Entry #9

Downtown Ft. Myers!

For my final field trip, I went to downtown Ft. Myers. It was raining the whole time, but I made the best of it. I cruised around and checked out the buildings and the environment. One building I found particularly interesting was the Imaginarium (see my picture!). We had an attraction similar to this one in my hometown, and as kids we always had a blast at it. The Imaginarium has so many exhibits that is fun for the whole family. They have a dinosaur bone dig, an animal lab, and the hurricane experience, just to name a few. Some other businesses I noticed was the daily news (see picture), the fire station (which had a very antique look to the outside), and a multi-story SunTrust bank.

In addition to the thriving businesses, I also noticed some deserted buildings. One of which I took a picture of. The building in the picture is part of a restoration project, called the McCollum Hall Restoration Project. On the side of the building, they had a picture taken of the building as is, and a picture of what they want it to look like after the restoration has been completed.

As for wildlife, I didn't really see too much. The only animals I saw while I was there were black crows and seagulls. The plant and tree life looked great. Down almost every street there looked to be newly planted trees and flowers. The plant life really makes the town look classier.

As far as living quarters go, most of the neighborhoods are right outside downtown. There are a few high rise hotels on the water, but the permanent living arrangements look to be lower-income housing outside the town.

While being downtown, I did not feel very safe. There were a lot of older cars, run down buildings, homeless people riding bikes, and minorities. Downtown Ft. Myers is not a place that I would feel comfortable walking around alone in, day or night. Also, if I was a tourist, it is not a place I would choose to visit.

Parking is definatly an issue. Just trying to find a place to park at 7:00 PM was a hassle. I can't imagine what it must be like during the work week. There didn't seem to be any parking along the road. I finally ended up parking in a general parking lot in the middle of downtown.

My visit to downtown Ft. Myers reminded me a lot of downtown back home in Bradenton. They had several similar characteristics. I was not really impressed by the city and it would not be somewhere I would go again.

Entry #10

When I first enrolled in University Colloquium, my thought was "eh it's just another requirement," but to my surprise, it has turned out to be extremely beneficial to my future career as a nurse, and also just for my own knowledge base. Environmental health is a huge part of nursing, as there are so many things in the community that can be detrimental to a person's health. For example, pollen, toxins, and climate can affect a patients' health in many different ways. By understanding the environment and how the ecosystem works will help me to treat my clients in a much more educated and knowledgable way.
In the short term, this class has enabled me to understand more fully what is going on with the climate and the whole "global warming" fiasco. I've always known there was an issue, but until I took this class, I was unaware just how urgent and pressing the problem actually is.
A highpoint that I enjoyed about this class was the field trips. Although I missed the target on a few of them, it was still an excellent learning experience and allowed me to get outside and enjoy environments that I had never been to before. Sanibel was absolutely beautiful. Kayaking on the Estero River was also a lot of fun; definatly something I will be continuing in the near future. The field trips also forced me away from my studying and homework and made me have some fun- which is something that rarely happens while school is in session.
I didn't really find anything overly difficult about the class, it was just a lot of work all at once, which is to be expected with summer classes. One thing I did have trouble with was the reading. I think for future classes, the reading should be more up to date; something that we can follow and relate to. With all of the environmental issues arising in today's society, I can imagine there are some great works out there from writers who are more then credible. That would be my only suggestion and difficulty I encountered with this class.

Entry #8

1. In what ways can we assure that the location of toxic materials does not negatively impact people or the environment? Is there a solution?

I believe that this is a very tough question. I feel like there is no real way to assure 100% that people or the environment are affected by toxic waste. One thing I've learned in this class so far is that everything, no matter how small or large, effects the environment. A possible solution could possibly be to burn the toxic materials in a controlled environment, that way they wouldn't be sitting around some where in a land fill seeping into the ground and contaminating our water supply. The downside to this suggestion, is the noxious gases that could be released into the air. As I said, I feel like there is no fool-proof way to dispose of these toxic materials.

2. Do you think that poor neighborhoods are subjected more to these noxious industries than rich neighborhoods? If so, why?

I definatly think that poor neighborhoods are subjected more to these type of industries than rich ones. Think about how many rich neighborhoods you've driven by that have a power plant next door. None that I can think of. Poor neighborhoods are more vulnerable to this type of business because they have no one with influence to say no to it. In rich neighborhoods, some of the citizens have more money then God and would never allow such an eyesore to be near their homes.

3.
5 polluters:
Munter's Corp
Precision Econowind Inc.
KCS Intl. Shamrock Div.
Action Craft
Polymer Casting (DBA Corinthian Marble)

Munter's Corp is the biggest pollutant in Lee County. It is releasing recognized carcinogens, cardiovascular/blood toxicants, immunotoxicants, liver toxicants, kidney, neuro, respiratory, GI, and reproductive toxicants into the environment DAILY. Munter's is a global corporation that specializes in energy efficient air treatment solutions and restoration services.

