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Field trip 5 Marine- Virtual

Document 1-

After watching the video narrated by Mrs. Jo Hughes I learned and reflected on a lot of things. Jo Hughes has been a resident of the Fort Myers Beach area since the 1930’s. She has really seen our community grow. Since Hughes has been here for a significant amount of time she developed her Sense of Place here. Sense of Place is defined as a collection of meanings, beliefs, and feelings individuals or groups associate with a particular locality. Sense of Place really helps define who you are. She has seen Fort Myers grow into the beautiful city we know, she has seen natural disasters and saw how we built ourselves up again. Hughes is extremely informed on Fort Myers history. When she was a girl growing up in Fort Myers Beach there was only a few hundred people, mostly commercial fisherman, living on the island. Now that number has increased to about 7,000 people and in winter 50 to 60 thousand. She starts explaining the rich history including how the Spanish conquered the state and which other people inhabited the island. Mrs. Jo Hughes talks in depth about the history of the island and who has inhabited it over the years. She starts with the Calsuas who originally built shell mounds and one even still stands today that was built in 1906. Fort Myers Beach now owns the house and it is open to the public. After the Calusas the Spanish came with boats and guns causing a massacre. The Spanish then owned and named the state which is why we see many Spanish names around our community. We also see rivers and places named after the Calusas as well. They have a great influence on our community. A clan whom believed they resided on the inside of the Earth with Cyrus Teed as their leader resided in Estero. In 1934 the island got electricity for the first time. But, it did not reach the bayside where she resided. Hughes would use kerosene lamps and stoves and do everything by hand. But, she was surrounded by beautiful green water she described it as a swimming pool. She makes it a point to say the the clear crisp waters she once got to swim in are no longer because of human impact and pollution. She talks about the first school being built in 1937 in a rented cottage that had 3 grades and no funding. So only 1 teacher who did custodial work and drove a school bus. The next year the school expanded with more space and faculty. She watched Fort Myers Beach grow from the beginning. Hughes Sense of Place is incredibly strong. She is spent her life her and watched the island grow as she did. Hughes is very passionate about the well being of the species that surround us. Hughes has also watched humans impact on the island. The consequences of pollution and non-sustainability. Fort Myers Beach is her home and I was able to tell how much she cares and is impacted by her Sense of Place. She wants Fort Myers Beach to continue to grow and house generations to come. An issue that is brought up is pollution and development. There is an issue with building on barrier islands. Those islands are not made for development so when people do so it completely ruins the surrounding habitat. Although some may argue development is good for tourism and the economy it makes a larger impact than we know. We are destroying our ecosystem and it could deteriorate before our very eyes if we keep polluting the environment. Mrs. Hughes Sense of Place is being threatened at this point by pollution and development. I can not even imagine having to watch your home get destroyed as she did. It would impact me in many ways. It would feel like my Sense of Place anymore with all the pollution trash and development that has appeared over the years. It is not the same place I grew up. It seems sad and disappointing to watch your home get destroyed and be able to do nothing about it. I would go to any length to save that so it can be here for generations to come. I would start protesting development and try to promote sustainability, I would really try to open my communities eyes to what our home was and what we could make it.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 8:

