Calculate your Ecological Footprint

Calculate your Ecological Footprint:
    My results for the ecological footprint quiz were that if everyone lived like me we would take up 2.8 planet earths.  Though my score could be a lot worse this quiz shows me that I need to try to conserve more resources.  One of the main reasons why my score is that high is, because we depend on our cars too much.  Living in Florida it is so hot and everything is so far away so we use our cars, because it is convenient.  One change that I can make that would not be that hard is to cut down on my garbage.  I can try to use fewer resources and recycle more.  I was surprised that I would take up this many planet earths if everyone lived like me. 


My consumption: 
•    Energy use= I used energy today by using my cell phone charger, using the lights in my bedroom and bathroom, used kitchen appliances such as refrigerator and dish washer.
•    Fuel usage= I drove to church, which is less than 5 minutes, but it is a low gas usage car.
•    Food Intake= I ate a grilled chicken sandwich, yogurt, lime shrimp and rice.
•    Water use= I refilled a water bottle, took a shower, three glass of water, and the water required for the dishwasher.
•    Packaging= For packaging I used the bag my sandwich came in, the paper cup for my drink, rice box and he bag the shrimp I made for dinner.

Field Trip-Campus Trails

Bloodwort flower   

Alligator Flag

Field Trip-Campus Trails:
    On our campus walk we visited a Pine Flatwoods habitat, which was mostly flooded due to it being the rainy season.  The two major trees that I saw along the nature trail would be the slash pine and the longleaf pine.  We also saw a lot of saw palmetto when we first got on the nature trail, which is in the understory.  The trunks of these trees are fan shaped, which allows for dirt and seeds to fall in and create a new habitat.  Since most of the saw palmetto trunk is beneath the ground it can withstand forest fires and regrow overtime.  AT the beginning of the trail we also saw a flower, which I think was a Bloodwort.  It had tiny yellow flowers and long thin stems.  We also saw the alligator flag plant, which I did not enjoy seeing since it meant that there could be alligators in the area.  Overall I enjoyed this field trip, because it was nice to spend time with fellow classmates in a unique setting and do something different than the average class.  I enjoy walking on the nature trails more in the spring, because you are able to go through the whole trail without getting wet.  I did enjoy this field trip, but my opinion did not really change about the campus since I took colloquium simply, because I have always enjoyed having the nature trails.

Picture sources:

• http://www.impgc.com/plantinfo_A.php?id=89&bc=Raw%20Herbs%20%BB%20Flowers

• http://www.aquaticplantsofflorida.com/alligatorflag.htm

Reflection

Reflection:
    I have always been a girl who enjoys being outdoors, but at the same time I was not to keen on the idea that I had to take colloquium.  Even though I try to be eco-friendly I was nervous that the class would be about constantly pushing me to put the environment as my main priority in life.  I was happy to see that the class was not at all like that.  It encourages us to get to know the environment that we live in as well as teach us how we can do simple changes that will make a huge difference.   Depending on the field trip I sometimes would rather have class, because even though I took Biology of Southwest Florida I still do not like walking in water that I think alligators are in.  Other than that I do not have any anxieties about the class anymore.
    I can use this class in my major as an elementary educator.  My students can learn about their environment wherever I decide to teach.  Sometimes I can even take my class outside to sit in the fresh air as I give them their lesson.  For example if my 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade class is working on reading I can have them sit under a tree on campus and read quietly or as a group.  I can also teach them about recycling and conserving energy that way they can go home and share it with their family.
    My experiences outdoors involve mostly camping and running.  I absolutely hate running in a gym so I only do it when I have to.  Most of the time when I go for runs I try to find nature trails or community parks.  My family also goes camping pretty often in Florida and sometimes out of state, which is a nice opportunity to get away from it all.  I also like cannoning, snowboarding, and hiking.

This website shows a campground that I go to often with my family.
http://www.floridastateparks.org/jonathandickinson/