"The death of our civilization is no longer a theory or an academic possibility; it is the road we're on" (Peter Goldmark 241).
This is an amazing quote. I really like it because it is the truth and it sounds so on point. I agree with Peter's quote here and it is sad to say, but it's the truth. This quote sounds so dark and depressing. Our world is just deteriorating because of our actions. We are basically living healthy lives on a dying planet. It's funny to think that the death of our civilization was only a theory. Now it's reality and it is inevitable. Maybe if we turn things around now our civilization might just have a chance at proving Peter wrong.
Earth Charter:
1. Respect and Care for the Community of Life
"Principal one of the Earth Charter says that, '...all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of it's worth to human beings.' On the Naples Preserve for my service learning, I remember Becky talking about how important it is to her to have people want to come and help out the preserve. She said that a lot of this stuff probably seems worthless to most people, but in reality it is very important.
2. Ecological Integrity
"Principal two of the Earth Charter says that, '...promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.' I remember on the field trip that we took out near Fort Myers beach where we listened to the instructor talk about the wildlife that was out there before we walked out on the boardwalk. The instructor passed out a bunch of papers that had different species on there and she talked about how important it was to protect those species and ecosystems. I could tell by the way she talked for awhile about the species and ecosystems that she really wanted to stress the importance of them both.
3. Social and Economic Justice
"Principal three of the Earth Charter says that, '...provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.' For my group project it was about poverty and it's crazy to know that people out there are making only $1.25 a day. This is so sad and I think we should definitely provide those people who are struggling out there with the social security and safety nets, because it's the right thing to do. No one wants to live a life on edge.
4. Democracy, Non-Violence, and Peace
"Principal four of the Earth Charter says that, '...enhance the role of mass media in raising awareness of ecological and social challenges.' In class discussions I remember we always talked about how important it was to raise awareness out there to start fixing our world that we live in. Since our planet isn't looking good we need to let everyone know about how we need to fix a lot of things to turn this world around. Ecological and social challenges are very high topics today and raising awareness would just make those challenges obtainable.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Plan B 4.0 Ch.3
"Geographically, the oceans will expand and the continents will shrink."
This is crazy to think that this will actually happen sooner then expected. It's a scary thing to come to realize, but it's true. I believe the way we are using this planet isn't making the circumstance any better. I think we are actually speeding up this process. Once the continents shrink they will basically end up disappearing altogether. The oceans are so large and powerful that they will push the continents to compress and no longer be there. I think the ocean is sometimes scary when it comes to things like this.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast06oct_1/
"The rapidly expanding supply of cheap oil led to an explosive worldwide growth in food production, population, urbanization, and human mobility."
I always hear crazy things about oil spills and how they ruin lots of things. They explode and cause oil spills which damage animal life and plant life. Now oil is that they are supplying cheap oil and it's leading to the growth of food production, population, urbanization, and human mobility. This surprisingly is a good thing. This cheap oil is providing us with a lot of beneficial things. A growth in these things means a great deal to us and the world.
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000325323
"Such intense heat waves also take a direct human toll."
Well yes heat waves are an intense factor to consider. I know that the record breaking heat back then cost a lot of lives all over the world. When it gets too hot out it can affect the way we live. Such intense heat waves are damaging. It isn't fun going out in such hot weather. In today's world, the heat is getting worse and worse every year. Global warming is upon us and sneaking up on us. It'll be here before we know it. Us humans can't handle that intense heat and how we're handling it now is a miracle if you ask me.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2013/08/15/hot-century-ahead-study-finds
"Ice is melting so fast that even climate scientists are scrambling to keep up with the shrinkage of ice sheets and glaciers."
Ice is melting faster and faster today. It's terrible to think that the wildlife that lives out in the freezing continents are going to die off. Since the ice is melting so fast the animals will not have a place to live or be able to get food. This problem is because of global warming occurring at any time. It is just getting hotter and hotter and it's causing the ice to melt. The ice sheets and glaciers are no longer going to be present which is a big deal.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/study-melting-glaciers-have-reached-point-no-return
This is crazy to think that this will actually happen sooner then expected. It's a scary thing to come to realize, but it's true. I believe the way we are using this planet isn't making the circumstance any better. I think we are actually speeding up this process. Once the continents shrink they will basically end up disappearing altogether. The oceans are so large and powerful that they will push the continents to compress and no longer be there. I think the ocean is sometimes scary when it comes to things like this.
