"Is That Sustainable?"

The major elements of “sustainable” farming include things such as how the land is utilized and tilled; the types of  pesticides being used, if any; how the crops are watered and tended to; and how they are packaged and where they are shipped – among other things.  As for me, no, I do not buy organic or “naturally” labeled foods.  A lot of it has to do with my lack of money; if I had more money I probably would try and do the “right” and “sustainable” thing because I do when I can, however, it is the fact of not exactly knowing how “sustainable” the products are that would hinder me from purchasing them.  I am not exactly sure how many people in the United States and developing world could feel opposite of me, but I feel very disconnected from the current food system.  Of course I do not see or really know where my food is coming from, but a lot of what I eat isn’t exactly ‘real’ anyway.  I feel disconnected because I am not exactly eating real, natural, or decent food.  This disconnection from food that I (and I am sure many others) feel is a major and integral part of the “Third Frontier” phenomenon.  Part of the “Third Frontier” is characterized as having a disconnection to the current food system and lack of knowledge on where and what food comes from and essentially is.  If I had the space, support, time, friends to do it with, and could eat them afterwards, I would definitely like to grow my own vegetables and/or fruits on campus.  The reason why I don’t, however, is because I lack one or more of those things to carry it out with.

Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass (**where our bus broke down)

My overall opinion of the Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass was a good and lasting one.  In fact, my boyfriend and I have been planning on going to see the sunrise at Matanzas Pass, where the tour guide assured us a good view.  I felt that the Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass was a great display of the “old” Fort Myers Beach, and did its best to educate and somewhat conserve what little bit of history and nature it had left of the former beach.  The woman who talked to us about the beach and the cottage was not only a lovely woman, but very knowledgeable and caring towards Fort Myers.  The sight at the very end of Matanzas Pass was my favorite, where we were able to see a great view of the ocean and wildlife across a long stretch of land and weren’t constricted by bushes and a small boardwalk.  The enhanced, local quality of life around the Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass include the many shops and restaurants that surround it, the many hotels, homes, and resorts that bring in tourists and revenue, and the numerous people that come to enjoy those very things by boat in the many canals that have been constructed over the past fifty years and more.  It has and hasn’t included the quality of life, however, in multiple ways.  And as for the environment and the beaches themselves, the quality has not been enhanced.  My hometown has changed drastically over the years, mainly into a dump.  It is not so much the town it is now that brings me a sense of community, but the memories I get when I try and look at the crummy town that was my home many years ago.  If a developer offered me 300% the market value of my childhood home to develop into condos, I have no idea if I would take it or not.  I am not exactly sure if I’d necessarily want to change my old home (even if it is a dump now) with my own actions, however, condos would probably look much nicer there and do much more good in the neighborhood.  If the county approached me about purchasing the land under the 20/20 program, again, I am not exactly sure what I would do.  Since that will never happen, I guess for the sake of this blog I will respond that for both scenarios I would turn down the offers and leave everything (to rot) as it is…

Energy

Energy?  Too cheap?  If anything, I feel that energy is too expensive.  In order to create or implement things that do not use a lot of energy or diminish the use of energy, the costs are enormous.  Creating a LEED certified building such as Lutgert Hall has a much bigger price tag than Ben Hill Griffin Hall, for example.  As far as conservation being a dirty word, my view is that it’s not.  What could possibly be dirty about conserving?  Well, conservation must be a dirty word because we fail to conserve anything in America or truly believe in anything ‘conservation.’  In regards to alternative energy sources, I am not exactly sure whether I believe in being more of a “free-marketeer” or in the government’s intervention in steering the U.S. away from fossil fuels.  I don’t necessarily believe the government should be the sole proponent behind our movement away from fossil fuels, but I do believe they could take some action in getting society to believe and want to act in accordance with the use of less fossil fuels.  Using less fossil fuels is going to take more than just “free-marketeering” and will need some help and action from the government, however, the desire and force of action should be from the American public.  Although I know it seems difficult and nearly impossible to utilize properly and find real, usable energy from, I feel that if the energy of the ocean could be harnessed it could prove an amazing and great energy source - especially since the majority of our world is the ocean.  Perhaps the tools and ideas on how to do so are not available, but perhaps in the future there will be.  Steps I could take in order to limit my energy footprint could include actions not limited to: trying much harder to carpool; buying bulbs and other items that conserve energy; doing research on energy and how to conserve it at home on my own; recycle; limit my consuming; and do my best as a teacher to promote energy conservation in as many ways as I can (among many other things).

Climate change, shlimate change

In my opinion, I am not exactly entitled to an opinion on climate change.  Not only do I lack the scientific knowledge on the multiple views on the issue, but the fact that there is nowhere near an agreed upon view about climate change and that the theories are all so drastically different makes it difficult to have an opinion or even feel that climate change exists.  The way climate change was so simply put for me, though, makes me learn towards the idea that climate change is a more naturally occurring phenomenon than we think.  Although the idea that perhaps the speed of the Earth may have increased due to humans’ presence here, the initial movement of the Earth (which is what allows climate change to occur in the first place) is under no one’s control but nature’s.  In the media, climate change is portrayed as something that exists due to humans’ actions, is a completely negative occurrence, is happening rapidly and dangerously, and will (probably) be the demise of us.  The fact that the media, which is our main source of information, exaggerates climate change so drastically not only doesn’t cause me to alter my lifestyle but makes me question whether or not it really exists or is even a problem.  In my opinion, whether it is a pressing issue or not, the effects will not be as drastic or influential during my time, my children’s time, or even my grandchildren’s time.  I feel that the projected effects of climate change, if any are accurate, will take much longer than expected to go into effect.   

