Sometime during my illustrious (and I use that term loosely) undergrad years, I became one of "those people" who was fond of poetry, the non-rhyming kind to boot. There's something about hard learned lessons, and hard won victories, or desperate caveats with meanings thinly veiled that seem to pierce the subconscious and lodge deep within the soul.... What was I saying? Oh, yes, poems tell the truth in ways that make you let your guard down.
In honor of that subtle power, I have recently adopted a piece by Martín Espada as my mantra for social change. "Imagine the Angels of Bread" says that all change begins with a vision, sometimes remarkably small, of a world different than the one that now exists. That's a great message for people like me who sometimes can't see the forest for all the trees.
This is the year that squatters evict landlords,
gazing like admirals from the rail
of the roofdeck
or levitating hands in praise
of steam in the shower;
this is the year
that shawled refugees deport judges
who stare at the floor
and their swollen feet
as files are stamped
with their destination;
this is the year that police revolvers,
stove-hot, blister the fingers
of raging cops,
and nightsticks splinter
in their palms;
this is the year that darkskinned men
lynched a century ago
return to sip coffee quietly
with the apologizing descendants
of their executioners.
This is the year that those
who swim the border's undertow
and shiver in boxcars
are greeted with trumpets and drums
at the first railroad crossing
on the other side;
this is the year that the hands
pulling tomatoes from the vine
uproot the deed to the earth that sprouts
the vine,
the hands canning tomatoes
are named in the will
that owns the bedlam of the cannery;
this is the year that the eyes stinging from the poison that purifies toilets
awaken at last to the sight
of a rooster-loud hillside,
pilgrimage of immigrant birth; this is the year that cockroaches
become extinct, that no doctor
finds a roach embedded
in the ear of an infant;
this is the year that the food stamps
of adolescent mothers
are auctioned like gold doubloons,
and no coin is given to buy machetes
for the next bouquet of severed heads
in coffee plantation country.
If the abolition of slave-manacles
began as a vision of hands without manacles,then this is the year;
if the shutdown of extermination camps
began as imagination of a land
without barbed wire or the crematorum,
then this is the year;
if every rebellion begins with the idea
that conquerors on horseback are not many-legged gods, that they too drown
if plunged in the river,
then this is the year.
So may every humiliated mouth,
teeth like desecrated headstones,
fill with the angels of bread.
- excerpted from Loeb, P. R. (2004). The impossible will take a little while: A citizen's guide to hope in a time of fear. New York: Basic Books. pp.218-220
Friday, December 3, 2010
Blog #20 - Debriefing 2: High & Low Points in the University Colloquium
By now I have grown quite comfortable with the university colloquium (third time's a charm, right?). The first time I took the class it seemed to me that it consisted of a bunch disparate ideas about the environment thrown together so that FGCU could claim it was committed to teaching it's students about sustainable education. I now realize that that was an extremely cynical, and largely unfair critique. While it's true that the topics we covered during the semester were broad, I believe that it was to the classes benefit. There are a million different ways to live sustainably. There are a hundred-thousand different ways that we can change our communities for the better. There are no less than a hundred points of entrance into the climate change debate.
While I never wish to take a Gordon Rule writing course again, and I had to poke the back of my hand with a mechanical pencil in order to stay awake during some of those late-afternoon videos, I will admit that this course has great merit. Greater still is its potential to motivate students in the future to invest themselves in the world around them, or if not, then at least to pay attention to it.
While I never wish to take a Gordon Rule writing course again, and I had to poke the back of my hand with a mechanical pencil in order to stay awake during some of those late-afternoon videos, I will admit that this course has great merit. Greater still is its potential to motivate students in the future to invest themselves in the world around them, or if not, then at least to pay attention to it.
Blog #19 - Debriefing 1: Finding Meaning in the University Colloquium
The most important lesson I learned (or perhaps relearned) while taking colloquium this semester was that although it is important to care about the natural environment, sustainable living must also include an appreciation for the people in our communities as well. Sense of place is about being invested in the place that you live so that you are careful to treat it well as it nourishes you.
I dream of a world where every person is treated as a valued piece of the whole. I know that sounds terribly cliché, but it’s true. It seems as if all my life I’ve been searching for the other part of me; the other part that is wiser, kinder, freer, more attuned to nature. In every new person I meet I find myself looking for our differences, not as points of divergence, but rather as points of attraction. Imagine a pair of magnets. Their like sides whether positive or negative repel each other, but when the opposing forces are joined their pull toward each other is very strong. If only humans could treat one another like magnets. So often we search out those people who are like ourselves, and fearfully exclude those who are different. And not only people, but also new ideas, policies, politics. The familiar is held close and the strange is kept at arm’s length. But imagine what would happen if everyone chose to embrace diversity or even to seek it out?
I don’t mean to belittle the problems that plague modern society. Many ills like poverty or pollution or violence are the results of centuries of abuse and neglect, and that can’t be wiped away with a simple change in outlook. But the strength of any structure lies in its foundation. What better cornerstone is there for community building than the belief that our differences are not deficiencies, but strengths! I myself can readily admit that in work or play I tend to flock together with birds of my feather. But if I truly desire to live my fullest life, then I must learn to embrace the people who have attributes that I lack. In that way we can build a more complete world together.
