Estero Cottage, Mantanzas Pass and Mosquitos

Today was the day that we did our last "field trip" of the semester. We drove 30 minutes out to the beach and found the dead end road that leads to Mantanzas Pass and the historic Estero Cottage. The cottage wasn't what I was expecting, it was a little house built of pine that now houses historical images and facts. It was kind of a downer, I was expecting something else I think. I do have to admit it was cool that something 90 years old has been kept up and maintained for so long.

After we left the cottage, we walked under the huge wooden arch toward the trail and started our adventure. Once we got passed the two tour groups ahead of us, we got to experience the trail silently and feel the calmness surrounding the area. There were no birds and no major insect problems... yet. When we got to the overlook, my friends and I sat on the benches and felt the beautiful breeze and watched the boats pass quietly through the channel. It was so peaceful that we could have stayed there forever but we pressed on anyway. The three of us were trying to make our way quickly through the trail because the morning sun was rising and the temperature at 10:30 had risen to 88 degrees. Then we started to notice that we took the wrong turn and we were taking the long way around, the beauty of the trail would have been enough to make this okay, if it hadn't been for the damn mosquitoes. To make this story short, we ran the last mile out of the trail trying to avoid crab holes while we went. As of now all of us are now covered in bites and are sitting around my living room miserable. That overlook we sat and relaxed at for almost 20 minutes, kind of makes these itchy welts okay with me though.

Areas like this are being preserved by the government and by people who are willing to work at it everyday. I truly don't know how they do it, but they're doing a great job with the little land that there is left. There is a sign in the beginning of the trail that shows the amount of land there was in this particular area with the development of that time, over a certain amount of years the land has shrunk immensely because of constant new development for the growing population.

The area that I grew up, in St.Petersburg, FL, hasn't changed at all since I was younger. New buildings have been built, the Tampa Bay Rays moved into the downtown area and the Tampa Bay Lightning moved 35 miles up the coast, and businesses have come and gone but not significantly changing anything. The amount of community in my city has become very large, at least on the Northside (the Southside is a whole different world). The community feeling grew not because of development but because of the death of three of our officers within a one month period of time. Buildings don't do what these three men have to a community, it's sad that that's how it happened but its truly a beautiful sight to see what can happen to an otherwise distant group of people.

If a developer were to come into my childhood home and offer me a great amount of money, I might take it. My childhood home is worth much a great amount more than my parents originally paid for it, especially since the area has turned from a ghetto and racist neighborhood, to a peaceful and loving senior citizen and gay community. I have no more connection to that home, but I know that the neighborhood is now full of loving families. My decision would not be my own, I would have to include my neighbors in this hard decision. If I had to chose without the help of those around me I wouldn't take the money, high rises come a dime a dozen and that's just plain boring.

Sustainable Consumerism!

Sustainable consumerism is easy to explain, it is the relationship between the production and consumption of consumer goods when the production of the goods is done in a way that uses the least amount of energy possible and creates the minimum amount of waste. Globalization and capitalism are both, in my opinion, positive drivers in sustainable consumerism. Capitalism, in this case, is where companies are constantly competing with each other to develop the next best thing that will make their company and even the world great. Globalization is also driving this particular market because countries, just like companies, are competing to become the least "wasteful" and are trying to create less air emissions and pollution.

Some companies are going as far as "greenwashing". This is when companies spin their product to look like it is the most environmentally friendly product on the market. It is also referred to as "green sheen". A lot of water bottling companies are using this tactic in the effort to draw in more consumers. With them marketing that they use less plastic in their bottles a consumer is tricked to believe that buying that particular brand is the best idea.

When it comes to my purchasing of foods and other goods, I look at the label before I buy to make sure that there are a few things that are done. For goods I like to make sure that the product in question hasn't been tested on animals, and is hormone free. My picky-ness also reaches to my food choices, and has pretty much the same criteria as my goods purchases. I like my food "organically" grown, without toxins or hormones, just like any normal person would. If I could afford it all my food choices would be organic, but since money is tight right now, normally grown foods will have to do.

