them to swim and hunt. As social animals, otters hunt in big groups. That allows more eyes to search for food. They eat clams and mussels. River otters love to be in the rivers, and there are sea otters that live on the Pacific Ocean in California.
I thought this article was interesting. Otters are neat animals, just ask Jerry Jackson. Even though I liked the article, I feel that it was written for a child. It was simple, maybe a little too simple.
Bishop, Katy. (November 6, 2009). Otter Worldly: They’re social animals that love the water, perfecting
hunting skills and survival moves. Naples Daily News, Retrieved from
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/nov/06/otter-worldly-theyre-social-animals-love-
water-per/
Blog 22: Sense of Place Interview
When I spoke to my grandfather, he said “I am very, very, very in favor of sustainability.” He told me that when he was a boy, his father was a salesperson for a petroleum company and in 1955, he told my grandfather that in 50 years, the Earth would run out of petroleum. Even though we haven’t yet, he was tooting the same horn we are tooting now. He understands that “if we continue on our path, we will run ourselves out.”
When I asked him about his ecological perspective, he said, “we talk, but nothing is being done.” He compared it to the commercial about the water bottle ‘a night on your nightstand, forever in a landfill.’ His final comment about ecological perspective was, “ecologically, I don’t like what I see and we need to change. We are killing ourselves.”
When I asked about his sense of place, he said, “I am most comfortable in more rural areas. I don’t like cities and I don’t trust people.” He is bothered by the closing in of areas, trees being cut down and cities growing.
His upbringing differed than mine because, according to him, the moral values have deteriorated. He also feels that he “learned a lot more than people today because we learned concepts. We also learned not only the how of problem solving, but also the why.”
When I told him about this course, and what I have learned this semester, he said, “basically, I think you are learning a bunch of shit.” He explained to me that global warming doesn’t exist because the logic doesn’t make sense. And when I said that according to the cycle, we should be cooling, his response was “the cycle is not a perfect circle. It differs all the time.”
Blog 23: Neighborhood Walk
My perspective of my neighborhood has not changed since taking this course. I still cannot identify the exact species of the ducks or other birds, except the vultures. The only plant or animal species we talked about in this class were the red, white, and black mangroves and oak trees. Those aren’t really common in the city. Our neighborhood is probably not sustainable, especially since the complex just removed the recycle bins away so the vultures wouldn’t make a mess.
We have a lake in the back of the apartment and there are many fish. There is no fishing in the lake, so they will never disappear. Birds can nest in the trees surrounding our complex. There is also a fountain in the middle of the lake that never gets turned on, so birds nest there, too.
Just as before, the complex isn’t sustainable and they don’t seem to care much about green building or sustainable design. Perfect for me because I don’t care either.
This is a group of ducks outside the lanai door. There are always ducks hanging out back there.
This is a picture out my kitchen window. There was a flight (is that what a group is called) of White Ibis'. They were cute.Blog 24: Spirituality, Religion, and Sustainability
The religious groups presented in the film Renewal were interesting. It was refreshing to see people of different religions working together for a common goal—healthy, locally grown food, free of antibiotics and other chemicals. The Bible (Torah or Quran) says that we must love the Earth because the Lord created it. To love the Earth is to care for it and not destroy it. We must keep the Earth precious for our children and their children and so on. The Earth is here for all to enjoy until the Lord (in Christianity) comes for us on judgment day.
I am a Christian. I do not practice in the normal “go to church” sort of way. But that really isn’t what this blog is about. I believe that we must care for the Earth and not destroy it, but I don’t believe all this bologna about climate change and the other stuff Gore and his posse is spouting.
Spirituality can help us connect with nature because it is an experience that is like no other. To relate to God is to relate to all of His creations.
Blog 25: Final Impressions
My final impression of University Colloquium is that it is a waste. This class is both a waste of time and a waste of money. It hasn’t changed my views on climate change and I feel as though I honestly didn’t learn anything. I am honestly not taking one thing away from this class. The biggest change I would make to the course is to make it not a required course (which, of course, would probably eradicate the course). Nevertheless, if that were impossible, I would change it so that it isn’t just the pushing of a political agenda, but it is a class that teaches facts from all angles. I honestly did not like any of the readings. To be honest, I only read what I needed to get by. Skim a few articles and look for key terms in the book. If you think most students actually want to take this course and are actually interested in the readings, you are greatly mistaken. I suggest that the canoe trip and slough slogging be taken out of the course. After paying such high fees for the course, you are expected to ruin clothes to go slough slogging. Walk the campus trails (while they are dry) as almost all the other classes do. Also, don’t require that students drive themselves if you want them to go somewhere. Students pay for transportation ($86 to be exact) and it is crazy that we are expected to drive ourselves to a field trip that isn’t even required.
