Oktoberfest!

Went to the Oktoberfest today.  It is a large celebation they have at the Cape Coral German American Social Cub for two weekends in October each year.  There was an unbelievable amount of people there; the place was absolutely packed and more people just seemed to be pouring in.  Whenever we attend the Oktoberfest, I automatically know what I am going to get to eat, Potato Pancakes.  Two crisp delicious potato pancakes served with applesauce on the side.  Delicious!!!  We spent most of the time wandering around the differnt booths and sitting under the giant tent listening to the music.  The band that played there this year was really wonderful; very lively and they really played some great music!

I also had class this morning because I decided I wanted to take class on Saturday mornings, go figure.  It is medical terminology and it actually is pretty interesting and probably will be important to know later because if you know all the meanings of different parts, you can break down and know the meanings of a lot of different medical terms.So I like the topic, but being stuck in a lecture room for three hours every Saturday morning isn't the most exciting thing.

In good news, I received a large order of yarn, books, patterns, and few other things I ordered online.  Very excited about their arrival since I have been waiting to order these items for quite a while.  Now just the challenge of figuring out what yarn to use to make what pattern???

Until next time, J.

Almost a year later!

The view from Fira, Santorini!

Hello Again!

Sorry to have not written in so long.  Since this blog had started out as a class project, I was unsure of what to do with it once the class ended.  Well that was a little less than a year ago now, and I have just been letting it sit so I think it is time to give a bit of an update of what is going on.  In regards to Colloquium class,  I still appreciate everything I learned in that class and all of the trips we went on, if only for the sole purpose that it was so different from any other class I have ever attended.  In other news...my college career is nearing the finish line.  I plan to graduate in the spring with a major in biology as well as a minor in both chemistry and interdisciplinary studies.  The real question is where do I go from here???  I think that is probably the question on the minds of almost everyone about to graduate.

I have decided that I would like to pursue a career in medicine and I have been working towards the goal of becoming a Physician Assistant, taking the necessary classes and filling out applications.  There is no telling what will happen, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.  Otherwise, I have a few ideas for backup options that will keep me headed on the right path, so the situation doesn't seem quite that dire just yet.

I did want to mention that one of the classes I am taking this semester I find to be absolutely amazing.  It is called Senior Seminar and is sort of a capstone to everything we have done up to this point, but it really challenges you to think about your life.  I had to write a 10-12 page paper about my life story so far and try to find the thread that runs through it, connecting my life events.  Let me tell you, doing this assignment really makes you think about the choices you have made in the past and how they relate to where you are now and where you are headed.  Just by writing the paper and reading over it, I grew to know myself even more so and discovered some things I hadn't previously known.  It is a class that makes you think about life and how what we do really does make a difference, whether it is good or bad.  You don't get too many of those courses when majoring in the sciences so it really was refreshing.

I have been on a hiatus from knitting for awhile...getting back into the swing of things with school kind of put knitting on the back burner for a bit.  But I am getting restless and when I pulled out my half completed project a few days ago, I just wanted to jump right into it.  It is such a relaxing and peaceful hobby that it actually helps me to de-stress so I am going to try and take some time each day, even if it is just fifteen minutes, to knit a bit.  My current project is the Tilted Duster which is a wonderful pattern written by Norah Gaughan. I am have finished both sleeves, both front pieces, and I had actually finished the back piece first, but it came out kind of wonky, so I am currently redoing it.  It is fun to knit, but I have procrastinated on it so of course it seems like I have started it forever ago.  I would say it would be nice to finish it before the weather gets cold enough to wear it ( since we are in Florida, I should still have a decent amount of time :)  but knowing me, I will finish it just in time for next summer.

Well, that is the update so far.  I will try to post more often so I can stay up to date on all the happenings. 

P.S.   Here are some Europe pictures from a trip over the summer.  Fantastic, Mediterranean cruises are highly recommended!!

