Trapsing Through the Swamp #11

I actually enjoyed having the class split into two separate groups.  It allowed us to take in more of our surroundings without having to wait for an entire class of people. 
While I was well aware that various bugs were going to be prevalent, I was not expecting to see an alligator on this trip, never mind two.  It was absolutely hilarious to see DeAnna get so excited over the tiny gator that she discovered. I would have appreciated it more if I had not been panicking over the various bugs that continuously found their way onto my person; or even worse, my fellow classmates pretending to be bugs just to watch me squirm.
All in all, I actually enjoyed the trip considering that I am not the outdoorsy type. However, I could have lived without the torrential downpour. While it was a nice reprieve from the seemingly blistering heat, it put a damper on the experience and limited the time that we spent learning about the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

Although I will most likely never visit this place again, I did enjoy the little excursion and would recommend it to people who enjoy this sort of activity.

Downtown and All Around

Exploring Downtown Fort Myers was definitely a new experience for me.  While I had attended my sorority's semiformal at Harborside in 2010, I never really appreciated my surroundings.  At the time, I did not even notice that there was an Olympics museum only a couple yards away.
I truly enjoyed the scavenger hunt and it forced me to look at the area in a way that I never would have before.  In its own way, it forced me to appreciate the thriving independent businesses as well as inform me of the history of this area that I have called home for the past two years.
I think my favorite part was having to look at the details of every little thing to find the answers. For example, I not only read every sign that I crossed but I also paid attention to the graffiti and stickers that people have left throughout the years.  When you take the time to truly look around and appreciate the beauty and personality of the downtown streets, you have a whole new respect for it.  I definitely plan to revisit the downtown area both in the day and at night to take in all that it has to offer.

Politics and the Environment #9

I honestly was never aware of the various things that the government had tried to do in order to control climate change.  I had no idea that Lieberman had been attempting to promote greener practices since the 1980's. Perhaps this is because there has been almost no push toward it until recent years.  I don't understand why we have to wait until things are already bad before we are willing to sit up and listen. It brings to mind the Winston Churchill quote, "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities."
The one major thing that I learned from this article is that our country seems to be more concerned with short term goals as opposed to long term sustainability.  I cannot fathom how politicians can justify ignoring climate change in exchange for a seat in the senate for the next term.  If they continue to pay no heed to the impending crisis, there will no longer be a senate for them to be elected to.
Perhaps, as constituents, we are to blame.  It is not fair to expect politicians to do the right thing if we do not demand it from them

One Degree Changes Everything #8

It is terrifying to know that just one degree Fahrenheit can change absolutely everything in this world.  This is the only planet we have and it is being destroyed because of human dependance on fossil fuels.  While I was saddened by the various animals being pushed to extinction and the dwindling number of caribou, what concerned me the most was how cholera can now spread more easily due to the changing weather patterns.  Likewise, a 2003 heatwave in Europe is said to be responsible for the death of nearly 15,000 people.  If for no other reason, humans should be concerned with their health and how our actions can negatively effect it.  Our drinking supplies, air quality, and overall quality of life is already diminished already so why let this continue and potentially lose it all?
If for no other reason, people should care about the sports that they love.  There will be no more Breckenridge to ski on and no freezing days for the Polar Bear Club (assuming that there will even be polar bears). It will be too hot for America's pass time and fantasy football doesn't hold much weight when there is no actual football being played. 

That Panicky Feeling #7

As strange as it may be, the collapse of modern society frightens me more than the idea of a “zombie apocalypse” that everyone so loves to talk about.  Perhaps that is because society’s collapse is a potential reality and could occur in the foreseeable future.  This article paralleled the occurrences and circumstances in the United States with failed civilizations so poignantly that I found myself stressing by the time I reached the end.  It almost makes me feel like civilized life is some ridiculous social experiment doomed to fail.

However, I do understand the author’s point that a society writes its own fate.  In a certain sense, I feel like people refuse to learn from their own mistakes as well as the mistakes of others.  The example that pops into my head right now is Pompei.  The inhabitants are aware that there is an active volcano there.  They know that it has erupted and literally stopped people in their tracks and preserving them in lava rock. Yet, despite this knowledge, people still continue to inhabit the area. Granted that is an extreme example but how does that really differ from farms in the northern United States comparing to those in that failed in Greenland?

(Pictured above are ruins from a Norse farm in Greenland)

I am Not a Tree Hugger #6

After reading this selection, I guess that I could be considered a biophobic.  I really do not enjoy "the great outdoors."  I hate getting sweaty and dirty unless it involves playing a sport, I don't like bugs, and walking through any kind of plants usually makes me itchy (even if it is just unmaintained grass).  I feel much more comfortable walking the pavement of a big city and enjoying an overpriced cup of coffee while people watching.  I enjoy nice cars and beautiful houses almost as much as I enjoy designer heels. There is nothing really natural about these things other than the leather that potentially contributes to their creation.
Despite my great protesting, I was forced out into nature when I was younger as my brother was part of the Boy Scouts of America.  I went on family camping trips, I slept on the ground, I cooked over an open fire, I kayaked; I was miserable! There was no amount of bug spray that would make that situation enjoyable for me.  I often spent the whole time staring at what I liked to call tree huggers, but this reading has provided me with a more proper name for these people.  I just could not seem to understand how the biophilliacs could be so in tune with nature and embrace it so openly.  The only thing that I gained from the experiences was the ability to use a bow and arrow.
My roommate on the other hand fits in with that group rather well.  She enjoys hiking, biking, and all of the other general outdoorsy experiences.  She likes fishing, and while her family does eat some of them, she often names them before throwing them back.
As I read along, and looked at the life she leads, I realized that I can find a happy medium between the two extremes described in the article.  There is no need for me to despise the outdoors the way that I do but I could also learn to coexist with the world around me and respect nature.  While I realize this is silly, I actually didn't squish an ant today just because I wanted to be that much more environmentally conscious.

A Whole Lot of Crazy #5

I really don't see how the hanging of twelve people is the same thing as misusing land. Although I do feel that the author was a little dramatic and used some rather vivid imagery, I do get his point.  While I highly doubt that anybody will stop referring to land as property, I do believe that we have to stop the over development.
In any developed nation, we use and abuse our land but expect no consequences.  Lakes and rivers are polluted with runoff, land is starved of nutrients, animals are disappearing at an alarming rate and yet we continue to expand.
I have no problem with people owning land, or even corporations owning land.  However, they need to know how to use their land and respect it.  While we still have a long way to go, FGCU is really doing something amazing.  This is the only campus where I have ever seen recycle bins as prevalent as trash cans.  I love that we are only allowed to develop on a certain percentage of the land and even that colloquium is a required class.  It exposes students to the hardships and concerns of the world and the ways that we can help prevent or improve them.
This article has made me look at my own life in a strange way.  It makes me wonder how keeping a light on when I walk out of the room or throwing away a plastic bottle instead of recycling affects the world. If every person mad a conscious effort just to care about the way we use land, maybe we could reverse some of the damage and prevent that of the future.