Lee County Solid Waste

Lauren Jump -

I thoroughly enjoyed the very last field trip of my educational career.  I was quite surprised by the efficiency of Lee County’s waste removal system.  Being the most sustainable system in all of North America is pretty impressive.  Before the visit I thought burning trash was bad- I can’t believe how wrong I was.  I hope more counties implement our type of system.  Curiosity was raised as to how the funds are all allocated.  It seems like with a system like that taxes shouldn’t have to be spent on its’ existence.

Calvin Thornton -

I was impressed by the overall efficiency that the plant seemed to provide. I like how they seem to burn everything with minimal emissions and how the trash is sorted through by magnets and other means to separate things of value. The only thing I regret is not asking how the fire is initiated or maintained. I understand that fire burns the trash, but it just doesn’t seem to make sense to me that it continues to burn of its own accord without needing additional fuel with a lower ignition point than garbage. I’ve never tried to catch banana peels or miscellaneous plastics on fire, but it seems to me that it would require a lot of energy to initiate the burning process with any sustainability.

Alexandra MacLean -

This last field trip was impressive, i learned so much. i really thought that we were going to a dump but we were not. The way that they burn everything with almost no emissions is impressive. I also like how they run most of their equipment with there own fuel, i have been looking at the trucks this past week and have noticed the print that tell people what kind of gas the truck runs on.

Ishadeen Abreu -

Our last trip was very informative.  I was very surprised and happy to know that there aren’t any landfills in Lee County.  I also didn’t know about that there is a location on metro parkway where you could throw away hazardous waste.  On the bus trip up I definitely didn’t picture that it would look as it did, can’t say the same about the smell unfortunately.

Anna Dyson -

This field trip was highly informative and eye opening. I never knew how efficient Lee county is at managing their solid wastes. We learned about the FOUR Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover. I did not realize how inefficient Collier county is with handling their solid waste. Apparently most everything just goes in a land fill and will remain there for hundreds of years....or it could be RECOVERED and converted into electricity. I am so happy to know there are counties and groups of people out there that are taking large steps in making this planet a better place for our children and our children's children. Sustainability in action!

Bugs, Soil, Sun, Yoga, & Sleep.

Calvin Thornton -

This week I learned (because I presented it) that slugs will kill themselves over a glass of beer. Kinda cruel, but incredibly effective way to get rid of them if they’re disrupting your garden. Also, I learned that saw palmetto berries can (possibly) decrease symptoms of BPH and may, just may increase breast size. May have to run that by my significant other. Also, I didn’t even know there was a such thing as coconut oil. I’ll have to try that; sounds like it would be very good to cook fish in.


Alex MacLean -

I like learning about the different bugs and how they interact with plants, some good and some bad.Also knowing what plants to put in your garden to get good bugs like the ladybugs is nice to know,ladybugs like Fennel, dill and other plants, it is also important not use insecticides if you want the good bugs to come around.




Ishadeen Abreu -

I am so glad that I ended up skipping my work meeting to stay for the second part of class because I learned so much about ways to be healthy. I learned that there is a natural remedy for every disease and that changing to an all-natural food diet you can cure type-2 diabetes. I was also very sad to find out that dairy in the single worst type of food for you, being that I absolutely love cereal. I have a new perspective on diet and now I am taking baby steps in the process of changing my diet. Giving up milk will take longer for me to give up but now I am no longer eating any type of meat. I also have been shopping at Food and Thought ( an organic food market) to get a lot of my organic goodies for about 2 months now. Since organic is the only way to go! I also just bought some coconut oil since it is the healthiest oil to cook with. I have yet to try it but definitely looking forward to trying it out. I learned so much more just in that last hour but I will take up too much space.




Lauren Jump -

I also was captivated by the last hour and a half of class. All the students that left early have no idea what they missed. Even though my Mom has been preaching all those topics to me since I was a wee thing, it really hit me hard hearing it coming from Dr. Segal.

I wish I could give up dairy- all I can do is keep trying. Big cups of straight whole organic milk have got to stop- but it’s not easy. I’ve cut back on my cereal intake during the last few months so that’s helped reduce my milk intake.

The main thing that slapped me in the face on Tuesday was that I shouldn’t be cooking with olive oil. Coconut oil is not an option for me even though I’ve tried but I can’t believe I could be cooking with grapeseed oil. Here I’ve had a gallon container of grapeseed oil in my refrigerator at all times since I was a kid and never have we cooked with it. My mom and I use grapeseed oil as a massage oil since it’s hypoallergenic.