Entry # 10: Final Goodbye to Colloquium

I really can't believe this semester is almost over.  I know I say this every semester, but now more than ever before, the time has just disappeared.  I learned so many important things in this class that it would be near impossible for me to list them all, but what really made a huge connection to me is the link between sustainability and the need of implementing this in our health care system.  After reading about the need for Reinvention of Health care in the text, writing a paper on it, and giving a presentation on the topic, I have learned a great deal about the status of the health care system in the United States as well as in other parts of the world.  I have learned also about what changes need to be implemented in order to prevent the occurrence of disease rather than just the treatment.  I was glad to be able to learn about this as I plan to have a career in the health field one day and the connection between sustainability and health care was made very clear in the ways that the health care system needs to be greened.
       The one thing that I really loved about this class was the first-hand experiences I received that I probably never would have had if I hadn't taken it.  I loved all of the field trips we took to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, ECHO, and downtown Fort. Myers, as well as the walks around campus.  It was wonderful to be able to see all of these places.  I hadn't been on an actual class field trip since probably middle school and it was a wonderful experience to learn new knowledge in an exciting new place along with my classmates.  However, in all honesty, I really found the quizzes to be one of the more difficult aspects in this class as it was difficult to remember specific knowledge about the stories I had read, especially when they were each only a couple of questions. 
       I think the thing that affected me the most out of this class was the service learning.  If I wasn't required to do this, I would never have gone out to volunteer at the Randell Research Center and learn about the Calusa Indians there while cleaning up the center as well as meeting two other girls from FGCU while volunteering there.  I also would not have known about 350.org which has such an important message.  On 10/10/10, we planted 350 plants on campus and cleaned up litter, and afterwards, I went to the main website and saw how people from all over the world were participating in events as well on the same day.  It made me feel like I had been a small part of a global movement, something that was much bigger than myself.  If not for colloquium, I would not have experienced all of the things I have listed in this post, and these are the experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life.  I'm so glad that my colloquium class brought information about sustainability into the classroom and into my life as well.

Entry #9: Field Trip to Downtown Ft. Myers

       For our third field trip, my class took a trip to Downtown Fort. Myers.  It was very exciting to be learning the history of Ft. Myers and to see pictures of areas we were currently in from many years beforehand.  I loved walking up and down the city streets, and viewing the water in the Calusahatchee was the perfect ending to the day, even though it had started out a little wet when we started the trip.  The place in the city that made me feel most comfortable and energized was by the water.  It was very beautiful to see the buildings highlighted by the setting sun as well as the looking out into the distance over the river.  It is peaceful there, but also lively as there are many boats in the marina and people riding by on their bicycles next to the dock.  The urban landscape that we witnessed on this field trip was very exciting, and not calming at all.
          Everywhere you look, you see people moving and walking all the time, as though everyone has somewhere important to be.  It almost makes you feel as if you need to get going to places and doing different things as well.  The areas in the city that are without plants and greenery definitely feel much harsher than the areas with plants.  The green that stands out among the concrete buildings is comforting and soothing to the eye, and it adds a feeling of peace.  However, when walking around downtown, I noticed that there were not a lot of parks in the urban environment.  There was a very small park filled with palm trees that was quite lovely, but even though there may be more wildlife in this one area, overall I did not really see evidence of wildlife in the urban spaces.  I really feel a connection to the city as it has such an energizing feeling to it.  I do enjoy to be in open spaces, with only nature as far as the eye can see, but there is just a powerful and awe-inspiring feeling to city life and the hustle and bustle of it all.  It is as if it has its own persona and character.

       A large amount of city space is actually devoted to vehicles.  There are several parking garages where one can leave their vehicles, as well as lots and streets in which people will park along.  Garages cost the most to park as it is one dollar per hour to park there (with a limit of five dollars per day), and the cheapest is that in some area parking lots you can park for free, but only for a couple of hours.  The largest generator of parking need would be for the many people who commute and work in the area as there are many law offices, and large corporate buildings.  Certain businesses will arrange to share parking as there is a limited amount of space and it it easier to do this.  For example, a government building might use a certain parking lot for its employees during the week, and then on Sundays, that lot may be used by a nearby church for its members. 

       The most convenient mass transit in the area would likely be the bus system.  In all likelihood, I would probably not use it as it would take more time than it would to use a car. I would definitely use a mass transit system, however, if it were in a place where it would be advantageous to take mass transit over the use of a personal vehicle.  There are different shopping malls and strip developments that have appeared along the highways that bypass the city, and these take a lot of potential business away from the cities.  With more opportunities to go to mega-chain stores, people don't need to go into the city to buy what they need from local businesses.  Therefore, a lot of money that could be put into the city and local business is being used elsewhere, and this hurts the city's economic lifeblood.  Before mega-stores, most people in cities would go down to their local grocery store, but now that huge chains have opened up nearby, there is less money being spent in local businesses.  This is a problem that doesn't occur just in Fort Myers, but everywhere, as people are attracted to the discounted prices (even though this may mean discounted value as well) and ease of access to strip developments and chain stores.