"The rapidly expanding supply of cheap oil led to an explosive worldwide growth in food production, population, urbanization, and human mobility."
I always hear crazy things about oil spills and how they ruin lots of things. They explode and cause oil spills which damage animal life and plant life. Now oil is that they are supplying cheap oil and it's leading to the growth of food production, population, urbanization, and human mobility. This surprisingly is a good thing. This cheap oil is providing us with a lot of beneficial things. A growth in these things means a great deal to us and the world.
"Such intense heat waves also take a direct human toll."
Well yes heat waves are an intense factor to consider. I know that the record breaking heat back then cost a lot of lives all over the world. When it gets too hot out it can affect the way we live. Such intense heat waves are damaging. It isn't fun going out in such hot weather. In today's world, the heat is getting worse and worse every year. Global warming is upon us and sneaking up on us. It'll be here before we know it. Us humans can't handle that intense heat and how we're handling it now is a miracle if you ask me.
"Ice is melting so fast that even climate scientists are scrambling to keep up with the shrinkage of ice sheets and glaciers."
Ice is melting faster and faster today. It's terrible to think that the wildlife that lives out in the freezing continents are going to die off. Since the ice is melting so fast the animals will not have a place to live or be able to get food. This problem is because of global warming occurring at any time. It is just getting hotter and hotter and it's causing the ice to melt. The ice sheets and glaciers are no longer going to be present which is a big deal.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Plan B 4.0 Ch. 2
"as aquifers are depleted by over pumping and the mountain glaciers that sustain so many of the worlds rivers and irrigation systems melt and disappear." (Plan B 4.0)
If this continues then our water resources will be scarce. The mountain glaciers are a big part of getting water. If they melt and disappear then we would have to find another resource that will give us water or we will just be out of luck. We need aquifers to give us water and purify it so we don't get sick or die of some parasite disease that the water could have been carrying. Since they are now getting depleted by over pumping this is a concern and should be a priority to fix. The mountain glaciers also sustain our rivers and if they disappear then there won't be any sustaining of them.
http://imgkid.com/mountain-glacier.shtml
"Worldwide we drink on average close to four liters of water per day, either directly or in coffee, juice, soda, wine, or other beverages." (Plan B 4.0)
This is crazy to me. I cannot believe that we drink this much water. I mean it's good for us to be more healthy and live a longer life, but this is affecting our water systems. This amount of water is used in all these beverages that we consume on a daily basis. However, I think that a lot of this water is used also in food production. So on average we are consuming a ton of water. I don't think a lot of people know this, but should be notified about it since it is a big deal on our irrigation systems. We are just going to keep growing and growing in numbers and soon our resources that provide water for us won't be there anymore.
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/programinitiative/protecting-drinking-water-0
"As water tables fall, well drillers are using modified oil-drilling technology to reach water, going down a half mile or more in some locations." (Plan B 4.0)
Going down a half mile to reach the water that we need to survive is a long way to go. To have to do this to get water is intense. This is what it has to come down too today is we have to drill a half a mile down to reach water. This is telling us that we are destroying our water resources so bad that we have to drill a half a mile down just to get water. This is probably doing more damage to our world by drilling so much into the soil. It's sad to say that we have come up with an oil-drilling technology just so we can get water.
http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/oil-rigs-drilling-ever-deeper/1098
"While desert expansion and water shortages are now displacing millions of people, rising seas promise to displace millions of people." (Plan B 4.0)
Desert expansion and water shortages is a scary thing since it displaced millions of people already. Imagine if this continues and we keep ignoring the problem. Now rising seas are promising to whip out millions more. These things that are happening are a way of the earth telling us to help clean it up and to change our ways. We only primarily care about our needs rather than the earth. We should be putting the two together and protecting both. Without this earth we cannot live and cleaning up and starting to protect this world can create a better world for everyone.
http://blog.geogarage.com/2015/01/us-cities-lag-in-race-against-rising.html
If this continues then our water resources will be scarce. The mountain glaciers are a big part of getting water. If they melt and disappear then we would have to find another resource that will give us water or we will just be out of luck. We need aquifers to give us water and purify it so we don't get sick or die of some parasite disease that the water could have been carrying. Since they are now getting depleted by over pumping this is a concern and should be a priority to fix. The mountain glaciers also sustain our rivers and if they disappear then there won't be any sustaining of them.