I dream of a world where every person is treated as a valued piece of the whole. I know that sounds terribly cliché, but it’s true. It seems as if all my life I’ve been searching for the other part of me; the other part that is wiser, kinder, freer, more attuned to nature. In every new person I meet I find myself looking for our differences, not as points of divergence, but rather as points of attraction. Imagine a pair of magnets. Their like sides whether positive or negative repel each other, but when the opposing forces are joined their pull toward each other is very strong. If only humans could treat one another like magnets. So often we search out those people who are like ourselves, and fearfully exclude those who are different. And not only people, but also new ideas, policies, politics. The familiar is held close and the strange is kept at arm’s length. But imagine what would happen if everyone chose to embrace diversity or even to seek it out?
I don’t mean to belittle the problems that plague modern society. Many ills like poverty or pollution or violence are the results of centuries of abuse and neglect, and that can’t be wiped away with a simple change in outlook. But the strength of any structure lies in its foundation. What better cornerstone is there for community building than the belief that our differences are not deficiencies, but strengths! I myself can readily admit that in work or play I tend to flock together with birds of my feather. But if I truly desire to live my fullest life, then I must learn to embrace the people who have attributes that I lack. In that way we can build a more complete world together.
Blog #16 - Service Learning Experience
The first time I'd ever "fed the hungry" I was a sophomore in college, and I remember feeling really proud of myself as I passed out those bagged lunches on a Saturday afternoon at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. I was helping my community. I was sharing my heart with those less fortunate. I was being the "good samaritan" that the bible counseled me to be. I was self-satisfied.
The first time I was ever on the receiving end of a soup kitchen line I remember feeling somewhat ashamed. It was a Monday evening, and after working all day long my son and I stood in line with more than sixty other women and children at a Coalition for the Homeless shelter also in downtown Orlando. We were served mashed-potatoes, pork chops, peas, apple sauce, and chocolate cake by a row of the brightest smiling faces I had ever seen outside of a television toothpaste commercial. I ate that meal with a lump in my throat and something like a rock sitting in my belly.
Although I didn't enjoy the meal very much, that was the day my eyes were really opened about how insidious hunger and poverty could be. I had a full time job, I was college educated, and I still found myself in need of help. That was also the day that I realized that helping other people should NEVER be about making yourself feeling good. A side order of condescension will spoil any meal. Trust me, I know.
My service learning project took place at Interfaith Caregivers of South Lee County, Inc (IFC). In 1991 five south Fort Myers churches joined forces to organize and empower their existing community outreach programs. They localized their resources and staffed the mission with volunteers from each congregation, became a 501c nonprofit organization, and then began fundraising and soliciting even greater donations. In 2003, IFC became a partner organization of the tri-county (Lee, Hendry, Glades) United Way. In addition to working with the United Way, whose grants make up a large portion of the annual operating budget, Interfaith is also assisted by many local groups including supermarkets, restaurants, local businesses, service clubs, and social organizations. The day to day work, however, is accomplished mainly by community volunteers some of whom are clients themselves.
The services provided by Interfaith include a food pantry, Meals on Wheels, online food stamp registration, limited financial assistance, transportation services, minor house repairs, educational classes, and free notary services. I worked mainly with the food pantry where we conducted donation check-in, marked off barcodes, checked food expiration dates, wrapped bread, stocked shelves, picked up food donations from supermarkets, and created grocery bags of food for incoming families.
The first time I was ever on the receiving end of a soup kitchen line I remember feeling somewhat ashamed. It was a Monday evening, and after working all day long my son and I stood in line with more than sixty other women and children at a Coalition for the Homeless shelter also in downtown Orlando. We were served mashed-potatoes, pork chops, peas, apple sauce, and chocolate cake by a row of the brightest smiling faces I had ever seen outside of a television toothpaste commercial. I ate that meal with a lump in my throat and something like a rock sitting in my belly.
Although I didn't enjoy the meal very much, that was the day my eyes were really opened about how insidious hunger and poverty could be. I had a full time job, I was college educated, and I still found myself in need of help. That was also the day that I realized that helping other people should NEVER be about making yourself feeling good. A side order of condescension will spoil any meal. Trust me, I know.
My service learning project took place at Interfaith Caregivers of South Lee County, Inc (IFC). In 1991 five south Fort Myers churches joined forces to organize and empower their existing community outreach programs. They localized their resources and staffed the mission with volunteers from each congregation, became a 501c nonprofit organization, and then began fundraising and soliciting even greater donations. In 2003, IFC became a partner organization of the tri-county (Lee, Hendry, Glades) United Way. In addition to working with the United Way, whose grants make up a large portion of the annual operating budget, Interfaith is also assisted by many local groups including supermarkets, restaurants, local businesses, service clubs, and social organizations. The day to day work, however, is accomplished mainly by community volunteers some of whom are clients themselves.
