Service Learning Project Reflection

My service learning project consisted of my partner and me researching two assigned species: New Zealand Spinach and Nasturtiums. These species are shown at the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO), located in North Fort Myers, Florida. At ECHO we learned of a variety of plant species that had many benefits. The two that were assigned to us were particularly interesting, to me.

                The New Zealand Spinach has a few different names that it goes by including Tetragonia, Ice Plant, Everbearing Spinach, Everlasting Spinach, Perpetual Spinach, and Della Nuova Zelanda. It is used for cooking and is also used in salads. This plant thrives in sunlight and requires well-drained, sandy soils. New Zealand Spinach is an annual plant, which is very good. Its size varies, but on average it can grow between one to two feet and the width between one and three feet wide. It is found in New Zealand, of course, as well as Southern South America, some islands, Australia, and Japan.

                The other plant we identified and researched was the Nasturtium. As far as edible annual flowers goes, nasturtiums are one of the tastiest and easiest to grow. They are perennial, herbaceous flowers that can grow on fences or trellises or even window boxes. Their taste is very strong and sometimes only a little is needed in cooking. The peppery taste can be added to meals for seasoning purposes. They are also very high in the vitamins A, C, and D. These flowers are extremely colorful and welcoming. Their colors range from yellow to orange to red and are very bright. They create a beautiful, edible landscape. A benefit of having flowers like these growing is that not only are they attractive and edible, but they don’t require much attention. The soil they need does not have to be rich and they do not need supplemental fertilizing or extensive care. This makes it much easier for an individual to grow these and maintain them.

                It was neat creating these projects and was very informational. I never think about the benefits of different plants or vegetables or how they benefit me directly. But by paying more attention and really involving myself in getting to know about these plants, I can help not only myself and the people I know, but my clients in the future as a social worker. Those who come to me in need of food and do not have the financial means to always provide for themselves and/or their family can adapt these methods and learn of the benefits of different types of species that they can grow. Not only can it be good for people to use and eat, but it can be a fun family activity as well. Seeing them grow and succeed is a satisfying feeling and knowing that you can provide for your family is an even better one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD7NMfjVmHE&feature=youtu.be Nasturtiums Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYeuNeAM6os New Zealand Spinach Video

 

Nasturtium

                                                                  New Zealand Spinach

The Story of Stuff

       In class we watched a video called, The Story of Stuff. It was a short twenty minute clip of the world and the environment and resources in which we live and consume. It was quite interesting because I’d never gone into deep thought of where our products are made or what happens to it after we are done using them. There were different notes I took from the video that really interested me.

       First off, more than fifty percent of our tax money goes to the military. That’s quite a bit of money that could be shortened a little to help provide better means or be used toward our environment to ensure better living. We are also using too much stuff. By this, I mean that we are five percent of the world’s population. However, we are using thirty percent of the world’s resources. We are using too much and are leaving little left for everyone else. If everyone consumed at U.S. rates, we would end up needing three to five planets. But we only have one!

       The United States has less than four percent of its forests left. Eighty percent of the forests first here are now gone. It is pretty sad that eighty percent of the forests are gone. That’s a big percentage.

       In the products we use today, over one hundred thousand synthetic chemicals are being put into them. We don’t know what’s in these products. Only a handful have been tested for health impacts, but none have been tested with the materials they are combined with. Toxins are being put into production and being mixed with natural resources, and we have no idea what the outcome may be.

       Over four billion pounds of toxic chemicals are polluted each year. All we do is shop. We are the major consumers and it is affecting our environment and the natural resources we have left to support the world.

       This fact really shocked me: Ninety-nine percent of what we harvest is trashed within six months. That’s crazy! In just six months, we get rid of ninety-nine percent of what we’ve gotten. It is such a waste when you think about it. If we really needed these products, why do we get rid of them so quickly without any hesitation?  

       House sizes have doubled since the 1970’s. That is not a lot of time from then until now and house sizes have DOUBLED! We consume twice as much than we did fifty years ago. All of these major changes taking place so rapidly only confirm more the fact that our resources are quickly running out, and if nothing gets done then nothing will be left for us to survive.

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

The Environment and Social Work

       When I first started this course, I talked to a few friends about what this class would entail. They told me about the assignments and the field trips and what was going to be due. Most of the people I talked to told me that we would have to write a paper stating our “sense of place” and how this course could be related to our majors. As I talked to other social work majors, I began thinking how does an environment course have anything to do with me helping people? I overlooked the basic principles of this class and how it could be tied into my social work studies and career.