       Overall, this field trip was a wonderful experience and I had a great time during it.  I hope that I will be able to go back downtown soon for any upcoming events that are occurring in the area.  It was interesting to have learned how downtown Ft. Myers has changed so much from long ago up until now, and yet some buildings look like they haven't changed at all.

All of the pictures in this blog post are from http://www.picturesfrom.com/fort-myers/

Some of the information that was included in this post was learned from http://www.cityftmyers.com/

Entry #8: Major Pollutors

     As a society, we are consumers.  We buy things, use them up until we don't want them anymore, and then eventually dispose of them.  The question is however, where does all the waste that we have produced go??  Well, it ends up being transported to landfills.  The worst part is that toxic materials have to be disposed of as well, whether they come from factories, or health care industries disposing of hazardous materials.  These materials end up going back into the world in which we live.  We are, in essence, creating harmful, toxic wastes in order to produce the consumable items we so desire, and then putting this waste back into the Earth, creating negative impacts to the environment, and to all of those people who live in the vicinity of the waste disposal area.  I don't believe there is a true solution to disposing of toxic materials so they do not harm the environment or impact the health of the people in the nearby area, but there are several things that could be helpful.  Firstly, incineration of materials can be quite dangerous.  Even though it alleviates the build up of garbage, it can have far worse consequences.  When items are incinerated, the smoke will enter the air, and many times this smoke contains harmful chemicals.  These chemicals are being introduced into the air in which we breathe, a horrible concept to even consider.  To stop the incineration of certain toxic wastes would be a good way to lessen their negative impact.
       We have to try as hard as possible to keep toxic wastes separated from other ordinary waste.  By quarantining it and placing it in areas that are not in close proximity to human beings, we can try to decrease its destructiveness.  No matter what though, the environment will still be impacted by this.  I also believe that people who live in poorer neighborhoods are most definitely subjected to noxious industries more than those in rich neighborhoods.  People pay money so they can live in gated communities, and don't have to see the horrible side to the world in which we live.  Their garbage is placed out on the street, picked up by a garbage truck, and is never seen again.  There are no factories down the street polluting the air with smokestacks; there are community parks instead.  Unfortunately, the horrible aspects still exist; they are just hidden from the sight of those who have enough income in order to afford a blindfold, and are instead relocated to areas where people who don't have enough money to leave are exposed to the noxious industries and wastes instead.
        According to the website, http://www.scorecard.org/ , the top five polluters that are in my zip code are Munters Corp. in Ft. Myers, Precision Econowind Inc. in North Ft. Myers, KCS Intl. Shamrock Div. in Cape Coral, Action Craft in Cape Coral, and Polymer Casting (DBA Corinthian Marble) in Fort Myers.  The top polluter is Munters Corp. and what is extremely shocking is that out of the top eight polluters, they are releasing more than twice the amount of waste of the other seven combined.  Munters Corp. is releasing 159,572 pounds of waste, while the second highest, Precision Econowind Inc. is releasing  22,202 pounds of waste.  Munters Corp. is releasing methanol, formaldehyde, phenol, toluene, and methyl ethyl ketone into the air.  From their main website, http://www.munters.com/en/Munters-Corporate-Home/About-Munters/ , it was determined that Munters specializes in the creation of optimized indoor climate solutions that are energy efficient.  It surprised me to look at the website and read about them producing products that are energy efficient, and know that they are the biggest polluter of the environment, (through releases of pollutants into the air) by far in the area I live in.

Entry # 7, ECHO field trip

       My colloquium class took a field trip on Tuesday to ECHO, which is located in North Fort Myers, Florida.  ECHO stands for Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization.  Their main goals are to find affordable agriculture for people in the rest of the world and to teach as well as facilitate small farmers.  The four major components that are involved with obtaining this goal include problem solving ( for example, moving plants that were grown in one area to another area), seeds (which they provide to the farmers), providing the education and training needed in order to teach these farmers how to grow their plants, and finally networking.  ECHO was set up in order to show the different problems that might be encountered by farmers in different climate zones.  Some of these areas included the hot humid lowlands, the tropical highlands, and semi-arid environments. 

      There were many interesting plants at ECHO that we learned about.  A tree called the Neem tree is used as an organic pest control and in earlier times, it had been used by people for dental health.  The Moringa tree, also known as the Miracle tree, is very nutritious.  It has a lot of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and protein in it.  Its powder can be added to the meals of malnourished children as it will help them to gain weight much more quickly and easily.  It can also be used to help small children who have diarrhea get better quicker and is highly useful for women who are breast feeding to take.

