Final Entry :)

Entry #20

7/13/2011

This is my last blog and I'd like to thank you Professor Gretchen Hoekenga for the opportunity of being in your class and for all the insightful material you provided for our class.  I learned a great deal about many things, ranging from sustainability to biodiversity.  I also enjoyed the field trips and A Land Remembered very much.  I hope you have a fulfilling and happy teaching career.

Sincerely,

Cesar Tellez

What is Happehatchee’s Goal?

Entry #19

7/13/2011

  



Happehatchee is an environmental and spiritual center that welcomes those that relief from urbanization and their worldly woes.

It is an organization that is run by Ellen Peterson.  She bought the land from a family in 1972, and in 2005 Ellen began to conceive of the land as being worthy of preservation for use by groups who were environmentally and spiritually friendly.

Their main goal is to share their oasis with those that truly want to be part of it, and to give their new visitors a unique experience unlike anything that they’ve ever seen.  They will reach this objective through the profits made from the recreational activates, donations, and investments for Happehatchee.  For example, the gazebo we’ve been working on is going to attract more people and serve a variety of purposes.

What I did on my Service Learning trip.

Entry #18

7/13/2011



I had the opportunity to plant various types of vegetation throughout the property.  It was my first time planting anything and it was a rewarding experience in itself.  I’ll always know I’ve made a long lasting contribution to Happehatchee with the plant life I’ve placed in the ground.

I put on my Bob the Builder hat and provided my mediocre carpentry skills to Happehatchee.  It was fun because I got in touch with my inner handyman, and I was part of creating a beautiful gazebo.  I was in charge of sanding the wood, and filling the holes left by the nails that were screwed into the wood with plugs

I put on my Bob the Builder hat and provided my mediocre carpentry skills to Happehatchee.  It was fun because I got in touch with my inner handyman, and I was part of creating a beautiful gazebo.  I was in charge of sanding the wood, and filling the holes left by the nails that were screwed into the wood with plugs.  I overall had a great time at Happehatchee.

What I liked most about my service learning at Happehatchee!

Entry #17

7/13/2011



       My most gratifying experience by far was working on the gazebo they’re building for yoga, tai-chi, and other outdoor recreational activities.  The gazebo is the biggest one I’ve ever seen and it is surrounded by beautiful trees.  I’ve gained an appreciation and love for working outdoors with my bare hands.  I’m one of those guys that would rather pay to get my oil changed rather than do it myself; still, the tranquilizing foliage made working outside truly relaxing and a great overall experience.

Planet of the Apes (2011 Version)

Entry #16

7/12/2011

I want to take this opportunity to elaborate on the correlations between what I’ve been learning in University Colloquium and the Planet of the Apes reboot.  This is a somewhat original story set in present day San Francisco, where manmade experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.  This movie is a prime example of man’s interference in the natural world.  The implications of such experiments would result in severe damage to the food chain and to all mankind with vengeful intellectual monkeys running amuck.  Did you know chimps are six times stronger than human beings?  I know the human race would be in trouble, but I wonder what would be the impact on the environment?  Food for thought. 

What happened to Smokey the bear?

Entry #15

7/12/2011

No seriously what happened to Smokey the bear?  He was a mascot of the United States Forest Service created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires for many years.  Did America simply get tired of him and his propaganda of putting the whole responsibility of preventing forest fires on human beings?  Who knows?  Furthermore, what happened to McGruff the crime dog?  He was also a very important spokesman.  He was used for building crime awareness among children.  Did he and Smokey just turn in their badges and return to their previous lives of being ordinary animals?  I think the “green movement” needs one of these guys to really get through to people.  Maybe Gary the "green" gopher.

Why so many blog posts?

Entry #14

7/12/2011

I feel like I'm typing these blog posts for myself.  I think they're a waste of time and I'm not getting much out of them except a deep disdain for blogging in general.  I rather do an extra paper or field trip or novel or anything else really than come up with things to blog about.  For the love of god at least decrease the amount of blog posts we have to do.  I have six blog posts to go and zero interest in completing them.  I love the class but I hate these ridiculous blog posts.