       As the field trips began, I started to notice right away the relevance between the two areas of study. Yes, I will be helping people by providing resources and counseling. However, with the economy the way it is and the people I will meet and deal with along the way, I know that these field trips have come in handy. If I am dealing with someone with a lack of housing resources or food stability, what I learned through these field trips will come into play.

       At ECHO, we learned of many plants, trees, and techniques to a healthier, safer, and economical way of living. With resources such as home grown plants and trees that provide nourishment and other purposes, a person can provide for themselves and their family. With plants and trees that provide both materials for clothing and something edible that is healthy and can be used in many recipes, an individual or family can rely on that source. Not only can it be a source of food or clothing for themselves, but if they sell the products then they can earn an income as well, no matter how big or small it may be.

       This course has dramatically opened my eyes to what is going on in the world and how people may be surviving right now. It is a different way of living that I have never had to experience, which is both fortunate and unfortunate for me. It is fortunate in the way that I have never had to struggle as hard or go without food or clothing. It can also be unfortunate because I do not understand the hardships others have faced or are facing now. But with the knowledge and experience from this course, I can take this information learned and apply it to my career to be the best social worker I can be.

                                                                        Social Work

 

                                                                     Environment

Lover's Key Field Trip

       On our trip to Lover’s Key State Park, it was more of a relaxing visit than the other field trips. While we still covered important information about the history of Lover’s Key State Park, the majority of the time that followed was exploring the beach ourselves. With the long stretch of the sand and the water right there in front of us, we were able to swim, lie out, observe the nature surrounding us, relax in the shade, or collect some neat shells.

       I had never been to Lover’s Key prior to our field trip, so I had no knowledge of the history involved. We began by talking about the beach itself. Years ago, Lover’s Key was only accessible by boat. Today, however, it is one of the four barrier islands that make up the park. A barrier island is defined as a long, narrow sand island that runs parallel to the main coast and its purpose is to protect the coast from erosion. It is separated from the mainland by either a lagoon or a bay. Animals such as dolphins, marsh rabbits, bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, manatees, and more are found at Lover’s Key State Park.

       Another big part of the beach is the mangroves. An interesting fact about mangroves is that they are able to grow in unstable, tough environments. They are able to survive in areas where the water is poor in oxygen content, in salt water, in fresh water, and in brackish water. We learned that there are three dominant types of mangroves: red, white, and black. The black mangrove is able to sustain high saline concentrations and the trees grow in isolated groups or woodland formations. They can reach up to 20-25 meters in height and about 40 centimeters in diameter. Something new I learned after researching about the mangroves is that the seeds are edible and can be very good in a meal but if you do not prepare the meal in a certain way, it can be harmful to your body. Mangroves are also able to expel the salt from the water and make it into water that is ok to drink. This helps them survive in areas such as Lover’s Key.

       The nice long walk after the introduction to Lover’s Key was very peaceful. I’ve always said my favorite place to go to clear my head is the beach. The beach just helps me relax and is definitely my sanctuary. I enjoyed this trip and would love to return.

Lover's Key

                                                                     Beautiful beach!

 

Fun in the sun

Downtown Fort Myers Trip

       Our class trip today took us to downtown Fort Myers. I have only been to Fort Myers a few times, but never to the downtown area where we were at today. We went over a lot of information and it was a bit overwhelming because there’s just so much history there that I had no idea about. The first place we started our tour was at the Farmer’s Market, which takes place every Thursday morning, under the bridge. My professor mentioned the word “localvore”, a term I’ve never heard of before. You can make sense of this word by knowing the meaning of herbivore and carnivore. A localvore is someone who consumes as much of their local food as they can. This can include fruits, vegetables, and other necessities. They had a variety of stands which caters to each person’s taste. There were pet treats, microgreen worm tea, flowers, fruit, vegetables, tropical fruit jars, homemade tomato sauce, BBQ , popcorn, local honey, and much more being sold. I found it neat because of the range of products they sold, as well as the affordable prices. This is also a great idea because those selling the products are making profit.

       The most interesting spot for me was at the fountain. There, we learned quite a bit about the Calusa people. They didn’t need jobs to support themselves because they would spend a couple of hours a day gathering fruits, vegetables, and fish. This helped to provide for their families and they didn’t have to work a long day. I learned that they were very artistic people, which I did not know before. Painting and being  creative is what they spent the rest of their day on. They were very religious as well.

