9. Calculate your Ecological Footprint

(Image from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/about/environz/environz-mar08/images/ecological-footprint-illustration.jpg_

I scored 4.7 Earths. I thought that the score would be better. In my household, we recycle a lot more than most and rarely use the air conditioner or heater. Other than groceries, we do not really buy much. We also live 5 minutes from school and the Gulf Coast Town Center so we don’t use that much gas and often go shopping or to the movies etc.. together in one car. To help make the score better we can buy more organic foods, as well as take less time in the showers. Playing hockey I take at least two a day and my roommate likes to take baths. So water consumption could get much better. Those could just be the start of cleaning up the house even more for the environment. This quiz definitely was very incite full. I never realized that it would take that many whole planets to keep up with my lifestyle. Its very eye opening.

8. Food Intake/ Packaging

(Image from : http://www.pe.com/imagesdaily/2007/09-26/del_taco_caesar_salad_2_400.jpg)

(Image from: http://www.thoughtfullysimple.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/spitfire-shrimp_s4x3_lg.jpg)

Pasta and Spaghetti Sauce – made
Salad - premade
Kettle Cooked Chips
Buttered Shrimp – made
Jello Cup - premade
Vanilla Ice Cream = premade

Spaghetti - Cooked, Enriched, With Added Salt 220
Lettuce, Iceberg - (Includes Crisphead Types), Raw 8
Shrimp, Mixed Species - Cooked, Moist Heat 84
Kettle Cooked Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips 140
Vanilla Pudding Snacks - Fat Free 104
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - All Natural Light 100
Total Calories Consumed 656

From : http://caloriecount.about.com/

This was surprising low calorie count although it makes sense seeing as I am on a strict diet that prevents me from eating pork, soy or corn. Soy and corn are in almost everything under the cover of soy lichen, corn starch, or corn syrup. This prevents me from eating most snacks and bad unhealthy foods. From that I eat less than normal and when I do eat its usually very healthy.

7. Field Trip#2 Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve - Conservation 20/20

The Estero Bay Historic Cottage and Matanzas Pass Preserve was a different take on nature rather than the other field trips. We got a lot of history of the area from visiting the historic cottage. It was nice to hear a firsthand experience of how the area was developed from almost nothing. It’s amazing what a few decades do to a place. The Conservation 20/20 program was made to purchase and set aside lands to preserve the natural areas. This way, people are able to experience natural as it is supposed to be. The community gets further educated on the nature, why its good for the area as well as the world, and how to protect it even more. It was the first time that I heard of the Conservation 20/20 program. The Matanzas Pass Preserve was also the first preserve that I had visited that was from this program. The preserve was amazing. It was so beautiful with the sun light shining down. The large amount of trees was something that now a days is hard to find. The pier was probably my favorite part however. It was just an amazing view. I thought it was interesting to learn that raccoons wade in the water and eat the sea food. I would definitely be for giving tax dollars for land preserves. I think that it pays off in the enjoyment of experiencing nature as well as the education that these preserves provide to the public. Hopefully in the future I will get out more and experience more preserves such as this.

6. Water Rights and Water Usage Reflection

(http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/water/images/watertex_md.jpg)

a)I believe that a single person shouldn’t have rights to water. It’s a natural resource. Just because a underground river passes under your property doesn’t mean its yours. Yes it is traveling through your property but how does that alone make it a item you can possess. If everyone decided to lay claim to water that flows naturally under their property, people who cannot pay for water suffer from dehydration. There would eventually be a shortage of water because of people being greedy and hording as much water as possible for money. Lakes, rivers, streams, and all of the outlets these underwater rivers fill into would dry up, leaving animals without water to survive. Other possible solutions for getting water is collecting rainfall and filtering it into acceptable drinking standards. Rain is a natural occurrence so it would be a steady income of water, but because its natural no one should be able to claim it just as no one should claim water under their property. Florida has much more water under its surface and even above it so the chance of it happening here is slim, but still possible

b)
Shower – 13 minutes - ~2 gallons a minute = 26 gallons
Toilet Flush – 3 times- ~1.6 gallons = 4.8 gallons
Dishwasher – 1 time-~11 gallons = 11 gallons
Washing Machine – 1 time-~44 gallons = 44 gallons
Hand Washing, Shaving etc...- ~2 gallons
Drinking – 5 drinks-~2.5 cups each = .7 gallons

Total = 88.5 gallons

5. Future of Food

4. Field Trip #2 – ECHO

(Image from :http://www.worldserveintl.org/Portals/58/files/echo.jpg)
(Image by Aaron Y.)
(Image by Aaron Y.)
(Image by Aaron Y.)
(Image by Aaron Y.)
(Image by Aaron Y.)
(Image by Aaron Y.)

I started out not really feeling like I was going to enjoy ECHO. I love nature, but living in the woods almost all my life I have seen plenty of plants. That being the man focus of ECHO worried me that I wouldn’t be interested when we took our trip. However, like times before in this class, I was surprised yet again. ECHO turned out to be really interesting. We learned the many simple but very effective ways of growing food, cooking and preparing food, as well as purifying water for drinking. It was mind blowing on how the simplest instrument or contraption could help give food and water to less fortunate countries. The different plants and how they affect nature was also interesting. For example the leaves from the Neem tree can be soaked in water and used as pest repellents on other plants. This keeps crops alive and free from bugs that may kill an entire harvest. Another useful contraption was able to extract the methane from manure and turning it into a source of energy.