It is hard to believe that this semester is almost over and it is time to complete my post-conception journal. We are tasked with going back and reading our first submitted journal with pre-conceptions. I can confidently say I am a better and more educated person than I was before this class. Coming into this I stated “So far, I do not know much about Colloquium. I was aware I needed this credit to graduate and that we learn about our environment. Coming into this class I believe we will learn about our surrounding environment and the effects that we as humans have on our environment.” After taking this class I can say that this class is so much more than that. One of the first things Professor N’diang’ui said in class was “What is Colloquium?” I had no idea, just the title of this class? No, it is a conversation. A conversation. A conversation about important topics that are vital and need to be discussed by analyzing environmental issues from different perspectives. I learned about the importance of sustainability and what needs to be done immediately by my community and I to make sure our Earth is here for generations to come. I learned about all of FGCU’s many sustainability efforts through out campus such as our conditioning system thats saves a significant amount of energy. We also got to see the beautiful nature surrounding our campus and it reinforced my Sense of Place by getting a chance to really see all of our campus. A good portion of this class really reinforced my Sense of Place, we had the opportunity to go out and see different parts of Fort Myers such as Six Mile Cypress Slough Reserve. At the slough I gained an immense amount of knowledge and saw native wildlife that I do not normally get a chance to observe. The slough provides a safe home too many plants and animals, it provides freshwater and air. We also attended Lee Counties Waste-to-Energy facility. These facilities burn municipal solid waste to recover energy in the form of electricity. Unlike a landfill which uses an incinerator which burns waste producing harsh chemicals like methane. These are much less harmful to the environment and it was really interesting to see all the hard work that goes into the facility. After these field trips I realize how important our ecosystem is and we need to do our best to preserve it. Taking Colloquium also taught me that I can bring sustainability into my life, and future career path. I really sat back and thought about what I can do as a young person entering the work world. We as a generation have to take a stance and start incorporating sustainability efforts. We all have to work together to make a change. When I start my career I will make it a point to make sure we as a company (or wherever I may work) are being as sustainable and caring to the Earth as possible. That should be priority.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 6

For this field trip we got to tour Lee Counties Waste-to-Energy Facility. In the past, I have always thrown out or recycled things and never thought twice about it. But we have to realize all our trash has to go somewhere. One option is a landfill which is extremely harmful for the environment and also our health. Another option is to send it to a waste-to-energy facility. Waste-to-Energy facilities combust municipal solid waste to produce electrical energy. Essentially the facility burns municipal solid waste to recover energy in the form of electricity. Unlike a landfill which uses an incinerator which burns waste producing harsh chemicals like methane.

Lee County Solid Waste is responsible for all trash in Lee and Hendry county. They do 4 pick-ups weekly for household garbage, recyclables, yard waste and bulk. Tires are permitted to 5% of the daily load meaning residents can put 2 tires out weekly. One unique method is taking yard waste, which balances ground up mulch and composts to mix with bio solids. This turns two things nobody wants into something everyone needs. This connects to sustainability which is vital to Earths health. Sustainability is when we are able to meet our own needs without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their needs. Our world is in serious danger so we really have to start paying attention to our ecological footprint. A waste-to-energy plant is much more sustainable than a landfill and incinerator.

What we throw away can cause a lot of damage to our air quality. That is why it is illegal to collect dumped material. 500 pounds is a 3rd degree felony. Hazardous waste is sent to Lee County Household Chemical Waste. (HCW) HCW consists of paint, used motor oil, batteries, propane tanks etc. To properly deal with HCW they have created a reuse center. A Reuse center diverts usable household chemicals back into the community, that opened in December of 2018.

I found it incredibly interesting to learn about the water-to-energy facility. It is amazing that we are now taking advantage of waste and putting it to use to incorporate sustainability for future generations.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 5- Pachamama Alliance Awakening the Dreamer

Participating in the Awakening the dreamer course I learned valuable and urgent information. The course started with asking three questions. 1. Where are we? 2. How did we get here? 3. What is possible in the future?

So where are we? To be frank, we are in a global crisis. Since the Industrial Revolution the human population has increased significantly and brought the use of fossil fuels slowly hurting our healthy environment. The more our population grew and the more fossil fuels we used the more we hurt the Earth. We are at a point where the damage we have done needs to be reversed or we and future generations will suffer great consequences.

How did we get here? Where did we go wrong? For starters we learn that civilization created the idea of seeing ourselves (humans) and the natural world as two separate things. That humans have free range and will and the Earth comes second. We took advantage of the natural resources that were given to us. In result of that, we took away the homes of many species. It should be our responsibility to fix it.

What is possible now in our future? A key part of this section in the course was that women are the key to fixing out world. “The emergence of the feminine face of leadership is the key to a sustainable and transformed world.” It also mentions how we have to look at nature as a somebody. We have to continue to treat the Earth with respect.

A wow moment that jumped out at me is the impact we make and we do not even realize. This was talked about by Julia Butterfly Hill. She says when you throw something away, where is away? That gets me thinking, The trash can. But after that? The garbage is picked up and taken to a dump? But where after that? And so on, it never stops. These things never go “away” They go somewhere to harm the environment and our Earth. That leads into social and environmental justice issues. Think of Every paper plate, bag ect. As as forest. That is what we are sacrificing by continuing to use these products. One quote that really stuck out to me is “We can not have peace on the Earth unless we have peace with the Earth.” Our society believing our resources, species and people are all disposable. We can not look at our Earth like that.