In my fight to eat better foods and to use ethically chosen products, I still shop at the "regular" people stores. Mom and pop stores carry almost the same things, but are further away from me than they are at the Gulf Coast Town Center. If I chose to go to a more locally owned store then I would waste for gas, put more emissions in the air and in the end cause me to spend more money. So, truly there is no difference to me in going to Target or going to that locally owned place 10 miles down the road.

Downtown Fort Myers, the City Where People Know Their History

When I think of going downtown I automatically think hustle and bustle, bars and restaurants and hockey and  baseball! Growing up in St.Petersburg and Tampa helps with this slightly different than the average automatic thought process. Downtown areas have changed from the focal point of the city, to the lawyers and CPA nest and the judicial system's breeding ground, to the cool artsy setting and the hipster hangout.

I figure now though, after walking through the Ft.Myers downtown area that the idea  of downtown didn't always produce those feelings. This particular downtown area is going through a continual change. The buildings have changed from their original banking functions, to the offices of lawyers and government officials alike. Roads are now made of brick instead of the original sand and shells. And, for the safety of the pedestrians there are sidewalks and crosswalks. Before all of this, there were only a few buildings and they all had a specific purpose. A lot of these old "original" buildings show what the Southern architecture in the late 1800's looked like. Many of the original settlers and builders of this city were removed Southerners. There are a lot of different signs, murals and window artwork that let the average "pedestrian" know that they are welcome to the area.



I believe that the area has many "nods to history". There are many signs along some of the streets that give a little bit of history to the random passerby. Other than the signs on the streets, the signs on the original buildings gives the area that old time feel without holding back new things from happening.

The economy of the Downtown Ft.Myers area has gone up and down of the years. From the start of the settlement to today the amount of citizens still matters most. The area is in need of people to fill the empty apartments and condos. The economy is slipping because there are not enough people being attracted to the downtown lifestyle. The officials of the city are trying their hardest to make the area look good enough for the younger generations to move in to.

All of this relates to sustainability because the downtown area is still thriving after over 100 years of first being built. The use of the land and the resources back then, has helped the city survive to this very day.

My Eco Footprint!

After calculating my eco footprint, I found that if everyone lived like me then we would need 3.6 planet Earths to sustain our lifestyles. I was given the option to explore some scenarios and see what would happen if I changed some of my habits. However, all four of the scenarios I was given were things that I already do and it only reduced my need for 3.9 planets to 3.3 planets. The things I changed were having EnergyStar appliances and purchasing products packaged with or made of recycled materials.

If the average American footprint was 4.6 Earths, then that would be terrible. No one should be using resources to that extent by themselves. The maximum population that the Earth could sustain at this footprint average would probably be 20% of the world's population now.

Energy... We can always use a little more...

Energy costs could be seen as being too cheap, however, they are probably right at the price most people can afford, especially the way that energy is used these days. My thought is that energy could be more expensive, especially to keep the use of energy down. If energy costs were more expensive then conservation would be a lot easier for most people.

Conservation. The word that sparks controversy no matter where you go, or what you actually mean to conserve. In this case the conservation of energy is a huge topic in the media and within governmental offices. Former president Jimmy "Cardigan" Carter, gave a good amount of speeches in the way of energy conservation. Two weeks into his presidency in the late 70's, he sat in a chair in front of the fireplace with his now infamous beige cardigan and talked with the nation about conserving oil and turning down the thermostat to save energy. Two years later, months before US hostages were taken in Iran, Carter gave another speech on national television. He spoke not of what we could do to save oil and energy individually, but asked why the nation hadn't pulled together as a whole to work on this issue. Jimmy Cardigan, years later, is still an advocate for the nation coming together to conserve. If I had the chance to talk to our former president I believe I would let him know that I think what he did was simply amazing. No other person has yet to do what he did, he called out the nation as a whole. Any energy crisis could be avoided by doing what that man did.

I think that alternative energy sources are a good idea, but under certain regulations. Free marketing in this case could turn into a potentially harmful situation for the natural environments. When Al Gore decided to let the world in on the ethanol trend, he didn't know that the ramifications would be deforestation and famine in undeveloped countries.