Sincerely,

Cesar

The Colloquium Experience

Entry #13

7/12/2011



University Colloquium is essentially an environmental education course that is a graduation requirement of Florida Gulf Coast University.  It is the one course requirement in the world that is unique only to Florida Gulf Coast University.  University Colloquium’s objective is to educate students on the southwest Florida environment, explore the concept of sustainability, develop an “ecological perspective”, and understand his or her sense of place in the world.  Instructors use ecological readings, outdoor field trips, and in depth class discussions to reach those objectives.  By the end of the course, students should gain a whole new understanding and respect towards the natural world around them.  I feel this is what I’ve gained throughout the class term.  However, I was a long way from reaching these objectives and even less enthusiastic about doing so at the beginning of my University Colloquium experience.  I thought of this course as a pointless ordeal instead of a valuable experience; as a result, I was very reluctant in taking University Colloquium and hoped it would be dismissed as a graduation requirement before the summer started.  With time, my perspective definitely changed for the better as I started to absorb all the readings, field trips, etc.  The field trips were by far the single most influential factor because they really “opened my eyes” to the Florida I’ve been living in for about twenty years.

I didn’t think this class would impact me in the matter it did simply because the environment and sustainability were the last things on my mind.  I’m a twenty-two year old junior at Florida Gulf Coast University and I’m from Orlando. For most of the summer I’m interning for Sherwin-Williams and working on a marketing project.  This internship is essentially a thirty hour a week job for me and keeps me busy enough.  Additionally, I get extra work from Florida Gulf Coast University because this internship is registered as a class.  Furthermore, I’m trying to obtain minors in both advertising and management, but simultaneously focusing on a major in marketing.  I’m at the point in my life that if I saw another classroom it would be too soon.  I simply want my independence and to rely on myself for my general wellbeing.  Also, like most kids my age, I want to make money; therefore, I’m basically waiting to graduate so I can hopefully get a decent job.  However, University Colloquium brought me out of my own little materialistic world and revealed more pressing matters than my living quarters.   This class eased me into topics such as sustainability, world hunger, biodiversity, and much more.  Including reading literature about the impact of industrialization on Florida and how the state evolved into what it resembles today.  I learned countless of things throughout my journey in this class.

            As I mentioned before, the field trips were by far the single most influential factor because they really “opened my eyes” to the Florida I’ve been living in for about twenty years.  I didn’t realize that all these beautiful places where in my backyard or maybe I did but took them for granted.  All the field trips were great, but there was one that stood out from the rest.  Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary had this rustic pioneer vibe and seemed like a place you could literally lose yourself in, it’s so big.  There was plenty of wildlife and so many different types of vegetation to see that the whole area seemed alien to me.  Moreover, that particular field trip tied in extremely well with a certain piece of literature I read recently.  My overall experience at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary brought every vivid detail in A Land Remembered to life.  Everything, from the moon vines to the alligators, reminded me of that field trip and made the novel more relatable.  The novel itself is centered around three fictional generations of McIveys and the evolution of each generation as Florida becomes a more industrialized state.  Regardless of the fictitious storyline, the book is filled with historical content and Floridian foliage.  Nonetheless, A Land Remembered was written so well you can’t help but to fall in love with the characters and mourn the passing of one of them as if they were real.  Honestly, I didn’t start reading the book in till about two days before the paper was due and I wasn’t planning on reading the whole thing; yet, as soon I finished chapter two I knew I wouldn’t be able to put this book down.  It simply transported me to a different world and I truly think this book should be a mandatory read for every University Colloquium course.

