Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

I think the environmental concern that is most important would be the feeding eight billion people well section. I feel that this issue is most important because some countries do not have enough land to adequately feed their own people.  This concern connects to the course concept of a commitment to community awareness and involvement in order for students to know the issues related to economic, social, and ecological sustainability, analyze and evaluate ecological issues locally and globally. The best way to work toward this sustainable solution either as individuals or as a society would be to raise land productivity, raise water productivity, produce protein more efficiently, localize agriculture, and to reduce demand. The definition of sustainability does address in the solution since in the world food economy achieving an acceptable balance between supply and demand includes reducing demand as well as expanding supply. For example, China has so many people that they are facing growing food insecurities due to the overuse of resources, which will drive them into an ultimate collapse.

            The place where I would want to live would probably be in the suburbs relatively close to the beach and inside a nice community. My home would contribute to sustainability in ways, which it would not consume and waste as many resources as a normal household demands. Some examples are, replacing regular light bulbs with energy saving bulbs, turning off my air conditioning and the lights when I am not at home in addition to utilizing shower heads that are low flow.  I am concretely and realistically going to work towards living in a place like this in the near future because I will keep reminding myself that the environment is here for everyone to use, not just for myself. I think the only barriers that might get in the way of living this lifestyle would be the expense and the inconvenience of switching to a greener household.  However, I plan to overcome these barriers by becoming more selfless and shopping smarter so that I can have the best of both worlds; not spending a lot of money and using products that are more environmentally friendly.

Lester R. Brown, author of Plan B 4.0 Mobilizing to Save Civilization

Cycle of achieving food sustainability

Reasons as to why people go hungry

A Land Remembered

The character I chose from A Land Remembered is Toby. Toby is the half brother of Sol with Zech being their same father yet Tawanda being Toby’s mother and Glenda being Sol’s mother. Toby relates to the environment since Toby grew up in an Indian village where, in order to survive, all they had was the natural world around them. Also, Toby and the Indian villagers were taught to appreciate the land and not take it for granted as it is here for everyone to use. I think Toby feels a sense of place right in his own village since not only is it the place where he grew up but also where he feels most at home and comfortable living the way that he does. For example, when Zech gives Toby a Winchester rifle and a hunting knife I think Toby feels grateful for receiving such wonderful gifts; however, Toby does not end up using them when he teaches Zech how to fish with a spear since that is not what he is accustomed to. 

Growing up, Toby was ridiculed by other children because of his white father but respected by adults due to his MacIvey blood within him. Because of this, I think one of the legacies that Toby will leave behind is that it does not necessarily matter what you look like but rather who you are as a person. Toby happily marries Minnie; has three children and becomes the village chief while his half brother Sol has other plans. After his father’s death, Sol becomes power hungry to a point where all he cares about is leaving a mark with his money. His strong obsession for domination and greed drives him into a depressive state of control and he ends up ruining the forest.

Toby comes to hate Sol after what he has done and decides to avoid all contact with Sol for almost half a century. This goes to show Toby’s strong love of nature and how much of a role model he is for his kids. His children will look back on the legacy of no matter who the person is or what connections you may have with the person, if they destroy something that is precious to you, it should not be tolerated which he has left for them. I believe the main reason I picked Toby is because of who he is. Toby did not have an easy life with Zech not being around much in his life to his mother dying at such a young age and even suffering within his own community because he looked different. All the more so, Toby maintained his pride, honor and sanity no matter what trouble he came face to face with.

Map of Florida in A Land Remembered

Picture of the MacIvey's in A Land Remembered

Patrick Smith, author of A Land Remembered

Koreshan State Park

Cyrus Reed Teed was very narcissitic and considered himself to be the next messiah. He would bring followers to Estero in 1894 to build the "New Jerusalem" for his new faith, Koreshanity. Koreshanity is a set of religious beliefs put forth by Teed himself. Famous sci-fi authors back in the day like Jules Verne and Edgar Rice Burroughs, believed that the Earth was hollow and habitable within. So Teed was not too far off from what was considered an acceptable science at the time. He explained that the known world is on the concave, inner surface of a sphere, outside of which there is only a void. However, this concept of the Earth being concave could not be validated or disproved.