       Along with the Calusa people, we talked about Thomas Edison and how he discovered Fort Myers. I thought this was interesting because I knew that he had invented the light bulb, but I was unaware that he found Fort Myers, too. He used to live up north, where he invented the light bulb. He used strips of bamboo fibers as a filament for the light bulb and that’s when he came to Fort Myers to find bamboo trees.

 

       The old buildings and the architecture of downtown Fort Myers reminds me of some areas in Georgia that I love to visit. It reminds me of a different time and a different attitude of the world and everything around us.

       All of the information we picked up on the way was intriguing and made the downtown Fort Myers area even more appealing to me. I did not know a lot of this before this trip and it opened my eyes to the environment and surroundings I have around me. It is definitely a trip I want to take again on my own time where I can explore further.

 

                                                                            Farmer's Market

                                                                             Fountain

Downtown Fort Myers

                                                                               Amazing site!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Land Remembered

When I first heard that we were going to be reading “A Land Remembered,” I didn’t think I would be the least bit interested in the book. However, once I began reading, I couldn’t put the book down. Particularly, the beginning of the book intrigued me the most. I liked the difference in times and how things were back then. Their way of living, the way they talked, their clothing, everything was so real and raw. When Tobias MacIvey moved to Florida from Georgia, he had to build his home and clothing and equipment out of nature. He loved and respected the environment around him at all times. He stayed true to his roots and stood up for what was right. In the beginning, when he came across three Indians, they were in trouble because a group of men were coming after them. When the Indians wanted to leave so that they would not cause Tobias trouble, Tobias stated, “No one will harm you at my place, I’ll see to that.” His kindness and generosity was so apparent.

Living back then, you had to be self-sufficient. Tobias was just that. Whatever he needed, he found or he made. He traded skins for other products that helped him create an efficient way of living. He killed animals to survive and made sure there was always something to eat for his family. His number one priority was his family and he knew that they deserved better.

While reading the book, I was thinking back to the field trips we have taken so far. ECHO is a great place to learn how to be self-sufficient. We were shown trees and plants that had multi purposes such as food and clothing, and building and clothing. Those who do what they need to do to survive can produce vegetables and fruits and efficient ways of living with little to no money. Their products can be fresh and a cheap way of making sure everyone has something to eat. Or they can be sold to make money to provide for your family as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the reading and learned so much. It’s made me change some ways about my life, one being the most common, recycling. I never paid much attention to it before but after reading this book and experiencing this class and the videos we’ve seen, I realize what the world may look like soon enough if nothing changes.

 

              Smith, P. (1984). A land remembered. Sarasota: Pineapple Press, Inc.

 

 

ECHO Field Trip #3

              Earlier this morning our class went to the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) and took a tour looking at all of the different plants and trees they had planted. The first one that was explained was the Cassava tree. It is able to grow in poor soil and has many uses. One being that Tapioca is made from Cassava trees. Also, 70% of the world’s carbohydrates come from Cassava trees, so it is of much importance. The ability to grow in poor soil also benefits other countries that do not have great top soil in which to plant their food in. We also saw lemon grass which can be used for teas and in soups.   

                Clumping bamboo trees were also throughout the guided tour. Clumped together, these trees are easier to maintain than running bamboo trees which requires more effort in maintenance. They are very strong and are used for building and their fibers can also be used to weave into clothing. Something like bamboo can be quite essential for those in need of having a plant or tree that has multiple purposes. I also saw a Mango tree, which I’ve heard a few of my friends say that they were allergic to. This is because mango is in the poison ivy family, so someone may have to be careful with the skin of the mango.

At ECHO, they had a tilapia pond.  I’ve eaten tilapia before, a specific kind of fish, and we learned about that also. The tour guide explained that tilapia fish are vegetarian and they eat algae. They are also hearty fish, beneficial to one’s health.

Next in our tour, we came upon the worm beds. With a thin layer of garbage, consisting of things such as newspaper, lettuce, coffee grounds, etc, they break this down into castings. This process takes between two to three weeks, and when the castings are pushed off the end, fresh manure is put down. It was interesting to see the setup of a worm bed.

Raised beds with plants and trees allow farming in areas of high rainfall or flooding to continue to be successful. Without the raised beds, these plants and trees would drown and simply not grow. We also witnessed compost beds which is a method for making soil out of waste organic matter in an urban area. These methods are adapted to keep the plants and trees growing healthy.

