Environment in the News

There was an article in the New York Times called "From Trees and Grass, Bacteria That Cause Snow and Rain" written by Jim Robbins. It is about a bacteria that has been found on plants, clouds, streams and in snow as well as several other places. It is called Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The bacteria is thought to cause freezing at higher temperatures than normal. It does this to create water and ice that will damage plants so the bacteria can get nutrients. Scientists say that it is well known that the bateria helps to cause snow to form but a closer look is being taken at the role of the bacteria in precipitation. The ending conclusion is that it is difficult to pinpoint the effect of the bacterium. It could have less or more of an effect than scientists currently think.

I think this article is so interesting. I did not know that bacteria can create snow and maybe precipitation. One question that came to my mind is that if some plants have more of this bacteria on them would they aid in causing more rain? Could these plants be planted in places with drought problems? That way when the wind swept the bacteria up into the air and into the clouds maybe that area would see more rain. This is a good example of how everything in our environment relies on so many other things. Could it be possible that this bacteria is the key to rain? Would we have rain without this bacteria? We probably would, but maybe not so much of it. It is amazing how everything in our environment is connected and if one thing changes then thousands of things change that no one even notices.

Pictures and article taken from: Robbins, Jim. (2010, May 24). From Trees and grass, bacteria that cause snow and rain. New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/science/25snow.html?ref=science

Field Trip #1: Campus Trails

Last Saturday I took my six year old cousin, Jessica, with me to walk the campus trails and boardwalks that can be found around the buildings. Honestly, I thought it was going to be hot and sticky and miserable but I had a lot of fun. I think that bringing Jessica was the key to having a good time. She thought that everything was amazing and she pointed out wildlife and interesting things that I might not have noticed if she was not there. The first thing that we did was go to the Nature Trail across from the parking garage. I had never been there before so it was as new for me as it was for her. We walked past the picnic tables and hammock to what I thought was the main trail but it was covered in water so we had to turn around. The picture shows the water that was blocking our path. So our next idea was to walk toward the entrance and turn left but we did not get very far until our path was blocked by water again. So we turned around and took the path that would be to the immediate left upon entering the trail. That trail was not blocked by water so we walked the whole thing and ended up all the way by the dorms. Along the way we saw several insects and a large variety of trees. The insects we saw were hard to capture in a picture because they usually moved before I could get my camera ready. The picture shows a lizard that I did happen to get a successful picture of. Our next stop was the boardwalks that go from the buildings to the parking lots. The last picture is of a turtle swimming under water by the boardwalk by Whitaker. Unfortuantely we did not see any birds which seemed unusual to me. We didn't see any alligators either. I think that our campus is more in touch with nature than any other campus that I have been to. I never really paid attention to the trees and wildlife before this. I usually just walked by them on my way to class and did not think much about it. We took a look at the sustainable initiatives on campus too like the Eagle Tap Water and the recycling bins. I showed Jessica the Eagle Tap Water and explained to her why I bring a reusable water bottle to school and fill it up at the water fountain instead of buying a new plastic water bottle every day. It is interesting that the school has put in plants that are native to our area. It is good because walking by bamboo in southwest Florida would be a little strange. One thing I observed is that nature is in many ways unpredictable and without pattern. Trees are not usually lined up prefectly and plants are not all the same height. The native plants on campus are planted strategically to line pathways and they are kept well groomed. I think that the way nature is normally with all of its unpredictability is much more beautiful than anything we do to try to make it look beautiful.