The services provided by Interfaith include a food pantry, Meals on Wheels, online food stamp registration, limited financial assistance, transportation services, minor house repairs, educational classes, and free notary services. I worked mainly with the food pantry where we conducted donation check-in, marked off barcodes, checked food expiration dates, wrapped bread, stocked shelves, picked up food donations from supermarkets, and created grocery bags of food for incoming families.
Blog #15 - Climate Change & the Human Impact on the Planet
It is extremely difficult to look out my window on a daily basis and see the effects of climate change all around me. I've noticed changing trends in the weather around me. I know that Florida now is quite different than what it was when I was a young child. Still, it's hard to connect the exhaust from my car with the expensive imported sushi I love and the second new flat screen TV I bought, and deduce that maybe my lifestyle affects more than just me. I think it's only when we step back and look at all the interrelated pieces of the puzzle that we can make sense of this issue.
That's why I think courses like the University Colloquium are so important. Where else would a person stumble across the idea that the ecological footprint of a hamburger could effect the world in such a profound way? How would I know that the glaciers that feed freshwater into the Ganges River are melting away at an alarming rate? I'm sure I never would have seen computer-generated-images of the flooding of New York, if I hadn't taken this class. Michael Moore notwithstanding, I think it's extremely important to make films that can show people the concrete physical evidence that they need to be spurred into action.
My religious background makes it extremely difficult (read: nearly impossible) to believe that the world, or at least humanity, will end in an ice age brought on my global warming. That being said, the idea that human being are doing irreparable damage to the planet is clearly evident. So at least for me, the climate change issue is not about saving the planet from destruction so much as it's about taking care of the resources that I will pass on to my descendants, however many future generations that may be.
That's why I think courses like the University Colloquium are so important. Where else would a person stumble across the idea that the ecological footprint of a hamburger could effect the world in such a profound way? How would I know that the glaciers that feed freshwater into the Ganges River are melting away at an alarming rate? I'm sure I never would have seen computer-generated-images of the flooding of New York, if I hadn't taken this class. Michael Moore notwithstanding, I think it's extremely important to make films that can show people the concrete physical evidence that they need to be spurred into action.
My religious background makes it extremely difficult (read: nearly impossible) to believe that the world, or at least humanity, will end in an ice age brought on my global warming. That being said, the idea that human being are doing irreparable damage to the planet is clearly evident. So at least for me, the climate change issue is not about saving the planet from destruction so much as it's about taking care of the resources that I will pass on to my descendants, however many future generations that may be.
Blog #14 - Squeezing More Oil From the Ground
I had no idea that so many of the things I use every day are made from oil. I always thought that if I drove my car less, or if Americans in general drove less, or we invested more in renewable energy, then like magic (Alakazaam!) our oil addiction would be over. Unfortunately it's not so simple. Telephones, shampoo, car seats, tires, hair brushes, golf balls, even prosthetic limbs are all petroleum based products. Don't even get me started on plastics! It is literally never-ending, this worldwide dependence on oil. This is why I can completely understand the time, energy, and money invested in new technologies to extract fossil fuels from the earth.
We have already seen, especially in recent times, the limitations of current technology used to extract crude oil from the earth. Billions of dollars of revenue was lost due to BP latest oil spill, but it strikes me as amazingly ironic that some of the detergents used to clean wildlife caught in the spill are made from petrol by-products themselves. The most viable solution in the long-term would probably be to both refine the existing oil extraction technologies while also reducing oil dependence, but I'm willing to bet that those well positioned to do the research would rather spend their efforts on money making procedures than on energy (natural resource) saving ventures.
We have already seen, especially in recent times, the limitations of current technology used to extract crude oil from the earth. Billions of dollars of revenue was lost due to BP latest oil spill, but it strikes me as amazingly ironic that some of the detergents used to clean wildlife caught in the spill are made from petrol by-products themselves. The most viable solution in the long-term would probably be to both refine the existing oil extraction technologies while also reducing oil dependence, but I'm willing to bet that those well positioned to do the research would rather spend their efforts on money making procedures than on energy (natural resource) saving ventures.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Blog #13 - Reduced Reliance on Energy, and Conservation Promotion
When I was a little kid, riding on the city bus, ringing the bell, jumping down the stairs at my stop, all of it fascinated me. As a teenager though, the bus was always late, always crowded, always slow, and always smelled. When I got my first car I thought I had kissed public transportation goodbye (I even became a pro at parallel parking), but when gas prices skyrocketed I reconsidered my old friend.
But riding the bus in southwest Florida is horrible (at least in the tri-county area). If commuting by car from Lehigh to Estero takes forty minutes in good traffic, I shudder to think of the "three hour tour" it would become by bus. When I asked at the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency if plans to rehab the waterfront and downtown included any considerations of public transport, I received a flat, marginally apologetic "no".
I shrugged my shoulders about it all until I moved to southern California and had to live under that oppressive brown sky. All of a sudden I became obsessed with public transportation. Memories of being smooshed against rush-hour commuters in the DC subway became fond recollections. I waxed poetic about the autumn views from the windows of the Amtrak trains that run from Boston to New York. I framed a picture of my four-year-old son staring out the windows of an Orlando city bus.