       While at ECHO, we also learned about the different methods about gathering water as well as purifying it.  Irrigation pumps are used to safely deliver the water to the crops efficiently and without the use of energy.  Drip irrigation is a technique that can be used in order to water crops and conserve water.  Water can also be collected off roofs, and then later given to crops, or purified.  It can be purified by using bio sand filters to remove the pathogens or by putting it into a clear two liter bottle in the sun for four to six hours so the UV rays will kill any pathogens in it.  The Moringa seed can also be added as it will rid the water of any impurities.

       In different environments, there are different challenges with growing plants.  In areas that are prevalent for flooding, raised beds can be used in order to protect the plant from the excessive water.  In areas such as Western Africa where there is a dry climate, sunken beds can be used in order to collect as much water as  possible, while also protecting the plants from the harsh winds that may come across the area.  In tropical highlands, slope agriculture land technology, (SALT), is used in order to grow crops while improving soil on the steep hillsides.

Ohh, a Pineaapple!

       After learning so much information during our visit to ECHO, I realized that there are many ways in which I can become a better consumer.  By growing food in my own yard as well as buying food that is produced locally, the many resources that would be used up in order to transport the food, including fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil, and water, would now have been conserved.  In my opinion, the activity at ECHO is very sustainable.  It is all about growing foods locally in order to prevent the waste of resources through transportation as well as providing local farmers with the knowledge and resources to use in order to grow crops and make a profit on them.  I think the main reason why this activity is so sustainable is due to the fact that it taught about different methods used to grow crops in different environments.They even gave information on how to use different materials in order to grow crops in an urban environment.  You can use a rug for the base of the garden and by adding water to one area of it, all of the plants will be nourished.

Rice Paddies!!!

       In my opinion, organic means to create something without processing it.  There are no extra additives or chemicals placed into it to change it into something it is not.  For example, I would not consider any type of food or drink that has food coloring in it to be organic as this has changed the appearance of the food, so that while it may be more appealing for the consumer to purchase, it no longer resembles its original form.  This is a meaning that of course is in regards to our consumption of food and some other products. If you were to look at it from other perspectives however, organic means compounds that have a basis of carbon atoms (organic chemistry), or having to do with living organisms.

       In summary, I found the trip to ECHO to be an incredible source of knowledge about the increasing technology for sustainable farming as well as a wonderfully serene and calm place filled with beautiful plants. It was a wonderful trip and really made me think about how simple methods such as drip irrigation and irrigation pumps are so important to maintain a sustainable environment in which we live.

I took all of the pictures that are shown in this post at ECHO in North Fort Myers, Florida

I learned all of the information that is mentioned in this post during my field trip to ECHO

Entry # 6, A Day of Consumption

This is a list I have created of everything I used in one day as well as everything I ate in that day.  This includes the packages that everything came in, (if applicable), as well as the calories of all of the food items.

                                                         

Food Item	Package	Calories
Bowl of Rice Krispies Cereal	Cardboard box	130
Half a cup of milk	Plastic milk jug	65
Jamba Juice Smoothie	Styrofoam cup	250
Dole Fruit cup	Plastic cup with cardboard wrapping	80
Mini pack Sour Patch Kids candy	Plastic bag	60
Michellini Chicken and Rice Frozen meal	Cardboard box	410
Several glasses of water	Water jug	0

Total calories for the day = 995 calories

List of everything I handled today and what it came in:

Items I Handled	Packages (If applicable)
Alarm clock
Clothes
Hangers
Food	various
Refrigerator	Box
Sneakers	Box
Toothbrush	Plastic package
Toothpaste	Plastic tube
Door handle
Purse (keys, Phone, Sunglasses)
Laundry Detergent	Plastic jug
Washing Machine
Dryer
Notebook	Plastic wrapping
Folder
Television and remote	Box
Scrunchie
Watch
Bed Sheets	Plastic wrapping
Mattress	Box
Pillow
Desk chair
Desk
Pen	Plastic package
Paper	Wrapped in plastic
Shower
soap	Plastic bottle
Faucet
Water
Dishes	Box
Dishwasher
Dish Detergent	Cardboard box
Dish soap	Plastic bottle
stove

That is a lot of stuff, and a lot of plastic used for its packaging. I was very surprised by how many times I had to type plastic onto this list.