Actually, I am taking something from this class. I did enjoy reading A Land Remembered. So, there, I am taking something from this course. However, I probably would have ended up reading the book eventually because it was on my wish list a few years ago.
*** All photographs in this journal entry were taken by me, Kimberly Legendre ***
October 13, 2009
My views on Climate Change
In this class, we talk a lot about "climate change" (that's only the name because "global warming" was no longer helping their cause) and the effects it will have on the Earth in such a small span of time. I have thought a lot about this since Al Gore, a vice president, not scientist, came out with "An Inconvenient Truth." I can think critically of things and the idea just didn't make sense. It's not that I don't believe that our temperatures are warmer, I do. I just don't believe the malarky they spew to us that every breath we take is destroying the Earth. That is how plants breathe. They take in CO2 and release O2. We couldn't live without them, they can't live without us. 6CO2 + 6 H2O ---> C6H12O6 + 6O2... Basic biology. Any high school graduate knows that. Now, scientists (who once fell for the hype) are coming out against the Cap & Trade (as everyone should because the government has no constitutional right to pass a bill like that) and other "climate protection bills" and telling the truth. In an article published 10/07/2009, Leighton Steward announced his plan to go to Washington to try to defeat any climate bill because it is not necessary. In fact, according to Steward, a bill could be harmful to the Earth. Finally, someone is putting aside their fear to speak out and actually telling the truth (http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/10/07/scientist-carbon-dioxide-doesnt-cause-global-warming.html).
Another idea that always puzzled me (since I was raised in a "Christian" household) is that these scientists who were supporting global warming, sorry, climate change, are the same scientists who believed that the Earth was going to become a giant fireball and we would all die, are the same people who have believed for decades that the Earth goes through cycles. We have extremely cold periods, and extremely hot periods. We came out of an ice age, for goodness sake. How did we come out of that ice age? Probably by warming the Earth more than 2*C... The idea that we once warmed and cooled, without humans polluting like they do, and some died, but that is the idea of survival of the fittest. Those who could adapt, did. The same stands true today, those who can adapt to the changing climate will survive, those who can't, won't. Its pretty simple biology.
Maybe the problem is that these Glob.... Sorry, Climate Change scientists never took biology, because they seem to be missing some of the basic facts. Even without any biology type class, I know these things, why don't they?! Erasing Carbon means erasing every living thing on this Earth. Humans, plants, animals, etc are all carbon-based organisms. How can we cut out carbon? According to politicians, we can cut carbon by giving more money to Al Gore and GE so that they can pick a tree and put your name on it. That is what Carbon offsets are, already planted trees that they just stick your name on if you purchase one of their credits. (http://www.tech-know.eu/uploads/THE_VINDICATION_OF_CARBON.pdf).
Another article, posted 09/16/2009, talks about the possibility of a GLOBAL COOLING trend. According to recent models, the temperatures will begin to steady, and following that we will see temperatures drop. This is especially asserted by Marco Tedesco and Andrew J. Monaghan (http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2009/2009GL039186.shtml). They have found that the antarctic snowmelt is at a 30-year low (I bet it would be longer but we can never know... we didn't have satellite and stuff more than 30-years ago).
Another idea that always puzzled me (since I was raised in a "Christian" household) is that these scientists who were supporting global warming, sorry, climate change, are the same scientists who believed that the Earth was going to become a giant fireball and we would all die, are the same people who have believed for decades that the Earth goes through cycles. We have extremely cold periods, and extremely hot periods. We came out of an ice age, for goodness sake. How did we come out of that ice age? Probably by warming the Earth more than 2*C... The idea that we once warmed and cooled, without humans polluting like they do, and some died, but that is the idea of survival of the fittest. Those who could adapt, did. The same stands true today, those who can adapt to the changing climate will survive, those who can't, won't. Its pretty simple biology.
Maybe the problem is that these Glob.... Sorry, Climate Change scientists never took biology, because they seem to be missing some of the basic facts. Even without any biology type class, I know these things, why don't they?! Erasing Carbon means erasing every living thing on this Earth. Humans, plants, animals, etc are all carbon-based organisms. How can we cut out carbon? According to politicians, we can cut carbon by giving more money to Al Gore and GE so that they can pick a tree and put your name on it. That is what Carbon offsets are, already planted trees that they just stick your name on if you purchase one of their credits. (http://www.tech-know.eu/uploads/THE_VINDICATION_OF_CARBON.pdf).
