Journal #20 - Colloquium Highs and Lows

First, I have to say that the worst part of colloquium has to be the final presentation. I was fine with writing all the papers since I understand this is a Gordon Rule course, but I felt the presentation is unnecessary. With all of the movies, papers, other presentations, and field trips, I think the idea of this course has already been drilled into our heads. I’m fortunate for it, since I will take on this information and keep it for the future, but the presentation thrown in on top of everything is pointless. I feel this way mainly because there are other exams and projects that are demanding as well. That was a big low in this course. The high points in this course were of course the movies and field trips. I found them all to be very entertaining and informative. My favorite field trip was the one to CREW. It was a relaxing environment and I enjoyed learning about the history of it. My least favorite was ECHO although I enjoyed the sustainability of it all and what it stands for. I think it was important to focus a lot on oil and climate change, but at the same time, I wish we could have learned more about the ocean and overfishing. It would have been nice to learn more about the US policies against/for whaling and other areas like that. One other thing I enjoyed a lot in this class was the passion you, as the instructor, had for the lessons in this class. I think that helped a lot to keep the class interesting.

Journal #19 - Colloquium Class Experience

When it comes to my experience in this Colloquium class, I mainly feel as if the videos were the most effective tool. I was able to see the impact of oil drilling, climate change, and other important things. These things that I learned from the video I was able to share with others. For example, my father loves to fish and always has. The video we watched about the blue fin tuna made me realize, even more than I already knew the problems of overfishing. While my father only does drift fishing and doesn’t catch blue fin tuna, it is still imperative that people become more aware of what they are doing, especially since the smaller fish may be food for the fish that have dwindling populations. Mainly, the topic on climate change had the biggest impact since that was a consistent theme throughout the class and as stated in a previous entry, it is just worrisome when it comes to my future as a woman who wants to have a family and a sustainable quality of life. Also, the service learning hour fulfillment just made me more aware about my career choice in wanting to work with animals. I’m thankful that in this class, we had the choice to choose what we wanted to do for our service learning. In my other IDS course, Foundations of Civic Engagement, we were forced to work on a class topic that was not fun at all. I enjoyed the freedom we were able to have in this class. Because of this class though, I have made wiser food choices and am more knowledgeable about a lot more than I was when walking into this class.

Journal #18 - Stoneman Douglas Part II

In this article, Marjory Stoneman Douglas is trying to make the point that there is no place that one can point and say “man began there.” The author goes on to discuss how the Indian came to Florida. It is no secret that the Americans pretty much took over this state and didn’t leave the Indians with very much. This article is just really explaining how the Indians and other people made their way to Florida and the Everglades. The most fascinating thing about this article is when it is written “But if the animals came and became extinct, as the Everglades took shape out of the receding waters, it is certain that no animal life could compare with the wealth of the fish life about the newer coast.” These days, our marine life is decreasing due to overfishing and the growing population. With the video we watched in class about the bluefin tuna, I think it is very possible that a lot of the fish will be deceased or extinct as Marjory Stoneman Douglas says. It is up to us to fix this population. It is also talked about the turtles. Well, the turtles always have to worry about higher end animals eating their eggs. This is why not many sea turtles survive after they’re born. What I learned from this article is that we have to take care of our land. This is also the responsibility of the Indians who are being talked about with the various places they landed.

Journal #17 - Stoneman Douglas

When reading Marjory Stoneman Douglas's article about the Everglades, it made me think back about the book, The Orchid Thief. It just made me realize even more how important it is to take care of our Florida Everglades. There was once a time where we just ruined it, hacked it all up, and now we have to live with those consequences. There isn't a feasible way to restore the Everglades. Living in Florida all my life, I've been to the Everglades, and I have to say that it is a very majestic place to be. All the saw grass and nature is simply astounding. The only thing I have to worry about is all the air boat tours. Having been on one before, I know it can be very loud, and I wonder if it disturbs the wildlife that live in the Everglades. On the air boat tour, one can see plenty of alligators. They seemed fine, but I think it would be in the best interest to not disturb the wildlife. The only good thing that comes about is the tourist industry can help boom the economy and help out the Everglades in the long run. As the author was describing, the Everglades is a beautiful place to be at during the different times of the year. To see the water move underneath the saw grass is quite a sight to behold. Aside from having to agree with the author about plenty of what is said about the Everglades, I found this article to be very informative. It is discussed how and what helped form the Everglades and debunks any myths.