I don't mean to ramble on and on about planes, trains, and buses, but the fact of the matter is that most people (especially in Florida) are so caught up in their egocentric, isolationist lives that the idea of sharing their morning commute with perfect strangers, or of going shopping on someone else’s schedule, is so appalling that they’re more than willing to put up with the traffic jams, and smog, and highway runoff, and rising gasoline prices, and a host of other environmental ills. Not that riding the bus in Lee county would ameliorate all those problems, but at least it’s a start.
I never thought there would come a day when I longed for public transportation. I guess it's a sign that I'm getting older.
Blog #12 - Decreasing My Ecological Footprint
Before taking the university colloquium I had NEVER thought that my lifestyle could be characterized as extravagant. Sure, I knew that there were many people on the planet who didn't live as nicely as I did, but my car is about 15 years old, and my house is under 2000 square feet, and I've been recycling my newspapers and aluminum cans for as long as I can remember.
But after taking the quiz I began to get a little more perspective. One of my older siblings lives in California, and another lives in New York, and although we don't see each other often we have been known to rack up the air mileage around the holidays. My household members are very busy people (we're all employed and have hobbies and volunteer regularly), so we don't share cars much during the week. There are as many as four automobiles coming and going on any given weekday. I love bananas, but I'm pretty sure the ones I eat aren't grown anywhere near here.
What really brought the idea home for me though was the day when the well in my parents backyard ran dry. One day we turned on the tap, and nothing came out. It was devastating! They aren't connected to city water at all, and so for two days every time we needed water (to wash our hands, or to cook, or to bathe, or use the toilet or to wash clothes) we had to use bottled water. And we used a lot of bottle water. This made me think of all the people in the world who don't have access to clean water, who have to walk for miles to fill a bucket or jug, who must bathe, wash clothes, and drink from the same semi-polluted river.
Ever since the new well has been dug I've been super conscious of how we use or water. We turn off the tap when brushing our teeth. We rarely run the dishwasher, and then only when it's full. I still take long showers, but at least I feel sort of bad about it. What can I say? It's a learning process.
But after taking the quiz I began to get a little more perspective. One of my older siblings lives in California, and another lives in New York, and although we don't see each other often we have been known to rack up the air mileage around the holidays. My household members are very busy people (we're all employed and have hobbies and volunteer regularly), so we don't share cars much during the week. There are as many as four automobiles coming and going on any given weekday. I love bananas, but I'm pretty sure the ones I eat aren't grown anywhere near here.
What really brought the idea home for me though was the day when the well in my parents backyard ran dry. One day we turned on the tap, and nothing came out. It was devastating! They aren't connected to city water at all, and so for two days every time we needed water (to wash our hands, or to cook, or to bathe, or use the toilet or to wash clothes) we had to use bottled water. And we used a lot of bottle water. This made me think of all the people in the world who don't have access to clean water, who have to walk for miles to fill a bucket or jug, who must bathe, wash clothes, and drink from the same semi-polluted river.
Ever since the new well has been dug I've been super conscious of how we use or water. We turn off the tap when brushing our teeth. We rarely run the dishwasher, and then only when it's full. I still take long showers, but at least I feel sort of bad about it. What can I say? It's a learning process.
Blog #11 - Ritual & Sustainability - by Richard Gardner
I found Gardner's articles on religion and sustainability an interesting read. I grew up in a very religious family with both of my parents being first generation converts. This meant that I was raised believing religion is not only something you "believe", it is also something you do. As an adult this theoretical perspective has influenced the way I live on a daily basis because my actions are the truest manifestation of my beliefs.
Keeping a sabbath is a religious ritual that has a direct correlation to ecological sustainability. The biblical "Children of Israel" were for a time a vast agrarian society, and their laws included provisions to let the earth rest (let portions of their farms lie fallow) in much the same way as they themselves were encouraged to rest. Sabbatical years were also celebrated (once every seven years)during which debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and many other practices aimed at enriching the land and community were followed.
These historical practices are important to me, especially from an ideological standpoint, because even though I don't personally keep the vast majority of sabbatical laws (there are a lot of them) my mind has been trained to view the earth as a community member and not only a tool for my personal sustenance.
Keeping a sabbath is a religious ritual that has a direct correlation to ecological sustainability. The biblical "Children of Israel" were for a time a vast agrarian society, and their laws included provisions to let the earth rest (let portions of their farms lie fallow) in much the same way as they themselves were encouraged to rest. Sabbatical years were also celebrated (once every seven years)during which debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and many other practices aimed at enriching the land and community were followed.
These historical practices are important to me, especially from an ideological standpoint, because even though I don't personally keep the vast majority of sabbatical laws (there are a lot of them) my mind has been trained to view the earth as a community member and not only a tool for my personal sustenance.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What the Flush?! - Challenge 1
http://ecomagination.com/tagyourgreen
It's so cool that the kids are interested in saving the environment, even if it's in a very small way. So when I saw this vid by Wong Fu Productions on YouTube, I just had to share. These guys get bonus points for doing potty humor in a tasteful way.