The Moringa tree caught my attention, as we had previously learned about this tree on our first field trip through the FGCU Food Forest. The Moringa tree is drought resistant and fast growing, reaching about 15 feet the first year. The leaves are edible and are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Moringa is also known to be used in infant formula. Moringa has seven times the vitamin C found in oranges, four times the calcium found in milk, four times the vitamin A in carrots, three times the potassium found in bananas, three times the iron in spinach, and two times the protein found in milk. Quite a healthy little thing for being so small!

One of the last places we visited was the area where Miracle fruit were growing. Miracle fruit makes anything taste sweet, even sour lemon. The trick is to keep it in your mouth for about 90 seconds and then take it out and try eating something sour. The sweet taste can last anywhere between a half an hour to an hour and a half.

Overall, this trip to ECHO was fascinating and very educational. I learned that there are a lot of plants that we here, in the United States, are not aware of and do not consume. However, these plants contain tons of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients that are beneficial to our health. We can even adapt the methods displayed at ECHO, and can grow our own trees and plants to use for our families one day.

                                                                            Cactus

                                                                              Goat

                                                                            Rice Bed

                                                                              Trees!

                                                                    A little bit of ECHO :)

                                                                          Sunflower

Earth on Edge

        In class today we watched three clips from a movie called “Earth on Edge.” This movie was about how people’s demands of the Earth’s resources are pushing it to its limit. I’m going to talk about one of the three clips we watched, as this one fascinated me the most. The first segment we watched took place in Kansas here in the United States. This clip talked about farming and the methods that some farmers use and should use. This particular man was a farmer on a huge lot. The Dust Bowl ruined his prairie, spreading soil all over to the Atlantic and onto ships’ decks. Because of this, the farmer lost one third of his top soil and fifty percent of the nutrients. To this day, the land is not one hundred percent fixed. It takes years and years for the Earth to grow the nutrients needed to have the soil in shape from what it was before. The farmer talked about a variety of things. He mentioned his cattle and how most farmers keep up to one hundred cattle in a pen, whereas he kept his cattle out. This allowed not only freedom for the cattle, but exercise as well to help with the risks and incline of diseases. This could affect the food we eat. The ecosystems we live in are pushed to the limit because of the demand. With the population increasing so rapidly, the resources are being used up faster than it can produce them. Eventually, maybe a long time away, the Earth’s resources will be depleted. Pollution is another big factor that does and will affect everyone and the environment surrounding us. According to a woman who is doing a study regarding the resources, we can turn this around rapidly to save the resources, which is a good thing to keep in mind for future generations. Also, there is a dead zone in the Mississippi River where much of the wildlife is dead. This is because of the pollution coming from farms and industries which filtered down to the water.
       The farmer, in addition, talked about how he does not use chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, making a healthier and safer environment for him and his crops. We talked in class about where the rewards come from for those farmers who choose the same type of method and what type of reward is involved. The rewards come from saving money otherwise spent on all of the pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, and fertilizers which would absolutely add up, and quickly. Farmers, however, use these chemicals and such because they get bonuses for doing so. This helps keep up good business for the chemical companies.
        In one case, a farmer was turned down from a loan from the bank because of the fact that he was an organic farmer and wasn’t going to use any of those listed above. Turns out that the bank had a huge account with a local chemical company and the company clearly stated to the bank that if any farmer wants a loan, they must use these chemicals otherwise they would take their account elsewhere. This puts the bank in a predicament, but losing a huge account isn’t worth it.
        All of these situations can affect Southwest Florida. First of all, things that happen in the Midwest can get into the Mississippi River which then runs into the Gulf of Mexico, affecting wildlife and us at the same time. Prices on food may increase because of the increase in cost of producing these foods. More so, if there is pollution in the underground aquifers then this can affect the water used for drinking, cooking, etc.
        I want to leave this with a riddle from one of our books: “A lily pond, so the riddle goes, contains a single leaf. Each day the number of leaves doubles- two leaves the second day, four the third, eight the fourth, and so on. If the pond is full on the thirtieth day, at what point is it half full? The answer is on the twenty-ninth day.” I enjoyed that riddle because at first I didn’t understand it, but after my professor explained it, it makes sense. Since each day doubles, the twenty-ninth day is half of what day thirty is. It also makes you realize how quickly these resources can run out and shows us that sustaining and maintaining our environment is necessary for not only ourselves, but future generations as well.