            I didn’t have an ecological perspective or “sense of place” before I took this class and was blissfully ignorant about those topics for some time.   I actually have opinions on both these ideas now.  My perspective on ecology derives from what I’ve learned about sustainability and biodiversity, but also from the consequences of not utilizing these crucial ideas.  Sustainability is “the cultivation, integration, and application of knowledge about Earth systems gained especially from the holistic and historical sciences (such as geology, ecology, climatology, oceanography) coordinated with knowledge about human interrelationships gained from the social sciences and humanities, in order to evaluate, mitigate, and minimize the consequences, regionally and worldwide, of human impacts on planetary systems and on societies across the globe and into the future – that is, in order that humans can be knowledgeable Earth stewards”  (Kieffer 432).  It seems to me that without sustainability we will exhaust our natural resources and keep damaging the planet beyond the point of redemption.  This is why it’s vital that we attempt simple sustainable practices such as recycling, carpooling, etc. that anyone and everyone can attempt.  Moreover, biodiversity goes in hand with sustainability because it can be used as a metric to calculate the approximate health of an ecosystem.  Biodiversity is “the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species in their natural environments, which is the aim of conservationists concerned about the indiscriminate destruction of rainforests and other habitats” (“biodiversity”).  Not putting all our eggs in one basket is basically the whole concept behind biodiversity and that variety is our friend not foe.  “Variety doesn’t hinder growth because it actually provides less vulnerability to both natural and manmade predicaments.  Predicaments such as the overfishing that is devastating millions of non-commercial fisherman, the extinction of various species of food, the growing market prices of common foods, etc.” (Tellez 1).  If I could only pick two concepts to remember from my entire class journey I think the choice would be obvious.

            The only things that University Colloquium didn’t provide me were the skills needed to complete my ecological service learning.   I completed my service learning at an Eco-Spirituality center called Happehatchee and its run by Ellen Peterson.  My tasks ranged from planting trees to cutting bamboo in order to create pathways.  My most gratifying experience by far was working on the gazebo they’re building for yoga, tai-chi, and other outdoor recreational activities.  The gazebo is the biggest one I’ve ever seen and it is surrounded by beautiful trees.  I’ve gained an appreciation and love for working outdoors with my bare hands.  I’m one of those guys that would rather pay to get my oil changed rather than do it myself; still, the tranquilizing foliage made working outside truly relaxing and a great overall experience.   I am honest to god thankful for everything University Colloquium provided me as a student and human being.

 

Work Cited

"biodiversity." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 09 Jul. 2011. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/biodiversity>.

Kieffer, S.W., Barton, P., Palmer, A.R., Reitan, P.H., & Zen, E. 2003. Megascale events: Natural disasters and human behavior. Geol. Soc. America Abstracts with programs: 432

Tellez, Cesar. The Decline of Biodiversity. Print

The Decline of Biodiversity

Entry #12

7/12/2011



Many are not familiar with biodiversity even though it has the potential to solve or at the very least improve many of the world’s modern problems.  Biodiversity is actually the variety of various forms of life from their particular genes to their broader respective ecosystems.  Variety doesn’t hinder growth because it actually provides less vulnerability to both natural and manmade predicaments.  Predicaments such as the overfishing that is devastating millions of non-commercial fisherman, the extinction of various species of food, the growing market prices of common foods, etc.  Biodiversity not only liberates our food security from the risks of genetic uniformity, but it also protects the market prices of food from instability and the livelihood of so many that depend on certain resources.  Unfortunately, there has been a decline of biodiversity throughout the twentieth century as a result of relying too much on fossil fuels, fertilizer products developed in factories, and medicines made from synthetic molecules.  All these resources have either replaced others, polluted the environment indirectly, or have done a combination of both.  Furthermore, Third World people are actually rich and First World people are poor in terms of biodiversity.  However, the wealth of Third World nations is being affected by this decline.  Africa in particular is being affected agriculturally, economically, culturally, etc. by this lack of biodiversity.  I can’t stress how vital biodiversity is and how I consider biodiversity to be essentially a type of “immune system” that compensates for the exacerbations of various resources; moreover, an “immune system” that regulates our resources to keep our world healthy and abundant in various resources.