In my opinion it truly depends on what area you live in for anyone to decide the best renewable energy. In certain areas, wind powered energy is worth more than the cost to build the windmill farms. Solar energy sources in places that see more sun than shade is always a great choice. Hydroelectric sources seem to work great in places like Nevada, California and Arizona, where the Hoover Dam is a great source of energy to 1.3 million people.

To reduce my energy footprint, I can use less electricity. Build solar panels for my home. Harness the power of hydroelectricity for my beach house. There are so many different things that a person can do that it's impossible to plan out any exact thing.

Oh, Climate Change.... If That's Your Real Name...

 Global Warming. Climate change.Blah blah blah. It's all the same, and it's everywhere. But, what exactly is it? One year it's people saying the Earth is heating up dangerously. The next year it's, oh wait just kidding its getting colder and hotter at the same time. It's seems funny that millions of people can agree on the fact that climate change (or whatever they're calling it these days) exisits, but they can't exactly tell you what it is in the same words. Everyone has their opinion and so do I, and you, lucky person reading this, get to read all about it.

Climate change, at least in the popular media sense, to me is a bunch of hogwash. If I had to say if it was man made or "natural", I would say it was both. If you look at the temperature records over the Earth's history you can see a gradual rise in the temperature every decade or more. This is what I would consider natural. Even those people who believe that crazy Big Bang Theory can attest to the Earth's continual rise and fall in temperature since its creation. Is there concrete and sound proof? The real answer to that is, is there ever? I can truly say that I do think that some of the natural climate change is coming from man-made things. We aren't helping anything by genetically manufacturing more cows than ever before that produce harmful chemicals into the air (and yes I'm talking about their farting). Factories, cars and other man-made emissions aren't helping the Earth, but it's definitely not the only thing changing the climate out there.

I'm not a world renown scientist that studies things like the environment or the climates, however, I do (unlike MANY people in my generation) research what I hear and form my own opinion. I grew up with an environmental scientist for a father and even from his mouth and the mouthes of many of his co-workers, climate change is a natural occurring process. Many things that I have read even mention that the Earth is getting gradually hotter because the rotation of the earth around the Sun gets closer to the Sun every couple thousand of years and then backs away again. It's like a rinse and repeat thing, but with planets. That information is from NASA and some of those special guys that don't believe in God, I mean that believe in the Big Bang Theory. This is not me saying that the climate change isn't going to effect some people. I understand that the more the climate changes the more out of sync the ecosystems become. And, with that comes more natural disasters. Its a scary thought but it's how this planet works.

I don't take all my advice from my dad or his co-workers, I listen to the news and to the other people around me. I read the newspaper and I research what I've heard on the internet. I don't know who I would say is the best source, but in my honest opinion I think one of the better sources is going to talk to someone who actually works in studying weather or environmental changes. People who listen to those who have no idea what they are talking about can become misinformed (cough Al Gore cough).

The media does a good job in making things seem worse than they really are. The media portrays climate change as the end of the world, and that we should all bunker up and get ready to burn to death. However, in the coming years I doubt that the media will be apologizing for the fact that it over-exaggerated on something yet again. I know I sound harsh on the media, and I don't mean to at all. They have done something for the "climate change" situation and keep making the "go green" initiative bigger and better every year. It never hurts that the media makes going green a cool thing, it's just that making it cool through a scare tactic (like "do it or the climate will change") is a little ridiculous. I'm not saying that that is exactly what they're doing, and again I know I'm being a little harsh, but you have to admit in some ways thats exactly how it seems.

In the future I hope that my kids and even my grandkids can enjoy the beautiful beaches and other areas of Florida I've grown to love over my 22 years of life. But, I know that with continual development of unused areas that that is becoming more and more of an impossibility. My future fears have nothing to do with climate change, just with humanity in itself and what we'll do to the Earth over the coming years. I know that it might be a few degrees hotter during the summer and a few degrees colder in the winter when these imaginary loved ones of mine come around, but hopefully thats the only issue they have to deal with.

A Little Hypothetical Game

Bacara eucalyptus tree flower
seed bloom yellow throat warbler.

Lets say some big company wants to start planting genetically modified eucalyptus trees on the FGCU campus. Lets also say that the USDA wants someone like me to testify about the the merits and pitfalls of this company's plan to modify the campus and the trees. After doing some research I think I've figured out what I would say...