Another article, posted 09/16/2009, talks about the possibility of a GLOBAL COOLING trend. According to recent models, the temperatures will begin to steady, and following that we will see temperatures drop. This is especially asserted by Marco Tedesco and Andrew J. Monaghan (http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2009/2009GL039186.shtml). They have found that the antarctic snowmelt is at a 30-year low (I bet it would be longer but we can never know... we didn't have satellite and stuff more than 30-years ago).
(Citation for picture above http://www.worldclimatereport.com/index.php/2009/10/06/antarctic-ice-melt-at-lowest-levels-in-satellite-era/ OR http://www.climate-skeptic.com/)
What will Gore and his posse do if the temperatures drop steadily for a decade?! Do we then blame Carbon, saying that it causes the temperatures to decrease, or do we blame Oxygen or Nitrogen (which, in case people don't know, are also essential for life)... I wouldn't put it past him. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/today/tomfeilden/2009/09/an_inconvenient_truth_about_gl.html).
Throughout college, we are told to think critically of everything we hear, and upon thinking critically, I have determined that University Colloquium is a total waste of my time, and I will finish it, just to get the credits. I have determined that Florida Gulf Coast University is trying to indoctrinate its students (since they are impressionable and have no other sources of information) to believe that they MUST change the world. The only way to eliminate Carbon would be to kill everyone and everything. To stop wearing clothes, eating anything, and just plain wipe the Earth clean. Now, people say that what I'm thinking sounds crazy... But to me, the only solution to this so-called problem is crazy!
I am sick of college classes being one sided, especially classes that are required. If this class were a choice (most students wouldn't take it) it would be one thing. But the school has to do something to make up for building on land that wasn't "ecologically safe" to build on. So their solution is to indoctrinate their students, and make them pay $500 to be indoctrinated. I find that to be a little ridiculous.
After today's lecture, I decided to look up when exactly correlation can mean causation (since I asked and my question was pushed aside). Well, I found an answer from a professor at East Carolina University. He said when "...the data have been gathered by experimental means and confounds have been eliminated, correlation does imply causation." My issue with that is that the data weren't gathered by experimental means, they were taken solely on the basis that we think we know when the information is from. Another issue is that confounds have not been eliminated. We don't know precisely when this extracted data are from. It is scientifically impossible; also, how can we be 100% positive that nothing has effected the air being extracted from the ice. Thinking critically, correlation, in this case, does not prove causation. (http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/StatHelp/Correlation-Causation.htm)
Yet another arguement for Climate Change is that there is a consensus among scientists. Well, thinking back in time. There have been PLENTY of times when the consensus was wrong. Almost all scientists once thought the Earth was flat... WRONG. Scientists once thought the sun revolved around the Earth... WRONG. Scientists once thought that illness was caused by possession by demons... WRONG. After that was the humoral theory... WRONG. Body-Mind Dualism, anatomical theory, cellular theory, germ theory... ALL WRONG. What about Pluto?! Continental drift... Wrong. I could probably go on for a VERY long time. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superseded_scientific_theories, among thoughts in my brain and my text book "Health Psychology" by: Richard O. Straub (2007)). In a 2004 study by Dennis Bray, it was found that there truly was no consensus. Of 372 Climate scientists, the results showed that a majority doesn't agree with the statement that "climate change is mostly the result of anthropogenic causes." The results are as follows:
Frequencies:
1- strongly agree- 50 (9.4% of valid responses)
2- 134 (25.3% of valid responses)
3- 112 (21.1% of valid responses)
4- 75 (14.2% of valid responses)
5- 45 (8.5% of valid responses)
6- 60 (10.8% valid responses)
7- strongly disagree- 54 (9.7% of valid responses)
The mean score was 3.62, with a standard deviation of 1.84. That means that they don't totally agree with what is being taught by the so-called consensus http://www.sepp.org/Archive/NewSEPP/Bray.htm).
October 8, 2009
Journal Blog Part II: Entries 6-15
Blog 6: Calculate your Ecological Footprint
My score is 3.2 Earths. I don’t agree with the results. I had a low score of 0.7 Earths until one of the last sections, about shopping. I shop maybe twice a year, and that is always if something is necessary (other than grocery shopping and junk of that sort). I guess I must have lost points because I don’t shop for “organic” clothes. But the problem I have with that argument is that clothes that may have an “organic” label, may not truly be “organic,” and clothes that may not have a specialty label may be “organic.” It also depends on your definition of organic. I believe organic materials are naturally made materials, and anything like cotton is organic, but not labeled as such. I don’t believe I need to change my lifestyle. I don’t agree with the results.
