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