Field Trip #4: Corkscrew Swamp

Our field trip to the Corkscrew Swamp was very interesting. Upon arrival we learned how sanctuary filters its own water for use in the facilities toilets and to water the plants. I found this to be very interesting. We began our trip by splitting up into two groups and going our separate ways. On our journey we saw a snake it a tree, a hawk, and a water spider. As we made our way through the swamp we discussed the cypress trees and were constantly on the lookout for alligators. Halfway through our walk we were able to go up on the observation deck which reminded me of the movie "The Lion King." Although the weather was extremely warm, I fell that I took a lot away from this trip. As a group, we discussed topics such as our own experiences with alligators and Professor Davis shared her experience with a Florida Panther. All in all, I enjoyed this trip and appreciate the smaller group setting.

Packaging

The items that I use on a day-to-day basis that came in packaging include:

• textbooks which came wrapped in plastic, placed in a bookstore bag, with promotional and informational cards


• cell phone which came in a box, placed in cardboard, and included paperwork on how to use the phone as well as promotional offers


• mail of which 1 piece was useful while the other 5 pieces was junk


• iPod which came in a plastic container


• my purse which came inside a cloth bag which was placed in the store's shopping bag. The buckles and zipper were also wrapped in paper and plastic

I think that for just this short amount of time I have noticed that I use things which have a great deal of packaging on a daily basis. I think that especially when it comes to shopping that I personally waste a great deal on packaging. It would be a very easy and environmentally friendly choice to simply bring my own shopping bad instead of collecting bags from each store where I have made a purchase. I think that as of right now the choices I have made concerning purchases and their packaging are not sustainable choices. By simply bringing my own bag to the store I could take a small step towards saving some of the resources that go into making the store's shopping bags.

Energy Use

In a 24 hour period the electronic I used were:

6 hrs -phone charger

6 hrs - ceiling fan

24 hrs - A/C

15 min - hot water heater for shower

1 hr - computer use

15 min - straightener

2 hrs - television

30 min - iPod radio

The power company that supplies power to my home is Florida Power and Light. This company generates their electricity from:

• 53% - Natural gas
• 22% - Nuclear
• 14% - Purchased Power
• 6% - Coal
• 5% - Oil

For a period of 24 hours my total miles traveled in my vehicle was 34 miles. This consisted of travel to and from work for a total of 24 miles as well as travel to and from work which totaled 7 miles. Overall I calculated that I travel about 11,034 miles per year. My car, which gets about 16 miles per gallon and emits 11.4 tons of carbon dioxide annually. I feel that this is an incredible amount. I had no idea how much CO2 I was emitting into the atmosphere on an individual level. I think that will my choice of vehicle, an SUV, and the miles which I travel all could be altered to make more sustainable choices. Although I try to save fuel when possible by carpooling when I can, I do not think that I have gone out of my way to make this a bigger option.

Field Trip #3: Campus Trail

Our third field trip where we were to take a walk on the campus trail way both my most and least favorite. As we embarked on our walk I do not think that anyone knew for sure what lie ahead. We began our journey on campus where we discussed how our campus was constructed with the environment in mind. We then made our way to the campus trail which we learned was open to students. Along the way we encountered a snake, learned about melaleuca trees, and even got to see some hogs. However, the most memorable time was the portion of the trip that involved walked through knee high water. Personally I had never experienced anything like this before. The only thoughts I had were from what I had seen in movies, leading me to believe that an alligator was waiting just around the corner to eat all of us! However, this was far from the reality of what we experienced. I enjoyed the experience because each one of us were forced out of our element and pushed to embrace the experience. The only negative comment I have was that I think we may have moved too fast through the water. It was hard to keep up with the people ahead of you when you're trying to take in everything that is around you. Overall I think this will definitely be the most memorable part of this class!

Food Intake

Breakfast:

8oz orange juice - purchased (110 calories)

1 cup 2% milk - purchased (130 calories)

1 cup of Frosted Flakes Cereal - purchased (143 calories)

Lunch:

2 slices of bread - purchased (140 calories)

4 slices of oven roasted turkey - purchased (120 calories)

10 ranch flavored Doritos - purchased (150 calories)

1 cup of watermelon - purchased (46 calories)

16oz water (0 calories)

Dinner:

Applebees chicken fajita roll up - pre-made (642 calories)

French fries - pre-made (430 calories)

16oz water (0 calories)

Total calories consumed: 1911

Resources: Calorie Count Search

Upon completing this assignment I realized that I consume a great of food that is either purchased or pre-made. After looking up just how many calories are in the foods I eat I was shocked to learn how many calories where in foods such as my favorite meal the chicken fajita roll up. I feel that with the resources I have available, I should be more conscious of my consumptions.

The Conservation 20/20 plan, which began with a land study in 1994, is an organization which was formed by concerned citizens in the year 1995. These citizens decided to take action by purchasing undeveloped natural areas to be set aside in order to:

• protect and preserve natural wildlife and habitats


• protect and preserve water quality and supply


• protect developed lands from flooding


• provide resources-based recreation.