Journal #16 - Service Learning Experience

In order to fulfill my service learning hours requirement, I decided to volunteer with Friends of Gummi of Naples. It is an in home adoption agency run by a lot of caring volunteers. Friends of Gummi pets are also at the PetSmart at Coconut Point Mall. They have cats and dogs of all ages. I started to volunteer with them during the summer and continue to do so. I have cats of my own back at home (away from my apartment near campus), and always want to do what I can in order to help animals. Once I graduate from FGCU, I am going to continue my education and get a vet tech certification. This is just providing more experience for me in the long run. During my time at Friends of Gummi, I am able to see firsthand how happy a person or family can be when adopting a pet. It makes a world of difference, and I am elated to be a part of it. Friends of Gummi also partakes in a lot of fundraising events such as cruises, luncheons, and adopt-a-thons. I was able to participate in an adopt-a-thon and it was a lot of fun. It was at Devoe Cadillac dealership. This adopt-a-thon was mainly for the older cats that aren’t adopted at PetSmart. Unfortunately, once a kitten turns six month, they lose that cute kitten look people seem to want so much. They get their own personality and at this age, people don’t seem to want to adopt them. Every cat deserves a second chance.

Journal #15 - Thoughts On Climate Change

At this point in the class, I am just stunned that so much damage to where we live is being done. I am now beginning to worry about my future, and especially those of my future children and grandchildren. It may seem as if I am living in such a wonderful country, but there is a lot left unspoken. There is so much carbon in the air and I have to deal with that every day. The carbon and other pollutants are what is making the climate change occur. It may not seem as if it is happening so rapidly, but it is. It’s already December and it’s insanely hot outside. Even though I live in Florida, it should start to be cold somewhat. People don’t see any of what they are doing as wrong. They just think they have to do what needs to be done to get by even if it causes a climate catastrophe. No one wants to change his or her actions. All of the videos that we watched in class should be mandatory for people to watch. I am thankful I was able to see the videos and become more aware. Now I am able to tell others the extent of the damage. If we don’t try to stop now, it is only going to get worse, much worse. I don’t even want to think about the day I have to deal with the climate change, or rather future generations.  I know that those who lived before me may not have knew about the hazards, but it is up to those who are living now to make the change.

Journal #14 - Oil

When I read the article "Squeezing More Oil From the Ground", it made me think of how much oil I use. Oil is in almost everything whether I like it or not, but when it comes to gasoline, I try to limit how much is being used. I like to carpool as much as possible. I also walk when I need to. Unfortunately, I don't have a bicycle at the moment or else I would ride that instead.  I just think more people should be more aware of what they are doing to the environment. The oil that’s being drilled is very hazardous to our environment. Also, when reading the article, I had questions over how reliable it is. Yet, when watching the video Crude Awakening, it brought everything into perspective. It seems as if countries such as the Middle East and Venezuela may not be using the right techniques which makes it even more of an endangerment. I also couldn’t believe that a country like China doesn’t even seem to try to limit the damage they are doing to the environment. There is still so much coal being used. There was one father in the movie who was worried about life for his daughter, but it does not seem that many had that same viewpoint. In addition, it is a little, if not more nerve-wracking to think about what will happen when all the oil seems to have been sucked out of the ground. We just want to be greedy and take as much as possible of what we can get.

Journal #13 - Reliance on Energy

My reliance on energy truly needs to be limited. We live in a world where we want everything to come easily to us. I’m part of that problem. As a driver, I know I have to carpool and ride a bike more if possible. So do so many other Americans. 

