Field Trip #5 - Urban Environment

Place: Historical Districts
Location: Tampa, FL (ybor area) & New Port Richey, FL (downtown)
Experience: Awesome!

In Tampa, FL key historic landmarks in the historic downtown include: Ybor City, the Florida Holocaust Museum, Ringling Museum of Art, the Tampa Convention Center and Hyde Park. These have all been around for a while and attract many ages. I personally have spent numerous accounts in Ybor City where graffiti masks the brick walls and nighttime is filled with the younger crowd looking for the best late night pizza joints in Florida or club hopping on the weekends.

In the city, we are separated from nature along with our natural resources. We ignore the impact of our human actions on the environment when we are trapped behind the city’s walls. People try to get out of the city to escape the commotion of the every day work schedule moving into the suburbs. This however interferes with the natural wildlife outside the city. If we built the world upwards and put the human race in the urban areas there would ultimately be more untouched land.

Take rivers for example. Rivers used to flow free and clean. Now there is so much industrialization evoked by urban areas pollution runs into or even intentionally dumped into the rivers outside the city. Depending on the area water can run either more smoothly or not. This is good and bad depending on the area. If the water is outside the city and it runs smoothly there is most likely a lot of pollution and toxic waste basking in the water. If our children play in the waters (I used to at camp in North Carolina every summer) we are harming ourselves and becoming vulnerable to disease and illness. Humans also hurt our waterways with the creation of dams preventing sedimentation and causing parts of the deltas to wear down over time.

Cities have become more populated over time. When constructing a new building, engineers used to focus on simple concerns like design and safety but that is changing. Now focus lies on efficiency of energy on matters of how to use less lighting, heat, air, computer technology, etc. The goal is to not only hurt the environment less but to also save money for the business or corporation in the long run.

The reduction of employment is dramatically hurting both small mom and pop stores and corporations alike. Family income is rising as well as family size. Poverty is also on the rise in urban communities due to the incapability to provide for the young. Over the years it has been more of a requirement to attend school raising education and even though the rate of unemployment is up than previous years, it is actually paid employment that has risen. Internships are on the rise giving the chance to attain a job in the future when the economy becomes more stabilized.

Sustaining the environment in the city is the main problem that we need to solve in the search for Earth’s antibiotic. Turn out the lights in your house, put more plants in the rooms to help the air, stop washing the car and watering the lawn. The city is filled with smog and hardly anyone realizes all that they could do to help. It is really sad that every day activities are the definition to the affliction against sustaining a positive life in urban environments.

New Port Richey, FL by the river :-)

Downtown Ybor (Tampa, FL)

Also Downtown Ybor (Tampa, FL)

Service Learning Reflection - J.B Starkey Park Wilderness Foundation in New Port Richey, FL

My service learning experience did not start off as what I had hoped. On my first day I was assigned clerical duties. I was to cut parking passes, label the dates on them and then put each on into an individual envelope. There were about 800 passes for this to be done to. After I had completed I had to put together 6 pages that are to be filled out daily by the front office, date and staple the pages together. All I wanted to do was be outside working in the cabins and in the forest.

I soon realized that what I was dong was beneficial to the park. Bottom line is there is paperwork to for everything. If I had not completed that someone else would have had to and if nobody did then the park would had lost money. I learned that the county recently implemented a two dollar fee to park. This money goes to new equipment, gas and supplies to build new cabins and host events for the park.

On my second day I got to get my hands dirty. I decided to try a morning shift to see what has to be done at an earlier time. The park opened at 6am and I was there right on time. I saw a couple deer galloping through the open trail and a very few fire bugs. Campers were lined up at the gate by 6:30am. We let them in and we waited for a little bit at the entrance to patrol the traffic. I found it hard to believe that everyone obeyed the speed limits.

We went to work on the cabins after everyone was inside. The main thing when cleaning the cabins is to make sure all the cobwebs are swept away in the bathrooms and there are no cigarette butts outside or on the walkways. We watch for butts all the time and there are people on patrol for smokers night and day. Even the visitors that walk their dogs or run and bike in the trails report people smoking too. It gives me hope that there are people out there that have a love for nature like I have.

On the third day I had a lot of downtime and was allowed to go on ‘trash duty’. Trash duty is what they give you when there is nothing too major to do. I took this as an opportunity to take photos of the animals. I saw two black cats that were so cute (you could clearly tell they were lovers) and another gopher turtle. These turtles were everywhere! When passing through the field by the entrance there are about five always out in the open grazing. I loaded these photos below!