Pink Flowering Gum Tree (Eucalyptus ficifolia)

The eucalyptus tree is a tree that is known by many names, and takes on many different forms. You can see these trees on almost every continent and is more commonly known to grow in Australia under the name of the Australian Mountain Ash. These beautiful plants are covered in beneficial barks that are one of the characteristics that classify the different eucalyptus trees. The trees are harvested for many reasons, but are more widely known for their ability to produce oils. Eucalyptus trees also have a terrible side to them. These trees are among the most flammable in the world, they are seen as one of the contributers to wildfires. The roots of the eucalyptus tree are also an issue to surrounding foliage, these roots soak up the underlying water and make it impossible for the any other species of plant to drink. (To not make the tree sound too bad, in marsh areas the roots can soak up all the water and prevent diseases like malaria spreading in the region.) The roots are also very shallow causing the tree to be easily knocked over by wind and rain, and especially in Florida weather this can be a threat to animals and humans alike.

Genetically modified
eucalyptus tree farm

After finding out that ArborGen genetically modified these trees so that they could make paper, and help fuel biomass power plants you have to think to yourself is it worth it?! The company says that when they modified the genes of this plant they took out the flammability and the annoying wondering self-overproduction. The company states that eucalyptus is a better fuel source than pine (which is what the company heavily relies on now). The benefits to the school would be slight though, because the school campus does not need any of these things. You still have to ask yourself the simple question of do any of these things that ArborGen has done to the genes of the tree outweigh the potential concerns for this plant to be grown in our area?

Gum tree blossum

One of the major intrinsic and extrinsic concerns of this situation is what happens when the gene mutation doesn't actually work?! Eucalyptus trees are notorious for taking over and killing the natural plants in the area. In turn when all the natural plants are gone, that could drive away or even kill the animals that live off those natural plants. Only certain animals in this world can thrive off of the eucalyptus plants, too much of the oils within the tree is toxic to a large portion of wildlife. The faulty genetics in this new species of plant could ruin the ecosystem in its entirety. It could still be highly flammable too, which in the dry parts of the year could cause more concern and problems than the benefits of the plant can bring actually us.

Signs from the un-hypothetical
situation with ArborGen and the
Southern states

The ArborGen genetically modified eucalyptus tree isn't worth it, at least not in this area. The potential for harm to the ecosystem in this and the surrounding areas is far to extensive then any benefit that the plant can potentially offer to anyone. I wouldn't suggest bringing this plant anywhere, but since the government has already given the okay to this company to start using it in test plots in our great Southern states, I guess we should all cross our fingers and hope that those scientists did a good job.


Images from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27241501@N03/5347540254/, http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/02/01/will-genetically-modified-eucalyptus-trees-transform-southern-forests/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin_heigan/2193593386/

ECHO (a place to grow seeds and so much more)

Me :)

As it is in every case of having to get up to go on a "field trip" on our normal day off of class, I was absolutely dreading taking a tour of a farm. Especially a place that says to allow for a minimum of 2 hours for the whole experience. And, add in the 92 degree forecast and the trifecta of misery was there in front of my eyes. However, I can honestly say I'm glad I got the chance to experience this place. ECHO is everything that farming and a non-profit organization should be.

While walking around during our tour, we were showed different examples of farming and food production. One thing that really stuck out to me was the farming of the blue tilapia fish. The idea for the use of duck waste to produce algae to feed the fish so that they can grow and become food for people in different kinds of areas, is absolutely ingenious. Our tour guide also showed us the simulated roof-top garden. This garden uses thrown away tires, buckets and pieces of carpet. The use of these pieces of "junk" is brilliant and makes me wonder why more American's (or even more people around the world) don't see that it is so easy to have this sort of garden.

