What is “sustainable consumerism”? Are globalization and capitalism positive or negative drivers in this phenomenon? What is greenwashing? Would you be willing to pay a premium for foods labeled “organic”, “local”, or “fair-trade”? Do you prefer to frequent mom and pop stores in downtown Ft. Myers or patronize chain stores at the Gulf Coast Town Center? What are the ramifications of your behaviors either way? Think holistically. Give an example of a social trap that you succumb to on a regular basis.
Sustainable consumerism is what it means, being a sustainable consumer. By being a sustainable consumer, it means that he/she is fully aware of what they are purchasing, and only purchase things that have a minimal carbon footprint and are more ecologically and socially sound. Globalization and capitalism can be both a positive and negative driver in this phenomenon. Negative because it encourages people to buy more and waste more, but positive because it allows for consumers to purchase products that are more sustainable, that may not be offered in their country. Globalization can help to raise awareness around the world by educating those in third world countries as well as developed countries the value of living a sustainable lifestyle. "Green-washing" is when companies use false advertising on their products to say that they are healthier, when in reality they aren't. An example would be 100% real juice, and yet if you check in the ingredients it contains high fructose corn syrup, extremely deceiving if the consumer isn't paying full attention to the product. I would pay more for local foods just because it tastes better, and most of the times it contains less chemicals in it.
I would prefer to go shop at mom and pop shops but I shop at Gulf Coast Town Center instead because it is more convenient for me. This is the social trap. Do I drive out, spend more money on gas, to go to a local farmers market, where their produce is even more expensive, or do I walk over to a Target, save gas, and buy produce that aren't as good, but get the job done? Convenience wins for me. If there was a mom and pop shop that was closer to me I would go, but for now I am going to have to stick to Target.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Blog: Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass
What was your overall opinion of Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass? What sights, sounds, and/or experiences stood out? Give concrete examples of how the local quality of life is being enhanced. How has your hometown changed since you were a child? Do you still feel a sense of community? If a developer offered you 300% the market value of your childhood home to develop into condos, would you take it? What if the county approached you about purchasing the land under the 20/20 program, for 80% of its market value?
When I arrived to Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass I was completely surprised by what I saw. I was not expecting to go on a Cottage that was filled with so much history. The Cottage was built in and 1920s, and survived the great 1926 hurricane, and is still standing strong today. The sights, sounds, and/or experiences that stood out to me was the sound of the bees buzzing over the sea grape tree, the sound of the fish swimming up to feed, seeing all the different kinds mangroves (red, black, and white), hearing the lady in the cottage talk about her life in Estero, from the beginning, while eating her seagrape jam, are what stood out to me the most. This entire trip was just a lovely experience.
Before Estero Island, was developed the Calusa Indians inhabited the island. Then the Spanish came and the Calusa reign was put to an end. Years later the first people to colonize and live in the area after the natives, were commercial fisherman. In 1937 the first school was built on the island, and in that same year, so was a church. Today there are nearly 6,000 civilians on the off season, and in season, there are 50,000 people. The island continues to grow each year. Back then there were only three canals, now there are over 100.
My hometown Coral Springs, hasn't really changed much over the years, the only major difference is more houses. In a way I like that Coral Springs has remained almost the same, it gives me the feel of a sense of place. I know that city like the back of my hand. If a developer offered me a 300% market share of my hometown, I would not take it to build condos. If anything I would build more places for teenagers and young adults to go to to hang out, because there really is nothing in Coral Springs except for houses, so building more condos would only make it more boring. Coral Springs is very calm, and slow, it is a great place to go to just relax.
When I arrived to Estero Island Cottage and Matanzas Pass I was completely surprised by what I saw. I was not expecting to go on a Cottage that was filled with so much history. The Cottage was built in and 1920s, and survived the great 1926 hurricane, and is still standing strong today. The sights, sounds, and/or experiences that stood out to me was the sound of the bees buzzing over the sea grape tree, the sound of the fish swimming up to feed, seeing all the different kinds mangroves (red, black, and white), hearing the lady in the cottage talk about her life in Estero, from the beginning, while eating her seagrape jam, are what stood out to me the most. This entire trip was just a lovely experience.
Before Estero Island, was developed the Calusa Indians inhabited the island. Then the Spanish came and the Calusa reign was put to an end. Years later the first people to colonize and live in the area after the natives, were commercial fisherman. In 1937 the first school was built on the island, and in that same year, so was a church. Today there are nearly 6,000 civilians on the off season, and in season, there are 50,000 people. The island continues to grow each year. Back then there were only three canals, now there are over 100.