            Personally, I consider biodiversity a metric to measure the health of any ecosystem; as a result, of the literature I’ve been reading over the past couple of weeks.  It is the rich diversity of life that forms on our beautiful planet and sustains it.  It also shapes the cultural diversity; therefore the erosion of biodiversity and the erosion of cultural diversity are intertwined.  The globalization of the industrial culture coupled with the ignorance of environmental consequences that came with it has seriously threatened biodiversity.  These consequences have ranged from environmental pollution to the extinction of various organisms.  Yes, we have made large technological strides but at what price?  Fossil fuels have given us climate change, agrichemicals have both threatened species and undermined soil fertility and human health; and synthetic drugs have had fatal side-effects.   Moreover, the cultural diversity and livelihood of many Third World people has suffered as well.  People that make their living as farmers, fishermen, craftspeople, healers, etc. are the ones being most affected financially by this decline of diversity.  For example, the world’s main fishing grounds are being depleted by commercial fishing.  Furthermore, this carelessness for wildlife brings me to my next point.  For animals, habitat loss resulting from industrial plantations, highways, and the expansion of human settlements have become major threats to species survival.  Several species are either extinct, endangered, or on the path to all of the above (Florida Gulf Coast University pp. 38-57).  Obviously, we need to transition into a more biodiversity friendly way of doing things, but how can we repair such damage done already?

Preventing the loss of biodiversity is a challenge in itself, but I feel recovering as much of it as possible is just as important.  We have a lot to learn from past mistakes, but also from Third World people because they’re pioneering various techniques that can potentially resolve many of these issues.  Regardless of the exploitation of resources in Africa, they are developing environmentally friendly farming and fishing methods that are practical in various ways.  African supermarkets typically contain very few products that have been domestically produced.  However, the Dogon, an African people living on Mali’s Bandiagara Escarpment between Mopti and Timbuktu, are on the verge of introducing their own indigenous seasoning products into mainstream markets.  These local seasonings are both less expansive and healthier; yet, the flavors of the seasonings are unique and spreading beyond the Dogon community.  “Mamadou Guindo, a Dogon community leader, is working to bring together producers to package and sell the seasonings at major food fairs in Europe, attracting the attention of renowned chefs, including Galdino Zara from the Veneto region of Italy and Matthieu Toucas from France” (Worldwatch pp. 71-80).  This example of biodiversity only scratches the surface of the innovation Africa is at the forefront of.  Furthermore, there are plans being developed to conserve the freshwater ecosystems of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), using generic conservation planning software ("Scale-based freshwater conservation planning: towards protecting freshwater biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa").  I think this is an important step in the right direction and will influence others into taking the conservation of biodiversity more seriously.  Hopefully, if these plans prove themselves to seem successful then they will come into fruition.  There are countless efforts being made in Africa and in other places as well, but I feel Africa is going to be the one country that will provide game changing techniques in terms of biodiversity.

I’ve developed my own plausible solutions to reducing the rapid decline of biodiversity globally.  I think it’s important to establish key metrics that tell us how many resources we have at our disposal, the specific amount of each individual resource, possible substitutes, and consequences from using a particular resource, etc. in a particular environment.  Then, we put this data to use in regards to using the best resources available that won’t have adverse impacts on the populace, wildlife, environment, economy, and other resources at hand.  This is just a general idea that I came up with that can be put to use in any situation because it’s simple enough, organized, and gives anyone somewhere to start.  In addition, the transitioning of fishing and farming methods into more biodiversity oriented ones is also quite crucial.  Commercial fishing needs to be more regulated in order to protect not only from overfishing, but to also protect the livelihood of the Third World people that rely on fishing as a source of income and food to feed their families.  Also, fish farming provides a great alternative to commercial fishing because it offers fish marketers another source.  Furthermore, agricultural farming is doing more harm than good with its manmade pesticides and the over production of certain crops.  These manmade pesticides have adverse side effects on humans, animals, the soil, etc.  The growth of the same variety of crops exhausts the soil, makes them more vulnerable to various factors, and creates markets that depend on them entirely too much.  There is even more that can and should be done to preserve biodiversity but there needs to be a global enlightening on the matter in order for it to be taken seriously.

Work Cited

Florida Gulf Coast University. University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. United States of America: Copley Custom Textbooks, 2011. pp. 38-57. Print

Rivers-Moore, N. A., P. S. Goodman, and J. L. Nel. "Scale-based freshwater conservation planning: towards protecting freshwater biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa." Freshwater Biology 56.1 (2011): 125-41. Biological & Agr Index Plus. Web. 10 June 2011.

