Field trip down by the Estero River. (Post 13)

Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass was a beautiful experience. Jo, our 80 year old historian was the most precious lady I have met in Fort Myers.  I found it interesting that this land was preserved land for awhile that no one really took care of. Today it was really stunning. There were so many sights, sounds, and experiences that stood out to me.. here are a few pictures of them.

I truly enjoyed my time there. There are many ways the local quality of life is being enhanced down by the beach in this area. For one, the elementary school next door is the smallest school in Lee County. Instead of going to the school board for help, the school will call on the beach district when they need supplies.  There is a sense of community that could be from the nature that still exists there.  The keep this land in good keeping which also helps the quality of life.

My hometown has really not changed a lot. When I was very young, there was a mall built over wetlands. To be able to do this, the company had to create man made wetlands in another area of our hometown.  This is probably the biggest change my city has seen. Because my hometown is smaller, there is a sense of community. There are local markets where most residents will buy from. Unless you have recently moved into Midland, you would probably not know of the good markets and shop at Wal-Mart or (my favorite) Meijer. There are only two high schools in my hometown and depending on which one you go to, that is where your community is. High school is the holding spot for functions, events, and unity. 

I grew up in a townhouse, so the question "if a developer offered 300% of the market value of my childhood home to turn into condos" doesn't make much sense. It is already "condos" But, for the sake of this question, I no longer live there so I really couldn't care less if it was developed or not. Maybe if I grew up on a farm or with a large backyard I would have some hesitance towards the contractor, but I didn't so I don't. 

Just as well, I would probably side with the 20/20 just as easily as the condos. 10% was the amount back in 1994 of land being preserved in SWFL. Actually, I live in condos where there is preserved wetlands throughout the community. Kept away from the public by wood fences, these areas are probably preserved by conservation 20/20.  I support the 20/20 program and its efforts, allowing me to feel okay with only taking 80% of the market value. 

Until next time,

Annie

"I shop therefore I am" (Post 12)

There needs to be a movement from consumerism to sustainability. You cannot link the two in my brain and create sustainable consumerism. Unless you want to make yourself feel better by justifying buying way more then one person needs because you used a "re-usable" shopping bag.  The phenomenon is a term of justification and of capitalism. Because we are now connected to every corner of the world (which has no corners) the human race is able (with the right amount of money) to buy or own just about anything from anywhere. Driving the term sustainable into the market of consumerism is like putting a square peg in a round hole. It won't work too well. But the term is doing a great job with the greenwashing our society is working so hard to achieve. With this new concept of buy whatever you want just make sure its with a green logo, our brains and thoughts are now paying more to help our environment. Paying more for organic, local or fair trade when you are over consuming isn't going to help our environment. If you are sustainable in your purchases without over-consuming then using such products will. Point in case? Don't consume more then you need. In anything.

My moral beliefs from greenwashing have made me think twice when buying. When it comes to organic or local, I will skip the premium prices of organic and pay a less amount at local markets. There will always be "things" on my fruits and veggies that I probably wouldn't want there, so as a general rule of thumb, I rather help out the local economy and farmers then Publix. And I never go out of my way to purchase fair trade, but if it happens I always feel better about myself.

Lets be honest, even with the greenwashing and the hope to become sustainable, sometimes its easier to go to Gulf Coast Town Center and patronize chain stores because you know they will have what you are needing and usually on sale. Mom and pop stores have more of a history and story that I love! but when I need a pair of jeans or fabric I will be more likely to shop at JoAnne's and Target. My ramifications for my actions are probably too small on their own to make a significant difference in our environment. Combined with the rest of SWFL actions, it has ramifications for what is happening in our economy and the structure of Downtown Fort Myers. Because I shop at chain stores instead of independent stores, downtown is lacking in economic flow. My actions of shopping local farmers market is making a difference in that economy as well.

Until next time,
Annie

Food Forest..My Favorite (BONUS BLOG!)

Well... simply because I can I will now post a few pictures of my Food Forest experience that I completed the first two weekend when SWFL decided to get COLD!! It was wonderful spending the days outside farming while the weather was perfect.

We worked hard planting wonderful little seedling

Assembling the irrigation system

We made irrigation happen!!

lalalala just a little watering

Welcome to my neck of the woods (Post 11)

Contemplate the word "downtown".. if you are like me you are thinking urban, coffee, live music, soulful, mom and pa shops, history, entertainment. Great downtowns belong to Chicago, ILL. Portland, ORE. Burlington, Vt. Nashville, TN. Savannah, GA. and Winston-Salem, NC. ((any of which I would move in a heart beat to)) Not so much Fort Myers, FL. Even though in its prime, was the great stomping ground for some famous people.