It was an overall great experience to help out and see how the maintenance of a park works. Colloquium has shown me the inner workings of a park along with the educational aspects that the public usually seeks to find besides a nice jog and some tranquility. I loved working at J.B Starkey Park Wilderness Foundation in New Port Richey, FL!

LAND REMEMBERED - My area and I

Southwest Florida is a unique environment. We are close to the beaches and surrounded by many marine waterways. The area around Florida Gulf Coast University has grown and developed dramatically in the past 8 years alone. Shopping centers appeared out of nowhere! The entire area is building up very fast.

In Naples even with the fast building of restaurants and shopping centers, the plazas are more so built into the watery areas. The preservation is sustained by incorporating a great view.

Southwest Florida is different than other rural and urban areas because I believe that the forestry and wildlife in the town still exists more than other cities. There are many refugees and preserves within 5 miles of my home. Outdoors activities amongst the students are abundant as well. So many students go kayaking, wakeboarding, to the beach or take yoga classes outdoors in Estero area.

I also believe that since our university prides itself on being environmentally friendly the students are more aware of his or her actions and even if not actively involved in being green friendly are at least educated upon the subject.

I believe that there is change happening faster than we realize. Take for instance how Florida Gulf Coast University has almost doubled in size since it began. New garages are being built along with independent colleges within the campus. If we as a community plan and act as if we were already in the future instead of planning for the future we would do better for ourselves in present time. It is more effective to act as if we were already having problems instead of procrastinating until we are in a rut.

I see that we are trying to make adjustments for the future but we are growing too fast as a nation. In Southwest Florida the college, for instance, is trying to build upwards instead of outwards. We only have so much land and water in this world that we cannot keep building over and around it. The sky is the limit and excluding the aspects regarding air pollution, there are no limitations up high.

If we do not make changes now while we still have time, we could be looking at the end of our population. Even little enjoyments like the zoo will not be around because every animal we love will become extinct.

I personally have acted to make a few changes. Instead of going out to buy new furniture when I go back to school I will get used furniture to reduce my spending. I also have decided to use less water by hand washing my dishes more instead of the dishwasher and taking quicker showers. I want to drive less but I don’t know if that would happen. I would love to bike more or walk more but since Estero is so spread out I feel as if that is an intangible idea.

I hope that as I go through my day-to-day routines I can make better on my actions towards my environment. This class has very much widened my eyes to things I have been doing poorly and things I hope to improve upon and let my knowledge impact others.

Personal Journal #5 - Exit Reflection on Accomplishment

Entering the class I was just happy I would get it over with to be honest. Never thought I would actually enjoy it. I love to write and I apparently love to learn about the environment more than I had expected because I am sad that it is now coming to an end.

It has been so nice to reflect on my surroundings and I felt very privileged that I not only had the chance to reflect on one area but several areas in Florida like Tampa, West Palm and Plant City, but also every state from Florida to California and in between. As I travelled cross-country in the beginning of the summer, I got to see massive windmills, desserts untouched by man and then somewhere man had completely taken over like Las Vegas.

I realize now that I have a lot more work to do in order to help reduce my ecological footprint. Having a garden, letting it mellow in the toilet, creating compost in my backyard, keeping the air at 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer is not enough. It is necessary to do better than that and spread awareness of the harmful causes we are ultimately doing to ourselves to the rest of the world. I want to volunteer and travel more to help and lend a hand in other parts of the world.

On a more simplistic note, it was nice to have a journal without so much structure. Writing in my journal gave me time to sit and be pensive and just let my thoughts ride. The required walks around the neighborhood were a very good opener to this aspect and it was great to personally end my journal with thoughts at my home with my family.

My Family and I <3

My House <3

My House Again <3

Neighborhood Questions Answered

1. Why not use efficient ground cover like peanut plants instead of the fake grass we love for some reason so much?

People lack the knowledge of efficient ground cover and are unaware of the invasive Cheatgrass that everyone uses in my area. This is the grass people order in the form of sod to lay down on yards and outside businesses. Cheatgrass increases the start and spread of wildfires being as this type of grass is very dry! It is better to use grass types mirroring the attributes of Kentucky Bluegrass.