"Worldwide we drink on average close to four liters of water per day, either directly or in coffee, juice, soda, wine, or other beverages." (Plan B 4.0)
This is crazy to me. I cannot believe that we drink this much water. I mean it's good for us to be more healthy and live a longer life, but this is affecting our water systems. This amount of water is used in all these beverages that we consume on a daily basis. However, I think that a lot of this water is used also in food production. So on average we are consuming a ton of water. I don't think a lot of people know this, but should be notified about it since it is a big deal on our irrigation systems. We are just going to keep growing and growing in numbers and soon our resources that provide water for us won't be there anymore.
"As water tables fall, well drillers are using modified oil-drilling technology to reach water, going down a half mile or more in some locations." (Plan B 4.0)
Going down a half mile to reach the water that we need to survive is a long way to go. To have to do this to get water is intense. This is what it has to come down too today is we have to drill a half a mile down to reach water. This is telling us that we are destroying our water resources so bad that we have to drill a half a mile down just to get water. This is probably doing more damage to our world by drilling so much into the soil. It's sad to say that we have come up with an oil-drilling technology just so we can get water.
"While desert expansion and water shortages are now displacing millions of people, rising seas promise to displace millions of people." (Plan B 4.0)
Desert expansion and water shortages is a scary thing since it displaced millions of people already. Imagine if this continues and we keep ignoring the problem. Now rising seas are promising to whip out millions more. These things that are happening are a way of the earth telling us to help clean it up and to change our ways. We only primarily care about our needs rather than the earth. We should be putting the two together and protecting both. Without this earth we cannot live and cleaning up and starting to protect this world can create a better world for everyone.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Food Inc
My first "wow" moment was when this video showed how animals get treated so that we can eat. I even got a little teary eyed watching this and I never want to again. The way that they just put the little baby chickens on the moving platform and picked them out one by one and smash their little heads to kill them just shocked me. That is animal cruelty and get's me so mad. It is just so sad to watch animals get treated like that. I know we as humans need to eat but that is no excuse for how they treat animals today. Even reinventing the chickens size so that we can have more white meat is just ridiculous. It's not natural and it is disgusting to me. I have so much sympathy for these animals because their being tortured and I only wish that these people could be in their places and see what it's like.
I agree with the guy saying that we would want our chicken in a less amount of time rather than a longer period of time. The process with getting chickens originally took three months and now it takes forty-nine days. Since they are growing their chickens unnaturally and quicker we get to have more chicken and in a short amount of time. I agree that I would want chicken sooner than have to wait but since it's unnatural why would anyone want this? I think it is disgusting how they treat chickens just throwing them around like they are nothing and also growing them the way we do today is just weird to me.
My second "wow" moment is the chicken houses. It is just depressing and terrible how these chickens can't even stand on their feet because of their rapid growing organs that we made them to have. They just end up falling over and dying. A lot of these houses are not open to sunlight so the chickens are just living in the dark their whole short lives. Nothing is natural anymore it's all just one big factory because businesses like to do whatever to make money.
I disagree with everything in this video. I got really passionate talking about this video and it is sick how they treat these animals. It's disgusting, unnatural, cruel, and disappointing. I don't care if these companies just want to make their money. They don't deserve anything and should be put out of business. We should go back to the old days where everything was naturally grown. These farms aren't farms anymore. There just a big factory and it's fake food.
I agree with the guy saying that we would want our chicken in a less amount of time rather than a longer period of time. The process with getting chickens originally took three months and now it takes forty-nine days. Since they are growing their chickens unnaturally and quicker we get to have more chicken and in a short amount of time. I agree that I would want chicken sooner than have to wait but since it's unnatural why would anyone want this? I think it is disgusting how they treat chickens just throwing them around like they are nothing and also growing them the way we do today is just weird to me.
My second "wow" moment is the chicken houses. It is just depressing and terrible how these chickens can't even stand on their feet because of their rapid growing organs that we made them to have. They just end up falling over and dying. A lot of these houses are not open to sunlight so the chickens are just living in the dark their whole short lives. Nothing is natural anymore it's all just one big factory because businesses like to do whatever to make money.