Reading this article was the first time I had hear of this project. However I have actually been to two of the Conservation 20/20 preserves. As a class we visited Matanzas Pass and in a class which I had taken previously, we visited Six Mile Cypress Preserve. I think that in the future I will likely visit some of the other preserves on the list. As of this time I am not aware of any other similar projects being done anywhere else.

I believe that by using tax dollars to fund land preservation we are doing what we can to conserve. Although many people appose higher taxes, I believe that it is our responsibility as a society to protect some of our land. By even living in a community you have destroyed a habitat by building. However, by funding preservation with your tax dollars you are doing your part to give back some f what you have taken away.

Field Trip #2: Matanzas Pass

On our second class field trip we were fortunate enough to go to Matanzas Pass on Fort Myers Beach. Having lived in Bonita Springs my whole life and traveling to the Fort Myers Beach area many times I was surprised to learn that such a place existed. I had never visited or heard of the Matanzas Pass but I was very interested to see what the trip would consist of. As we entered the historical cottage I found all of the decorations and pictures of the historical area to be very interesting. As our presentation began I found the information she gave very interesting. Such as the information she gave us on the meaning of the name Matanzas Pass which actually meant massacre. In addition, I thought that the lemonade and cookies were also an excellent addition to the trip. As we began our walk on the boardwalk I enjoyed the scenery and shade provided by the many trees. However, the amount of mosquitoes present throughout our tour made it somewhat hard to concentrate on what was being said. I did enjoy stopping at the resting place near the water where we shared our climate connection articles. I found this area to be very serene. Continuing our journey through the boardwalk I also enjoyed the information we learned about the three different types of mangroves which we saw along the way. Overall, with the exception of the mosquitoes, I really enjoyed this trip.

Matanzas Pass Informational Website

Water Rights Reflection

After reading the article entitled "There Will be Water," I was shocked to find out that a single person was able to buy the rights to water that flows beneath the ground. I think that because water is a natural resource which all human to survive that one person should not have exclusive rights to it and should definitely not have the power to sell it for profit. By allowing a single person on entity to purchase ground water with the idea that they will sell it for profit will only create more controversy among our nation as well as nations around the world. Similar to the situation we are currently facing with oil in the middle east, sell these resources which we rely on can only result in controversy. But unlike oil, which is not necessary to maintain life, water, which each of us needs to survive would could wide spread chaos if the persons in control of it were to stop supplying it.

In addition, if such a project should take place it would have many negative impacts on both residence and the wildlife of the area. Many residents have already shown concern due to the controversy of shipping the water out of the panhandle of Texas. The area where the water is owned my also have to undergo construction in order to make such an idea a reality. This would mean inconveniences for resident. The wildlife on the area would also be effected by this. By altering the natural environment that these organisms have grown accustomed to, many of their lives may be placed in danger.

Alternative solutions may include allowing the people the rights to control the water located under the ground. This would mean that the people of those areas would have to vote to determine whether such an idea would be used in their area.

Interesting article: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4275059.html

Water Usage

When going about your day-to-day life you seldom think about such things as how much water you may use in a period of just 24 hours. For me this would include such activities as showering, brushing my teeth, flushing the toilet, doing laundry, washing dishes, as well as water I use to drink. I was amazed that after monitoring my water use, I had used about 93.48 gallons of water. This was a very shocking number to me because I had thought that I was doing somewhat of a decent job conserving water by doing things such as turning off the water while I was brushing my teeth and limiting the time I spend in the shower. But even though this number seemed high to me I was also shocked to learn that it was considered average among the United States. According to the Water Science website, the average water use in 24 hours ranges from 80-100 gallons. Of this flushing the toilet and showering account for the largest percentage. But with water conservation becoming a more popular topic these days it is not surprising that some local governments are starting to take action. In some areas laws have even been passed to limit how much water may flow from faucets and toilets per minute. I believe that due to rising concerns about water conservation that such laws should be passed at the national level in order to conserve the water that as a society we have taken for granted.

Ecological Footprint

If everyone on earth lived like me it would take 5.3 earths. This means that my family and I are using too many resources in our day-to-day lives. Through this activity I discovered that area where I am leaving the largest footprint related to transportation. On average I travel about 1,000 miles every month, and most of these miles I travel by myself without making any attempts to carpool. This amount of travel uses a large amount of fossil fuel and emits a great deal of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. I feel that since this category is the largest contributor to my ecological footprint that it would be one of the aspects for me to work towards reducing. By simply looking into alternative form of transportation such as public buses I could greatly reduce my footprint. In addition to this, looking into way to carpool to places such as school would also eliminate some of my footprint. By setting these realistic goals I feel that I could actually reduce my ecological footprint and perhaps even influence others to do the same.