My friend Alyssa with the Moringa seeds, these
seeds are used to help purify water and  to supply
substantial nutrition to people in need 

I feel like American agriculture is so different from what ECHO is doing on their 50 acres of land. American agriculture is different because it is used for a different reason. ECHO farms (in my understanding) to send the seeds of the plants they are sowing to impoverished countries. American agriculture is used to farm food to ship to different states and sometimes even different countries.
I believe that American agriculture can take a slight lesson from the ECHO farm, but I'm not a farmer so I can't say exactly what can be changed. For example, I grew up (like most Floridians) around orange groves and strawberry fields and the farmers have never had an issue with production or selling of their goods. The only issue that I can remember in my short 22 years on this earth, is that when the weather turns to freezing (which is obviously only twice a year at the most) some farmers lose a portion of their crops. ECHO has a way of keeping frost from growing on their plants when a freeze warning is issued to the area. Maybe the American farmers can take note and use ECHO's plan as a way to save all of their crops. American farmers may be able to change over to "appropriate technology", that way they can be more economically and environmentally conscience. Appropriate technology can include solar powered heating implements, tractors or other farming equipment, lights, etc., bike and/or hand powered water pumps, and so much more.

ECHO is over all probably one of the most beneficial places I have ever visited. The experience was very nice and the information that I was given made the trip up there worth it. If I could do my service learning hours there I MOST DEFINITELY would, if it was the winter time and it wasn't 1000 degrees outside. I can always appreciate the outdoors and the beauty that God has created... to a point. :)

Sustainable Farming

Sustainable farming is a way of farming in such a way that the conservation of the natural resource that is being used is kept for future generations to appreciate. When sustainable farming is used it conserves the land and water and helps protect wildlife from losing their homes and even their lives. To farm in this way is also economically viable and can be used in areas in a money crunch.

Personally I love the idea of organic and naturally grown foods. I make it a point to buy meat that is labelled with a naturally grown sticker so that I know that the animal I am about to cook and eat is not filled with unnatural (for these particular animals) hormones and other chemicals. Other organic foods, like my fruits and vegetables, are also important to me to purchase. I have an aversion to putting disgusting unnatural chemicals and preservatives into my body. The only thing that I find wrong with buying these organic and naturally grown foods is that the prices are rising more and more every time I step into the grocery store. Publix is doing a semi-good job of keeping their "Greenwise" organic products at a semi-reasonable price, but for a college student it is still a bit pricey.


IF there was space on the campus to grow my own vegetables and fruits I would jump at the opportunity! I was raised to spend money only when it was needed to be spent, and if I could save money on growing my own food it would be stupid not to take the chance to do it. :)

The Major Environmental Issue

In my opinion I think that the Earth is plagued with some pretty awful environmental issues. With the population of the world growing everyday, things are seemingly continuing to get worse. Some people say that the worse thing going on is global warming, in my opinion that's not true. I believe that the shortage of fresh water sources and water pollution are continuing to become a life threatening issue, not only to humans but to the wildlife as well. All over the world people are suffering from fresh water sources and are living with the diseases that are caused by drinking disease ridden water because that is all that is available to them. In Mexico City, just a gulf away from us, drinking anything but bottled water in even the richest places can earn you a trip to the hospital. In more than half of African countries water is so scarce that mothers have to choose between themselves and their children, and even then the water is so riddled with bacteria it doesn't really matter who actually gets the water or not.

If I was given $100 billion to work on this issue I would do a couple of things. The firs thing I would do is to take a page from the ECHO handbook and I would send the seeds of the Moringa tree to the areas in need. The seeds of this plants can be ground up and used to purify water (more on this tree in the next blog!). Another thing I would do is to send people to these places to educate the natives on how to catch catch and preserve even the smallest amount of rain water. Another thing they could be educated on is how to purify urine to become drinking water. The money I would be donated would be used to help the amount of people I could by purchasing and sending these supplies and educating them on how to survive on what the Earth and their bodies give them.


Being given this amount of money to work on this issue would be a dream come true, water is essential to even the smallest form of life and everyone deserves to have access to it.

Blog #2-- FGCU Nature Walk

As I was walking the FGCU nature trail I realized how absolutely beautiful just a small piece of land can actually be, especially while walking through an overgrown area of trees that kind of makes you feel like you're lost in Never Never Land. Coming as a transfer student from USF I can truly appreciate the amount of nature here, whether it be large or small, because Tampa is so over crowded with cars, buildings and people.