My ECHOing Thoughts



My visit to ECHO in 2008

 My overall opinion of ECHO was a great one!  I feel that it is a wonderful organization that is truly caring, hard-working, and legitimate in their goal(s).  What really stood out to me was ECHO’s general ingenuity in how they set up and planted their crops.  Not only did they try and use every bit of land that they could, but they worked to maximize their product.  They cleverly placed plants in appropriate places, used natural pesticides, and even used the knowledge they have of other plants to strategically plant them in places where each crop would benefit from the other (while even using the same land).  The examples of crops that were showcased compared to my view of “American” agriculture by the simplicity, resourcefulness, naturalness, and relationship and fulfillment from nature that I view comes from the field of agriculture.  In regards to their work being relevant to the developing world, it can be seen both ways.  ECHO offers their knowledge of farming and works to help enhance and advance other countries’ ways of farming, however, is not exactly preparing them to develop “industrially.”  I am not sure, however, if they want to develop as we have, which I feel ECHO is not attempting to do.  Even if it is not for the remainder of my service learning, I have once before and intend on once more completing service learning hours there.  Not only do I feel that what they are doing is noble, beneficial, respectful, and much needed, but it would be a great opportunity to spend time in nature all the while serving others who do not have the luxuries that we do.

I wanna be a billionaire so fricken bad...

In my opinion, the most pressing global environmental issue facing us today is the wasting of resources, such as food, clothes, finite resources such as oil, etc. from immense consumerism.  I believe this is one of the most pressing issues because of the outrageously exponential amount of waste that results from consumerism.  Not only is the initial waste a problem due to things such as pollution and the fact that those things could go to others, but it has had multiple effects on various other environmental issues and has trickled down to an even worse problem.  If I were given $100 billion by a benefactor like the Rockefeller Foundation, I would allocate the funds in a couple different ways concerning the issue(s) of consumerism and waste.  I would use the money to first help raise awareness of and come up with prevention strategies to try and diminish immense consumerism and waste.  In addition, I would want to create organizations that help use “waste” to give to other countries whom don’t even have anything to waste.  Educating people on the issue and in turn using “wasteful” resources into useful things for others, I feel, would be an appropriate and beneficial way to deal with the results consumerism and waste has had on the (global) environment.  While trying to address, educate, and prevent the source, I would simultaneously be creating organizations that will take the waste and results of consumerism that we have and turn them into something that isn’t waste.  A lot of what is wasted in the first place shouldn’t be, and could be something so profound in the lives of others who don’t have anything to begin with.

Thinking About Louv

The Louv readings proved not only to be extremely interesting but shockingly true, as well.   Pretty much everything he stated in regards to the average person (namely American) in society today followed the Nature-Deficit Disorder and Third Frontier trends.  I believe there to be true connection between humans and nature, and when that is taken away or there is a lack of use negative affects and ignorance arises.  I see the effects of the Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Third Frontier in myself and in the circles I run with, and that is probably a big reason why I feel Louv's views are quite plausible.  Ask a tribe in the Amazon about it, and they will most definitely disagree; if they even know what is being referred to.  Everything is perception, and from my perception Louv is very right (from an American standpoint).
Due to technology and other 21st century ideals, trends, etc., our (Americans') need for nature, I believe, has definitely been diminished.  Technology, for example, offers us entertainment that doesn't allow any effort on our part, whereas the outdoors requires our imagination and physical effort in order for enjoyment.  Let's say that most of Americans really did want to spend time in nature and really enjoyed it; who would have the time?!  Our society demands that we be so many things and multi-task our lives that we feel no other choice than to gravitate away from nature.  Due to this mindset, our inital want to be a part of nature has been diminished.  We are so used to being away from it that we feel disconnected and have no real need of it (or so we think).  In the long term, I do believe that a lack of natural exposure does have effects on individuals.
Of course this mindset and lack of natural exposure hasn't been around forever, but has been increasing more and more.  Technology has been a huge proponent in the hustle and bustle of society, but also a huge proponent in the decrease in use and love of nature.  The more we have been able to link our lives with technology, the more it seems we have had less of a need and enjoyment of nature.  A lot of some people's time spent outside is trying to gain service from their cell phone to make a call!  My personal need to work, attend class, do homework, relax, and spend my recreation time indoors can definitely be attributed to technology and my 'full-speed ahead' lifestyle.  My need to be apart of so many things and better myself with business requires me to spend a lot of time on my Dell, indoors, and exhausted.  I have found myself even spending days where I should be doing homework neglecting it and telling myself that I have to be outside.  Since I don't allow myself the ability to spend time in nature, I go outside when I am at my wits-end; when I need to go outside, not because I necessarily want to.  I guess it's a good thing that I crave my time with nature, but it should be something on the top of my list.  My guess is I wouldn't be so stressed and rushed all the time if I just spent more time in nature to help calm my nerves and anxieties. 
To fix these problems would take a change of mind and values, which is not only nearly impossible but usually only happens when things are terribly wrong and a change is the only way.  More of an education on the benefits of the outdoors could probably help change that mindset (for a time and for a few).  Perhaps to help remedy the problems of Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Third Frontier might be the practice of other activities by other people.  Gandhi stated that "You must be the change you wish to see in the world," and it holds a lot of truth to it.  Perhaps if those of us who are aware of the effects of Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Third Frontier counteract them with opposing actions, we can show others through our lives the benefits and ways we can enjoy, be a part of, and live holistically through nature.