Worldwatch, The. State of the World 2011: Nourishing the Planet. Washington, DC: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011. pp. 71-80. Print.

Field Trip 4 (sorry lost the pics)

Entry# 11

7/4/2011



Urban Environment



The downtown Fort Myers I know of is one lined with liquor stores, bail bonds businesses, billboards of criminal trial lawyers, etc.  I know this because I’ll occasionally make my way downtown for the bars and clubs located in that particular area.  I rarely go there in the morning or evening, much less take the time to absorb the general atmosphere of downtown Fort Myers.  I was presently surprised to find a different side of downtown Fort Myer, aside from what I’ve already experienced.

My favorite place to sit and take in the sights, sounds, smells, and feeling of Fort Myers was at the Uncommon Friends monument, in Centennial Park, dedicated to the fathers of the American industrial twentieth century; specifically, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Samuel Firestone for being the leaders of the American industry at the time.  Ironically, they were friends that had a lot in common and were actually part of an exclusive organization called “The Millionaires Club”.  I digress; this monument was surrounded by healthy plant life and is located right next to the Caloosahatchee River.  Both the plants and the river provide their own unique smells that countered the smell of exhaust and other common urban smells.  It was quite a peaceful sounding area considering there is both a street and bridge next to the park.

 I found a pier between the Edison Bridge and the Centennial Park that provided a unique perspective of downtown Fort Myers.  The bridge has several symbolic meanings to me.  The most prominent one is the bridging of the gap between the rustic history of Fort Myers with the urban modern city of today.  I couldn’t help but to recall the novel, A Land Remembered, our class read last week and correlate it to my symbolic meaning of the bridge.  I thought of the three generations of McIveys and the evolution of each generation as Florida became a more industrialized state.  What would Tobias and Zech think of today’s Fort Myers or Florida even?  I know Solomon had a hand in industrializing Florida and therefore he understood the magnitude in which Florida was developing.  I think Tobias and Zech would’ve thought Floridians have forsaken the land in order to have the comforts they could do without.

Many buildings and streets in downtown Fort Myers do have their own and stories that date back some time ago.  However, I’m willing to bet most of the natives of the area know little to none of the history of the area they reside in.  If it weren’t for Centennial Park and a couple of historic places there would be little to be said about the cultural significance of this vicinity.  A couple of spots of downtown have been converted into parking lots, garages, or small side lanes littered with parking meters that charge anywhere between twenty five cents to a dollar depending on the amount of time you’re vehicle is parked there.  The only form of mass transit is riding the public bus that I was aware of at the time, and I wouldn’t probably ever use it because it’s not convenient for my lifestyle unfortunately.  Additionally, I did notice some bike riders with backpacks but I wasn’t sure if they were “homeless” or impoverished individuals.

 

I wouldn’t recommend anyone walk around downtown Fort Myers alone.  I feel the area is harmless enough during the day, but at night I find it easy for anyone to be taken advantage of.  Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking around alone at night downtown simply because I wouldn’t feel safe.  It’s sad to say but I would feel safe at night only in or around the bars and clubs in downtown Fort Myers.  Those types of establishments are usually more populated and have a couple of officers around the block.  Furthermore, while there is lush vegetation in downtown Fort Myers, I don’t think there’s anything super sustainable about the rest of the neighborhood.  It is definitely an urban system at its core but there are several advantages and room for improvement.  Downtown has plenty of sabal palms and mangroves around the vicinity but there could be more plant life.  Also, old decaying houses in the area should be repaired and updated.  This would not only increase the value of the neighborhood, but it would also improve downtown’s appearance.  Lastly, creating a better form of mass transit and encouraging the locals to use would greatly reduce pollution and traffic congestion.

Eco-agriculture, Fact or Fiction?