Journal #12 - Ecological Footprint

If everyone lived my lifestyle, we would need 3.97 Earths. I don't know if this was completely accurate though considering I live in a tiny apartment and some of the questions were slightly confusing. My housing footprint was 5.64 which was way less than the country's average at 31.58. The only thing that I was higher in than the country's average was my food footprint. I picked my diet to be more of a carnivorous one, although I want to try to change my eating habits to include more vegetables. With a college budget, it is not that easy to always shop at Farmer's Markets and to buy organic in supermarkets. In addition, with all my school work as well as having a job, it is hard to cook a real dinner at times. Overall, I think my footprint was low enough, and it has been reduced a lot from when I last did the ecological footprint quiz a few years back. In order to reduce my footprint further, I would have to change my diet as well as use more energy saving appliances in my apartment. I will even carpool more and drive less.

Journal #11 - Gardner Articles

Skipped entry.

Journal #10 - Aldo Leopold

To be continued.

Journal #9 - Tragedy of the Commons -- Externalities...etc.

The tragedy of the commons is a dilemma arising from the situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently, and solely and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this to happen. This dilemma was first described in an influential article titled "The Tragedy of the Commons," written by Garrett Hardin and first published in the journal Science in 1968.


I definitely think what Garrett Hardin had to discuss truly is a tragedy. These days, no one really wants to join forces in order to help one another. This is why things such as Ecovillages come into play. 

Journal #8 - Downtown Ft. Myers

The trip to downtown Ft. Myers was a lot of fun. I especially liked how this was educational, but not boring in the least, and their was an activity for us to do. The activity was more entertaining than having to listen to someone talk to us and explain what there was to see. I'm the type of person who likes to explore on my own, so being in downtown Ft. Myers was a great experience due to the fact that there were a lot of signs depicting the history of the city. My favorite part was how art was integrated throughout the city. There were many art musuems and even art displayed on the city buildings. The painting of the indians was beautiful. Aside from the paintings, there were many different displays. The light globes in the Hotel Indigo were very artistic as well as the fountain with the alligators around the base. Downtown Ft. Myers seems like a great place to go again just to take in the scenery some more; I just hope that the next time I go, it won't be raining. Another neat part of downtown Ft. Myers was the dock with the different boats. I enjoy being around water. I kept hearing splashing around and tried to find a fish but to no avail. The only thing I would have liked would be to go inside some of the shops. The store fronts seemed intriguing and it would have been cool to see what else some of the stores had to offer, or some more of the art. Along with the art theme of downtown Ft. Myers, I thought that the area with the theatre was amazing. If we had more time and if I wasn't worried about completing the scavenger hunt, I would have stayed there to read all about the different plays that were put on and all that was involved, i.e the lighting and set designs. All in all, this type of trip is something I would enjoy doing again.

Journal #7 - The One-Degree Factor

The video we had to watch, the One-Degree Factor, was a very interesting one to watch. I always try to strive to be knowledgeable about what's happening around the world today, even if it isn't in the United States. This video was shocking at some points because usually, one doesn't think often of crabs or other animals like caribou. I happen to love animals of all kinds very much, so this was great for me to learn about. The part where the caribou would sometimes get stuck in the snow to die was alarming, even though the dead caribou does provide a food source for the other animals. I can only wish that more people would watch this sort of video and be more aware of how global warming, or the climate change since that's what people like to call it now, is really affecting us. At one point, no one thought that tearing up the Everglades would do any harm, but it did. After watching the One-Degree Factor, I was encouraged to go on the internet in order to see how I measured up with what was spoken about in the movie. I did something called "Your Carbon Diet." In this activity, it lets one see the amount of average electricty used in items such as television (200 kWh, 188 lbs co2), household aquariums (300 kWh, 280 lbs co2), and computers (675 kWh, 630 lbs co2). There were other items listed such as our cooling and heating units, washer and dryer units, and kitchen appliances (fridges, ovens, microwaves, etc). What was also included with the averge amount of electricty was the efficient amount, which was obviously less than the average amount. People should realize that they can make a big difference simply by using lights that use less energy in their home or even unplugging the microwave or chargers for cameras and phones when they are not needed. 

