The Ups and Downs

This was definitely not a walk in the park type of class that I thought it would be. This is a class that causes you to really think about the world and which direction we are heading in as a society. Before taking this class, I used to think that I could not do anything to change the world. So my lifestyle was just like any other ignorant person that does not believe that anything would change by changing themselves. After taking this class I knew that I was dead wrong.
It was not easy to get through to me at first because like I said, I did not WANT to be there. I felt that I was just there because the school was forcing me to be. The highpoint for me was when it all finally clicked and realized that there needs to be a change in the world or we are all doing to fall in our own demise. It was probably in the middle of my service learning that it hit me because I felt I was actually doing something to help the environment.
We all have to make a change. It starts with ourselves and then works its way to other people. I believe becoming green can be a good disease that could spread but it just takes the right person to get it started to have those follow. My plans are to become that leader to help others see the light that we need to change our ways.

How I have Been Impacted

The experience I had from this colloquium class is something that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I have learned of a few more issues that I was not aware of before taking the class. Before going into the class I was not thrilled to have to take it and just wanted to get it over with. After hearing the lessons and doing the reading assignments, I have learned that this is an issue that is causing problems all over the world and not just here in our back yards.
The best experience I had from this class was the hands on work we did by going on the field trips (to EHCO, Corckscrew, and Estero Island) and the service learning we had to do for the class. On the field trips, we learned about how they were trying to preserve these natural areas of our Florida Everglades for not just the environmnt and our health but also the animals that call those areas home. We have taken so much from the animals and have even killed off many species in the process of doing so. A lot of it has to do with the climate change that we have caused to worsen since the Industrial Revolution.
I intend to continue to improve the environment even after the class is over. I am going to carry it with my in my career too. Even though I am still unsure what I want to do the rest of my life I know it will be something in business. I intend to run a green business to help maintain a sustainable environment so that my chiildren can grow up and live a long and healthy life like I will. It takes just one person to start a movement, so why can't that be me?

Where is Modern Civilization Heading?

With a growing concern for climate change and the greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere, businesses are under major scrutiny for changing their ways of operation. Over the last several years, the United States has started cracking down on natural gas fuels by putting a cap on how much can be used in a period of time and putting a tax on it. Even though we are making strides to change our ways a little bit, there are too many people that do not want to change their way of business compared to those that are willing to comply.
It is difficult to get everyone on board because we do not want to fall behind in the world economy. There are countries, like China, that do not have a cap on how much fossil fuels they are allowed to burn so they continue to be a world leader in production and exports. Being able to get many countries to transform to a  more sustainable working environment will take a major global change to finally get people aware of climate change and how it will eventually destroy us. Even here in the United States, where we have scientific leaders presenting us with evidence that climate change is real, we are still in denial that climate change is actually taking place.
There are still many countries that are on their way to operating in a sustainable way and are preparing now for the change that will one day have to take place. Germany has proposed a plan to move to more sustainable source of energy, and should be fully converted by 2020. To help heal our environment and sustain it to better living conditions, we need other countries like Germany to move to a better way of operating sustainably.
Hopefully it is not going to take the Polar Ice Caps or Greenland ice cap from melting before the world realises that we are destroying the place we all call home. In order to maintain the environment, it is going to take a lot of time, work, and money but it is something we need in the near future in order to help the survival of our race and planet.

Cleaning it Up!

For my service learning project, a I joined a group clean up at Naples National Golf Club. We were going through the course cleaning and restoring certain areas of the course. Along the woods we were cleaning up the trash left behind by the golfers to not only clean the course but keep animals from consuming the trash or anything else that could harm them. We also did a search for golf balls lost in the woods to clean them out and also recycle the balls for resale in the club house.
We also were restoring areas on the course that were in poorer condition. There were trees that were being overpowered by Spanish moss, so we were trying to remove as much from the trees as we could. The Spanish moss does not actually kill the tree but it does keep the tree from growing because it absorbs the sunlight and water the tree needs to grow. Environmentally, we want the trees to grow as big as they can to help reduce the carbon in the air, so when Spanish moss is on these trees keeping them from growing, it is hurting the environment. We were also planting new trees in place of the older trees that were dying. This is environmentally friendly because we are replacing what once was and keeping the cycle of life going.
I have learned a lot from this experience working to improve the environment. It was nice to get out in the hot sun and feel like I was actually doing something. We sit in class and have facts and situations drilled into our head if we do not start acting now. The service project is a kick start to a better way of living because without the service learning requirement, more than half of the kids would not do anything to improve their way of life. I am becoming more aware of my environment like where I throw my trash