Entry #10

6/28/2011

“David Kuria envisions an “ecoagriculture” landscape in Lari-one where agricultural production, rural development, and ecosystem management are mutually supportive.  This vision draws on two broad strategies: ecologically suitable production practices on farms and a mutli-stakeholder approach to managing agriculture and natural resources in the landscape as a whole  (p. 16 SOW 2011).”               

This particular issue is important me because I believe eco-agriculture has the potential to reverse or at least reduce some of damage done by insecticides and other agricultural-chemical products.  Growing concern about unfertile soil and water degradation is at an all time high.  However, with such great concern comes great resolve and innovation.  Understanding the dynamics among plants, animals, water, soil, insects, and other microorganisms is the first crucial step.  Eventually, with this knowledge, farmers will use livestock and herbaceous plants as manure, legumes for soil fertility, and microorganisms in healthy soils to thwart pests and suppress disease.  There are plenty of natural alternatives to these harmful agricultural-chemical products if farmers just keep an open-mind. 

"A Land Remembered" (quick synopsis and analysis)

Entry #9

6/27/2011

A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith is historical fiction novel centered around three generations of McIveys and the evolution of each generation as Florida becomes a more industrialized state.  Patrick provides an array of characters, environments, and scenarios that paint an invigorating picture of a long forgotten Florida.  He not only references actual historical events in his book, but he also goes into great detail describing vividly the Floridian wildlife and botany from the 1860’s to the early 1900’s.  Furthermore, the characters are so rich that you can’t help but to get attached to them.  The McIveys in particular are interesting in their own right because they go through various trials and tribulations in the unforgiving rustic lands of Florida, but they have such a respect and love for the land itself as if it were part of their own family.  They also respect all forms of life and care for their fellowman regardless of their color or creed.  You could even go to the extent of saying they have their own ethical code of conduct.  What is most interesting is how each generation’s opinion on property rights evolved from Tobias to Solomon.   Solomon is the only McIvey that sort of loses his way, but towards the end of his life he acknowledges his wrongs and reclaims the McIvey way of life.  Additionally, Patrick depicts the industrialization of Florida and the transitioning of the McIvey business as well.  The McIvey business transformed from one of simple cattle driving to a lucrative one of real estate.  This was well written novel that provided much insight into a Florida that would seem alien to all that inhabit it today.  A lawless, untamed, and rustic Florida that was unforgiving to those that knew little of survival.  It forever changed my perception of Florida.

Moringa!!!!

Entry #8

6/20/2011



It's pretty easy to understand why I'm obsessed with this plant if you just look to your left.  It surpasses most of the common foods that are known for giving a particular nutrient.  It just amazes me that I just recently heard about this plant.  I'm not a health nut, but I do like taking care of my body when I can.  This type of vegetation provides everything you need in a nice little package.  I want the powder form of the Moringa but it's actually kind of expensive.  ECHO sells a semi-decent bag of the powdered form of this plant for $35.  If I could buy it in bulk and pay a lower price cause of the margins then that would be ideal for me.  I know I'm too lazy to actually buy the $3 seeds, grow the stuff, and make it into a powdered form.

ECHO the Agricultural Environment

Entry #7

6/19/2011

 ECHO the Agricultural Environment

Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) is a non-profit association of individuals that seek to teach impoverished farmers valuable and sustainable agricultural techniques to better their whole community.  ECHO’s work spans the globe from the United States to countries such as Africa, Haiti, Thailand, etc.  They’ve realized that missionary work is not enough to help the less fortunate communities of the world that rely on local farmers, and that the only way to help these people effectively is to teach them to help themselves.  ECHO has educated hundreds in agricultural techniques and has been directly responsible for increasing the quality of life in several communities.  I learned a great deal about several types of plants, their advantages, and about the goals of this ambitious organization as a whole.  I also enjoyed the animals that help ECHO with their mission through various means.

ECHO is also responsible for the production, marketing, distribution and consumption of its own line of organic products.  ECHO sells a variety of products and vegetation derived from the assortment of plants they grow.  These plants are examined by researchers and then they produce research papers based on their findings.   The findings in these papers are then used in turn to market the benefits of the products created from those particular plants.  Furthermore, the products and vegetation created by ECHO are also distributed by their global farms.  Finally, they reach consumers through the tours they give of their facilities or through their various networking avenues.