I have read about some of the people who are fighting for changing lifestyles, and they are mostly hypocrites. For example, Barbara Streisand has been quoted as saying “We must make concrete changes in our lifestyles to help solve this energy crisis and now is the time to do it…” She said that after she required the following for a tour; 13 53-foot semi tractor-trailer’s, 4 rental vans, 14 crew buses, and 1 limo for herself. Speaking of solar farms, Jim Harvey (cofounder of Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy) said, “Our position is that none of this is needed.”
If these people, among others, truly cared, they would change their overly excessive lifestyles, instead of being hypocritical. I feel that I don’t need to change my lifestyle because I have no reason to, I do not believe in “climate change” as a true issue.
Blog 7: List your daily water usage
I use approximately 11.5 gallons of water per day. I don’t go way out of my way to conserve water, but I consider what I do sustainable. I don’t use excess water. I shut the water off while brushing my teeth, take only 5-10 minute showers, depending on what needs to be done on a particular day. I don’t do dishes if there is only one dish. We have a toilet that has low water flushes. We water our plants with water from the sink, we don’t get extra water just for the plants.
Blog 8: Water Rights Reflection
Our capitalistic society allows people to sell something for profit, as long as it does not belong to anyone else (which includes communities). Like it or not, we are capitalists, and that is the idea behind capitalism. If you can find something that works and people will pay for it, it is your right to go ahead and do what you do. A project like this could impact the local residents in Texas because it will most likely be in a place the touches other peoples lives. If it could be in the middle of nowhere, it wouldn’t impact the Texans that live in the area. It would positively affect the people in cities that can’t get as much water due to their urban development. The local wildlife may or may not be affected by a project like this. I do not know the situation of the wildlife in the area. If something like this were to happen in Florida, it probably wouldn’t be possible. Under the state of Florida, there is mostly swamp and it would be very difficult to route an underground water pipe through many areas.
Blog 9: Field Trip #2 Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass
The field trip to Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve was kind of fun. I enjoyed learning about Fort Myers Beach and the history of the island. I hated the mosquitoes. I enjoy taking walks through nature, but I did not enjoy the high heat or stop and go for a whole lot of nothing. Many of the times we stopped, it was to point out the same things that were already pointed out, which got old fast. The history lecture was my favorite part. I enjoy learning history, especially from people who actually lived it. The boardwalk was nice. It is great that the area was able to be preserved because people could be missing out on the beauty of Estero Bay.
The picture on the above left is of Estero Bay. What a beautiful picture. The one above right is of the sign at the entrance of the preserve.
This picture is of a sign that says that the area was restored to its original condition, which I find amazing that it is even possible. But it is great that they were able to take out all of the exotic plants and leave only native ones.
(All above photos taken by Kimberly Legendre ©2009)
Blog 10: Conservation 20/20
Conservation 20/20 is a group dedicated to preserving and protecting land in Lee County. It is a group of concerned citizens who didn’t want to see extreme development take over the land and natural resources of the county. The first time I heard about this program was on our field trip to Matanzas Pass Preserve, but I didn’t know what it was until I read their background on their website. I have never been to any of the preserves, except Matanzas Pass Preserve. I am not from Lee County, so I rarely visit such places around here. Since I enjoy visiting nature trails and such, it is possible that I will visit one of the preserved areas. I do not know of any existing programs similar to Conservation 20/20. I am on the side of the argument where I disagree with spending taxpayers dollars to preserve areas. It is not the job of the hard working citizens to pay for special interests, which is exactly what this project is.
Blog 11: Food Intake
I did not eat breakfast before heading out to class. While in class, I had a 16.9 oz bottle of water. I reused the bottle from a previous day and poured in water from the Brita filter. For dinner, I had “tuna noodle salad,” which is elbow noodles, mayonnaise, and tuna, served cold. I made this when I got home for class and ate it several hours later. I am not sure where my elbow noodles came from as I purchased a 10lb bag and dumped it all in a plastic container. I threw the bag away several months ago. The tuna is Bumble Bee brand Solid White Albacore. I learned from the Bumble Bee website (http://bumblebee.com/Sustainability/) that Bumble Bee helped found the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). That means that they are always searching for more sustainable ways to catch Tuna and reduce waste. The mayonnaise in my dinner is Hellman’s brand. After unsuccessfully trying to research it online, I attempted to call the 800 listed on the jar. I tried for an hour, receiving a busy signal, before giving up.
Blog 12: Field Trip #1 Campus Trails
I did not attend the Campus Trail field trip. I am frustrated that this course is required and that we must go on all kinds of field trips that I do not want to go on. Most of the field trips I can just grin and bear it, just to get through, but the Slough Slogging was something that I was not going to do. I paid $440 for this class, and was not about to ruin a brand new pair of sneakers or a good pair of pants. I am not really an outdoors person, and really do not do well in areas with water. I am glad that this university is taking steps (however hypocritical they are) to preserve the natural areas on campus, but that doesn’t mean I want to go sloshing through dirty water, with God knows what in it. Up to this point, my views of Colloquium have not changed.