I disagree with everything in this video. I got really passionate talking about this video and it is sick how they treat these animals. It's disgusting, unnatural, cruel, and disappointing. I don't care if these companies just want to make their money. They don't deserve anything and should be put out of business. We should go back to the old days where everything was naturally grown. These farms aren't farms anymore. There just a big factory and it's fake food.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Tomorrow's Biodiversity
"Biodiversity works in harmony and in concert to create and maintain life." (Shiva 41)
This phrase couldn't of said it any better. It's not just one thing that makes this world sustain life. It's the diversity around us that make it more synchronized and beautiful. Diversity means everyone or everything giving a little something to the world and making it better. Biodiversity is the diversity of life and it expresses the life we live in today. Biodiversity has shaped the world around us and helped make it a better life to live. We are basically all connected by biodiversity.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/preserving-biodiversity
"The recycling of water, oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon is made possible by diverse species working incessantly to maintain the ecological processes that support life." (Shiva 43)
This is definitely accurate and nice to know. This phrase is telling us that everything in this world, whether it be us, animals, plants, chemicals, or the different elements, is working together to maintain the life we live. If there were no recycling then the ecological processes wouldn't be so easy to accomplish. The breaking down of chemicals and unwanted substances is what makes the earth revolve around and repeat life. In order to maintain life we need certain things to help break things down or the process of recycling.
http://www.cumberlandri.org/trashrecycling.htm
"We owe practically all life to bacteria." (Shiva 43)
I don't believe that we necessarily owe everything to bacteria. I know bacteria is beneficial in a lot of ways with helping break down things, but bacteria is dangerous. It's not a thing we should be applauding, it's something that we should avoid. For bacteria to take all the fame for sustaining life, then that's like saying that we should give thanks to diseases. I think I speak for mostly everyone on this planet when I say that I do not give any kind of credit to diseases or bacteria.
http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/bacteria-20clipart
"Biodiversity is not just a conservation issue, it is an issue affecting economic survival." (Shiva 50)
I believe this phrase is a little too exaggerated in my opinion. Biodiversity is very important, however, there are a million companies out in today's world with enough economic value. This world is always hungry for money and will do anything to help keep things in order. Biodiversity is scarce when everyone just wants to keep taking what they want without no limits. This is when it comes to be an issue involving money, but not to the point where we have to think about going broke. I don't believe biodiversity is too much of a problem with economics.
http://www.staidanscatholicacademy.co.uk/curriculum/economics/
This phrase couldn't of said it any better. It's not just one thing that makes this world sustain life. It's the diversity around us that make it more synchronized and beautiful. Diversity means everyone or everything giving a little something to the world and making it better. Biodiversity is the diversity of life and it expresses the life we live in today. Biodiversity has shaped the world around us and helped make it a better life to live. We are basically all connected by biodiversity.
"The recycling of water, oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon is made possible by diverse species working incessantly to maintain the ecological processes that support life." (Shiva 43)
This is definitely accurate and nice to know. This phrase is telling us that everything in this world, whether it be us, animals, plants, chemicals, or the different elements, is working together to maintain the life we live. If there were no recycling then the ecological processes wouldn't be so easy to accomplish. The breaking down of chemicals and unwanted substances is what makes the earth revolve around and repeat life. In order to maintain life we need certain things to help break things down or the process of recycling.
http://www.cumberlandri.org/trashrecycling.htm
"We owe practically all life to bacteria." (Shiva 43)
I don't believe that we necessarily owe everything to bacteria. I know bacteria is beneficial in a lot of ways with helping break down things, but bacteria is dangerous. It's not a thing we should be applauding, it's something that we should avoid. For bacteria to take all the fame for sustaining life, then that's like saying that we should give thanks to diseases. I think I speak for mostly everyone on this planet when I say that I do not give any kind of credit to diseases or bacteria.