The revenue gained from their agribusiness depends on the crucial relationships between the soil, water, and climate.  ECHO grows their vegetation in several types of soils depending on which plant they want to grow; moreover, they use a variety of soils from regular dirt to pine cones.  However, the soil is just one element of the farming process.  ECHO has advanced irrigation methods that provide the critical water that their plant life thrives off of.  The most challenging aspect of the farming process is the climate because this is the only factor out of the three that isn’t controllable.  Florida’s climate is a unique obstacle because it rains heavily only for six months and then it’s basically blistering heat for the rest of the year.  ECHO compensates for the climate by pairing the right seed with the right kind of soil, and taking advantage of their irrigation systems.

ECHO receives about 56% of their income through the tours they give around their facilities, and make the rest through sales of their products, plants, seeds, etc.  Being a nonprofit organization, ECHO relies heavily on tours and product sales; nonetheless, their efforts provide sustainable methods of fighting world hunger yet they get little government funding.  Bill Hooth, our tour guide, was the person that mentioned to me that little government funding is provided to ECHO and that could be partly due to the fact that they’re a Christian denomination organization.  I’m honestly still not sure on the whole government funding issue because it seems to me that they provide enough valuable resources to impoverished people to rival all the current missionary work.  Missionary work does benefit mankind, but it seems like a “quick fix” or short term solution.  ECHO’s teachings provide reliable long term solutions that impact whole communities.  In addition, I feel that ECHO is making progress in gaining recognition for their efforts in agricultural sustainability and biodiversity.  They are currently the third largest tourist attraction in the Lee County area and will hopefully surpass the Shell Factory someday (because that place is lame).

This organization is constantly making strides in ending world hunger.  ECHO’s agricultural expertise, variety of seeds, knowledgeable members, and righteous cause provides an excellent catalyst to feed millions of hungry people.  An effort of such proportions leads to innovations such as the one being done with the highly nutritious Moringa tree.  This particular type of vegetation is a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein, iron, and potassium.  According to Bill, “the Moringa can almost double the size of an infant suffering from malnutrition”.  ECHO has determined various methods of utilizing the Moringa as a dietary supplement, lotion, water filter, etc.  The knowledge and tools are there, but it’s up to people like you and me to invest resources into this organization whether it is volunteering or funds.  ECHO is globalizing their resources in order to fight world hunger effectively; therefore, a little volunteering here or money there goes a long way for their cause.  I’m personally going to purchase some of their all natural products such as Moringa powder and add it into my daily diet.  I feel it is the least I can do to help them with their mission and it’s a great product as well.

Cloning Endangered Animals, Right or Wrong?

Entry #6

6/16/2011

Approximately 100 species become extinct a day. Despite increasing interest in using cloning to rescue endangered species, successful interspecies nuclear transfer has not been previously described, and only a few reports of in vitro embryo formation exist. Here we show that interspecies nuclear transfer can be used to clone an endangered species with normal karyotypic and phenotypic development through implantation and the late stages of fetal growth. Somatic cells from a gaur bull (Bos gaurus), a large wild ox on the verge of extinction, (Species Survival Plan < 100 animals) were electrofused with enucleated oocytes from domestic cows. Twelve percent of the reconstructed oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage, and 18% of these embryos developed to the fetal stage when transferred to surrogate mothers. Three of the fetuses were electively removed at days 46 to 54 of gestation, and two continued gestation longer than 180 (ongoing) and 200 days, respectively. Microsatellite marker and cytogenetic analyses confirmed that the nuclear genome of the cloned animals was gaurus in origin. The gaur nuclei were shown to direct normal fetal development, with differentiation into complex tissue and organs, even though the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) within all the tissue types evaluated was derived exclusively from the recipient bovine oocytes. These results suggest that somatic cell cloning methods could be used to restore endangered, or even extinct, species and populations. (citation below)

Should the artificial restoration of endangered or extinct species be considered in the name of sustainability?  I thought of this recently to myself and decided to look up any scientific publication involving this subject.  We do have the technology to produce at least enough of these species to give them a fighting chance at repopulation; however, being a taboo subject, cloning carries its own morale, social, practical, etc. kind of complications.  There could also be consequences that would arise from bring these species back, but wouldn't it help the planet in the long run by increasing its biodiversity?  I honestly believe that there will be a time when cloning is going to be a feasible option, basically only option in some cases, in terms of repopulating endangered or extinct species.  I think this subject is very interesting and could be a potential solution or maybe a pipe dream, who knows.