Blog 13: Energy Usage
(Recording for Monday October 5, 2009)
I do not have access to the meters at my apartment. The power company is Florida Power and Light. According to their website (http://www.fplgroup.com/about/contents/fpl.shtml), the electricity is generated through a “diverse mix of fuels at its power plants…” It claims to be a clean-energy company, which means it has low emissions, under the national average. Fifty-three percent of the electricity comes from clean-burning natural gas and 22 percent from nuclear power.
To
day, I was stuck inside waiting for Comcast to come fix my internet connection, so I did not travel anywhere. I cannot estimate how many miles I drive in a year because the car was used when I bought it 3 months ago, so it would not be an accurate reading of how much I drive. I believe, however, that in the car I owned before this one I drove approximately 7,000 miles per year. I also know that I got 19 MPG in that car. The total carbon output for this car is 8.00 tons (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/noframes/19516.shtml {which is where I got the photo}). I feel that I make sustainable choices. I conserve energy and fuel when possible. I carpool when schedules coincide, I make only weekly trips to the store, no more, I shut off lights and other things when they are not in use, and I try my hardest to keep energy costs low.
Blog 14: Packaging
Cell phone- the cell phone (when it was new) came in a cardboard box.
Brush- There was no packaging; it was on the shelf as is.
Toothbrush- in packaging (part cardboard, part plastic)
Computer- packaging was a recycled cardboard box, that I then recycled.
Remote- came with the TV. It is a used TV so when I bought it, it was as is.
Book-bag- Came as is, with paper stuffing inside
Textbooks- I purchase used textbooks on Amazon.com. Most of my books were shipped to my home in a cardboard box with a packing slip (just a piece of computer paper) inside. The ones that weren’t shipped in a cardboard box were sent in a bubble envelope.
Pen- Packaged in plastic with a cardboard insert
Binder- no packaging when I purchased it.
iPod- packaged in a plastic case, that I still use as a holder for my ear buds.
I feel that I make sustainable choices when shopping because I try my hardest to avoid the plastic stuff that’s not good for the environment.
Blog 15: Field Trip #4 Corkscrew Swamp
Corkscr
ew Swamp was a fun field trip. Unfortunately, I was ill throughout the walks, so I was unable to enjoy the full experience. What I was able to enjoy was breathtaking. The flowers on the left, Black Eyed Susan’s, are beautiful, and the field of yellow was amazing.
I honestly don’t remember exactly what this picture was of, but it was a pretty cool looking plant.
To the right is a picture of the grasshopper that we saw on the
boardwalk. There were very few examples of wildlife and this was neat to see something.
(Photos taken by Kimberly Legendre ©2009)
My score is 3.2 Earths. I don’t agree with the results. I had a low score of 0.7 Earths until one of the last sections, about shopping. I shop maybe twice a year, and that is always if something is necessary (other than grocery shopping and junk of that sort). I guess I must have lost points because I don’t shop for “organic” clothes. But the problem I have with that argument is that clothes that may have an “organic” label, may not truly be “organic,” and clothes that may not have a specialty label may be “organic.” It also depends on your definition of organic. I believe organic materials are naturally made materials, and anything like cotton is organic, but not labeled as such. I don’t believe I need to change my lifestyle. I don’t agree with the results.
I have read about some of the people who are fighting for changing lifestyles, and they are mostly hypocrites. For example, Barbara Streisand has been quoted as saying “We must make concrete changes in our lifestyles to help solve this energy crisis and now is the time to do it…” She said that after she required the following for a tour; 13 53-foot semi tractor-trailer’s, 4 rental vans, 14 crew buses, and 1 limo for herself. Speaking of solar farms, Jim Harvey (cofounder of Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy) said, “Our position is that none of this is needed.”
If these people, among others, truly cared, they would change their overly excessive lifestyles, instead of being hypocritical. I feel that I don’t need to change my lifestyle because I have no reason to, I do not believe in “climate change” as a true issue.
Blog 7: List your daily water usage
I use approximately 11.5 gallons of water per day. I don’t go way out of my way to conserve water, but I consider what I do sustainable. I don’t use excess water. I shut the water off while brushing my teeth, take only 5-10 minute showers, depending on what needs to be done on a particular day. I don’t do dishes if there is only one dish. We have a toilet that has low water flushes. We water our plants with water from the sink, we don’t get extra water just for the plants.
