Journal Entry # 6 Colloquium and Me

I learned a great deal in University Colloquium, never before taking a class that focuses on the environment.  It was shocking to find out so many issues and serious problems that I was unaware of.  It was surprising that I have not been informed about these issues in other classes or discussed them with my peers.  To be honest, the class put a great deal of fear in my heart for our generation and future generations, if serious changes are not made….and soon.  Initially I did not expect to learn so much about global problems; instead I thought the class would focus on Florida and its natural environments.  Through fieldtrips, readings, videos, and in-class activities I learned a great deal about both.  This class has impacted my home life as well.  I find myself constantly turning off my air conditioning and lights, actions I would not consider doing before.  I also find myself being more religious about recycling, making sure I take extra efforts and time to do so.

In regards to how the class may impact my major or future profession, I do not see it making a significant change.  My major is social work, focusing more on people then the environment.  The two are connected and certain skills can be applied in correlation with my career.  Social workers usually help the disadvantaged populations, and techniques on how to reduce your carbon footprint while also lower monthly bills can be beneficial to many clients.  I would also think colloquium would greatly impact my career if I went into international social work.  Individuals from third world countries are greatly impacted by the stresses put on the environment.  Through field trips and the state of the world book, many techniques and tools were provided to help individuals and villages find, create, and use alternative tools and strategies in gathering water, storing food, and farming.  Being educated in such areas would be very beneficial when working overseas with populations who are struggling with such problems.

I really enjoyed the fieldtrips.  I thought the trips provided both fun and education at the same time, and it is nice to get out of the classroom and learn hands on.  The area I found to be the most difficult was the first presentation, only because it took place two weeks into the class and I would have liked the opportunity to learn more before presenting such important issues.  I did learn a lot from the presentations but wish I could have performed at a higher level.  Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it to be very beneficial. 

Entry # 5: A Time for Change, Shale’s the New Oil

After reading “The Oil Crash”, watching “Squeezing More Oil from the Ground”, and reflecting on our class lecture, it is evident that the world has peaked in oil production and finding alternative sources are necessary for most countries to maintain their current state of living.  I was unaware of exactly how big of a role oil plays in our daily lives and production processes.  From gasoline to producing and packaging food products, we have become reliant on oil.  This is partly due to its efficiency.  I gallon of oil can do more work in a year then hundreds of employees.  Results like that are hard to ignore and not to utilize in money driven societies.

            Oil is diminishing and many Americans are aware of the fact but are reluctant to change their comfortable lifestyles.  I often think in terms of what is happening in my current circumstances and if something does not seem like an immediate threat then the problem is put on the back burner.  In our current economic standings Americans no longer have the luxury of ignoring the oil crisis.  Gas prices are skyrocketing in a time of economic depression, already reaching $5.  An escalation in gas prices usually means an escalation in food prices, a result of transportation costs for food.  So now not only will people be paying more for gas, but also for food.  It will become evident to individuals that a change needs to be made.  Individuals may expect the government to find alternative fossil fuels or individuals will have to use less oil and cut other items in their budge.

            Food and gasoline are prominent items in a budget.  Food is a basic need of life, it cannot be cut but the items bought can be interchanged with cheaper items.  This often equates to less nutritional items.  Unfortunately it costs more to be healthy.  In terms of gasoline, most people have to travel to work and with the rise in suburban living, people are often traveling farther to get into the cities for work.  Gasoline is then a requirement for individuals to make money so they can buy food, and other necessities.

            An alternative solution to the oil crisis is shale gas.  Thanks to new drilling technologies it is now a cleaner option to oil.  Unfortunately the drilling companies have few regulations for setup, production, and maintenance of the drilling facilities.  This is creating problems with contaminating the local wells and water supplies where drilling is occurring.  Although it is an abundant and cleaner solution to oil it is currently at the risk of the local resident’s health.  Stricter regulations and monitoring by the government is critical to make it a more liable option.  Shale gas is a great alternative, although it has limitations.  It cannot fuel airplanes, but the world needs to start utilizing safer and more abundant fossil fuels. 

Entry #4 The Story of Us: Fort Myers

Watching the Untold Stories videos about Fort Myers helped me recognize that I know very little about the city in which I reside.  It is interesting how individuals can move to an area and completely neglect interacting in the community and familiarizing one’s self with the history and culture of that area.  As a college student, I spend the majority of my time at school and home.  I recently went to explore downtown Fort Myers with my fellow classmates and was intrigued by the architecture.  I was aware that downtown had a strong and unique history but was still uneducated on the story of how it came to be.

            After watching the videos I was surprised to learn several things.  I was unaware of the art culture in the area and how it affected the development of Fort Myers.  I have visited downtown one time before to see a play at the theatre and noticed that the building was old but that’s where my thought process stopped.  I found it fascinating to learn that the theatre was the place to go on a Saturday night in the 1920’s and that Thomas Edison had his own designated seat with a hearing aide in it.  It’s almost sad how individuals are so consumed with their own lives and thoughts that they rarely take time to slow down and reflect on the history and people who built their community.

            I think individuals sometimes apply this philosophy of ignorance to nature as well.  Individuals may not take time to care about the planet or even their local community because it does not appear to affect their lives.  I think we all too often take for granted how beautiful and clean Florida is.  I recently visited Baltimore and could not believe how poorly landscaped and managed their roadways were and was disgusted by the amount of trash on the side of the roads.  In Fort Myers everything is well landscaped and appears clean.  People rarely take the time to think why and how this is possible, let alone partake in cleaning up the environment. 