FGCU's eco-empowerment mission work can definitely be seen though out the campus, on and off the nature trail. There is a solar panel farm in the front of the school that helps support the electrical needs of the school, along with a few lakes that are a part of the school's watershed. The residential and academic buildings have window coverings to help eliminate the amount of heat that enters and escapes to keep the need of the air conditioning or heating units to a minimum. Walking around the main campus you can also see trash cans that are solar activated and recycling bins around every corner. FGCU does so much more to be their own sustainable eco-friendly environment and that makes me proud to be a part of this school.

Corkscrew Swamp Adventure :)

Planning our swamp adventure we took into consideration the time of day we were going to go. It didn't help anything because the 2 mile trail that we took was still blazing hot in the 10am Florida heat, but in the end it was well worth it.

There were five of us in the group and naturally when anyone sees five young adults they get a little weary and they told us the rules right away. While we were waiting to pay and getting ready for the boardwalk, the three of us girls had to use the restroom (we're girls, its inevitable). The Living Machine, which the name for the waste water disposable system, is how the Sanctuary preserves the area without adding the normal human interference of pipes and harsh chemicals. The Living Machine is a system that uses the waste water and product to enrich the soil and keep the area beautiful.


This beautiful piece of land is protected not only by the state of Florida, but also by the help and support of different donors and private non-profit organizations who make it possible for the volunteers and workers to do what they do everyday with the monetary support they give. The conservation of the land is to help protect the wildlife, the plants and the animals, from the future endeavors of those trying to bulldoze and build in the area. The conservation and stewardship of everyone is important because without any help from outsiders the land would have been gone years ago, and the future generations would never be able to experience the true beauty of the land. With the help of different people on the same path to help this land, nothing can damage what is there (at least in my opinion).

Many people come and go from the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary everyday. The pure natural atmosphere attracts all different ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds. Civic engagement is, in my opinion, one of the major reasons that people are drawn in to the Sanctuary. Field trips and class assignments allow for students to learn and understand what is going on in the area, and in some cases brings in volunteers and monetary donations. By word of mouth these students pass on what they saw on their trip to Corkscrew Swamp, and this can spark more research into the land, and even pass on the thought of another person making a trip to see what all the fuss is about. The term civic engagement is more of an umbrella term that is used describe activities and different circumstances that bring together a community. I think this term is perfect for explaining what the workers at the Sanctuary are trying to do.

This area is only slightly protected by the government because the state of Florida pretty much always has the final say in what happens with the land. However, the government's true role should be to work towards conservation of the area and the education of the people who live in the state on what they can do to help areas like this. Hopefully the government cane help to maintain the area, and keep it from being bulldozed to build condos for the growing state and particularly the growing area populations. This destruction of this area would not be helpful nor would it be smart. This area is a essential for water flow from other areas of the state to the ocean, if the land were built on then the water flow would be obstructed and would destroy more than one ecosystem.

All in all this little swamp adventure proved to be worth suffering in the heat and the deer fly bites. Especially since we got to see alligators, and they're kind of beautiful :)

Blog #1- Expectations and Sustainability

When I'm asked for my expectations for a class it makes me think harder than I normally care to think. My normal thought is that I want to be taught the things I need to know because that's what I'm paying obviously paying for. However, when I thought about this class I realized that I didn't actually know what I wanted to expect. I know that this class is about the environment and the world around me, and how I can see things in a more "green" state of mind. But, growing up with an environmental scientist for a father I already know all of that. Hopefully, this class can show me new and more efficient ways to be "green" and to appreciate nature and the beautiful world that we have on campus and in the surrounding areas.

To me sustainability is how every living thing survives. Plain and simple. Sustainability is when a living thing adapts and changes to work with the environment that it has been brought up around. My chosen field of study is athletic training and I feel that sustainability is a huge factor in keeping athletes healthy and playing at the top of their game. An athletic trainer should be able to adapt and change their ways to accommodate the specific environment in which they working. An inability to change or a huge ego are personal attitudes I believe a person cannot have in athletic training or even in the real world. These attitudes will not help someone sustain healthy relationships or lifestyles, which can cause them to not be able to keep their job and survive out in the real world.