Entry #7

1. It takes a lot to get agricultural products to your table. Between farming, transportation, and marketing, most people don't realize the amount of time, effort, and money that goes into this. Let's follow an agricultural product from the farm to the fridge:

Agricultural product (to farm a product, there is a lot of big machinary involved, which means lots of gasoline. Also, lets not forget about pesticides and chemicals used- to spread these, normally a small plane is used. That is more gas) --> Factories (Once the product makes it off the farm, it is sent to the factory to package it. This involves more machinary and more gas. On top of that, there is electricity needed to run the plant.) --> Transportation (After the product has been packaged, it has to be transported to the stores. This takes large semi's that have enormous gasoline bills; especially if they are travelling state to state. Also, some of the produce may need to be in refridgerated trucks. This consumes a lot more energy.) --> In the store (Once the produce FINALLY makes it to the store, it once again is kept in air conditioning [in some cases it is kept chilled] and electricity is being utilized.)

2. Technology has come a long way from the horse and buggy days. Agricultural products benefit from this technology every day. These products are harvested by a variety of machinary and technology, both advanced and simple. Tractors, semi's, planters, transplanters that plant the seeds (may be fully or partially automatic), seed drillers, mulch layers, irrigation systems, backhoes, rakers, mowers, balers, and combines are a list of some commonly used equipment. Not all of these are used in all circumstances, but they are very common. All of this machinary is powered by gasoline.

3. Another factor that plays a role in agriculture/business is climate and the environment. The weather and the environment are two huge factors that can make or break the business. If the soil is too hard, too dry, or too wet, the plants will not flourish like they should, putting a damper on business and the amount of money coming in. The same goes for weather conditions. If the weather is not favorable, crops will not grow.

4. Evironmental issues that may surround this particular location would be the amount of rainfall. In Florida during the summers, we experience a lot of rain, especially if there are hurricanes and tropical storms. The amount of rain could wash away crops, leaving the farmers with nothing. With respect to hurricanes and tropical storms, they not only bring rain, but winds and possible tornados. This could be a horrible fate for the crops if another hurricane like Charlie came through again.

5. I can become more thoughtful by buying local produce. I drive by local farmers markets on the side of the road daily; even on my way to buy the same product at Target or Publix. When buying local goods, it benefits the environment because the local growers and farmers don't use some of the massive heavy machinary that the big companies use, and the transportation is not nearly as far. Local farmers are more eco-friendly because they don't use near the same amount of gasoline and expendable resources as big companies.

6. In ways I do believe it is somewhat sustainable. Agriculture will always be a business as long as we have land to grow products in and water to feed them with. The machinary and transportation is not sustainable because gasoline is an expendable resource. As long as we find other ways to harvest products, the activity is sustainable.

7. Organic means natural. These are products that have not been defiled by pesticides, antibiotics and preservatives. Organic products are more expensive, which doesn't make sense to me because there aren't additives. These products don't go through what Targer and Publix veggies go through.

My Experience at ECHO...

My experience at ECHO was full of newly found knowledge. I knew about ECHO before I visited and toured, but I had no idea all of the things they did there. There are seven different areas of ECHO that harvest different plants, fruits, and veggies. My two favorites were the Hot Humid Lowlands and the Tropical Highlands.

Hot Humid Lowlands contains crops such as bamboo (see picture!), okra, rice,and tropical mushrooms. One crop that I found the most interesting was something called "neem." Our tour guide told us that neem is a huge part of Ayurvedic Medicine (Indian system of healing) and that it is used for several different ailments such as burns, sprains, bruises, headaches, psoriasis, and wrinkles. Another interesting fact about neem is that people in the tropical jungles of India rub the neem oil on themselves to repel mosquitos! Neem would definatly be useful here in Florida for mosquitos!

Bamboo was another plant I found interesting. Our guide told us that bamboo has over 1000 uses! It can be used in building houses, fences, PVC pipe for water flow, and weaving baskets and rugs. During the rainy seasons, bamboo has been known to grow a foot per day!

The Tropical Highlands consisted of crops such as avocados, cabbage, citrus (like mangos!), corn, and surprisingly, coffee. Our tour guide told us that the coffee beans are actually the seeds of berries ripened on a tree. These seeds are a bright red color; who would have thought? This was interesting for me...I always thought coffee beans would be brown.

We unfortunately got rained out (go figure) and had to go inside early. The guide presented us with a video (the photo above is of the video room after everyone had left) that explained ECHO's mission, values, and purpose of its existance. Overall, I had a very good experience at ECHO. In the future I may plan to complete some of my service learning hours there. Everyone was very knowledgable and friendly. I had a great time and left with a ton of interesting information!

