Imagine a world where no family or child has to go hungry; this is the dream in many areas of Africa. Families are doing everything they can to grow enough food to feed their children while working around in infertile land. ECHO is helping to end this hunger by teaching farmers techniques to keep gardens contained and waste production low.

One of the best techniques that I found was the soil bag farms. This process is helpful because of the soil quality in other countries. By keeping crops contained in soil bags, soil will stay moist for a longer period after watering keeping it fertile throughout the growing process.

“Currently agriculture occupies about 35 percent of the Earth’s land surface. By definition, it involves manipulating environments and ecosystems.”                                      – Margaret Robertson (Sustainability Principles and Practice)

One of the most important aspects that I took from this trip was just how sustainable each practice was and in ways that I did not know were even possible. For example, the farmers will often repurpose old tires to make bags and flip flops. Even after the flip flop soles has been wore out, farmers will then use them for purposes such as hinges on fences. By creating sustainable practices like this, materials will be given a new life and purpose and less waste will be produced.

Throughout the class, each field trip taught a different lesson on why saving the environment is so important for the future. Without colloquium, I would have never known just how much SouthWest Florida does in terms of sustainability practices. I will cherish each field trip over the years and implement as many practices into to my daily life as need be.

Imagine that one day, we run out of coal and natural gas to power our homes and businesses. Imagine there not being enough money to put in nuclear energy facilities to replace these. Life as we knew it would be much more difficult to sustain. That is where renewable energy comes in to save the day.

“Alternative energy” is a term used to describe the range of alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy”                                                                                                                                                   – Margaret Robertson Sustainability Principals and Practices

At the Lee County Waste to Energy Facility, they are creating renewable energy out of simply the garbage we produce. Each day, garbage trucks dump about 2,000 tons of trash that is then incinerated and turned into energy. The trash is turned into a sort of gas when burned and condensed to create energy that flows through power lines and offers clean power to houses in the area.

First, we put on our hard hats and headed into the claw room which looked similar to a prize claw, but this prize is much greater than a stuffed animal. This plant powers thousands of homes in the Lee County area and is clean and safe in terms of production. The plant is also on many renewable energy sites and is included in the top 100 list of sustainable practices in the United States.

If more cities in the United States were to create plants like this, the world would be one step closer to eliminating the use of fossil fuels. The world would be more sustainable and would be able to turn our trash into something other than a huge landfill. Energy costs would be lowered and the world will be cleaner just from a few extra plants. The costs may be high in building, but the result is worth every penny.

Our field trip this week was a trip to Six Mile Cyprus Slough. The slough is an area of land including a mix of conservation and restoration. This preserve was created by a group of grade school students known as the Monday Club. The Monday Club raised money through the community and bought the land in efforts to preserve it. Years later, the slough offers visitors a peaceful walk through the trees on its miles of boardwalk and an incredible look into the local wildlife.

“We don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”                   – Chief Seattle

The trip was also reminiscent of our dry walk through the Florida Gulf Coast University nature trails earlier in the semester. I notice that the waters at both Six Mile Cyprus and the FGCU nature trails were the same shade of brown, yet clear enough to see the bottom.

One details that intrigued me most was that the area is great for the aquifers in the area. By preserving the slough, the sitting water can run through the aquifers to create cleaner water for the residents in the area to drink. This is much more sustainable than buying bottled waters and is still safe to consume by the general public.

The quote above really stood out to me and added some much needed insight on how important conservation really is. By preserving this slough and anything in nature for that matter, the planet and the people inhabiting it will live a much longer and healthier life. If humans did not have any preserved area, the world may run out of trees at an alarming rate causing the air quality in the area to decrease. Because of the efforts made by the Monday Club, the younger generation has a voice in how to improve conservation efforts. These efforts could not only save the local areas, but also help to preserve the well-being of the earth one child at a time.

“The state of the world’s ecosystems has changed more rapidly in the last 50 years than at any time in human history”                                                                                                   – Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

There is truly no better way to connect with nature than immersing yourself into it. Canoeing allows you to do exactly this. Not only does canoeing create great communication and teamwork skills, but it also allows you to experience phenomenons that you would not normally see on land.