Overall, I learned that I need to continue doing my part in participating in a sustainable lifestyle to keep our Earth here and healthy. I believe the Awakening the Dreamer course was informational and so beneficial to participate in. You are able to hear from many different reliable sources their opinion on what needs to be done to save our Earth. I will continue to educate myself on environmental justice and participate in a sustainable lifestyle to keep our Earth healthy for generations to come.

[lyndseyjacobs]

JOURNAL 4

1. Introduction

A. E.C.H.O stands for Educational Concerns for Haiti Organization.

B. The mission of ECHO is to spread hope I hard places by equipping small-scale farmers and bringing glory to God.

C. ECHO operates in Florida, West Africa, East Africa and Asia as well as 190+ countries online.

2. Reflection

A. After watching the virtual ECHO tour I learned a lot about sustainability. One thing I learned about sustainability is there are many things we can do to substitute every day items to be more sustainable. One tree discussed was the Neem tree. The Neem tree has many health benefits. The tour guide states that drugs like cortisone and other skin products or even floss are similar to the Neem Tree. The Neem Tree is all natural as opposed to those being sold in stores.

B. Organizations like this one are vital to our Earth. These organizations that aim to better our planet and we would not be able to actually make a difference in saving our world. Also, this organization aims to help farmers. Farmers are so important to society. They deserve this organization to help them.

C. An example of Adaptive Technology is a bio-gas digester. It takes organic plant material or waste material from animals and creates a 50 percent mixture of water and manure / plants that becomes a gas to power a stove.

D. I discovered that there are daily products I use that have a better natural alternative. This alternative is not only better for you but, better for the environment. I will do research and find ways to be more sustainable in my daily lifestyle.

Food Footprint-

Growing up both of my parents had full time jobs and I had a busy schedule with dance and my brother and sister also had extra curricular activities. Most of the food we ate was pre made or we would bring food in. Those habits have stayed with me through out my life. I have to admit I am not the proudest of my food foot print. I also did not plant or garden much. But my aunt and uncle have a huge garden at their house that they plant vegetables in. So I was able to grow plants their and It always made me feel good to know that what I planted came from the Earth. From now on, I am going to watch my food foot print. I am going to try and keep an all natural diet and try and shop locally as opposed to supporting companies that bring in food from thousands of miles away. I am going to implement sustainability into my life.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 3

By researching the different websites and videos that were provided to me I learned a lot about Six Mile Cypress Slough Reserve. A slough is an inland, wetland ecosystem. I learned about “The Monday Group” who were a group of student who set out to save the slough. Those students helped purchase six mile cypress to help make it a better place for future generations. Due to The Monday Group’s efforts, SWFL was able to raise enough money to save the slough. Now we are able to preserve and enjoy the slough and its beautiful environment.

When we first arrived to Six Mile Cypress we walked to the welcome center. In the welcome center there was informative information about the slough and its environment. We saw different informative graphics on the different flora and fauna that reside in the slough. We also learned that the welcome center is Need Certified which means that it is a healthy, efficient, carbon and cost saving green building.

After the welcome center, we entered the trail on the slough. We first walked through gator lake. I noticed as we looked over the boardwalk that I saw very tall plants and lily pads sat on top of the water. Across the lake there was many trees.

Then we went to Wood Duck Pond. The first thing I noticed was the color green. Lily pads covered the top of the water and trees towered over us. But, the water was also so clear. It was beautiful. One thing I learned is that there are primarily cypress trees at the slough. Cypress trees filter the water to make it as clear as it is. We also learned that all the water flows to Lake Okachobee.

On our walk to Otter Pond we encountered a baby alligator. It is interesting to see them in their natural environment. We also learned that many of the plants give off natural oxygen.

From there we went to Pop Ash Pond. We came across lichen. Lichen is a fungus that grows on trees and can collect moisture which the algae needs. The algae the can create food from the energy of the sun, which needs the fungus. Our tour guide explained it as when you see lichen you know you are breathing the purest air.