The photos above are of myself in the giftshop buying okra seeds. I was inspired to try and grow my own okra (I LOVE okra) since it likes hot climates. I spotted the butterfly in the Tropical Highlands portion of ECHO; this represents just one of the animal species that enhabit ECHO. The bamboo was my favorite, so I took a picture with it :)

Entry #6

Items handled in past 24 hours and packaging:
pen- plastic
laptop- cardboard/plastic/styrofoam
plates- cardboard/styrofoam
cups-cardboard box
silverware- cardboard box/plastic bags
books- cardboard box
birthday cards- paper
soda can- cardboard box
tv remote- plastic case
clothes- cardboard box/plastic bags
blanket- plastic bag
toilet paper- plastic bag
towels- plastic bag
paper towels- plastic bag
car keys- cardboard
perfume- cardboard box
trays- cardboard box
plastic containers- cardboard box
glasses- cardboard box
food- cardboard boxes/ plastic bags
check presenter- cardboard/plastic/foam

Food ate in past 24 hrs, packaging, & calories:
tortillas (2)- plastic bag- 360 kcal
cheese- plastic bag- 220 kcal
cereal- cardboard box- 250 kcal
milk- plastic bottle- 180 kcal
soda (Pepsi Max)- aluminum can- 0 kcal
water- plastic bottle- 0 kcal
pasta- cardboard box- 400 kcal
granola bar- aluminum packaging- 190 kcal
6 oz. filet steak- styrofoam container- 348 kcal
baked potato- styrofoam container- 278 kcal
French style green beans- plastic bag- 40 kcal
peanut butter and jelly sandwich- plastic bag/ glass jar- 439kcal
Total calories: 2705

Entry #5

This picture is of me at the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island:)

1. Describe your experience and how you feel in this environment.

I had a great experience. It was absolutely beautiful out on the island in this preserve. My boyfriend and I made a day of it; we went out while it was still sunny and walked through the preserve and then cooked out on the beach. I was saying to him how good it was that we have these preserves. I can't even imagine what kinds of commercial hotels would take over if it wasn't for the preserve. I felt very peaceful and stress-free out there. It's so nice to get away from the "city" life.

2. How have the elements shaped the natural surroundings?

The natural surroundings have shaped the land and the environment in this preserve. We walked past an area where you could tell a fire had been started to burn away all the dead brush. Also, the winding river that runs through the refuge have allowed mangroves to grow all along the banks. Since there has been a lot of rainfall out on the island lately, you can see where the plants are starting to bud with new growths.

3. How does the topography (surface features of a place...i.e. positions and elevation) affect the plant and animal species found in the natural surroundings?

The topography of the refuge greatly affects the type and species of animals and plants you will find in the area. Since the water is brackish, you will find freshwater fish, such as bass, and saltwater fish such as tarpon. The land is very flat, so this is a friendly environment to animals who do not climb. Also, the environment is very wet. There is a snaking river throughout the preserve, so this allows for plants such as the mangrove to grow plentifully.

4. Does water management influence the area?

Water management does indeed influence this area. Water quality, quantity, and timing are specific prolems and concerns for the health of this refuge complex. These impacts are being analyzed through the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project and Southwest Florida Feasibility Study.

5. Share one unique characteristic of this special environment.

In 1926 a hurricane came through and destroyed everything on the island. The environment has been rebuilding itself since.

6. Describe the history of this environment and how it came to be a protected area.

The J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge was created to safeguard and enhance the pristine wildlife habitat of Sanibel Island, to protect endangered and threatened species, and to provide feeding, nesting, and roosting areas for migratory birds.

A political cartoonist with an eye toward conservation, Jay Darling, was instrumental in the effort to block the sale of a parcel of environmentally valuable land to developers on Sanibel Island. At Darling's urging, President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order creating this refuge in 1945.

Entry #4

Estero Bay Preserve State Park

To the right is me getting ready to do some kayaking in the preserve :)

1. History:

The land was acquired to buffer the Estero Bay from encroaching development in the watershed. The preservation and protection of Estero Bay's water quality is a primary focus in managing the preserve.

2. Value of the wetlands

Wetlands play a very important part in protecting water quality, maintaining biodiversity, and preserving watershed. Wetlands store water, transform nutrients, aid in the growth of living matter, and promote the diversity of wetland plants. Not all wetlands function the same; size and location are a huge factor. Many factors also determine how well a wetland will perform its functions. These factors include climatic conditions, quantity and quality of water entering the wetland, and disturbances or alterations within the wetland or ecosystem. All in all, wetlands are very important assets to our environment.