"Biodiversity is not just a conservation issue, it is an issue affecting economic survival." (Shiva 50)
I believe this phrase is a little too exaggerated in my opinion. Biodiversity is very important, however, there are a million companies out in today's world with enough economic value. This world is always hungry for money and will do anything to help keep things in order. Biodiversity is scarce when everyone just wants to keep taking what they want without no limits. This is when it comes to be an issue involving money, but not to the point where we have to think about going broke. I don't believe biodiversity is too much of a problem with economics.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Carson Silent Spring
"Since the mid-1940s over 200 basic chemicals have been created for use in killing insects, weeds, rodents, and other organisms." (Carson 155)
This is just unbelievable and ridiculous. I understand that we need to get bugs and unwanted plants out of our way, but exposing a lot of these chemicals out in the atmosphere is really bad. I don't want insects in my place either because I hate bugs and rodents. How about just killing them with your shoes or smacking them with a swatter? Whatever happened to this solution. It's way better then spraying a bunch of chemicals out in the atmosphere and killing our world slowly. I understand that it's a convenience but what the more important fact is that we need to start putting the environment first for a change.
https://goodtogrow.wordpress.com/tag/fungus-gnats/
"The most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials." (Carson 153)
Even though we don't want to blame ourselves for the pollution that we brought on this earth, we need to start taking account for it. Polluting the seas, rivers, air, and every other place on earth is terrible. We need to stop being lazy and dumping all of our problems into the waters and the air. In the long run we still use this stuff because it's necessary to breathe and drink water. So we are really messing up ourselves at the end of the day. We need to stop the pollution and start realizing how bad it's getting and put an end to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution_in_India
"The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the impetuous and heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature." (Carson 154)
I don't necessarily think that putting ourselves first to get where we need to be and then taking nature second and taking care of it is a bad thing. I believe that we are more important. Nature is very important though too but if I had to chose I would chose man over nature. We are changing things at a fast pace around us and building empires everywhere we go but that's so we have better lives. We are constantly changing but it's for the better I believe.
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/westnile/
This is just unbelievable and ridiculous. I understand that we need to get bugs and unwanted plants out of our way, but exposing a lot of these chemicals out in the atmosphere is really bad. I don't want insects in my place either because I hate bugs and rodents. How about just killing them with your shoes or smacking them with a swatter? Whatever happened to this solution. It's way better then spraying a bunch of chemicals out in the atmosphere and killing our world slowly. I understand that it's a convenience but what the more important fact is that we need to start putting the environment first for a change.
"The most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials." (Carson 153)
Even though we don't want to blame ourselves for the pollution that we brought on this earth, we need to start taking account for it. Polluting the seas, rivers, air, and every other place on earth is terrible. We need to stop being lazy and dumping all of our problems into the waters and the air. In the long run we still use this stuff because it's necessary to breathe and drink water. So we are really messing up ourselves at the end of the day. We need to stop the pollution and start realizing how bad it's getting and put an end to it.
"The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the impetuous and heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature." (Carson 154)
I don't necessarily think that putting ourselves first to get where we need to be and then taking nature second and taking care of it is a bad thing. I believe that we are more important. Nature is very important though too but if I had to chose I would chose man over nature. We are changing things at a fast pace around us and building empires everywhere we go but that's so we have better lives. We are constantly changing but it's for the better I believe.
https://tothewire.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/the-anthropocene-era-is-man-dominating-nature/
"Insects came into conflict with human welfare in two ways: as competitors for the food supply and as carriers of human disease." (Carson 157)
This is where I draw the line. I know chemicals are terrible to expose but if these insects are bringing some diseases that can kill us then it's time for them to be sprayed. I don't want insects around that carry these harmful diseases. This is why we came up with the chemicals to kill them. I still think that we should come up with something different then a harmful pollutant but if it gets the job done then no complaints from me. Some of these insects can steal our food too? I didn't know this but if they do then these animals need to be gone for good.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Nature of the Everglades
"That is the name later Indians gave the lake, a name almost as recent as the word "Everglades." It means "Big Water." Everybody knows it." (Douglas 107)
Douglas is saying in this sentence that everyone knew that Lake Okeechobee really meant "Big Water." Well I didn't know this actually so I would say that not everyone knows this. I hope I'm not the only one who didn't know this but I would like to guess that there's others out there in my position. This sentence really stood out to me because it was so well assumed that everyone knew this information about the great Lake Okeechobee. Honestly I would also like to point out that I didn't know that the Indians gave the lake it's name. After I read this sentence I was happy that I got to know a little fact about this popular lake.
http://www.expresslakerentals.com/lake-okeechobee-rentals.php
"It reaches one hundred miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico, fifty, sixty, even seventy miles wide." (Douglas 108)
This sentence definitely stood out to me and after reading this sentence I thought wow! I never knew it stretched out that far. I guess I never really learned about this lake and I'm realizing that this is very huge and magnificent. Their saying the lake is maybe even seventy miles wide. Now that's just ridiculous. After learning how big this lake is, this sentence makes me want to go and see this lake for myself since I never have before.
http://www.a-guide-to-florida-bass-fishing.com/lake-okeechobee.html
"Here the rain falls more powerfully and logically than anywhere else upon the temperate mainland of the United States."