We saw alligators, gar fish, many different birds and there was many tall trees. There was different quotes through out the train and one really stuck out to me. “Falling in love with the Earth is one of life’s great adventures.” - (Steve Van Matre) After taking this tour of Six Mile Cypress I can say it is not hard to fall in love with the Earth.

The slough provides a safe home to many plants and animals. It provides freshwater and air.Rising water level is a threat. This field trip helped me realize what environment we live in. It makes me proud to live here and to be able to say I can and will take care of this preserve for future generations. I also understand the importance of sustainability now. There are many easy solutions to make our way of life more sustainable. We need to use sustainability to preserve the slough for future generations.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 2

Being a part of colloquium we were lucky enough to be able to get an in depth look at FGCU. The first part of our field trip was a sustainability walk. We went to the heart of campus, the Pavilion and saw how that is FGCU’s center. At some point in your experience at FGCU you will find yourself wandering around the area near the pavilion. We were then taken to “The Archway” and Seidler Hall. In Seidler Hall I learned that it qualifies as a Leed Platinum building. That means it coincides with being healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green building. At FGCU we try to do our part to make the world a better place. We also were told about the plants at FGCU. We saw many native plants around campus and I learned that is to attract native animals. It also came to my attention that all ponds at FGCU lead into each other and eventually the Estero River and the bay. I also learned that FGCU has reasoning for not having plain cement sidewalks. They have the sidewalks with grooves in it in order to catch water runoff. Our whole campus is built with sustainability in mind and thats how all buildings should be. As one of the last stops on our sustainability walk our tour guide showed us FGCU air conditioning system. I have never seen anything like it! We were informed that at night blocks of ice are frozen in huge cylinders. During the day as it gets hotter, the frozen ice melts causing a cooling throughout the system and sends the air through campus. We have plans to keep expanding the air conditioning system as our school gets bigger. After our informative sustainability walk was finished it was time for the nature walk. I got to go back to my FGCU roots and walk towards Sovi. I think we are so lucky to have a nature trail located that close to us. There were so many beautiful trees and different ecosystems through out the trail. It was so interesting to learn how to tell when each of the ecosystems change. Unfortunately due to medical reasons and specific instructions from my Doctor, I was unable to do the water portion of the field trip which I am deeply saddened about but I am happy I was able to experience what I did. After this field trip I am so grateful to be able to attend this University. In reality, our environment is suffering. As humans residing on this planet we should go above and beyond to take care of our earth and I am proud to say FGCU does. Sustainability is a huge part of our campus life. I learned that not only is FGCU a University but, a home to the surrounding environment. This really solidified my concept of sense of place. I was able to more accurately define the plants and animals around me. I got to learn more about FGCU and that increased my knowledge in my sense of place.

[lyndseyjacobs]

Journal 1

Hello! My name is Lyndsey Jacobs and my major is communications with a concentration in public relations. So far, I do not know much about Colloquium. I was aware I needed this credit to graduate and that we learn about our environment. Coming into this class I believe we will learn about our surrounding environment and the effects that we as humans have on our environment. All of my group members basically had the same pre conceived notions about colloquium. We all thought we would learn about the environment and go on field trips. To elaborate on my sense of place I would say I live in the sunny place of Southwest Florida. To be specific Lee County, Florida which was founded in May of 1887. The current population in Lee County is 760,822 and the total area is 1,212 sq mi. With Fort Myers being the center of a popular tourist area we bring a lot of visitors. We have plenty of water areas as well including the Caloosahatchee River, the Estero River and Orange River. We have many beautiful beaches as well. In Lee County, you can find bunnies, a variety of birds, panthers, turtles/tortoise, and you can see greenery everywhere with beautiful colored flowers. Fort Myers has the ambience of relaxation and calmness. People come here to relax. We have many beach side restaurants of all different cuisines. Many people play live music at farmers market and around the beach. We live in a very sunny tight knit community. Below is a photo from when I visited Pine Island and spent the day exploring the small island. There was many different art pieces and beautiful plants to look at. I have also included some photos of my time spent here in Fort Myers.