When I was about 8, my family went on their first canoeing trip and I was hooked. So much so that I saved up to buy a kayak for my next birthday and regularly took it out on the water. There is no better way to relax and take in nature than being in the middle of a quiet lake with water so still and clear that it could be glass.

On our trip, one of my parts that I enjoyed the most was seeing all of the different birds. When I was younger, my Grandmother was always interested in showing us all of the different birds around the neighborhood. Each Great Heron that we saw brought me back to my childhood and the memories that I made with my Grandma.

“We don’t have to wait for more, needed, research to act on common sense, or to give the gift of nature – even when it might seem to be too late”                                                      – Richard Louv, Nature Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment

On the trip, I was fortunate enough to have a great group in my canoe with some of my good friends. We had excellent communication when making our way around the water and enjoyed some laughs when we got stuck. It is experience such as this one that make people more aware of how important the environment is. We should continue to do what we can to preserve the area so that future classes can enjoy this wonderful experience.

In all my years spent on this earth, I will never forget the salt in the wind and the seagulls in the distance right when the sun rises. Each day seemed to be hotter than the last, but the sea breeze and the cotton candy skies at dusk were always worth it. Growing up in Florida was one of the biggest blessings I could have ever asked for in terms of being close to nature. The land is ever changing wherever you may go in Florida; from the beautiful beaches of Bradenton to the think forests in Melbourne.

“If i had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life”                                 -Rachel Carson, A Sense of Wonder

As a child, my family always encouraged my cousins and I to explore our outside surroundings. One memory that I will never forget was a trip down to the keys in late August. Despite the temperature being in the upper 90’s for the entire trip, my mother knew how to make the most of our long beach walk by staying and dancing in the rain. There is nothing quite like outrunning a rain storm right behind you and thinking that you single-handedly outsmarted nature when you’re only 8 years old.

One of the most memorable parts of growing up in Florida for a lot of kids were the countless hours spent at the beach. Unlike those who were staying on holiday, the beaches were a perfect weekend past time for any Floridian family. I can recall every Sunday morning, my mother and I would get a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel and a peach Snapple and lay on the beach for hours. Each day was filled with bird watching, sandcastle making, and waiting for the sea turtles eggs to hatch. To this day, I still have the same child-like excitement going out to the beach with my mom to relive these memories.

No matter the weather or the time of year, the nature and wildlife of Florida will always continue to amaze me. Swimming in the crystal clear waters in Ginnie Springs and the warm, salty waves of the Gulf of Mexico will continue to entice visitors and locals for generations to come. The best advice that I can give to the residence of Florida is to get out into the world and create these memories with yourself and your future children. From any age or way of life, everyone can appreciate the beauty of the area.

Imagine having the opportunity to venture out into your own backyard and get lost in the beautiful and captivating sights and sounds of nature. Luckily for the students of Florida Gulf Coast University, we are allowed this opportunity everyday. To those who may not be aware, FGCU is build around hundreds of acres of preserved land. During my time choosing a university, the gorgeous sights and close relationship to the students and nature was what set FGCU off the edge for me.

It wasn’t until I enrolled in Colloquium that I finally explored the nature trails. Ever since I was a little girl, I was always looking for new and unusual places to explore and get lost in. One of my favorite parts of the day was the moment of silence taken to listen and connect with nature on a personal level.

“Nature is the arena of shared enjoyment, an equalizer in the adventure of discovery.”                                                                                                                                             – Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Once I stepped into the trails, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I will be honest in saying that the water in my shoes was not a pleasant feeling, but the nature around us was worth the knee deep trek into the water.

“It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility.”                         ― Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Despite what I believed I would experience, the water was cool and the air felt as though it had dropped ten degrees. The trees created the perfect cover from the sun and the heat I was dreading did not join us on the trails. Its calm atmosphere brought the whole class together and taught us to think as a team. It was an experience that I as a student of FCCU will share throughout my life and cherish forever.