3. Value of fire, water, elevation, and climatic events

Fire, water and elevation are valuable when it comes to wetlands. Controlled burns are performed to maintain many of Florida's natural areas. Pine flatwoods burn frequently which is a natural process that opens the habitat and allows plants to seed. Burning helps to rid the habitat of dead plants and debris that would otherwise become thick and smother the living species. Water and sunlight obviously help the plants and trees to grow and be healthy and a benefical addition to the surrounding ecosystem.

4. Wildlife

Estero Bay Preserve is a wetland habitat with different species such as:

gopher tortoises

fiddler crabs

bald eagles

snook

pelicans

slash pines

saw palmettos

live oaks

Entry #3

I was recently reading the local News Press online and came across an article that concerns our environment and also our health. The title of the article was "Asbestos gets Lee County's attention." This article was about the discovery of asbestos on the construction site of Summerlin and College Parkway. The commissioner Brian Bigelow is pointing the finger at Posen Construction, who is responsible for the material that was used. Back in 2008, this company was responsible for asbestos being found on the construction property of the Alico Road widening in San Carlos. It is now their responsibility to clean up the mess and have the material disposed of properly.
As for the current project taking place on Summerlin Road, the commissioner is now concerned that there is asbestos in the already paved portions of the road. As of right now, the project has been halted to discuss further actions.
This is a very serious environmental and health issue. Asbestos has a known linkage to mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer that takes years to develop. There were countless numbers of people exposed to the asbestos. Construction workers, drivers, and residents of near-by developments have run the risk of becoming ill because of the project. Symptoms of asbestos exposure, such as the development of mesothelioma, don't surface for 30 years and are worse depending on how long a person was exposed to the material. A question that needs to be answered is where do we go from here? How do we mitigate these exposures? These are some of the questions that the commissioner is hoping to answer in the very near future.

Entry #2

1. The house is 6 years old.

2. The house is made of concrete block, wood trusses, and tile shingles.

3. The house is not very well insulated and there are a lot of windows and no ceiling fans, so we run the AC almost constantly; same with the heat in the winter.

4. 1200 sq ft under AC; 3 people live here.

5. My home is about 10 minutes from school and work and about 30 minutes from my clinical sites.

6. St. Augustine grass, lots of bushes and trees that are kept manicured.

7. I live on less then a half acre lot. The community maintains the yard for us, but it requires chemicals such as pesticides and gasoline to mow the grass.

8. No pool.

9. We store bleach and cleaning products under the sinks.

10. No inside pets. Outside: rabbits, gators, fish, birds, snakes, lizards, raccoons.

11. I think a "natural"environment is one that is undisturbed by man. Therefore, I believe I live in an unnatural enviornment. All of the scrubery and lakes were man-made or planted; nothing is natural.

12. I do not think I am "of nature." I enjoy a natural environment, but I also enjoy driving my non-hybrid car, living under AC, and sleeping in a bed every night.

My home/community reminds me very much of the movie "Pleasentville." If you look around, every yard is perfectly manicured, as are the people. My neighbors are your picture perfect single family. All of the houses are 1 of 4 different styles that can be chosen from. All of the grass is perfectly mowed at the same time every week; all of the scrubs, trees, and bushes are cut back at the same time every week. As out of place as I feel, the neighborhood fits its environment well. All of the communities in this area are deed-restricted and HOA controlled. My home is conservative in some ways and not in others. It is wasteful because the insulation is not very thick, so when it's hot (which it always is, lets be honest) the AC is running. As in winter, the heat is running. Our house has 2 big sliding glass doors and a ton of windows so the heat gets in easily. On a conservative note, all of the houses in the community have gas, so we save on electricity there. As far as our natural neighbors go, they fare surprisingly well. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see at least 2 or 3 rabbits in someones' yard. There are always birds flying, lizards all over the house, and alligators sunning themselves on the banks of the lakes. This makes me happy to see that man hasn't ran them all off by developing their environment.

The picture at the top is of my boyfriend and I in my house :)

Entry #1

I've been fortunate enough to have several experiences with the outdoors. When I was 12, my parents took me on a 2 month RV trip over summer. We travelled all over the United States and I got to see many different masterpieces of nature and the environment, such as Old Faithful, the guyser, the Badlands of North Dakota, and Yellowstone National Park. These are a few places that I will never forget. The scenery and animal was fascinating. I hope some day to return to these places. I love travelling and being outdoors.
My personal goals for this class are to understand the environment better and how I can do my own part to help keep the Earth healthy. I'm a nursing major so I like to fix people and make them better; I could apply that characteristic of myself to this class to help make the environment a better place to be. And the fact that I love being outdoors, this class will also help me to see parts of Lee County that I've yet to see with the field trips we will be taking. I've only lived here for 3 years, so I have yet to see even part of the environment in this area. Looking forward to an educational and rewarding semester!