I find this so amazing! The fact that rain hits the Everglades harder then anywhere else in the United States is just so cool to me. I know that the Everglades only gets it's water from the rain so this sentence makes a lot of sense now. Now this sentence has me wondering how much rainfall does the Everglades really get each year. This sentences stood out to me because it is really cool to know now where exactly rain falls the hardest here in the U.S. I think it's great too that the Everglades gets it's water only from the rain and not other places where water might be polluted and such.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/197196/Everglades
"Life on the Rock section" (Douglas 134-149)
This whole section about plants and animals who live out in the Everglades was the most interesting to me, because I love animals and I am fascinated by the different plants that exist. Learning about the different kinds of animals that live out there were really cool to read about. There were rattlesnakes, woodpeckers, alligators (of course), mockingbirds, deer, red and yellow grasshoppers with heads shaped like horses, and a lot more. Those grasshoppers got to me because I never knew there was such a thing. Only in the Everglades I guess! The plants that I read about sounded beautiful as described in the book and there were a ton of different plants. I loved this section because it taught me the different and most remarkable life that lives out in the Everglades.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlesi/2617575705/
Douglas is saying in this sentence that everyone knew that Lake Okeechobee really meant "Big Water." Well I didn't know this actually so I would say that not everyone knows this. I hope I'm not the only one who didn't know this but I would like to guess that there's others out there in my position. This sentence really stood out to me because it was so well assumed that everyone knew this information about the great Lake Okeechobee. Honestly I would also like to point out that I didn't know that the Indians gave the lake it's name. After I read this sentence I was happy that I got to know a little fact about this popular lake.
"It reaches one hundred miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico, fifty, sixty, even seventy miles wide." (Douglas 108)
This sentence definitely stood out to me and after reading this sentence I thought wow! I never knew it stretched out that far. I guess I never really learned about this lake and I'm realizing that this is very huge and magnificent. Their saying the lake is maybe even seventy miles wide. Now that's just ridiculous. After learning how big this lake is, this sentence makes me want to go and see this lake for myself since I never have before.
"Here the rain falls more powerfully and logically than anywhere else upon the temperate mainland of the United States."
I find this so amazing! The fact that rain hits the Everglades harder then anywhere else in the United States is just so cool to me. I know that the Everglades only gets it's water from the rain so this sentence makes a lot of sense now. Now this sentence has me wondering how much rainfall does the Everglades really get each year. This sentences stood out to me because it is really cool to know now where exactly rain falls the hardest here in the U.S. I think it's great too that the Everglades gets it's water only from the rain and not other places where water might be polluted and such.
"Life on the Rock section" (Douglas 134-149)
This whole section about plants and animals who live out in the Everglades was the most interesting to me, because I love animals and I am fascinated by the different plants that exist. Learning about the different kinds of animals that live out there were really cool to read about. There were rattlesnakes, woodpeckers, alligators (of course), mockingbirds, deer, red and yellow grasshoppers with heads shaped like horses, and a lot more. Those grasshoppers got to me because I never knew there was such a thing. Only in the Everglades I guess! The plants that I read about sounded beautiful as described in the book and there were a ton of different plants. I loved this section because it taught me the different and most remarkable life that lives out in the Everglades.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
A Land Remembered
In the book, A Land Remembered by Patrick Smith, I chose the character Solomon MacIvey. This character is from the first chapter and takes place in Miami, Florida in 1968. This character is an older man who is wealthy based on his empire-building career. He built hotels and banks and other kinds of businesses. He has a half brother who is Native American that lives on a reservation. MacIvey's father was Native American and his mother was white. He chose to make his career based on his mothers side to build on the land instead of preserving it. Towards the end he knows that he was wrong by building all of the buildings that he created instead of preserving the land and the animals. Towards his last few days he returns to this cabin that his father built. On his way there he stops and visits his half brother Toby Cypress and makes peace with him. MacIvey tells him that he made a mistake building his empire on the land and destroying it. MacIvey's role in this novel is to make a point to people that building on a lot of land can hurt it and the animals that live on it.