A lot of the Koreshan beliefs were more along the lines of social beliefs. The Koreshans did not go to church as they had no church building in their community and they did not have a designated day of worship. Koreshanity is more of a social religion where the goal was to essentially better the community and eventually better the world as they had high aspirations that Koreshanity would be the official religion of the world. Also, unlike many cult leaders, Teed never used his immense power over his followers for personal benefit.

The colony, known as the Koreshan Unity, has an infamous founding that is still unknown to this day but what is known though was that Teed was trying to find his place in this world and trying to find a way to make himself matter by becoming part of a community. Cyrus Teed was trying to build a community from the ground up, however, the only person who truly knows his motivations at the time was none other than Teed himself. The colony began fading after Teed´s death in 1908, and in 1961 the last four members deeded the land to the state. 

The Koreshan community was surprisingly enlightened for its time regarding the equality of the sexes, and many of its earliest followers were women. It was expected in the Koreshan colony that the husband would live in the male dormitory and that the wife would live in the female dormitory. They tried to maintain a sense of purity within the population by seperating the genders. In the Koreshan Unity, the individual was not necessarily the most important thing as this was a communial society where one was always working towards bettering the community as well as towards the common and greater good. All in all, the Koreshans were genuinely productive, a peaceful community, and aside from an unsuccessful attempt into local politics, they got along well with surrounding towns.

Cyrus Reed Teed's residence at Koreshan State Park

Kerosine State Park planetary court

Koreshan Unity Settlement

Koreshanity belief of the concave concept

Urban Environments - Downtown Fort Myers

Fort Myers started as one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River. It was a base of operations against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. During the Seminole Wars, Fort Myers was a strategic location for its visibility and access to Atlantic waterways. After the wars, Confederate blockade runners and cattle ranchers called Fort Myers home. The winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford are a primary tourist attraction in the region.

In Fort Myers, they have an Environmental Science Division and their mission is to provide a responsible management of the natural resources to the town of Fort Myers. They also are accountable for improving the future health and sustainability of the town through regulations, education, informed management, and cooperation with citizens and business. However, economic forces control the efforts of environmental and historical conservation. A prime example of this would be the Hall of the 50 States.

The Hall, which has been empty for nearly a decade, was built in 1927 as a dance hall and community center where historic figures used to appear and partake in local events. As of now, there has been a ten to fifteen year debate on whether to restore this historic monument or to destroy it completely. Either way, as time passes, the building is slowly deteriorating and in order to refurbish the structure it would cost the county millions of dollars that some feel the money should go to other more important uses.  

Fort Myers, just like any other city, has its ups and downs; it also has examples of biophobia, biophilia and topophilia. Biophobia, or the dislike of nature, is shown to me whenever I see new construction taking place such as the building of new roads, shopping malls, restaurants etc. where they are tearing up the greenery and the land to make way for our own selfish desires. On the other hand, Fort Myers does have plenty of models of biophilia, or the love of the natural world, such as the conservation of the six mile cypress, environmentally friendly parks, nature trails etc where they preserve as much of the natural land as possible and promote others to do the same.

After seeing biophilia actions in Fort Myers like the ones I just described that, in turn, gives me a strong feel of topophilia or a strong sense of place. When I was growing up, the few things I remember from my childhood was playing outside all the time from day until dusk. I even recall my parents almost “forcing” me to either come back inside to do homework or eat yet I was enjoying the outdoors so much that I wouldn’t want to. This aspect of my life ties into the university colloquium goals since the main goal is “to provide a sense of place” and I believe that I have. The land, the grass, the sun and even the bugs are all things that I am accustomed to and I still, to this day, feel that the surrounding environment is connected to me just like a sense cultural identity and it makes the love that I have for it even stronger. “We relate to the environment around us in different ways, with differing intensity, and these bonds have different sources. At the most common level, we learn to love what has become familiar” (Orr, 193).

References

Orr, David W. "Love It or Lose It: The Coming Biophilia Revolution." Earth in Mind: On Education,Environment, and the Human Prospect. Washington, DC: Island, 1994. 186-211. Print.

Located along the Caloosahatchee River, this park gives Fort Myers citizens an opportunity to be close to nature.