2. Do ponds with sealant under the water create more overflows and harm the environment?

Sealed ponds actual help the environment. The sealed ponds prevent acid rain from leaking down through the soil and into the aquifer to fight against polluted waters. However, if there is a lot of runoff in a certain area it is best if an engineer put the sealant down to reduce the likelihood that this will occur again. Also, if there is a lot of clay in the area, like in central Florida, an engineer should help with this sealant layout as well to prevent the clay from cracking. A trick after sealant to help even more is to plant vegetation around pond to further help minimize erosion.


3. Are foreign animals residing in a fenced house proper or have a positive aspect in any way?

There are positive and negative aspects to answer this question. The negative being that foreign or exotic animals in a rural or urban setting that had been taken from their home in the wild create climate change in that area. Last year 18% of the world’s gas emissions came from farm animals including animals that are supposed to be in the wild but now considered farm animals. I have Zebra, Water Buffalo, Ostrich and other wildlife animals down the street. The people that own them have a license for them. The positive though, is that if these animals are endangered (like the Ostrich and Grevy Zebra) they are protected in my neighborhood by always being protected from predators and having more than enough food and water on a daily basis. They do however lack the ability to survive without human care when failing to keep animal instincts alive.


4. Why do the bunnies, turtles and deer always want to head towards the street? (Not like there is any food on the pavement)

It’s not like animals purposely head towards the road on a suicide mission. They are attracted to what the road has to offer like the lights at night or curiosity of the noise. Kangaroos, cows, emu and camels are a big example of those animals that hither out onto the street. The pollution that comes from the roads like the car emissions and paved areas itself is hazardous as well with the leak of toxics into the atmosphere and also with the destruction of forests and animals homes. A good thing to buy at stores is the high-pitched whistler to place on the front of a car. As the wind goes passes through these devices it makes a sound so high only animals can hear it making them run in the other direction (away from the road).


5. How much does grilling for dinner or cookouts contribute to air pollution?

A lot! Not only are we burning to add more smoke into the atmosphere but also we are burning charcoal with it to add to the toxins in the air. Charcoal is not natural coal because it contains ingredients to make the coal easier to light and the flame last longer. There is not only carbon monoxide contributing to air pollution but other chemicals like Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Chlorofluorocarbons too. My thought is that whatever you cook on the grill can be cooked inside homes as well.

More Species Discovery

Water Hyacinth

Floating Heart

Butterfly Leafed Snowflake

Tad Pole

Mud Crab

Mangroves

Purple Marsh Crab

Peanut Plant

Field Trip #4 - Agricultural Environment

Place: Sizemore Farms
Location: Plant City, FL
Experience: Awesome!

There has been dramatic change of how we grow our crops over time. The mechanisms, chemicals and technologies that we use are always changing. It is now becoming more common that people are trying to have organic gardens, which cut back the use of pesticides. Without the use of pesticides the overall costs are cut back and the crops produced are better for people in a healthy manner … all of the hormones in food today is just ridiculous!

The goals we hope to reach through sustainable agriculture are very important. To satisfy the needs of the community as to how much food we have on our table especially related to fiber is one. Another would be to make the most of the non-renewable resources we have at hand. Water techniques (discussed in following question) is a main key to ensure the capability to use water later on. Supporting the economic power of farm operations. Also, most importantly, prolonging life of farmers and the human race as a whole.

Money is an all time inevitable problem. The United States farmers are pretty well off, but not in other countries where poverty soars. This ties into being able to manage crops in order for them to flourish and then for a family to make a profit by selling to farmers markets and other sources. A solution to this is to make better use of the food that is produced. This could be done by changing what food is produced aka what is suitable to grow in an area in particular; if a farmer lives in Florida don’t try to grow apples because the weather is not suited for that but grow oranges. We need to make better use of what we already have!

I went to Sizemore Farms that is a family run farm in Plant City Florida. I have learned about crops through the readings in State of the World text given by this class and am surrounded by orange groves everywhere in my town. Sizemore Farms offers strawberry and cantaloupe crops and thought it would be interesting to stop and see that instead of the usual.

Strawberry production occurs November to April and then dies out because of the heat. Cantaloupe grow in two seasons both two months long: April and May along with October to November. During the off season it is crucial to rejuvenate the soil in preparation for the next growing season to come. I came to learn that Central Florida is the best to grow in our state. Most of Florida has sandy soils but in the central region the soil is more clay and peat based providing more abundant harvests.

I very much liked Sizemore Farms because they pride themselves on the product quality of their food along with safety of their food meaning they try to be as organic and natural as possible!