http://nativeappropriations.com/2012/02/bon-ivers-towers-a-tribute-to-native-american-preservation-land.html
The relationship between MacIvey and the environment is that he has a sensitive feeling towards it and cares about it. He knows that in the end he made a mistake by building his empire on the land and how it affects people like his brother who is Native American. His brother lives on a reservation because of all of the building that were created on their land. MacIvey is sad in the end that he was a part of destroying the land that the Native Americans once lived on and the animals as well. The relationship between MacIvey and the natural world is also a closed feeling. This world has a lot of reservations now because of people like MacIvey creating more and more buildings on the land and basically took over the Native American lives.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/reservation/
The character MacIvey experiences his strong sense of place when he knows he only has a few days left to live. When he knows he is going to pass soon, he realizes that his real sense of place is not in his mansion in Miami, but in his fathers cabin out near the reservation that his brother lives on. There he feels most comfortable and at home. The legacy that MacIvey left behind to others was that building these empires on the land of Native Americans isn't right. Making them move and live on a reservation is just simply wrong and unfair.
http://www.glogster.com/mmacquarrie/indian-reservations-in-the-u-s-/g-6lg7nisunokv8mmf9ov1ua0
I relate to the character MacIvey because I also do not think it is fair or right to take the land of Native Americans and put them on reservations to live. In the end we think about the land, the animals, the Native Americans and how it isn't fair to do what we have done to them now. If they own a certain type of land then we should leave it be. We can build on other sections of land because we need to live too. But this doesn't mean to take all of the land away from the Native Americans and the animals and plants that live on it already.
http://foremostcanada.com/environment-responsibilities/
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
The Land Ethic
"His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in the community, but his ethics prompt him also to co-operate." (Leopold 60)
I agree with this quote mainly because it's basically saying that the land ethic implies that we learn to co-exist and co-operate with others so that we can make this world better. It's respect for the land owners as well as the community that surrounds it. We all fight for land that we want to make ours but we also have to consider the outcome that others can live in the same community. This doesn't just imply humans but we also have to consider the fact that we have wildlife living amongst us. If a certain area is being protected because of the certain species living in it, then we must reevaluate our living arrangements.
Community coming together across the globe. Photo by Extension.
"Ornithologists jumped to the rescue with some distinctly shaky evidence to the effect that insects would eat us up if birds failed to control them." (Leopold 65)
I definitely believe that birds should be taken seriously not only because they would help us with the insect problem, but the fact that they should be a biotic right. The absence or presence of theses birds shouldn't matter if we are economically unstable. Preferably songbirds are slowly disappearing. This should be taken into effect if we can do something about it. We shouldn't just let them completely disappear when we could help.
Songbird. Photo by Mountain Denver.
"If the private owner were ecologically minded, he would be proud to be the custodian of a reasonable proportion of such areas, which add diversity and beauty to his farm and to his community." (Leopold 66)
Some people aren't nature lovers. Yeah this guy might live on a farm but maybe because he might have too due to family or economical problems. He is probably stuck where he is and he has to make the best out of it. He might not like the whole nature background so he tries to tear everything down or take away that type of background. Now if he is ecologically minded, then he might be happy to provide and nurture the ecologically land he has, but he probably just prefers not to have it.
Farm with mountains in the background. Photo by Steven Ahiquist.
"The ecological fundamentals of agriculture are just as poorly known to the public as in other fields of land-use." (Leopold 75)
This to me is an opinionated statement. Only because I believe differently about our agriculture workers. I believe they are working as hard as they can and they provide us with food that we need. To me that's enough if everyone is getting food. I think that the fundamentals of agriculture is greatly known and they are doing a sufficient job. Agriculture is progressing and providing us with enough supplies.
Tractor plowing crops. Photo by John Boehner.
I agree with this quote mainly because it's basically saying that the land ethic implies that we learn to co-exist and co-operate with others so that we can make this world better. It's respect for the land owners as well as the community that surrounds it. We all fight for land that we want to make ours but we also have to consider the outcome that others can live in the same community. This doesn't just imply humans but we also have to consider the fact that we have wildlife living amongst us. If a certain area is being protected because of the certain species living in it, then we must reevaluate our living arrangements.