Blog 8: Water Rights Reflection
Our capitalistic society allows people to sell something for profit, as long as it does not belong to anyone else (which includes communities). Like it or not, we are capitalists, and that is the idea behind capitalism. If you can find something that works and people will pay for it, it is your right to go ahead and do what you do. A project like this could impact the local residents in Texas because it will most likely be in a place the touches other peoples lives. If it could be in the middle of nowhere, it wouldn’t impact the Texans that live in the area. It would positively affect the people in cities that can’t get as much water due to their urban development. The local wildlife may or may not be affected by a project like this. I do not know the situation of the wildlife in the area. If something like this were to happen in Florida, it probably wouldn’t be possible. Under the state of Florida, there is mostly swamp and it would be very difficult to route an underground water pipe through many areas.
Blog 9: Field Trip #2 Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass
The field trip to Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve was kind of fun. I enjoyed learning about Fort Myers Beach and the history of the island. I hated the mosquitoes. I enjoy taking walks through nature, but I did not enjoy the high heat or stop and go for a whole lot of nothing. Many of the times we stopped, it was to point out the same things that were already pointed out, which got old fast. The history lecture was my favorite part. I enjoy learning history, especially from people who actually lived it. The boardwalk was nice. It is great that the area was able to be preserved because people could be missing out on the beauty of Estero Bay.
The picture on the above left is of Estero Bay. What a beautiful picture. The one above right is of the sign at the entrance of the preserve.
This picture is of a sign that says that the area was restored to its original condition, which I find amazing that it is even possible. But it is great that they were able to take out all of the exotic plants and leave only native ones.
(All above photos taken by Kimberly Legendre ©2009)
Blog 10: Conservation 20/20
Conservation 20/20 is a group dedicated to preserving and protecting land in Lee County. It is a group of concerned citizens who didn’t want to see extreme development take over the land and natural resources of the county. The first time I heard about this program was on our field trip to Matanzas Pass Preserve, but I didn’t know what it was until I read their background on their website. I have never been to any of the preserves, except Matanzas Pass Preserve. I am not from Lee County, so I rarely visit such places around here. Since I enjoy visiting nature trails and such, it is possible that I will visit one of the preserved areas. I do not know of any existing programs similar to Conservation 20/20. I am on the side of the argument where I disagree with spending taxpayers dollars to preserve areas. It is not the job of the hard working citizens to pay for special interests, which is exactly what this project is.
Blog 11: Food Intake
I did not eat breakfast before heading out to class. While in class, I had a 16.9 oz bottle of water. I reused the bottle from a previous day and poured in water from the Brita filter. For dinner, I had “tuna noodle salad,” which is elbow noodles, mayonnaise, and tuna, served cold. I made this when I got home for class and ate it several hours later. I am not sure where my elbow noodles came from as I purchased a 10lb bag and dumped it all in a plastic container. I threw the bag away several months ago. The tuna is Bumble Bee brand Solid White Albacore. I learned from the Bumble Bee website (http://bumblebee.com/Sustainability/) that Bumble Bee helped found the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). That means that they are always searching for more sustainable ways to catch Tuna and reduce waste. The mayonnaise in my dinner is Hellman’s brand. After unsuccessfully trying to research it online, I attempted to call the 800 listed on the jar. I tried for an hour, receiving a busy signal, before giving up.
Blog 12: Field Trip #1 Campus Trails
I did not attend the Campus Trail field trip. I am frustrated that this course is required and that we must go on all kinds of field trips that I do not want to go on. Most of the field trips I can just grin and bear it, just to get through, but the Slough Slogging was something that I was not going to do. I paid $440 for this class, and was not about to ruin a brand new pair of sneakers or a good pair of pants. I am not really an outdoors person, and really do not do well in areas with water. I am glad that this university is taking steps (however hypocritical they are) to preserve the natural areas on campus, but that doesn’t mean I want to go sloshing through dirty water, with God knows what in it. Up to this point, my views of Colloquium have not changed.
Blog 13: Energy Usage
(Recording for Monday October 5, 2009)
I do not have access to the meters at my apartment. The power company is Florida Power and Light. According to their website (http://www.fplgroup.com/about/contents/fpl.shtml), the electricity is generated through a “diverse mix of fuels at its power plants…” It claims to be a clean-energy company, which means it has low emissions, under the national average. Fifty-three percent of the electricity comes from clean-burning natural gas and 22 percent from nuclear power.