We were HERE!! ((River District))

I believe downtown is being revived again as a nation. Once the hob for everything happening in a city.. then lost after generations, there seems to be a needed and wanted pull back to downtowns. This is seen in Fort Myers' and is backed up by a $4 million restoration. Personally, I believe downtown Fort Myers is experiencing a renaissance because it has recognized that community is important. As well as image and economy. By gathering local artists and musicians and local farmers together Fort Myers is helping the local economy and giving it something to believe in.

The River District is FULL of many different kinds of architecture.  Spanish to English to Art deco and modern. From our tour today, I realized how unjointed downtown is. The only common thread is the brick roads.  Those brick roads are accompanied by sidewalks..why is this interesting? Well, have you know that downtown is designed so pedestrians can get anywhere in town with only a ten minute walk. How convenient is that for the environment?.

Downtown is also famous... how so? Well, Edison, Ford and Firestone all live there... in stone form known as a water fountain titled "Uncommon Friends" There were also two movies filmed Downtown Fort Myers. The economy of Fort Myers was once blooming when these all took place. Now it was gone down to almost nothing with vacancy signs everywhere. However, I have high hopes that will soon change and Fort Myers will be alive again. I hope downtown Fort Myers will be able to become sustainable again.  With the help of localization and urbanization I believe it can be done.

Until next time,

Annie

Look, I'm bigfoot (Post 10)

According to the ecofootprint website, I am a bigfoot. If everyone lived like me, we would need 4.9 planet Earths to provide enough resources.. (ouch). The highest percentage of my energy source comes from services. Now being reasonable, I could change my shopping behavior (when it comes to clothes, shoes, not buying local) to help modify my footprint. The second highest percentage was my mobility. Unfortunately  driving to FGCU twice a week along with work 4 times a week and then the added times when I run errands, go to church, go out with friends really adds up. (The occasional flight to Washington D.C. or Michigan). I can't really seeing my mobility percentage changing until maybe I graduate and no longer have to drive out to campus.  I don't plan to stop flying to see family or driving out to Lehigh to visit my boyfriend. Sorry folks. My shelter was at a low 8% so maybe I can just make up for it there and say we are even.

I take up 21.8 global acres of earth's productive area (Fatty?) and I use 24.5 tons of Carbon Dioxide...(oh boy.) What is most crazy about my findings is I see myself as a more conservative American. I can't even imagine what the ecofootprint of the rich and elite looks like. Or for that matter, Al Gore. Thankfully we don't all live like that.

If everyone in the world lived LESS then my 4.9 needed Earths, and the ecofootprint was 4.6 earths, then there still would not be enough room for the just hit 7 billion population mark. Take a look for yourself....see link below.

View this video on the 7 billion population mark

With the world's new population I wonder what will have to change to be able to support everyone. For example, can the earth handle even America's ecofootprint? What if the developing countries become more develop and look to our lifestyle as the one they want to represent. Could Earth support two American ecofootprints? The answer is, we only have one planet earth, not 4.9 not even 2. We need to start living in our reality. 

I need ENERGY! (Post 9)

When it comes to the cost of energy, I think the glory of it is how cheap it is. I strongly, strongly, believe in my family's life motto, "If it's free it's for me!" Therefore, nothing is ever too cheap. (I know economically the whole supply and demand thing would be shattered, and the value of everything would be deteriorated.. but I still love when it's free.) Because energy is so cheap I feel our society has a hard time grasping the idea to conserve it.  The ones who pay for energy are more likely to conserve it.  For example, I currently live in a pool house that is owned by a family I know at church.  My water and electric as bundled in a once a month rent check that is shockingly low.  My reason to "conserve" energy is only because I don't want to be a bigger burden on them financially.  Even at this, if I forget to turn off the air I am only disappointed because of the amount of money I wasted for them. Conservation therefore isn't necessarily a "dirty" word, it is just understood and assosicated with saving money.  Saving money to our society is much more important then saving the environment.  I believe this could be one reason why "Jimmy Cardigan's" talks did not encourage the public opinion as he had hoped.

Jimmy "Cardigan" Carter, resembles Mr. Rogers...Doesn't he?