My hometown Coral Springs, hasn't really changed much over the years, the only major difference is more houses. In a way I like that Coral Springs has remained almost the same, it gives me the feel of a sense of place. I know that city like the back of my hand. If a developer offered me a 300% market share of my hometown, I would not take it to build condos. If anything I would build more places for teenagers and young adults to go to to hang out, because there really is nothing in Coral Springs except for houses, so building more condos would only make it more boring. Coral Springs is very calm, and slow, it is a great place to go to just relax.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
"UN-Sustainable Meal"
Evaluate your contribution to our (un?)sustainable meal. Consider a cradle to grave assessment of the inputs required to make your product. Relatively speaking, does it meet the criteria for sustainable (as we defined it in class)? How does it compare to comparable options on the market? How might you go about evaluating an “eco” and conventional product side by side?
My contribution to the (un?)sustainable meal was a vegetable tray (broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and carrots) with ranch dip. The vegetables came from different regions in North America, but none from Florida. The vegetables were first grown in a farm, and then harvested, then shipped to a distribution center, where the vegetables were cleaned and cut, in the right portions, and then packaged for shipping. Both the vegetables and the dip are biodegradable, if they don't get eaten, but the plastic that cased the dip and the plastic container that contained the vegetables are not. There is so much unnecessary packaging that goes into the vegetable tray, that it makes it more so unsustainable.
Compared to other options in the market, this food choice is more sustainable because the vegetables contain antioxidants, which is very good to have in our diets. A better diet, means a healthier lifestyle. My people that eat more junk food are more wasteful compared to those people who eat less, and more healthier options.
I would go about evaluating an "eco" and conventional product side-by-side by first observing how much unnecessary packaging the product has and if the product contains more biodegradable parts, than not. Also I would evaluate the size of the carbon foot print that the product leaves behind.
My contribution to the (un?)sustainable meal was a vegetable tray (broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and carrots) with ranch dip. The vegetables came from different regions in North America, but none from Florida. The vegetables were first grown in a farm, and then harvested, then shipped to a distribution center, where the vegetables were cleaned and cut, in the right portions, and then packaged for shipping. Both the vegetables and the dip are biodegradable, if they don't get eaten, but the plastic that cased the dip and the plastic container that contained the vegetables are not. There is so much unnecessary packaging that goes into the vegetable tray, that it makes it more so unsustainable.
Compared to other options in the market, this food choice is more sustainable because the vegetables contain antioxidants, which is very good to have in our diets. A better diet, means a healthier lifestyle. My people that eat more junk food are more wasteful compared to those people who eat less, and more healthier options.
I would go about evaluating an "eco" and conventional product side-by-side by first observing how much unnecessary packaging the product has and if the product contains more biodegradable parts, than not. Also I would evaluate the size of the carbon foot print that the product leaves behind.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
"So Go Downtown, Things'll Be Great When You're Downtown"
What kinds of emotions does the word “downtown” evoke? How has their stature in communities changed over time? Why is downtown Ft. Myers Ft. Myers
“We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares
So go downtown, things'll be great when you're
Downtown - don't wait a minute for
Downtown - everything's waiting for you”
*Petula Clark*
When I think of the world “downtown,” it makes me think of art/music festivals, local dining, great atmosphere, and happy people. Downtown is where the locals can come and congregate, and just relax, while enjoying the company of others; whether they are family, friends, and/or new acquaintances. Most people enjoy the downtown area on their time off. It is where they can relax and not have to worry about the stresses that follow them in their busy city life.
Overtime, the downtown area has been misconstrued as a place where the “older folk” can go. The typical count of people, who visited, has gone done over the years. Many young adults don’t realize that most downtowns have a great nightlife, and that there are even several events that are hosted every month attract people of all ages.
Downtown Ft. Myers is experiencing something of a renaissance because it is being remodeled back to the original concept of a downtown. There are more local restaurant, bars, boutiques, and art galleries, opening more so now than ever before. The downtown life is being reborn, and it will only continue to prosper. Some of the prominent architectural features are Neo-Classical Revival Style; found on some of the public buildings, like The Lee County Courthouse, and the First National Bank, as well as Mediterranean Revival; found in the Patio de Leon and the Post Office Arcade, amongst other commercial edifices. This distinct architecture is completely different from the rest of the architecture found in Fort Myers. The buildings are bright, colorful, and very inviting. The downtown’s architecture is beautiful and filled with history, it encourages pedestrians to want to come and walk around the scenic area.