Democrats Try to Change the Country

The Three Amigos, consisting of John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joseph Lieberman, team together in attempts to pass a bill to decrease the use of carbon energy and using nuclear energy and increasing oil drilling in efforts to decrease climate change. The Democratic party is all mostly in favor of this bill, but it is the Republican party that is where the votes matter. They had the support from both the major green groups and of the biggest polluters. All they needed was the support from the White House as well.
The bill had been bounced around from one representative to another trying to get the right wording and a common ground that everyone would be happy with. In order to try and keep the interests of the Republican voters, the bill would increase oil drilling. This was in hopes to get the power hungry Republican Senators to vote in favor of the bill. The trouble was that every Republican that said they would favor the bill was scrutinized by their own political party. Some members feared that this could hurt their next political election. One of the most common Republicans that was originally in favor but later backed down was John McCain.
Especially coming from the Republican point of view, it is a difficult situation to try and persuade the minds of people that are not willing to listen. Yes the Democratic party tried to compromise but the Republicans were not happy with reducing carbon usage and putting a cap on how much could be used.
This is an issue that will continue to plague the United States and even the world. You will always have those that do not believe climate change is happening or that it is not going to hurt them in the long-run. One day this issue will be at a point where we have to act and compromising may be out of the question.

Societies Fall Faster than they Rise.

In the millions of years the planet has been in exsistance, societies have been built by both animals and humans.

Caribou Die Every Time the Temperture Rises.

As time continues to go on, so does the severeness of the climate change problem that has become a major issue in the past years. Every little thing that we do effects the way we live and our environment around us. In the "Nation Geographic's Strange Days: The One Degree Factor," they explore how climate change has effected the different animals and people that survive off these animals.
The caribou in Alaska have lived up there for thousands of years. Due to an increase in climate by 1% this is causing the caribou population to decline in great numbers. The caribou of Porcupine River Herd travel along the Porcupine River during mating season. The tribe that lives along this river rely on the caribou for oil, food, and other tools they need. The river they have to cross is becoming higher and harder for the caribou to cross, espescially the baby calves. The winter time is also effecting them too because the snow is piling higher than before and the caribou have to dig further down to search for food. With these thicker piles of snow, it is also making it harder for them to escape hungry wolves.
There was also an issue with dust from the Sahara, due to Lake Chad being dried up, that is being blown into the Caribbean causing asthma amongst the younger kids. The cases of asthma has increased over the years due to increased dust in the atmosphere.
These issues are going to keep appearing all over the world. There is no way to prevent these issues but we can easily postpone their effects if we are responsible for the actions we take.

What Are You?: Biophobic or Biophilia?

In David W. Orr's reading, he examines how more people are having biophobia. This is increasingly common among people raised with television, Walkman radios attached to their heads, and video games and living amidst shopping malls, freeways, and dense urban or suburban settings where nature is permitted tastefully, as decoration. These people, like Woody Allen, find discomfort in the environment rather than a peace of mind.
They say that the scientists that are telling us how we need to be more worried about environmental issues are also the cause of our destruction. They are the ones that are giving us these luxuries that are replacing the need for the environment to relieve stress in our lives. It is only a matter of time until the genetic engineers or nanotechnologists release an AIDS like virus. This just means that they will create something that will plague the environment and will decrease drastically fast.
The biophilia revolution is about the combination of reverence for life and purely rational calculation by which we will want to both be efficient and live sufficiently. This is the attitude we need people to start coming around to instead of being biophobic. We need to environment to continue on with life and live. Every day, people are becoming less concerned with the environment and do not need it which causes the phobia. Fresh air blowing through your hair is something I want to have for the rest of my life and it all starts with becoming a biophilia and getting rid of your phobia.

What are Your Ethics Towards the Environment?

In today's world, when people think of ethics they think of doing the right thing or helping someone. There are different types of ethics too, such as social ethics and business ethics. Many have not ever thought of environmental ethics. I know I have not before. After Aldo Leopold's reading, I had a better understanding of having ethics towards the land.
When people think of the land we live on, they just think of the resources like water, food, and shelter they can take from it. Many people do not respect the land for what it is. We, as human beings, take many things for granted including the environment. People have to become on with the land.
Even though people own some land, it does not mean that they are entitled to destroy it. We need to be ethically responsible for our decisions we make towards our land. We are not only destroying the land but also the soil for growing crops, homes for the wild animals, contaminating our drinking water, and many other environmental issues.
Do we not already sing our love for and obligation to the land of the free and the home of the brave? Yes we do, but what exactly is it that we love and care about? These days' people have become more materialistic and do not care for the land like back in the days. A land ethic of course cannot prevent the alteration, management, and use of these resources, but it does affirm their right to continued existance, and at least in spots, their continued existance in a natural state.