It's so cool that the kids are interested in saving the environment, even if it's in a very small way. So when I saw this vid by Wong Fu Productions on YouTube, I just had to share. These guys get bonus points for doing potty humor in a tasteful way.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Blog #9 - Tragedy of the Commons
The concept of "tragedy of the commons" applies well to the commercial fishing industry. If a company has overfished its own waters, then why not sail over to another unclaimed spot and reap there as much as possible. And since this is a business venture, it is often viewed as a matter of legality or illegality and morality is termed irrelevant.
Due to the political climate of today it is difficult to imagine that nations will altruistically steward the planets resources when they are not set to benefit directly from it themselves. Our planet has been objectified to such an extent that every plant, animal, even resources at their molecular level can be qualified in terms of their monetary value. Even the concept of the “tragedy of the commons” seems predicated on the abuse of shared resources for personal gain. Non-governmental agencies are not necessarily well-positioned to protect the resources in these "no man's lands" either because they must suffer the burden of having to constantly validate their allegiance.
I don't know that there is a solution to this issue. I will say that we should not hold ourselves back from doing anything simply because we are afraid of not doing the right thing. US isolationism after WWI and the “Bush Doctrine” that infamously stumped Sarah Palin are two sides of the same coin. And although I hesitate to draw analogies between militarism and environmentalism Martin Niemoller’s poem “First They Came” is a beautiful illustration of the danger of stalling action behind prudence and public consensus.
They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
Due to the political climate of today it is difficult to imagine that nations will altruistically steward the planets resources when they are not set to benefit directly from it themselves. Our planet has been objectified to such an extent that every plant, animal, even resources at their molecular level can be qualified in terms of their monetary value. Even the concept of the “tragedy of the commons” seems predicated on the abuse of shared resources for personal gain. Non-governmental agencies are not necessarily well-positioned to protect the resources in these "no man's lands" either because they must suffer the burden of having to constantly validate their allegiance.
I don't know that there is a solution to this issue. I will say that we should not hold ourselves back from doing anything simply because we are afraid of not doing the right thing. US isolationism after WWI and the “Bush Doctrine” that infamously stumped Sarah Palin are two sides of the same coin. And although I hesitate to draw analogies between militarism and environmentalism Martin Niemoller’s poem “First They Came” is a beautiful illustration of the danger of stalling action behind prudence and public consensus.
They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Blog #8 - Downtown Fort Myers
Yay, our group won the scavenger hunt! And it was actually a fun trip.
Before taking this class I had driven into downtown Fort Myers on three seperate occasions. The first time I went to hear a presentation on the waterfront revitalization project sponsored by the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency. The presenter was very proud of the plans drafted for the new downtown, but when I asked her about affordable housing, public transportations, and the homeless people camped out in Centennial Park, she didn't have much to say. The second time I went I was applying for a passport at the County Clerk's office on 2nd street. I parked in the parking garage, walked to the post office, and then back to the clerk's office. It was a pleasantly easy trip, and I didn't need to move my car once I got downtown. The third trip to downtown was for my little sister's high school graduation at Harborside Convention Center. We arrived early and got inside without much fuss. Leaving was another matter altogether. Apparently carpooling is not the fashion here, because there was an inordinate amount of cars parked on every available foot of blacktop.
This time I got to do a bit of exploring. Reading the green landmark and historical information plaques and signs reminded me of childhood trips to St Augustine and Atlanta. I was dying to go shopping in the Potomac Bead Co store, but alas we were women on a mission, and didn’t have the time to spare. If the weather had been drier, I would have suggested that we take a picture with Edison, Ford, and Firestone at the park fountain, but rainclouds dampened the tourist-y mood. Ultimately the downtown area is a reflection of the people who inhabit and surround it. There were many vacant storefronts, commercial properties left in limbo, and not a lot of foot traffic, but there were a few gems sprinkled throughout. I don’t know when, but I can see myself wandering those streets again, leisurely if not enthusiastically.
Before taking this class I had driven into downtown Fort Myers on three seperate occasions. The first time I went to hear a presentation on the waterfront revitalization project sponsored by the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency. The presenter was very proud of the plans drafted for the new downtown, but when I asked her about affordable housing, public transportations, and the homeless people camped out in Centennial Park, she didn't have much to say. The second time I went I was applying for a passport at the County Clerk's office on 2nd street. I parked in the parking garage, walked to the post office, and then back to the clerk's office. It was a pleasantly easy trip, and I didn't need to move my car once I got downtown. The third trip to downtown was for my little sister's high school graduation at Harborside Convention Center. We arrived early and got inside without much fuss. Leaving was another matter altogether. Apparently carpooling is not the fashion here, because there was an inordinate amount of cars parked on every available foot of blacktop.