Created by Marlin Miller in 2011, this oak tree was originally suppose to be cut down by officials however it was turned into a beautiful sculpture and placed here in Fort Myers.

The Banyan tree was planted in Fort Myers by Thomas Edison in 1925. The tree covers 400 feet and is the 3rd largest in the world. 

Healing the Earth's Scars and Why Save Endangered Species (Goodall)

Jane Goodall, an English primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace, remind us that it is never too late in healing Earth’s scars. She is well known for her optimism and gives us her four reasons for hope. They are the human brain (or our intellect), the resilience of nature, the indomitable human spirit, as well as the determination and energy of young people. I can say that I agree fully with all of Jane Goodall’s four reasons for hope.

Firstly, our intelligence over the years has been developing faster than ever. More people are becoming educated and seeking higher education which will lead us to utilize our problem solving abilities to make wiser and more responsible choices about the environment. Next, the resilience of nature is an incredible thing; I have seen greenery regrow when human damage had originally made it nearly impossible. Also, I have witnessed species on the brink of extinction reproducing and being renewed as no longer an endangered species.

Then, the indomitable human spirit amazes me time and time again as I see children especially in third world countries who are barely getting their daily necessary intake of food and water, smiling, laughing and playing. Furthermore, I recently saw an article where children in the poorest parts of Africa had a dream of owning a camera so they went ahead and made a “camera” out of stones and rock then pretending to take pictures of each other. I also feel that if one sets their mind to their dreams, goals or aspirations, anything is possible.

Finally, the determination and the energy of young people is like the underdog of all the reasons for hope. This is due to the fact that the youth are still, at this time, being treated like kids however that doesn’t stop them from making a difference in the future and for future generations to come.  Now that people are becoming more educated in addition to the young are learning more about environmental and ecological issues that affect them I can tell they want to correct the wrong doings on this planet. Once they know what the problems are and have the tools to take action, they will.

Those who kill animals often proclaim that they were “protecting themselves” yet learning about the relationship between Jane Goodall and the apes has made me come to realize that there is an understanding and communication error. What I mean by that is if humans, just like Jane, were to take the time and energy to not solely believe what they are told by society that “animals are dangerous” but rather to grasp knowledge of these creatures then they could see that they mean no harm. “I believe that human know how and the resilience of nature, combined with the energy and commitment of dedicated individuals, can restore damaged environments so that, once again, they can become home to many of our endangered species” (Goodall).

Our student learning outcomes are along the lines of developing a better understanding of the environment, critically analyze environmental issues, describe ecological features and demonstrate a practical understanding. All of these outcomes tie into with Jane Goodall’s reasons to hope as our human spirit helps us develop a better understanding, our intellect lets us critically analyze, our energy of youth gives us the ability to demonstrate and, last but certainly not least, our resilience of nature allows us to describe.

References

Goodall, Jane, Thane Maynard, and Gail E. Hudson. "Healing Earth's Scars: It's Never Too          Late." Hope For Animals and Their World. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 161   177. Print.

Jane Goodall making a funny face with a fellow chimp many years later

Jane Goodall interacting with a baby monkey. I think the baby monkey is warming up to her and accepting her. 

Young Jane Goodall first observing the primates with her binoculars from a far distance.

Silent Spring and Obligation to Endure (Carson)

Rachel Carson’s work, “A Fable for Tomorrow” from the excerpt “Silent Spring” is an important learning experience as it is considered a landmark in ecological literature that she is able to present both what is and what can be. With “Silent Spring” being a best seller and named top 25 of the greatest science books of all time, it still continues to inspire environmentalists today even half a century later. This section from the best-selling book serves as warning for the overuse of pesticides in the eco-system. While pesticides are known for destroying insects and other organisms that may damage cultivated plants or animals, many of us fail to realize how dangerous the use and abuse of these deadly chemicals really are.

Even though pesticides are banned in the United States, almost 500 chemicals are introduced into the country every year. Through the use of pesticides, man has altered the balance of nature. “Man is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself. A war he will lose unless he comes to terms with himself” (Carson). Not only did the vegetation and animal life suffer, but the doctors were overwhelmed with the odd diseases that came into their offices. Pesticides can effect humans by causing headaches, nausea, skin irritation, as well as rashes; and on a more serious note, cancer, nervous system problems and organ damage. They can also have an effect on the environment through water, soil, plants and animals.