Ecological Footprint

I took the quiz and my results were not that appealing. It turns out that if everyone lived like my family and I do then we would need 4.7 planets in order to survive. I definitely think that changes need to be made. We need to recycle more and not drive ours cars so much. Everyone in my family, besides my six year old cousin, drives their vehicle everyday. I drive mine to and from work; my mother and brother drive their cars for their job since they deliver newspapers; and my dad drives a dump truck all day. Since we need to drive our cars we should cut down in other places like our food habits. We do not buy organic or locally grown food because it is more expensive and difficult to afford in this economy. Maybe we should rethink that and start buying local produce. I compared myself and my family to the people in Florida, females, and people born in 1988 like myself. Compared to Florida we are pretty close totaling 4.7 planets with Florida totaling 4.6 planets. The average across all females is 3.7 planets and the average for people born in 1988 is also 3.7 planets. Since we are close to the average of Floridians maybe there is something to say about that. Maybe people in Florida use up more resources than people in other places for a reason. Or, maybe we are just more wasteful. I took a look at my specific consumption for an entire twenty-four hours and this is what I came up with. My cell phone charger and alarm clock stay plugged in everyday along with my television and DVD player. My television stays turned on all night while I sleep. I do shut my light off in my room unless I absolutely need it for something. I drive my car to work and back totaling about forty-five miles or forty minutes. I drive to eat lunch somewhere every day usually less than five miles away. I do not eat breakfast before work. I drink water from a water cooler all day until lunch then I go somewhere to eat fast food. When I get home I eat a home-cooked dinner made from food bought at Wal-Mart or Publix. I use water when I shower once a day and I wash my hands at least four times a day and brush my teeth. For packaging, at work I handle remotes that come in cardboard packaging and food that is usually in plastic packaging. Looking over my consumption for one day I have came to the conclusion that there are places where I can cut down. I can unplug everything in room for the times when I am not there. There is no reason for my television, DVD player, alarm clock, and cell phone charger to be plugged in when they are not in use. I can also turn off my television at night since I am asleep and not watching it anyway. I do not have an option as far as having to drive to work but I can bring my lunch to work that way I do not have to drive somewhere to get food. I should stop eating fast food and bring my lunch since it would be cheaper and healthier and I will know where my food is actually coming from. Those home-cooked meals could be made with organic or locally grown food. Taking a shorter shower and using hand sanitizer instead of soap and water would cut down on my water consumption. I cannot do anything about the products I handle at work but I can control what I buy at home so I can start buying products made with recyclable packaging. Maybe making these changes would reduce the number of planets we would need if everyone lived like me.

Image 1: http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect16/full-20earth2.jpg

Image 2: http://teachers.greenville.k12.sc.us/sites/dmiles/Blythe%20pictures/car_clipart_3.jpg

Image 3: http://thebsreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/organic-food-usda-9451.jpg

Sense of Place- Your Neighborhood

I have lived in the same house on the same street for my entire life. I used to want to move around and live in other places but there is a lot to be said for having a strong sense of place. I know my area so well that I am comfortable and being comfortable in one aspect of life gives you the green light to take risks in other aspects of your life. I live on a normal residential street in the Golden Gate area of Naples, FL. It is nothing fancy but there is a lot more nature here than there is in other places. I live on about a half acre of land. There are several very large trees in my front yard including palm trees and the backyard has pine trees, palm trees, an avocado tree and orange trees. The picture is of an orange tree in my backyard. There are several insects and small animals that hang around. I looked up the specific species that I see on a regular basis in my National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida. Some insects I see often include the Great Pondhawk Dragonfly, Two Spotted Lady Beetle, Love Bugs, Red Fire Ant, and the Monarch Butterfly. Some reptiles and amphibians that can be found in my area include the Florida Redbelly Turtle, Gopher Tortoise, Black Racer Snake, the Ring-Necked Snake, Corn Snake, and the American Alligator. Common birds I have seen around my house are the Black Vulture, Blue Jay, and the Northern Cardinal. Some mammals include the Virginia Opossum, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Striped Skunk, and the Common Raccoon. All of these animals and insects have been spotted around my house and down in the canal at the end of my street. The picture is of the canal at the end of my street. I think that my sense of place would be at the hammock in my front yard. It’s placed under trees that are dozens of feet tall that have been there probably hundreds of years. I feel safe sitting in the hammock under those trees. The trees protect me from the sun and it is easy to just fall asleep and enjoy the noises of nature.

Incoming Reflection

My initial expectations have come from what I have heard about Colloquium from other students. The usual descriptions include lots of field trips and a ton of writing. So I guess I expect to go on field trips and do a lot of journaling. Judging from our syllabus, they were right. It makes sense to journal after a field trip because there is no point in exploring nature if you do not reflect back on your experiences.

I live on a residential street with a lot of trees. Growing up my experiences with nature was just climbing trees and playing in the yard. I have not done very much traveling but I have been to my grandparents deer hunting camp in Mississippi a few times. My boyfriend bought a kayak a few months ago and it was the most amazing purchase. We have been to Clam Pass, Wiggins Pass, and the Estero River in Koreshan State Park several times. It is so relaxing being on the water and just looking at all the trees and animals. We see birds mostly and a few weeks ago we followed a dolphin around (they are very fast). Taking out the kayak has been my best experiences with nature. The picture was taken while kayaking in Koreshan State Park.
I do not really have any anxieties about this class. I am excited about the field trips and I am looking forward to learning more about nature. My personal goal for this class is to get in touch more with Southwest Florida nature. I have lived in Naples my whole life but unfortunately I do not know a lot about the natural surroundings. I want to know the types of trees that are around here and when I see a bird I want to know what kind it is. I do not think that this class adds to my major all that much since I am a psychology major but it does relate a little to one of my minors. One of my minors is Community Planning and Development. If I decide to go into a job in that field in Southwest Florida then it would be beneficial to know about the surroundings. I hope this class helps to deepen my appreciation for nature.