The Environment is a Medication for ADHD

Over the recent years, school boards and both state and federal governments have been reducing the time spent on P.E. and focusing more on improving the test scores of students. In these efforts of improving test scores, they are really hurting the students more than they believe.
Studies have shown that cases of children with ADHD are increasing at a fast rate. There are medications for these cases that are used to calm the children down and help them focus. Not in every case does the medication solve their problems. One of the greatest medications for children and mostly children with attention-deficit symptoms is the outdoors.
Becoming involved with your environment can be a good stress reliever for many people. Going out to your favorite fishing hole, hiking through the woods, or any kind of environmental interaction can cause restorative relief. Although being in nature helps, a person does not have to live in the wilderness to reap nature's psychological benefits. Some studies have shown that corporate and state office workers with a window view of trees, bushes, or large lawns experienced significantly less frustration and more work enthusiasm than those employees without such views.
The environment can clear our minds allowing us to be able to focus better and think with open minds. It also becomes a huge stress reliever. Schools should not be cutting back on P.E. time during school hours because it helps the children get rid of unnecessary stresses they may have and become more tentitive in their classes. They also will become more aware of their natural environment when they grow up and understand why we need it to survive. Increasing P.E. time in schools instead of reducing the time is the real answer to increasing test scores.

Restoration Starts with One Voice, One Man

In Jane Goodall, Gail Hudson, and Thane Maynard's reading, they revealed the importance of restoring natural habitats, provided with numerous successful stories. People like to think "What can one voice or one person do?" One voice can make a huge difference. Without those voices, habitats would be demolished by greater numbers daily. All landscapes such as tropical and old-growth forests, woodlands and wetlands, prairies and grasslands, moorlands and deserts are disappearing at a terrifying rate.
Although these habitats are being destroyed, many people have made it their mission to rebuild and restore order to vast landscapes around the world. Off the coast of Kenya, the Bamburi Portland Cement Company turned five-hundred acres of lush forest and grassland into a wasteland in a matter of 20 years of quarrying. After the destruction of the land, Rene Haller made it his goal to restore the land his company destroyed. After many years of determination and a few discouraging events, the Kenyan landscape was returned to its natural balance, and is home to many species including 30 on the IUCN endangered species list.
Not all cases are happening on land. The pollution of our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans is one of the more shocking results of the use of chemicals and other damaging agents in agriculture, industry, household products, golf courses, and gardens, since much of this poison is washed into the water. Many of the great aquifers of the world are being destroyed due to pollution. One of the worst cases of water pollution was in the Hudson River in the 1970s. There in the Hudson River was the short-nosed sturgeon the first fish to ever be put on the endangered species list. This was the reason for the effort to clean the river. In their effort to clean the river, the fish population has increased to nearly 400 times what it used to be and the estuaries are increasing in size as the water was becoming more clean.
When human know-how and the resilience of nature are combined with the resourcefulness of dedicated individuals, desecrated landscapes can be given another chance, just as animal and plant species can be saved from extinction.

Could Greed be the Cause of Our Extinction?

In Vandana Shiva's reading, I found that biodiversity is more important to the world of life than people think. There are, what scientist believes, up to 100 million species on the Earth but only 1.7 million have actually been classified. All of these species have equal importance to balance the world's equilibrium.
"Biodiversity has been threatened by the globalization of an industrial culture based on reductionist knowledge, mechanistic technologies, and the commodification of resources (pg. 38)." There are two root problems to the extinction of the species. The first arises from the empty-earth paradigm of colonization, which assumes that ecosystems are empty if no taken over by Western industrial man or his clones. The second is described as the monoculture of the mind: the idea that the world is or should be uniform and one-dimensional, that diversity is either disease or deficiency, and monocultures are necessary for the production of more food and economic benefits.
Human greed and desire for profit are the primary cause of most of the extinctions in the world. On average, there are 2,700 species that go extinct every year, which in 1,000 times the natural rate. Third world countries depend on these species to live. They farm with these species and provide food for the rest of the world. We are killing off the species that we will need to live just to make an extra dollar. Each organism serves a purpose to keep everything running smoothly. The lesson from biodiversity is co-operation, not competition. If we can learn to live with these species, the world will continue to function operatively, and we will decrease future issues.

Becoming Aware of What the Little Things Can Do.

When presented with the question of what is my current "sense of place," I knew exactly where my sense of place was. I am a firm believer in needing to preserve the Earth's resources and natural beauty. As a kid, my friends and I grew up playing in the woods behind our houses. Those memories of building forts and exploring all the different paths deeper in the woods are becoming closer to not being a reality for our future generations of children.
People these days do not care where there trash goes. They will just throw it to get rid of it, thinking that it is no longer there problem. But in fact it is, because these materials that are thrown in the woods are destroying the woods and even their drinking water. Most of these items are killing wild and marine animals. Most of the items can be recycled. If every household were to recycle, they could be helping the environment in numerous ways: less treat to the animals, environment, water, and less use of natural resources because they are being reused.
After taking a few classes in college directed towards the importance of the wild and the need to preserve and restore it. Simple things, such as recycling or throwing trash away in trash cans and not out in the out doors, will help preserve nature. We need these things to live and we continue to treat it like garbage. Although over the years as the issue has become a bigger issue, the awareness has been better and people are working on preserving their home.