Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization

I liked going to ECHO, but I was also a little disappointed by it as well.  I think I was expecting a more efficient farming set up, and I noticed that there doesn't seem to be much measurable product coming out of ECHO.  I understand that their goal is to help support people in developing countries by showing them how to work with the environment to support themselves, but there are people in Southwest Florida that have problems and could benefit from working with ECHO.  I'm not sure about their public relations in the area, but I think that most people who haven't been in a Colloquium class know very little about ECHO.

I did like how their farm was laid out though.  Instead of the more traditional American farming row crops, they work with the land and practice techniques that are less invasive.  I think they are doing relevant work for the developing world, but it's a little disappointing that they aren't doing more to change views and practices a little closer to home as well.

I don't think I would be personally very excited about working with ECHO for my service learning.  I already have an organization that I enjoy working with anyway, but I don't think that I'm the right kind of person to be volunteering with them.  I would love to have a small tire planter, or to grow sweet potatoes or bananas or citrus at my home.  That said though, I don't feel that I'm passionate enough about alternative farming, or at least about working with ECHO for it.  I would be more interested in making alternative farming or local produce more available in our own community then in bringing it to places around the world.  I appreciate the work they do, especially if they are helping people who really need it, but I don't think I would fit with their philosophy.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

I think my favorite distinct ecosystem at the Corkscrew Sanctuary was the Cypress hammock.  It was cool to see how the trees get bigger and thicker the further in and higher you go.  It was also really cool to see where the panthers had left marks on the trees.  Since the cypress are so large and make huge domes at the top, they create an environment on the forest floor for plants that prefer shade.  There's a lot of sun in Florida, so these plants need these environments in order to survive.

Conservation means different things in different contexts.  My first thought is physics related, because of how much time I spend working with science and engineering applications.  There are a lot of conservation laws, for mass and energy and momentum for example.  Our conservation laws aren't universal constants though;  We have to fight to get people to recognize that conservation is a worthwhile cause, where as conservation of energy is constant regardless of whether it's convenient.  This is why we need to promote the idea of stewardship in our communities.  Non-profits are important because they are passionate and willing to take responsibility for an area and protect it from the damage or irresponsible management of resources.  Civic engagement factors into this because it takes dedicated, passionate people who are willing to donate their time and effort to a cause in their community.  They pass on their excitement on to their neighborhood or city.

This particular persevere is protected by the Audubon Society, because in the past thousands of wading birds were killed by ignorant hunters.  I think, in this case, the government's involvement is most useful in terms of providing grant money.  Most of the time, bureaucracy and muddled facts slow down large government agencies and limit their ability to be useful.  When a non-profit agency is being supported by a government agency, a lot more is possible.  Personally, I think there's really no reason to bulldoze the preserve, ecological standpoint or not.  There's already way too many golf course communities in the area, they don't really need another.  From an ecological standpoint though, the preserve provides an environment for plants and wildlife that would not exist without having a conscious effort made.

Introduction to University Colloquium

I've heard some horror stories about University Colloquium, and I'm not sure I understand where they come from.  I think a lot of people don't like writing-intensive classes, but I'm personally excited about this course.  As a software engineering and math major, I don't get outside much on my own, so a class with field trips is a welcome change of pace!

Sustainability, to me, is a measure of a thing's ability to carry into the future. Sometimes the thing can be an idea, or a physical place, or a system. Sustainability in software is designing for the future, and ensuring that anyone who follows you can not only understand your work but continue to build off of it.  Technology is fast-paced, and sustainability is as necessary as efficiency to an engineering project.  The last thing anyone wants is a bridge that's not built to last.

As far as unsustainable attitudes, I think my biggest issue stems from living in Cape Coral.  I complain about it a LOT.  I want to be able to ride my bike to work and class and down to the store, but here it's almost impossible to do, or at least do safely.  I usually end up either driving or staying inside playing video games,  both of which are pretty unsustainable behaviors.  As great as it would be, I don't see myself ever becoming a professional gamer.  I also like new things, which I don't think is wrong.  That said... making new things means breaking down things we already have, and usually results in killing trees or animals, or stripping the land to mine or grow crops, or polluting the atmosphere and in turn all sorts of sensitive systems on Earth.  Actually, most production is a conglomerated evil glob of several of those things.

Unfortunately, I'm not apologizing. But the first step is admitting you have a problem, right?