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.

Corkscrew

I absolutely loved our trip to Corkscrew!  It was beautiful, fascinating, a great escape, and right in our back yard - I could not believe something so unique was in Naples!  It was crazy not only to find that there were multiple ecosystems that made up the sanctuary, but that we were able to stand in the middle of three and see them all distinctly; I honestly do not know if I have ever knowingly experienced that.  The pond cypress, wet prairie, pine flatland, and bald cypress forest (if my memory is serving me correctly) were beautiful scenes that did not make me question once why they were preserved.  It was shocking and quite eerie hearing that the sanctuary was the savior of the last remaining cypress forest in the world.  It made me wonder if and why we, as a human species, really needed all that space to have to eliminate nearly every cypress forest in the world!  It was amazing to see the habitat of just the area of Naples; I cannot imagine what all of the other various cypress forests looked like... and unfortunately I never really can.
Civic engagement ties in directly with the Corkscrew site due to the simple fact that a group of people are all involved in the upkeep, preservation, and belief of the cherished cypress forest.  In addition, the sanctuary involves the community by allowing them to observe and also cherish the preserved forest, as well.  What they do is pretty much a basic definition of civic engagement.  Civic engagement also has to do with the interaction between the government and the community in order to solve a problem; I am sure that the Corkscrew Sanctuary has had plenty involvement with the (local) government in order to be able to preserve the forest, however, I am unable to recall exactly what happened or what steps were taken in their quest (or continuing preservation) of the last remaining cypress forest that is the Corkscrew Sanctuary.     

My Campus Walk

Our class walk through the multiple ecosystems of FGCU was, in my opinion, an extremely enlightening and enjoyable one.  Aside from the interesting facts and history that surrounds our campus, the walk really made everything that was presented to us come to life and give us the ability to really surround and experience our natural campus.  I think it was a wonderful and much needed experience.  It is not enough that the nature walks are there for us, because not all of our students would take advantage of it.  I liked the fact that through this course, we are required to not only learn but experience our campus.  Even if some of the students never walk the nature trails ever again, at least they gained more knowledge about our school history and (hopefully, on some level) became more connected with the campus.
In my opinion, FGCU is (or is at least trying its best) to fulfill its mission of "eco-empowerment."  Universities (and FGCU is no exception) are run (and seen to businessmen) more like businesses, and in regards to a business I feel that FGCU is not doing too bad of a job at trying to become somewhat 'sustainable' and 'eco-friendly.'  I feel that FGCU is doing the best they can and the best they know how, in regards to a business trying to fulfill an environmental mission/promise/obligation.  Even though I feel that a lot of  the reason our mission came about because of all of the controversy and protest around its construction, the school is trying its best to please its community of people and nature in being sustainable and 'green.'  Our tour guide, Tyler, mentioned that everything is a trade-off, and in the case of FGCU it is a perfect example.  My being an Orientation Leader and Orientation Team Leader as a representative of the university for two years has allowed me to feel extremely passionate about this school, good and bad.  I am always in defense of the university and trying to see situations from the perspective of the school, especially since I was trained to as a representative and as just a naturally positive and spirited person by nature.  I feel that the building and mission of FGCU may not have necessarily been out of good will, but I feel that its mission is good, nonetheless.  I see it as a positive movement, regardless, and that as long as we are trying our best to uphold that movement that the university is setting out what it was meant to do - and in my opinion, it is doing the best it knows how to.

The Dewey Readings

Even though Dewey’s first passage was difficult to get through, as it is not exactly the kind of text I am used to, it helped grease the wheels in helping me to understand his complex writing and revolutionary ideas in the following two articles.  As an aspiring teacher myself, it was an extremely interesting experience for me to read the works of one of the most influential people in the area of educational philosophy.  What I really admired and liked about Dewey’s articles were that he was very adamant for replacing traditional education with progressive education.  He essentially wanted to replace the type of teaching where educators would recite information out of textbooks (usually from the past) to students and expect them to memorize it with a new type of teaching that centered around learning “of, by, and for experience.”  Dewey argued his point without bashing the ways of traditional education, supporting progressive education with viable examples, and revealing that it would not be easier but more beneficial to incorporate progressive education into schools.  He expressed that the traditional education methods produced a stagnant type of education that did not inspire students to learn nor assist them in being able to think critically or transmit their learning properly into their present and future.  But progressive education, he argued, could use actual student experience to take what students were learning in textbooks and mold it into a more effective learning experience.  Dewey believed that progressive education could be more appreciated, by students and teachers alike, and used more effectively in transmitting what is learned into a student’s present and future.