Entry # 3:Generation Technology

Richard Louv’s article “Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment” was particularly interesting to me because I have never heard of nature as a potential solution to controlling ADHD.  I always felt hesitant towards embracing all of the technology that has surfaced within the last decade, partially because I feel that it has made my generation and younger generations lazy and impersonal.   I feel that certain technologies (including online dating websites, Facebook, Skype, etc…) which are designed to make us more connected instead depersonalize situations and only give us a digital connection, eliminating actual face time.   The technologies commonly used by children and adolescents (including videogames, iPod, T.V.) appear to have similar effects, such as laziness and depersonalization, on the generations raised in this era of technology.  I witness so many children watching television and playing videogames at home instead of playing outside.  In public I often see children playing videogames or listening to music on their handheld devises instead of interacting with their family or enjoying the environment.

 I may not be old enough to throw around this term effectively but when I was a kid, everyone in my neighborhood played outside all the time.  I grew up in Washington State, and no matter the weather you couldn’t keep us inside.  We grew up climbing trees, riding bikes to the beach, playing in rivers, building forts, and exploring every inch of our yards and neighborhoods.  I can’t think of one child that I knew in elementary school that was diagnosed as ADD or ADHD.  Everyone was extremely active in P.E and most of us played soccer or kickball during recess.  I understand that different geographical locations may have general populations who are more active but I strongly believe that the rise in technology is making children and adolescents lazy.  Children no longer have to be creative and find a way to entertain themselves; they can just turn on a T.V. or put in a videogame.  Still, growing up I had television and videogames but I was raised in an environment where we were limited to when and how much we could play with those items and my parents would literally force me outside.  If my brother and I were being too hyper and annoying my parents would put us outside, lock the doors, and say we can come in at dinner time when we have less energy.  I never found this to be a punishment.

I feel like children today are missing out on all the intrigue and excitement that the outdoors has to offer.  It is interesting to read this article and see that limited amount of time outside can also be interfering with how children function and focus.  I think any alternative to placing your child on medication is a great option to explore and hopefully outdoor actively is a solution that parents will take advantage of and see results.

Entry #2: My Outdoor Self

           I have lived all over the country, Washington State, California, Hawaii, South Carolina, and now Florida.  Every state that I have lived in is on the coast and as a result my reoccurring outdoor experiences have taken place at the beach.  Although I had an active outdoor childhood, my adolescent and young adult life has primarily revolved around indoor activities.  I would not consider myself an “outdoorsy” individual but this is not due to a dislike for the outdoors. 

            Throughout my college experience I have also found that little involvement or focus has been placed on outdoor activities and the environment.  Just recently in class I was informed for the first time that the world’s fish population is facing possible extinction.  This information was shocking to me because not only is it horrific but also because it is a topic that I have not heard, learned about, or discussed before with my peers and teachers.  It is astonishing that such a dangerous crisis is on our hands but instead I hear people talking about which celebrity broke up with who. 

            My sense of place in my life is focused on indoor activities, especially during the school semester.  My sense of place in the world is clearly limited and uninformed.  I have virtually no educational experience in the outdoors or on the outdoors since my adolescents.  After being introduced to a few of the major local and global concerns for the world and its different ecosystems, I look forward to having outdoor educational experiences and learning more about the current and future state of the world.  I am interested to see how learning about the environment, taking educational outdoor field trips, and performing my service learning hours will alter my opinion and current state of knowledge about the world and how these events will change my future actions and participation in educating myself on the issues as well as involving myself in their cause.

Entry # 1: Economics vs. the Environment

            After reading “What Is Biodiversity and Why Is It So Important,” by Vandana Shiva and “Healing Earth’s Scars: It’s Never Too Late,” by Jane Goodall, Gail Hudson, and Thane Maynard, I noticed common themes of environmental depletion, economics, poverty, and overpopulation.

The world, especially western civilization is predominantly run by a patriarchy.  If we look specifically at the United States we find that although we are one of the wealthiest and most industrialized countries we also have a large population that is below the poverty line.  A minority of the population controls the majority of the wealth in this country and unfortunately those who have the money tend to have the power.  This is a result of numerous reasons including that the wealthy tend to have control over resources, if they do not have power they have the money to influence those who do, and people with money, power, or both tend to socialize within similar circles.  Unfortunately more often than not those with money and power tend to focus on how to keep their money and power as well as how to obtain more.  Far too often the consequences that such goals inflict on the environment and populations are viewed as acceptable or as a casualty of war.

            Large corporations are taking their plants and businesses to other countries, often third world countries, in hopes of paying less for labor and resources and dealing with more lenient laws and codes of standards for their facilities.  As a result other countries resources are being depleted and the environments are being damaged.  The impoverished populations are working in often dangerous facilities for long hours and little pay.  As a result many children are forced to get jobs in similar factories to help contribute income because their parents do not make enough money to support the family.  These children are often forced to chose working over obtaining a basic education or furthering their education which often results in further poverty in the future.  Those who are poorly educated tend to have larger families because they are uneducated about family planning and birth control.  From there, overpopulation can become an issue and the environment can be negatively impacted by trying to support too large a population.  This can occur forom the population cutting down trees for building or burning, or eroding the soil and depleting it of its nutrients, or polluting the rivers and lakes where vital marine life lives.

            The worlds large corporations, as well as small, are often too involved with making profit through ways that they view as the most efficient and lucrative options.  Restoring and maintain the environment and its biodiversity is not as tangible an object as the dollar signs in ones bank account and is often put on the back burner.  Restoring Earths natural resources may not appear to be a necessary investment but further down the road the lack of action to restore such resources could end up costing companies even more money.  It appears that as long as big businesses focus on the economic impacts of their company instead of their impacts on the environment, poverty, and overpopulation, these issues will continue to rotate in a vicious cycles going unfixed until more humanitarian and environmentalist ideologies govern the way these companies conduct business.