Journal #6 - Corkscrew Sanctuary

When I first learned that I had to take this class, I figured it would be the worst class here at FGCU, with the exception of math classes. Through the years, I only continued to hear bad things about the class. However, the first field trip to Corkscrew Sanctuary proved those rumors wrong. I actually am starting to enjoy learning more about nature. I feel that without this class, I wouldn't know as much about what is going on in the world, nor would I really go out of my way to learn about the things that may not have interested me in the first place. There are some things that I pay attention to, specifically animals, but this course is just broadening my education, more so about the environment we live in. During the trip to Corkscrew Sanctuary, I learned that the trees there are some of the oldest trees around which was fascinating. I was visiting a part of history. Also, I learned more about how some species of birds have gone extinct. Concurrently with this class, I am taking a class titled Science in the Movies. In that class, I learned about specific birds that have gone extinct such as the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, California cockatoo, and so forth. The reasons for these birds to have gone extinct are the same reasons for the birds at Corkscrew Sanctuary: overhunting and the fashion of feathers in women's hats. While being at Corkscrew Sanctuary, I saw a Pileated Woodpecker which is similar to the extinct Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. It was amazing how significant the size of the Pileated Woodpecker was. Corkscrew Sanctuary is a secluded reserve, so that makes it much more easy to see nature as opposed to being more in the city area of Estero. Because of this, I enjoyed greatly being able to see such birds that I normally wouldn't get the chance to see or remember to look out for. The one thing I was surprised that I didn't see were the alligators. We did happen to see them on the way out though. However, all I hear about how there is an over population of alligators, and yet I hardly see them anymore. The main animals I wish I had seen while being at Corkscrew Sanctuary were the otters and maybe even a large cat. It seemed that we just learned a lot about the trees, which were mainly the same ones I learned about at CREW. All in all though, I would definitely go visit Corkscrew Sanctuary again when I had the time, specifically when the weather turns cooler. With the weather changing, I can see the difference in the trees and the types of species at Corkscrew Sanctuary.

Journal #5 - My Favorite Place Within My Community

My favorite place within my community would have to be the small adoption center at PetSmart at Coconut Point. This adoption center is partnered with Friends of Gummi of Naples. Every Saturday and Sunday, the volunteers of Friends of Gummi help numerous cats and dogs (who are brought to the store on the weekends) get adopted. Throughout the week, the cats are held there and those who work at PetSmart get them adopted out. I started to volunteer for Friends of Gummi in June, and I do not plan on stopping anytime soon. When I graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University and find my way back home, I will continue to volunteer for an animal shelter. I truly enjoy being a part of such a gracious cause, one that unifies the community. I've met some amazing people through this organization. My favorite part about volunteering is being able to spend time with the animals, especially the kittens. Spending time with them is a very important job because it consists of socializing the animals so that they can be playful when they go to what Friends of Gummi calls their "forever home." This prevents animals from being brought back to the shelter, which is what Friends of Gummi prefers the adopters to do rather than putting the animal out on the street if the animal doesn't work out with their lifestyle. One of my other favorite things to do while volunteering is informing people about the animals. Having lived with animals for many years myself, I tend to know a lot about taking care of them, so I love to answer any questions people may have. Also, by informing people about the animals, it helps clear up any misinformation they may have heard in the past. For example, one weekend there were three Pitbull puppies looking for homes, but were slow to be adopted out because of their breed. Pitbulls have a horrible reputation because people, like Michael Vick, brought attention to the breed by having dogfights. What people don't seem to know is that Pitbulls are one of the better breeds who are great with children. What I like to tell people is that any animal can do rotten things. It just depends on their upbringing. Even a Golden Retriever, who everyone views as a family dog, can be vicious. If one withholds food and/or treats an animal badly in other ways, than of course it isn't going to be the nicest animal.

Journal #4 - Erik Assadourian Article

When reading Erik Assadourian’s article, I found the information to be things I was already familiar with. However, I did enjoy the clarification of certain things. Considering the fact that I live in the United States, I sometimes forget that things that may seem normal to me may be strange to someone in other countries and vice versa. Americans thrive on eating meat, whereas there are some countries that are completely against the consumption of animals. What I was not familiar with too much was his information about consumerism. The numbers of how much we’re spending are outstanding, and the numbers only continue to rise. What I like most about this section were the graphs as it makes the information visible and stand out. I feel as if this information should be readily available to everyone in order to have a more informed America. We, as consumers, need to go in the opposite direction and not try to spend as much and not leave beyond our means. My favorite thing that I learned from Erik’s article was the idea of goods being “cradle to cradle” as that would be incredibly helpful, especially with sustainability. I just don’t think it is an easy objective for some as an unfortunate truth is that certain people simply don’t care about recycling. This is due in part to the media and politics. There are some that say recycling and doing other helpful things really don’t help at all, so this gets people down. I think people would get a reality check if they all did an ecological footprint chart. I know that when I did it, I knew immediately what I had to cut down on and make changes.