Jimmy Cardigan was Jimmy Carter's "alterego" to say, who would come on national television as like he was F.D. Roosevelt giving his "Fireside Chats".  The only difference was America needed those fireside chats, whereas in Carter's position, Americans did not listen to his obvious advice on conservation.  Here in the blog we of course turn to is energy another government conspiracy.

Alternative energy sources are pushed by our government. If you haven't already caught on by reading my other blogs, I am a skeptic when it comes to big government. I however, have conflicting feelings on this topic because I also know we are wasting a lot of energy.  Could energy sources renewables be the government's heartfelt attempt to truly and genuinely help the environment without having outside motives?!? HA! I could only wish, but my view of our government is so depleted that everything I see it doing has corruption not far behind. Regardless of the government's push to make us "free marketeers" I still believe it is best to move away from fossil fuels, not for money, or for the government, but to help the  environment which will increase humanity.

When it comes to renewable resources, I think they all are good. Anyone you use has its pros and cons so please just pick one and steer away from fossil fuels. My favorite is biofuels. The idea of using trash to produce energy is pretty awesome. We are not only finding an outside source for energy, but we are also taking away waste that creates environment problems. Double Whammy!
Yes, it might smell like McDonalds on the side of the road, but with all the technology we have, I have a hard time believing we couldn't fix that problem as well. Take the nasty stuff from fast food places that we don't want, and they don't want and make it into something valuable. How beautiful. (Now of course, big oil and America would never go for this....but in my world where the government cares about humanity more then money it does.)

Now I can spit out advice pretty easily, but what am I going to do tomorrow and within the next five years to lower my energy footprint. Well, tomorrow is easy because I already live in a tiny "cabana" that does not suck up as much energy as anyone living in a house or even apartment. I only own a mini fridge and single computer.. no tv, no radio, no freezer even that will suck up energy. I live considerably close to a grocery store, starbucks, book store, ext and when I go to those places for small items I will ride my bike.  I would say I am considerably doing better then most Americans, however, I do forget to turn off a light here and there, and I use my A/C along with never turning off my computer.  Those are what I can work on. As in the next 5 years, I can see my footprint become larger, not any smaller. I would imagine in 5 years (hopefully) I would have a home and a t.v. I may not be able to ride my bike anywhere and I could even have kids and those are big time energy suckers. Maybe in 5 years I will own a electric car....(ha,ha) then that can be my solution :)

Until next time,
Annie

"You might as well be walking on the Sun" (Post 8)

Oh how Al Gore has messed with our pretty little minds. Climate change is a hot topic issue for Americans for a reason I can't seem to fully grasp. (At least not enough to jump on the bandwagon.)  In my humble opinion, climate change is a mixture between natural and anthropogenic. I am certain humans have caused enough damage to our atmosphere to alter the climate, just as well I am certain natural occurrences create a climate change.

I am a very young skeptical girl who disregards most information tossed at me until I find and test the resource myself.  This being so, reputable sources for climate change information are few and far between.  There is evidence of the rising temperature, yes. And I will acknowledge the problems we are facing. I will not however, acknowledge rants and rages people go on about the climate issue.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have a National Climatic Data Center that provides facts and not opinion. This is a reputable source for climate change.

The problem with climate change isn't really a problem about climate change but rather, in my book, its a problem with the media on climate change.  Movies such as: The Day After Tomorrow, WALL-E, Avatar, and  Happy Feet gives these radical notions and examples of how the environment and climate change will destroy all of us. Now, let me be clear to say that I think we do a poor job taking care of our environment and that when it comes to sustainability, we are doomed. But, the media is sneaky because it is viewed by millions who believe anything, anyone says.  In general the media, including movies, documentaries, television news, newspaper, books, etc. by large portray an act of emergency on climate change.  Because the issue is over-debated and over-glorified it has been tossed into my "over-rated" dropbox in my brain.

Even before the hype of climate change, I have been recycling, turning off lights/water, conserving personally energy when possible, and re-purposing items. The media nor the scare has pressured me to change my lifestyle, this is my lifestyle. I personally prefer riding my back to target and I love being creative and re-purposing wood from an old chair into a new picture frame. Will that save the climate? No, but I enjoy it so I will continue living this way.  Now, if I do decide to raise children in this horribly corrupted world we live in, I do not think the climate will be their biggest worry.  Not even their children's worry. Maybe I partially believe this because I'm predicting bigger natural disasters will be their worries or the war on oil will erupt in our time or theirs. Either way, we have much bigger issues besides the "climate change".

Until next time,
Annie