This time I got to do a bit of exploring. Reading the green landmark and historical information plaques and signs reminded me of childhood trips to St Augustine and Atlanta. I was dying to go shopping in the Potomac Bead Co store, but alas we were women on a mission, and didn’t have the time to spare. If the weather had been drier, I would have suggested that we take a picture with Edison, Ford, and Firestone at the park fountain, but rainclouds dampened the tourist-y mood. Ultimately the downtown area is a reflection of the people who inhabit and surround it. There were many vacant storefronts, commercial properties left in limbo, and not a lot of foot traffic, but there were a few gems sprinkled throughout. I don’t know when, but I can see myself wandering those streets again, leisurely if not enthusiastically.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Blog #6 - Corkscrew Sanctuary
The National Audubon Society manages the 11,000 acres of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. There is a boardwalk trail (a long 2.25 mile or short 1 mile) that takes you through the six natural habitats on site (pine flatwood, wet prairie, pond cypress, marsh, lettuce lakes, and bald cypress forest). Aside from a few birds and some random insects, we didn't see many of the preserve's "residents". However, our guide was very knowledgeable and she gave us lots of interesting facts about the wildlife there, and the steps that were being made to keep the preserve as natural and functional as possible. Although it is popular these days to “go green” or be environmentally friendly, actually communing with or physically caring for plants and animals in their natural habitats hasn’t quite caught on.
I remember how as a child I was fascinated by cartoons about the future, the Jetson’s especially. Everyone was happy, life was easy, the planet was clean, it was great all around. But recently a new thought came to my mind: there were hardly any trees in the future! Not that they had become extinct, it just seemed that mankind had learned to do without them. There were plants and grasses sprinkled about sparingly much like the way you’d find them inside a posh shopping mall (stripped palm tree trunks with silk leaves glued on). Jane Jetson had a few houseplants that she watered on occasion, and there was always a tree trunk or bush when Elroy or Astro needed to hide. Otherwise there was no wildlife to speak of. It seems like humanity really is moving in that direction. Maybe not consciously so, but nature is increasingly being treated as a luxury item and not as a necessity. If we don’t take aggressive action to protect nature, she very well may be relegated to a few acres on the fringes (and in the highway medians) of our towns.
I remember how as a child I was fascinated by cartoons about the future, the Jetson’s especially. Everyone was happy, life was easy, the planet was clean, it was great all around. But recently a new thought came to my mind: there were hardly any trees in the future! Not that they had become extinct, it just seemed that mankind had learned to do without them. There were plants and grasses sprinkled about sparingly much like the way you’d find them inside a posh shopping mall (stripped palm tree trunks with silk leaves glued on). Jane Jetson had a few houseplants that she watered on occasion, and there was always a tree trunk or bush when Elroy or Astro needed to hide. Otherwise there was no wildlife to speak of. It seems like humanity really is moving in that direction. Maybe not consciously so, but nature is increasingly being treated as a luxury item and not as a necessity. If we don’t take aggressive action to protect nature, she very well may be relegated to a few acres on the fringes (and in the highway medians) of our towns.
Blog #5 - Favorite Place at Home or in Community
I'm a huge fan of libraries. If there's one place I always visit in every community I've ever lived in, it's the local library. I spent a moderate chunk of my early childhood living in and around downtown Orlando. Although there were some bright spots, most of the streets and parks were not safe places for kids to loiter, especially alone. Many of the community centers were dominated by local athletes and the state of their facilities varied widely. The public library was the PERFECT solution with it’s free after-school programs, tutoring/homework help, reading circles, screening stations for audio and visual media, computers, and helpful librarian and volunteer staff. Obviously funding can have a great impact on library facilities, collections, staff, and hours, but even at its worst, I’ve yet to meet a library I didn’t like.
The main branch of the Orlando Public Library is my favorite. It is currently the largest public library in the state of Florida, and the first to issue me a library card. When I frequented it’s stacks, the children’s department was located in the basement of the five-storey building, and housed a large piece of furniture we called the “reading tree”. It was something like an enclosed jungle gym with pillows tucked into every nook and cranny. We would climb into it with a book and promptly get lost in our imaginations. Sadly, the reading tree no longer exists, and the children’s department is now located on the first floor near the main entrance, but it is just as whimsically decorated as ever.
*Note: this is a picture of one of the pillar decorations in the new OPL children’s department. If memory serves me correctly there are three or four different pillar scenes. This photo was taken from a blog here, and its reproduction below constitutes fair use. All rights retained by original copyright holder.
The main branch of the Orlando Public Library is my favorite. It is currently the largest public library in the state of Florida, and the first to issue me a library card. When I frequented it’s stacks, the children’s department was located in the basement of the five-storey building, and housed a large piece of furniture we called the “reading tree”. It was something like an enclosed jungle gym with pillows tucked into every nook and cranny. We would climb into it with a book and promptly get lost in our imaginations. Sadly, the reading tree no longer exists, and the children’s department is now located on the first floor near the main entrance, but it is just as whimsically decorated as ever.
*Note: this is a picture of one of the pillar decorations in the new OPL children’s department. If memory serves me correctly there are three or four different pillar scenes. This photo was taken from a blog here, and its reproduction below constitutes fair use. All rights retained by original copyright holder.
Blog #4 - The Rise and Fall of Consumer Cultures by Erik Assadourian
I hate to come across as pessimistic. That kind of characterization generally leads people to belittle your opinions. I prefer the term “realistic” because that connotes weighing both the pros and cons of a situation before making up your mind. But, alas, pessimism is the perfect word to describe the feelings that arose in me while reading Erik Assadourian’s article on the way that global consumerism is swiftly killing our planet. It was well written, informative, and it has led me to believe that the chances of Americans (much less all of humanity) rescuing themselves from ecological calamity are slim, if not non-existent.