To
day, I was stuck inside waiting for Comcast to come fix my internet connection, so I did not travel anywhere. I cannot estimate how many miles I drive in a year because the car was used when I bought it 3 months ago, so it would not be an accurate reading of how much I drive. I believe, however, that in the car I owned before this one I drove approximately 7,000 miles per year. I also know that I got 19 MPG in that car. The total carbon output for this car is 8.00 tons (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/noframes/19516.shtml {which is where I got the photo}). I feel that I make sustainable choices. I conserve energy and fuel when possible. I carpool when schedules coincide, I make only weekly trips to the store, no more, I shut off lights and other things when they are not in use, and I try my hardest to keep energy costs low.Blog 14: Packaging
Cell phone- the cell phone (when it was new) came in a cardboard box.
Brush- There was no packaging; it was on the shelf as is.
Toothbrush- in packaging (part cardboard, part plastic)
Computer- packaging was a recycled cardboard box, that I then recycled.
Remote- came with the TV. It is a used TV so when I bought it, it was as is.
Book-bag- Came as is, with paper stuffing inside
Textbooks- I purchase used textbooks on Amazon.com. Most of my books were shipped to my home in a cardboard box with a packing slip (just a piece of computer paper) inside. The ones that weren’t shipped in a cardboard box were sent in a bubble envelope.
Pen- Packaged in plastic with a cardboard insert
Binder- no packaging when I purchased it.
iPod- packaged in a plastic case, that I still use as a holder for my ear buds.
I feel that I make sustainable choices when shopping because I try my hardest to avoid the plastic stuff that’s not good for the environment.
Blog 15: Field Trip #4 Corkscrew Swamp
Corkscr
ew Swamp was a fun field trip. Unfortunately, I was ill throughout the walks, so I was unable to enjoy the full experience. What I was able to enjoy was breathtaking. The flowers on the left, Black Eyed Susan’s, are beautiful, and the field of yellow was amazing.
I honestly don’t remember exactly what this picture was of, but it was a pretty cool looking plant.
To the right is a picture of the grasshopper that we saw on theboardwalk. There were very few examples of wildlife and this was neat to see something.
(Photos taken by Kimberly Legendre ©2009)
September 8, 2009
Journal Blog Part I: Entries 1-5
Blog 1: Incoming reflection
My initial expectations of University Colloquium are mixed. I expect to learn about sustainability, and am interested in learning about this topic, but I also expect to be indoctrinated to believe that Global Warming is a full-fledged truth. I personally find it quite partisan for the school to teach such a class, or rather to force all students to take such a class. I am interested to hear the topics in the class, but at the same time, I disagree with this very biased class being required for graduation.
I have very little outdoor experience, as I have never really been an outdoorsy person. Until this summer, I had never even been camping. Although I enjoy walking nature trails and learning about nature, I have never been interested in taking a course on the topic. However, since it is a required class, I will try to make the best of it.
Blog 2: Your neighborhood
I took a walk through my neighborhood tonight and realized that my apartment complex is not very green. Our complex was built in the early 1990’s, so I did not really expect to find green architecture. However, our complex is very secluded, even though it is in a very busy part of Fort Myers. All along the road to our apartment, tall pine trees shade the road, with oak trees at each corner. There are always all kinds of birds. Vultures fly over the parking lots and dumpsters, while ducks swim in the pond in our backyard. There are also many fish in the pond.
The Vulture by the dumpster
The same vulture swooped by my head... Scared me!!!
Birds by our pond...
The road to our apartment...
Blog 3: Sense of Place
My favorite place to be is my bedroom. I love being cozy and comfortable in my queen size bed, with a down comforter. Reading in bed is my favorite thing to do. Snuggle up with my teddy bear, a nice cup of tea, and a good book. Nothing could be better for me. The dark furniture we have reminds me of when I was a kid; my parents had dark furniture in their room, and I always felt at ease with them. The decorations make it homey, just like my room from when I was in high school. My bedroom comforts me and makes me feel at ease.
Blog 4: Field Trip #1: Echo
ECHO was a very interesting and informative field trip. I learned a lot about plants, and the agricultural areas around the world. I enjoyed it. I have several friends that have taken the class before, and they told me it was boring. I, however, enjoyed it. I feel like I learned a lot about the environment.
I grew up in a small town, where everyone had at least an acre to work with. My dad had a garden, and I helped him tend to it most of the time. I enjoy gardening, but unfortunately, gardening is difficult if you do not have the means to create decent soil and protect the plants from the extreme heat. We tried to garden when we moved here, but had great difficulty. We do have a plant that I saw today though, we have, three actually, plantain trees. They don’t produce fruit (or maybe they do, but the dogs probably eat them). If I had to grow my own food, I would figure out how to make the soil better, and build proper coverings.
I never knew people ate rabbits!! :(
Rice
Vermiculture... Lots of worm poop.