                                                                          Dust Bowl
 

 

"There are more people living inside this circle than outside of it."

 

 

 

Field Trip #2 Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Today our class went to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. At first, I was a bit hesitant as I’m not too much of an “outdoorsy” person, with the bugs and other little creatures. However, I really enjoyed our visit! The information was somewhat overwhelming because of all the different plant species and insects that we saw. While on the boardwalk, I thought how nice of a place this is to go and clear your mind when you’re stressed or just wanting to get away for a few hours. The scenery is beautiful and the noise of the bugs was so peaceful.

The first thing I want to reflect on is the Living Machine, found at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The water in the bathroom toilets and sinks go through the Living Machine first. The water is flushed to underground pumps, where they go through anaerobic digestion. This breaks the waste down and makes the water to near-drinking quality. It was fascinating to learn about, as I heard of this from a friend who had taken the class prior.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary consists of 1400 acres of preserved land. While there, I saw and learned of a variety of species that include: Slash and long leaf Pine Trees, a Red-shouldered Hawk, medicinal plants, Black vulture/Turkey vulture, Lichen, Tilansia species, Boston Fern, Swamp Fern, Royal Fern, American Alligators, Deer, Swamp Lily, Leather Fern, and much more. A few highlights that I found specifically interesting were one of the trees spotted where there had been scratch marks. I learned that big cats and/or bears use these trees to sharpen their nails for hunting and protection. They may also spray the tree to show a sign of dominance.

I also saw our Florida state tree, which is the Sabal Palm. Kim, our guide, showed us the difference between Sabal Palms and Saw Palmetto. The leaves on a Saw Palmetto are attached to the stem and they do so at a horizontal point, whereas the Sabal Palm has more of an arrowhead type of connection to the stem. It can be an easy distinction when comparing the two.

A term I became aware about today was epiphyte, which is a plant living on top of another plant. Among new terms that were learned, I saw a couple of species that I recognized! The first one we came upon was deer, which were lying down in the grass. Shortly after, we stumbled upon a huge American Alligator with its babies. It was so neat to see that from a short distance when I have never been that close before. They provide some benefits to the surrounding environment. First of all, the alligators create alligator holes which act as a refuge for other animals. They also clear plants out of the way when they’re walking, creating their own path. This helps to avoid clogging of plant species. Also, alligators take out the species that seem to be overpopulated or may become dominant. This helps regulate the species without one dominating over another.

           To sum it up, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary field trip was quite fascinating and I learned an abundance of new things. Definitely a trip I would make again on my own time!

                                                                   American Alligator

                                                           Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

                                                                         Epiphyte

                                                                  Red-Shouldered Hawk

                                                                 Scratched Tree Marks

FGCU Food Forest Field Trip #1

     Today in class we went on our first field trip to the Food Forest at FGCU. I had no idea that the Food Forest was even there. I really enjoyed the little walk through the Food Forest, looking at all of the various types of plants growing there. It was interesting to see the different levels of the forest, starting with plants that were close to the ground, then plants at our eye level, and the plants higher above. Our tour guide stated that the plants inside the Food Forest would continue to grow by itself without needing much attention, which is good.
      I was thinking while walking through the forest that one day, when I move to a different place with a lot of land, I could plant my own things. Whether it is plants, vegetables or fruits, it's something that can save me money and it's an enjoyable experience. A person could also use this as income, as they could sell the products they grow.
      I particularly liked hearing about the specific kinds of plants that were edible. We were able to pick them off and eat them right there! It was neat because I wasn't expecting to be able to eat leaves or berries directly off a tree. Looking at the strawberries grow and seeing the bananas all curled up on the tree caught my attention. As Dr. Morris pointed out, bananas can only grow on one piece of the tree and when picked, they grow no more. That piece of information was intriguing because I never knew that. I just figured that they kept growing and people kept picking them, but that's clearly not the case. The Spanish Needles Shrub was cool to hear about. As the tour guide said, this specific shrub is native to Florida and can be of help in cases of ant bites, bee stings, etc.
     Another fact that caught my attention was the Papaya fruit tree. The tour guide explained that there can be a male tree, a female tree, or a male/female tree. When there is a male/female in one, the tree self-pollinates. On the other hand, when it's specifically a male or female tree, they take part of the cross-pollination.
     Overall, this experience was something new and something I'd definitely enjoy doing again!

Banana Tree!



Pigeon Pea Pod