"Ornithologists jumped to the rescue with some distinctly shaky evidence to the effect that insects would eat us up if birds failed to control them." (Leopold 65)
I definitely believe that birds should be taken seriously not only because they would help us with the insect problem, but the fact that they should be a biotic right. The absence or presence of theses birds shouldn't matter if we are economically unstable. Preferably songbirds are slowly disappearing. This should be taken into effect if we can do something about it. We shouldn't just let them completely disappear when we could help.
"If the private owner were ecologically minded, he would be proud to be the custodian of a reasonable proportion of such areas, which add diversity and beauty to his farm and to his community." (Leopold 66)
Some people aren't nature lovers. Yeah this guy might live on a farm but maybe because he might have too due to family or economical problems. He is probably stuck where he is and he has to make the best out of it. He might not like the whole nature background so he tries to tear everything down or take away that type of background. Now if he is ecologically minded, then he might be happy to provide and nurture the ecologically land he has, but he probably just prefers not to have it.
"The ecological fundamentals of agriculture are just as poorly known to the public as in other fields of land-use." (Leopold 75)
This to me is an opinionated statement. Only because I believe differently about our agriculture workers. I believe they are working as hard as they can and they provide us with food that we need. To me that's enough if everyone is getting food. I think that the fundamentals of agriculture is greatly known and they are doing a sufficient job. Agriculture is progressing and providing us with enough supplies.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment
"Those who walked in the nature preserve performed better than the other participants on a standard proofreading task. They also reported more positive emotions and less anger." (Hartig 7)
This statement makes a lot of sense to me. Of course someone who chose their activity in a nature setting would feel more peaceful and good about themselves then they would watching T.V. or listening to music. I know when I am cooped up in my room I start to over think things and feel bored. When I'm outside laying by the pool or studying outside cause the weather is nice, I feel great inside. I feel more happy and alive. Our attention span is better when we are outside in nature then it is when we are inside. Maybe it's because we have different things to look at and their beautiful because it's unexplainable.
Photo of kids with technology indoors. Photo by aupairusa.
"Encourage girls to study or play in rooms with a view of nature." (Louv 9)
If they encourage just girls to be by a nature-viewed setting when they are studying or playing then why shouldn't boys do the same? I thought it was weird that they didn't mention boys. I don't agree with the fact that we should be encouraging just girls to be placed near nature. I think boys should be too. Boys and girls are the same learning wise and shouldn't be broken up into two groups when it comes to this example involving nature.
This statement makes a lot of sense to me. Of course someone who chose their activity in a nature setting would feel more peaceful and good about themselves then they would watching T.V. or listening to music. I know when I am cooped up in my room I start to over think things and feel bored. When I'm outside laying by the pool or studying outside cause the weather is nice, I feel great inside. I feel more happy and alive. Our attention span is better when we are outside in nature then it is when we are inside. Maybe it's because we have different things to look at and their beautiful because it's unexplainable.
Girl studying outdoors. Photo by GettyPhotos.
"Positive influence of near-home nature on concentration may be more pronounced for girls than for boys." (Louv 8)
I don't necessarily see how they can say that girls have a more positive attitude towards life than boys do. I think it would be equal not gender oriented difference especially because it's nature. Nature is everywhere and influences everyone, boys and girls. I believe everyone that steps out into nature are going to have a more positive influence on concentration. We all concentrate more when we are surrounded by nature rather then be indoors. We get distracted more when we are inside because of the T.V. or eating or listening to music.
Photo of little kids playing with nature. Photo by Webmaster.
"The society that has disengaged the child from nature is most certainly disordered." (Louv 11)
This couldn't be any more from the truth. I think this society is more reliant on technology making their kids happy or better test scores in schools rather then having recess for exercise. Either way this society is forgetting all about nature and children that should be experiencing it. Taking nature away from a child is utter nonsense. We are becoming a society who is lazy and too relied on technology. I think a lot of people are forgetting about nature and the importance of being active and experiencing the outside world around us.
"Encourage girls to study or play in rooms with a view of nature." (Louv 9)
If they encourage just girls to be by a nature-viewed setting when they are studying or playing then why shouldn't boys do the same? I thought it was weird that they didn't mention boys. I don't agree with the fact that we should be encouraging just girls to be placed near nature. I think boys should be too. Boys and girls are the same learning wise and shouldn't be broken up into two groups when it comes to this example involving nature.
Children learning nature. Photo by islandwood.
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