Culture can be described in many ways, but it is fundamentally a rulebook for the way we live our lives; and quite a thick book at that. Culture tells us when to get up in the morning, what to have for breakfast, what sort of clothing to put on, and precisely how to wear it. Culture tells us how to treat our parents, and how to choose our friends. Beyond governing behavior, culture also orders thought. It tells us how to differentiate between good and bad, right and wrong, love and hate, and when enough is enough. And that only covers the introductory chapters. In fact, culture is so complex, persistent, and pervasive, that you couldn’t contain it all in a physical book. It’s collectively created, constantly evolving, and so ingrained that for the most part it is invisible.
To complicate matters, the dominant culture in the United States is one of consumerism; that is “a cultural orientation in which ‘the possession and use of an increasing number and variety of goods and services is the principal cultural aspiration and the surest perceived route to personal happiness, social status, and national success’” (Assadourian, p.8). According to this country’s founding fathers, it’s a God-given and unalienable human right, that of the “pursuit of happiness”, and one that has helped make America the largest consumer of energy as well as the number one polluter on the planet.
This ideology of consumerism = happiness has already spread so far beyond our national borders that even if Americans were able to somehow magically alter that (large) part of their culture, it would still be hard pressed to slow the impending destruction. So yeah, I’m feeling a bit pessimistic, even though I think we should give sustainability a solid effort. After all it is the right thing to do, regardless of the state of the world.
Works Cited
Assadourian, E., Starke, L., Mastny, L., & Worldwatch Institute. (2010). State of the world, 2010: Transforming cultures : from consumerism to sustainability : a Worldwatch Institute report on progress toward a sustainable society. New York: W.W. Norton.
Culture can be described in many ways, but it is fundamentally a rulebook for the way we live our lives; and quite a thick book at that. Culture tells us when to get up in the morning, what to have for breakfast, what sort of clothing to put on, and precisely how to wear it. Culture tells us how to treat our parents, and how to choose our friends. Beyond governing behavior, culture also orders thought. It tells us how to differentiate between good and bad, right and wrong, love and hate, and when enough is enough. And that only covers the introductory chapters. In fact, culture is so complex, persistent, and pervasive, that you couldn’t contain it all in a physical book. It’s collectively created, constantly evolving, and so ingrained that for the most part it is invisible.
To complicate matters, the dominant culture in the United States is one of consumerism; that is “a cultural orientation in which ‘the possession and use of an increasing number and variety of goods and services is the principal cultural aspiration and the surest perceived route to personal happiness, social status, and national success’” (Assadourian, p.8). According to this country’s founding fathers, it’s a God-given and unalienable human right, that of the “pursuit of happiness”, and one that has helped make America the largest consumer of energy as well as the number one polluter on the planet.
This ideology of consumerism = happiness has already spread so far beyond our national borders that even if Americans were able to somehow magically alter that (large) part of their culture, it would still be hard pressed to slow the impending destruction. So yeah, I’m feeling a bit pessimistic, even though I think we should give sustainability a solid effort. After all it is the right thing to do, regardless of the state of the world.
Works Cited
Assadourian, E., Starke, L., Mastny, L., & Worldwatch Institute. (2010). State of the world, 2010: Transforming cultures : from consumerism to sustainability : a Worldwatch Institute report on progress toward a sustainable society. New York: W.W. Norton.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Blog #2 - Sense of Place
Although it may seem counterintuitive to those who primarily think of Florida as a state of beaches and amusement parks, agricultural is big business here. For many students inheriting their family farms, or following their migrant-worker parents from harvest to harvest is an everyday reality, and the public school curriculum reflects that (or at least it used to). In the second grade and again in the sixth, my class tended a small garden of corn, peas, tomatoes and varied greens. In 10th grade home economics we each started a green houseplant from a cutting and had to keep it alive for at least one semester. The novelty of eating food that I grew myself, however, never seemed to extend beyond the schoolyard or last beyond the academic year. I have never grown any edible plants on my own. Flowers are another story.
I’ve always thought that a flourishing flower garden was the height of domesticity. Rows upon rows of brightly colored pansies, petunias, and peonies hedged in by smartly manicured roses (tea roses, not shrub roses). If the mistress of the manor had an especially green thumb, she might have a box of herbs growing under the window ledge where she cooled her homemade pies. This was not anything I witnessed growing up. It was more of a waking dream influenced by Martha Stewart and late 1980’s Independence Day TV commercials. To this day I find her television show awe-inspiring, and at the same time it always irritates me. Although I always wanted one, I was never able to maintain a home garden for long. We moved around quite a bit as I was growing up, and, like myself, my little flower buds were seldom able to put down substantial roots. Wildflowers and standard commercial landscaping were the kind of greenery lining the neighborhood streets of my childhood.
I don't know when I officially became obsessed with collecting flowers. More likely than not, it began when my dad gave me my first digital camera. With a nearly limitless supply of exposures, and a handy set of rechargeable batteries, I was finally able to amass all the flowers that I was unable to grow myself. And I’ve got quite a collection now that includes camellias shot in the USDA National Arboretum in D.C., desert lilies photographed on the edges of the San Bernardino National Forest in California, and a hundred other little blooms whose names I may never know. And that’s enough for me. It’s not exactly the height of environmentalism, but my sinuses are quite grateful.