Some of the “nods to history” that I saw in the tour was the homage to the Olympians, the only museum in the world that displays the artworks of past Olympians. Several monuments dedicated to Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone, the great inventors, who all once resided in Fort Myers. There are even several historical plaques, which mark a certain time in history involving the Calusa natives, amongst other significant moments in time, placed throughout the downtown area.
The economy of Ft. Myers has evolved from past to present by becoming more rich in culture as well as a booming financial district. Before WWII, Fort Myers was highly undeveloped. Today, it is growing exponentially, with each year bringing more additions, including houses, shopping centers, parks, and so on. This all relates to sustainability because while, the city continues to grow and prosper, the downtown holds on to the most important aspect, it preserves the history as well as gives people the motivation to enjoy the simple things in life, and not be so affluent.
Colloquium Blog #10
Calculate your ecofootprint at: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/. How did you fare? Click the explore scenarios button. What behaviors could you modify (be reasonable now!) to reduce your footprint? What is the resulting value? Assume the average American ecofootprint is 4.6 (earths). If everyone lived like you do, what is the maximum population that earth could sustain (according to this calculator)?
After calculating my ecofootprint, I fared at 4.7 Earths. When I first saw my results, I was shocked. I didn't think that I lived such a wasteful lifestyle. Unfortunately, this is close to the norm for most people. We only have one Earth, and if everyone lived as I did, we would need to start looking for other planets to call home base. This calculation really put me to thinking. If I recycled more, bought fewer books and turned to e-books, and borrowing books from others, bought a car with greater mileage, and own a house that is eco-friendly, I was able to lower my footprint to 4.3. I won’t be able to purchase the new car and house now, but for the future, I know what the most environmental investment will be, and therefore further lower my ecofootprint, in the long run.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Colloquium Blog #9
Is energy too cheap? Is conservation a dirty word? What would you say to “Jimmy Cardigan”? With regards to alternative energy sources (renewable's) are you a "free-marketeer" or proponent of government intervention to steer us away from fossil fuels? In your opinion, what type of renewable energy has the most upside potential? What steps can you take 1) tomorrow and 2) within the next five years to reduce your energy footprint?
Energy is worth 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Many people would say that this isn't much, but if you calculate the amount of energy that a household uses in one day, its more than what you'd think. I personally do believe that energy isn't too cheap, but I do think that the price should go up. If energy was more expensive, even if it was by a couple more cents, more people would be willing to change their lifestyles so that they are saving money, thus saving energy. Saving money has a better ring to it, for most people, than saving the environment. Conservation is not a dirty word, but a word that needs to be instilled into our daily lives. This means turning the sink off when we brush our teeth, not letting the shower run, turning the lights of when someone leaves the room, and so on. This may come to a surprise, but these slight alterations really make all the difference, in the long run.
With regards to alternative energy sources, I would tell Mr. Jimmy Cardigan that he was a bit too ambitious. He asked the American people to lower their thermostats to a frigid 65 degrees Fahrenheit, during the winter time, and just put on an extra sweater to keep warm. Jimmy Carter had great intentions, but no one in their right minds would make an already cold house even colder, just to conserve fossil fuels. I think its a great idea if the government manages the way energy gets used throughout the country, but at the current moment in time, fossil fuels is a main source of energy for us. In order to build the eco-friendly devices fossil fuels have to be used. So for right now, the best we can do is be more sustainable with our resources and conserve them for years to come.
In my opinion, I would say that using solar energy seems to be the most sustainable. If there can be mini solar panels on calculators, that take up no space whatsoever, I am sure, that with the right technology, smaller panels, that absorb the same amount of energy as the larger ones, if not more, for households and buildings can be created as well.
To reduce my energy footprint tomorrow I will recycle more, shut off the water when I am not using it, un-plug any electronics that are not in use, and produce less waste by buying more biodegradable products. As for in five years, I hope to continue the same process but also purchase a car that has better gas mileage, than the cars today.