Carson portrays the lack of reproduction with the “white powder” and what it impacts.  For example, the chickens lays eggs but do not produce chicks or the birds were either dead or migrated to another site and no fruit, bees, or other animals could sustain life. She describes the “white power” or pesticides as an evil spell that has settled on the community. However, the author never mentions exactly what the actual “evil spell” is in the story.

Nonetheless, using the metaphor of an evil spell, the author explains it is a mysterious disease which wipes out entire flocks of sheep, herds of cattle and that man has done this to himself. “No witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world…A grim spectre has crept upon us almost unnoticed, and this imagined tragedy may easily become a stark reality we all shall know” (Carson).  I believe the author’s true purpose was not to ridicule the public but rather to raise awareness of the issue at hand and hopefully promote the stopping of the misuse of pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides as these can induce such harm to man and to the world. I also feel she is implying that this is not a situation that lies outside the control of human beings who can do their own ecological part to make sure that which is present is a future that is ecologically sound for all creatures.

References

Carson, Rachel, and Lois Darling. "A Fable for Tomorrow." Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton       Mifflin, 1962. N. pag. Print.

Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring

An example of massive spraying of pesticides onto a field of plants

An example that Rachel Carson is definitely a role model

An aircraft spraying extreme amount of poison (pesticides) over a reign

Florida and the Everglades politics - Grunwald and Douglas

I think Florida has changed a lot over the years and it is definitely not the Florida that it used to be. I am originally from up north and I remember everyone talked about Florida as this beautiful paradise and it was without a doubt the vacation spot to go to. However, as time passed and now that I am actually living in the “sunshine state” I can see Florida’s true colors. I believe that the changing of Florida and the population growth is directly related to the construction and expansion of roads. I-10, I-95, I-4 and I-75 and the turnpike are all newly constructed highways and there are still more in the process of becoming built. Prior to these roads, Florida was a different place. If you wanted to get anywhere, you had to use U.S. highways 1, 17-92, 27, 301, 19, and 41; and that, in turn, discouraged a lot of people from moving here.

Don’t get me wrong the continuous growth of Florida from new houses being put up to entire towns coming about is bringing in a lot of travelers, tourists and seasonal residents which may be considered a good factor, yet I feel the consequences of structuring are being overlooked. I’ve seen every road, every shopping district, and even every community imaginable expanded or in the process of being expanded. While this is taking place, more trees are being torn down and old authentic houses as well; causing the "old Florida" everyone talks of, no longer existent. All the more so Grunwald explains the severity of constant constructing “tree islands were vanishing, muck soils were shrinking, estuaries were collapsing, and development was blocking the recharge of the region’s groundwater” (Grunwald).

What I make of most politics in general, whether that be regarding the Everglades or not, is that they see the environment as merely a product and solely utilizing it for food, fuel and as a cash flow. The Everglades is a 1.5 million acre wetland preserve and considered to be the unique treasure of Southern Florida. In spite of this, the Everglades was being threatened by the manufacturing of the Homestead airport which would not only put the Everglades in danger but also put risk an entire ecosystem in a generation. Activists sought out to see a solution by passing a bill called the CERP that would be a start to solve south Florida’s natural water needs as well as problems and hopefully bringing the serious issue to the people’s attention. Let me just say it definitely grasped my attention real quick, if the place where I live in, the place I call home is having water difficulties this will affect everyone’s drinking water including my own. And I will not allow the water that I drink, the liquid that sustains my life to be contaminated, jeopardized much less eradicated. As Douglas reminds us that “water is timeless, forever new and eternal” and it made me reflect on how sometimes we forget just how important the basic necessities like water are to us (Douglas).

References

Douglas, Marjory Stoneman., and Robert Fink. "The Nature of the Everglades." The Everglades:  River of Grass. New York: Rinehart, 1947. 104-49. Print.

Grunwald, Michael. "Endgame." The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. 78-103. Print.

A map of the Everglades

Timeline of the condition of the Everglades