Blog 5: Future of Food
My favorite snack is salad. I eat it every day when I get home from class, at dinner, and sometimes for a snack after the gym. I usually make it with the prepackaged lettuce (romaine lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage, and sometimes iceberg lettuce), a lot of cut up cucumber, grape tomatoes, shredded Colby jack cheese, and some ranch dressing. The cucumbers and tomatoes are usually Florida grown. If possible, we get them at the farmers market, so they are locally grown. The lettuce and ranch dressing are packaged in California. In addition, we buy Vermont Cheeses. None of the ingredients in my salad are genetically modified.
I found the “Future of Food” documentary to be very interesting. I learned a lot about the people behind genetically engineered (GE) food. I have personally kept abreast of the political debate of GE food. Politicians are crooked when it comes to anything, which is why it did not surprise me when the movie said that former Attorney General John Ashcroft had rallied for allowing GE food without proper labeling. I wish it did, though. All GE food should be properly labeled and signage in stores should be extremely obvious. Consumers deserve to know what they are buying, especially since most of them have not been around long enough to know the long-term effects of ingesting such foods.
My initial expectations of University Colloquium are mixed. I expect to learn about sustainability, and am interested in learning about this topic, but I also expect to be indoctrinated to believe that Global Warming is a full-fledged truth. I personally find it quite partisan for the school to teach such a class, or rather to force all students to take such a class. I am interested to hear the topics in the class, but at the same time, I disagree with this very biased class being required for graduation.
I have very little outdoor experience, as I have never really been an outdoorsy person. Until this summer, I had never even been camping. Although I enjoy walking nature trails and learning about nature, I have never been interested in taking a course on the topic. However, since it is a required class, I will try to make the best of it.
Blog 2: Your neighborhood
I took a walk through my neighborhood tonight and realized that my apartment complex is not very green. Our complex was built in the early 1990’s, so I did not really expect to find green architecture. However, our complex is very secluded, even though it is in a very busy part of Fort Myers. All along the road to our apartment, tall pine trees shade the road, with oak trees at each corner. There are always all kinds of birds. Vultures fly over the parking lots and dumpsters, while ducks swim in the pond in our backyard. There are also many fish in the pond.
The Vulture by the dumpster
The same vulture swooped by my head... Scared me!!!
Birds by our pond...
The road to our apartment...Blog 3: Sense of Place
My favorite place to be is my bedroom. I love being cozy and comfortable in my queen size bed, with a down comforter. Reading in bed is my favorite thing to do. Snuggle up with my teddy bear, a nice cup of tea, and a good book. Nothing could be better for me. The dark furniture we have reminds me of when I was a kid; my parents had dark furniture in their room, and I always felt at ease with them. The decorations make it homey, just like my room from when I was in high school. My bedroom comforts me and makes me feel at ease.
Blog 4: Field Trip #1: Echo
ECHO was a very interesting and informative field trip. I learned a lot about plants, and the agricultural areas around the world. I enjoyed it. I have several friends that have taken the class before, and they told me it was boring. I, however, enjoyed it. I feel like I learned a lot about the environment.
I grew up in a small town, where everyone had at least an acre to work with. My dad had a garden, and I helped him tend to it most of the time. I enjoy gardening, but unfortunately, gardening is difficult if you do not have the means to create decent soil and protect the plants from the extreme heat. We tried to garden when we moved here, but had great difficulty. We do have a plant that I saw today though, we have, three actually, plantain trees. They don’t produce fruit (or maybe they do, but the dogs probably eat them). If I had to grow my own food, I would figure out how to make the soil better, and build proper coverings.
I never knew people ate rabbits!! :(
Rice
Vermiculture... Lots of worm poop. Blog 5: Future of Food
My favorite snack is salad. I eat it every day when I get home from class, at dinner, and sometimes for a snack after the gym. I usually make it with the prepackaged lettuce (romaine lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage, and sometimes iceberg lettuce), a lot of cut up cucumber, grape tomatoes, shredded Colby jack cheese, and some ranch dressing. The cucumbers and tomatoes are usually Florida grown. If possible, we get them at the farmers market, so they are locally grown. The lettuce and ranch dressing are packaged in California. In addition, we buy Vermont Cheeses. None of the ingredients in my salad are genetically modified.
I found the “Future of Food” documentary to be very interesting. I learned a lot about the people behind genetically engineered (GE) food. I have personally kept abreast of the political debate of GE food. Politicians are crooked when it comes to anything, which is why it did not surprise me when the movie said that former Attorney General John Ashcroft had rallied for allowing GE food without proper labeling. I wish it did, though. All GE food should be properly labeled and signage in stores should be extremely obvious. Consumers deserve to know what they are buying, especially since most of them have not been around long enough to know the long-term effects of ingesting such foods.
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