Energy is worth 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Many people would say that this isn't much, but if you calculate the amount of energy that a household uses in one day, its more than what you'd think. I personally do believe that energy isn't too cheap, but I do think that the price should go up. If energy was more expensive, even if it was by a couple more cents, more people would be willing to change their lifestyles so that they are saving money, thus saving energy. Saving money has a better ring to it, for most people, than saving the environment. Conservation is not a dirty word, but a word that needs to be instilled into our daily lives. This means turning the sink off when we brush our teeth, not letting the shower run, turning the lights of when someone leaves the room, and so on. This may come to a surprise, but these slight alterations really make all the difference, in the long run.
With regards to alternative energy sources, I would tell Mr. Jimmy Cardigan that he was a bit too ambitious. He asked the American people to lower their thermostats to a frigid 65 degrees Fahrenheit, during the winter time, and just put on an extra sweater to keep warm. Jimmy Carter had great intentions, but no one in their right minds would make an already cold house even colder, just to conserve fossil fuels. I think its a great idea if the government manages the way energy gets used throughout the country, but at the current moment in time, fossil fuels is a main source of energy for us. In order to build the eco-friendly devices fossil fuels have to be used. So for right now, the best we can do is be more sustainable with our resources and conserve them for years to come.
In my opinion, I would say that using solar energy seems to be the most sustainable. If there can be mini solar panels on calculators, that take up no space whatsoever, I am sure, that with the right technology, smaller panels, that absorb the same amount of energy as the larger ones, if not more, for households and buildings can be created as well.
To reduce my energy footprint tomorrow I will recycle more, shut off the water when I am not using it, un-plug any electronics that are not in use, and produce less waste by buying more biodegradable products. As for in five years, I hope to continue the same process but also purchase a car that has better gas mileage, than the cars today.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Colloquium Blog #8
In your view, is climate change anthropogenic (manmade), "natural", or some combination of the two? What (or who) would you consider reputable sources for climate change information? How is climate change portrayed in the media? Does this portrayal make you more or less likely to alter your lifestyle? What do you think the effects of climate change will be on your children and grandchildren?
In my view, climate change is due to a combination of both anthropogenic and natural causes. I believe that man has sped up the process by emitting an excessive amount of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, drilling for oil, and adding more waste into the environment, amongst many other reasons. The change of temperatures, and the rising and falling of the water levels, has been an ongoing event since the beginning of time. Through the division of the super continent, Pangaea, through the cold Ice Age, and so on. The Earth's climate is a cycle, that changes every hundred thousands of years. Therefore, this proves that the climate change is due to natural causes, but the fact that it is occurring at such a rapid pace is due to mankind. Climate change is portrayed in the media to be explicitly man-made.
The media at first started out by calling it Global Warming, and now they are calling it Global Cooling. I feel as if the media is aggressively pushing the green movement to the public's attention. Wherever you turn, the "green" movement is everywhere. I personally do not mind it and am for the movement, except I don't just blame humans as the sole cause of the climate change. The green movement has taught me to recycle and be more resourceful, which is a positive lifestyle change.
For my future my children/grandchildren, I believe that the climate change will cause harm if we don't take sustainable measures now. We have already increased the hole in the ozone layer, which has caused multiple of negative effects already. We don't need to make it any bigger. In order to have a better future, we must establish better methods and implement them on a worldwide scale.
In my view, climate change is due to a combination of both anthropogenic and natural causes. I believe that man has sped up the process by emitting an excessive amount of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, drilling for oil, and adding more waste into the environment, amongst many other reasons. The change of temperatures, and the rising and falling of the water levels, has been an ongoing event since the beginning of time. Through the division of the super continent, Pangaea, through the cold Ice Age, and so on. The Earth's climate is a cycle, that changes every hundred thousands of years. Therefore, this proves that the climate change is due to natural causes, but the fact that it is occurring at such a rapid pace is due to mankind. Climate change is portrayed in the media to be explicitly man-made.
The media at first started out by calling it Global Warming, and now they are calling it Global Cooling. I feel as if the media is aggressively pushing the green movement to the public's attention. Wherever you turn, the "green" movement is everywhere. I personally do not mind it and am for the movement, except I don't just blame humans as the sole cause of the climate change. The green movement has taught me to recycle and be more resourceful, which is a positive lifestyle change.
For my future my children/grandchildren, I believe that the climate change will cause harm if we don't take sustainable measures now. We have already increased the hole in the ozone layer, which has caused multiple of negative effects already. We don't need to make it any bigger. In order to have a better future, we must establish better methods and implement them on a worldwide scale.
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