Journal #3 - Favorite Campus Spot

My favorite place on campus would be the outside area behind Whittaker Hall. There’s a bridge that makes it easy to access the modules and the parking garage that isn’t as jam packed with people as the other ones on campus. There are also picnic tables that are nice to sit at if I have something to read for class or do some light homework, even eat a snack between classes. It’s a beautiful place to be on campus, even more so when I can enjoy it when there are no students or faculty members smoking thus ruining the nice spot. When I sit there, I just shake my head at the amount of cigarette butts thrown on the ground. In addition to the bridge being accessible and that the area is great for doing assignments, I particularly love how this spot is the epitome of what Florida Gulf Coast University represents. Despite not banning smoking, this area shows how environmentally friendly our campus is. The lake houses several families of turtles that are fun to watch even when I am just trying to pass the time. Also, while I have not seen any recently, during my first year here at FGCU, I spotted an alligator sunbathing in that particular lake. There are students who are terrified of the alligators on our campus, but I think they add to the appeal of our campus, so it irks me when students act so selfishly and try to feed them which leads to them being “destroyed.”

Journal #2 - Current "Sense of Place"

My current "sense of place” is being in the surroundings of school. Although I may not enjoy school at times, I know that graduating is something that I have to do. I want to graduate with a B.A in Psychology in order to work with a variety of marine mammals. I am hoping to graduate in the Spring of 2011, and afterward, I may move back home to Ft. Lauderdale in order to continue my education and receive an A.A in Veterinary Technician. This is so I can have more experience with animals, and I may even want to be a technician permanently. All I do know is that my passion lies with animals, and I’d give anything to work in a husbandry type of interaction with animals. I want to help spread the word about animals that people may not normally get the chance to see and to help conservation efforts with certain mammals. While attending Florida Gulf Coast University, I took a course called Environmental Humanities. In this course, there was a Wings of Hope project that entailed having to teach Elementary aged students about nature and the conservation of Florida Panthers. Seeing the children light up when they learned about different species of Florida wildlife and protecting the Florida panther made my day. I know that educating people is what I want to do while also partaking in the actual care of the animals. The field I want to get into is controversial to some, but I know that this is what will make me happy. I currently volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter and when families come to adopt the animals, it gives me an indescribable feeling knowing that what I am doing is helping others and animals. I can only hope that more people would be more aware of the harmful effects of breeding animals and also buying animals from pet stores. Aside from being passionate about animals, I also do my best not to use plastic water bottles as they are abundant in landfills. I also try to recycle and to eat locally. I am not perfect with my actions, but I do know that every little bit makes a difference.

Journal #1 - Reflect Upon Expectations for Learning and Outcomes for Colloquium.

For this colloquium course, I am hoping to have my eyes opened right now to the world we live in. In the first class, I found the video to be fascinating as it made me aware of things that I didn’t know before. There are some people who like to turn their backs on the world’s problems and pretend as if they aren’t happening, but that isn’t me. I am someone who enjoys taking part in making a difference, so I feel as if this class will be beneficial in the sense that I will do my best to make issues known to other people and spread the word. Yet, as someone who has a future goal to work with marine mammals in the future, I did not like how it was told that polar bears are done for. However, this does happen to be the truth, and we are to blame for it. The honesty that will be brought out in this class is something to look forward to. People need to face the harsh reality of the issues we’re facing. Being in my fourth year here at FGCU, I have heard some awful things about University Colloquium, but fortunately, the first day of this class made me realize that this will be an experience like no other, and it didn’t seem as if it would have the same bad experiences that other students had in their individual courses. I am eager to learn what will be taught in this course, and am pleased that bigger issues will be brought about rather than miniscule issues even though those are important as well. I am also looking forward to the field trips as these are places I have not visited before, and I enjoy being in the outdoors exploring.