Blog #3 - Favorite Place on Campus
My favorite place on campus would have to be the library, or more specifically a comfy chair in front of one of the upstairs windows. I love to read or study or catch a catnap up there. It's a perfect place to people-watch some of the busiest sidewalks on campus. You can survey the green lawn or a quiet (retention) pond, and enjoy the Florida afternoon sunshine without suffering in the sweltering heat.
I tend to schedule long school days for myself, and when you need to camp out for an hour or so between classes there are few if any places on campus that can match the library for comfort and accessibility. And let's not forget all those lovely books! Art, history, poetry, ethnography, although it isn't evenly distributed, our collection is nothing to sneeze at. And with the piéces de resistance: wi-fi and Starbucks, the library is the perfect mixture of outside and inside, nature and nurture.
Blog #1 - Expectations for Colloquium
This semester I am taking the University Colloquium... for the last time. Don't get me wrong, I totally respect FGCU's mission to instill in all its graduates a sense of place, an ecological perspective, and a working knowledge of sustainability (among other objectives). That being said, I believe there are a few bugs left in the system, and I say this as someone who has sat in on this course before, not just as a student made apprehensive by campus rumors.
Choosing the right professor can be an intimidating task. Most students choose their colloquium section based upon date and time, but this is probably the worst method for this course. Although the course materials are all (more or less) the same, the backgrounds (and teaching styles)of the professors are very broad. You could be learning about ecological sustainability and carbon emissions from an engineer, an attorney, a graphic artist, or an author. This makes perfect sense if your teacher turns out to be someone like Carl Hiaasen, but not so much if it's Judy Blume.
One of the course goals listed on the University Colloquium webpage is "to provide a 'sense of place' and an understanding of the unique ecological features of the Southwest Florida environment". This is generally accomplished by taking field trips to various local wildlife sanctuaries, conservation areas, agribusiness properties, etc. But an occasional acquaintance with the natural world will not necessarily engender any lingering affection for it, or even a healthy respect for that matter.
I am a former Girl Scout. I took AP Environmental Science as a high school senior, and spent many hours that year volunteering in Alachua county's Gum Root Swamp. I've lived in north, central, southeast and southwest Florida, but didn't truly appreciate the natural beauty of my state until I left it and spent some time trapped under the smog-choked skies of southern California. I think that embracing the "great outdoors" is something akin to spiritual awakening; a deeply personal experience requiring an individual commitment. It is beyond the scope of one class to create such a profound connection, especially when many of the students are resistant.
All negativity aside, I expect to encounter updated information about the state of the world on both a local and a global scale. And not just news about the natural environment, but about the inter-connected politics, and economics as well. I hope to be reminded of my personal agency when it comes the goings-on in my community, and I hope to be inspired to act in protection of the things I hold dear, be they people, places, or possessions. It's a tall order, I know, but preserving the Earth is a mission undervalued by so many people. Our planet (the air, water, plants, and animals) is an IRREPLACEABLE source of life, and that realization is a source of great power.
It's "flower power", but not in a hippie sort of way.
Choosing the right professor can be an intimidating task. Most students choose their colloquium section based upon date and time, but this is probably the worst method for this course. Although the course materials are all (more or less) the same, the backgrounds (and teaching styles)of the professors are very broad. You could be learning about ecological sustainability and carbon emissions from an engineer, an attorney, a graphic artist, or an author. This makes perfect sense if your teacher turns out to be someone like Carl Hiaasen, but not so much if it's Judy Blume.
One of the course goals listed on the University Colloquium webpage is "to provide a 'sense of place' and an understanding of the unique ecological features of the Southwest Florida environment". This is generally accomplished by taking field trips to various local wildlife sanctuaries, conservation areas, agribusiness properties, etc. But an occasional acquaintance with the natural world will not necessarily engender any lingering affection for it, or even a healthy respect for that matter.
I am a former Girl Scout. I took AP Environmental Science as a high school senior, and spent many hours that year volunteering in Alachua county's Gum Root Swamp. I've lived in north, central, southeast and southwest Florida, but didn't truly appreciate the natural beauty of my state until I left it and spent some time trapped under the smog-choked skies of southern California. I think that embracing the "great outdoors" is something akin to spiritual awakening; a deeply personal experience requiring an individual commitment. It is beyond the scope of one class to create such a profound connection, especially when many of the students are resistant.
All negativity aside, I expect to encounter updated information about the state of the world on both a local and a global scale. And not just news about the natural environment, but about the inter-connected politics, and economics as well. I hope to be reminded of my personal agency when it comes the goings-on in my community, and I hope to be inspired to act in protection of the things I hold dear, be they people, places, or possessions. It's a tall order, I know, but preserving the Earth is a mission undervalued by so many people. Our planet (the air, water, plants, and animals) is an IRREPLACEABLE source of life, and that realization is a source of great power.
It's "flower power", but not in a hippie sort of way.
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