Source: http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/152045500436104

Coolest Hybrid Car Ever

Entry #5

6/15/2011

The Toyota FT-HS Hybrid (above) Sports Concept is a sports car concept which could fill a gap in Toyota's model lineup left vacant since 1997 and the passing of the Toyota Supra.  It has a 3.5 liter hybrid engine that puts out 400 horse power when working with it's electric motor.  It has great performance figures and a sleek design as well.  The FT-HS Hybrid, being a sports car, is obviously not completely eco-friendly but I think it's putting us in a great mind set in terms of sustainability.  I feel that corporations are starting to notice that the "green" movement is catching on and is going to be a huge factor when marketing products eventually.

Field Trip 2

Entry #4

6/3/2011

Lover’s Key State Park

Lover’s Key State Park is a maritime preserved park located in Fort Myers Beach and off the Gulf of Mexico.  Lover’s Key is actually one of four barrier islands (the others being Inner Key, Black Island, and Long Key).  The state acquired the islands in 1983 and in 1996, merged with adjacent Carl E. Johnson County Park to become Lover’s Key Carl E. Johnson State Park.  It has an abundance of wildlife and vegetation, but the true wonder is the environment itself.  This park offer 2.5 miles of white sandy beaches, trails, canoeing, sunbathing, swimming, fishing, wildlife sighting, and other recreational activities.  There is simply a plethora of activities and things to see.  On side note, Lover’s Key is also dog friendly and so I brought along my beagle buddy Ori.

 I’m sure everyone that goes to Lover’s Key can’t help but to fall in love with this beautiful island.  It’s surreal how quiet the park can get, but then you hear the rustle of a sabal palm tree as a result of a gentle breeze or the chirp of an osprey in the distance.  In addition, the overall beauty of Lover’s Key is incredible, from the white sandy beaches to the mangrove fringed canals.  The elements truly have shaped a sight to see.  The Florida sun, rain, and rich soil provided a natural catalyst to the vegetation of the island.  The vegetation in turn creates a strong foundation for the island and provides a great defense against storms, hurricanes, etc.

The park is within the Barrier Chain subzone of the Costal Lowlands physiographic region.  The elevation of Lover’s Key ranges from mean seal level to about five feet, with the exception of any man-made land marks.  Water reaches further in the island and nurtures the plant life due the low elevation.  As a result, it benefits the whole food chain of the island from the plant life bottom of the pyramid to the carnivores at the top.  In addition, I identified 5 tree species, 5 non-woody plants, and 5 bird species in this environment.  The 5 tree species are the sabal palm, cabbage palm, Jamaican dogwood, buttonwood, and gumbo limbo.  The 5 non-woody plants are the blue porterweed, poison ivy, coral bean, Spanish bayonet, and prickly pear cactus (illustration below).  The 5 bird species are the great egret, anthinga, blue jay, bald eagle, and osprey.

This particular piece of paradise is unique in that it has canals that are tasseled with mangroves.  The Florida mangrove system is an important habitat for many species because it provides nursery grounds for fish and roosting areas for birds.  Furthermore, Lover’s Key has estuaries that provide a transition from fresh water rivers to salt water oceans.  These estuaries are kind of isolated from the ocean because of the barrier islands.  They also provide habitats for all kinds of critters.  However, all life on estuaries is affected by the salinity and sedimentation.  The biology of the fish in this area has adapted to the uncertain salinity and sedimentation levels produced by this ecosystem.  As a result, this environment provides a steady supply of fish for the predators that depend on them.