According to Wikipedia grapeseed oil has a moderately high smoke point of approximately 216C degrees (or 421 degrees F). It can be used for stir-frying, sauteing, or even deep-frying. I don’t deep-fry every year but I surely am going to try it with my eggs, tofu and vegetables this week to see if I like the taste. I hope that my brain doesn’t register the smell and think- work time. Even if it does, that’s not a bad association in my head. There’s so many other things I learned about living a balanced lifestyle but I’ll just have to start living them and save the writing for future social media posts. < http://www.ifood.tv/blog/what-are-the-advantages-disadvantages-of-grapeseed-oil>



Anna Dyson -

My favorite part of this weeks class was Dr. Segal's lecture. He gave great insight on how the body knows what time it is and how important it is to get as much sleep before midnight as possible. The lecture also touched base on some yoga practices and how important exercise is to the body and mind. I started yoga three months ago and enjoy it very much. Doing yoga three to four times a week helps me sleep, enhances my flexibility,and allows me to ground down into the earth. I was also surprised to hear that olive oil is not good for cooking, just used for raw foods like salads. I plan on trying flax seed oil for cooking, rather than coconut because i do not like the flavor.

Group Presentations & Dr. Segal's Garden

Lauren Jump -

I previously thought eight hours sunlight was just a rule of thumb for everything in the garden; now I know that root vegetables like six hours of sunlight.  

My garden’s been poisoned- by me.  I didn't know that the chlorine out of the spigot was so bad that I've been hurting my poor, innocent garden.  I don’t drink the water, why should my plants?  From now on I will fill buckets with water and let it sit for five hours to let the chlorine dissipate before watering in the morning.  Most likely I will fill the buckets at night and then water in the morning. Aerobic worm tea sounds like a great idea.  I don’t think I’ll ever advance to the bucket system but I think I may try making some trays.  I wish I knew how far apart to should put the layers.....

<http://site.cleanairgardening.com/info/worm-tea-as-fertilizer-2.html>

<http://ajesuschick.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/worms-vermicomposting-as-a-science-project/>

Calvin Thornton - 

I learned that I’m literally two steps away from having my own bucket system, but I created it before this week’s class. Pretty proud of that. Also, I learned that you can use the sandy soil here to grow things just as well as as regular “dirt”. Glad I found this out because I’m starting my garden this week and it means I don’t have to buy massive quantities of soil from elsewhere. Just need to find some compost since mine isn't finished yet and I can pick up mulch from the local park for free. Pretty excited.

Alexandra MacLean -

I liked learning more about all the fruits that we can have here in SW Florida. Also knowing the different diseases that can attack the plant and what to do about it and what to do to prevent some of the diseases. i learned that if the plant is not able to dry then fungus could develop.

Ishadeen Abreu -

I definitely learned a lot during the last class period about gardening and when to pick certain fruit.  I feel pretty fortunate living out here in Florida because we all have the opportunity to grow food all year round.  You just have to know which fruits and vegetables are best for each season and plant accordingly.  The key to having a successful garden is to have good soil.  Using organic fertilizer nourishes and improves the soil.  I am taking a lot of notes so I can apply what I learned on my up and coming garden.

Anna Dyson - 

Dr. Segal's presentation,on how he transformed his own backyard into a usable sustainable area for growing food, was inspiring and informative. We should all be taking advantage of the fact that our Florida growing seasons are unique and allow for us to be constantly growing something. There is no need to have a giant yard of crab grass. I plan on starting off my own growing project with a potted herb garden on my lanai. Dr. Segal purchases his seeds from Johnny's Seeds and i plan to do the same. I would like to start off with Mint, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, and Echinacea. At first i will start small and eventually i will begin growing leafy greens and vegetables. I would also like to start experimenting with growing and making my own tea. 

Echo Field Trip

Lauren Jump -

The derivation of water from the banana plant intrigued me the most. That will be a very useful tidbit if I ever get stranded on an island.  I thought I would have to find rocks or bamboo to make plates to eat off of on a deserted island but now I know banana plants are great for that.  Banana plants not being trees but instead the largest herbaceous flowering plant was mind boggling.  The field trip was very enriching.  It was a very nice change of pace to have a wonderfully knowledgeable field guide like Vic.






Kapok Ingrove - used to float boats

Alexandra MacLean -

The cranberry hibiscus and the root beer  plant are my favorite i think. The scent that they give off is amazing. The leaves of the root beer plant are used for the spicy scent and flavor that the drink has. the cranberry hibiscus was interesting because it really tasted like cranberry. i really liked learning about the water and how we can sterilize it by putting the water in plastic bottles and letting them sit in the sun for six hours.

Cranberry Hibiscus

Ishadeen Abreu -

I had a good time during my visit to ECHO ( Educational Concerns for Hunger Organizations). I learned how easy it is to grow a garden in a tire.  All you need is to lay down some plastic in a tire and place a cut out tire rim upside down on the plastic to keep it in place.  Place bottles and empty soda cans in the empty tire then place soil on top.  Now there is no excuse if you may not have enough garden space you can make one. Here is a picture of the example shown on the trip below.

Anna Dyson - 

The field trip to ECHO has been my favorite school trip yet! We were greeted with smiling faces and fresh fruits ( grown on site of course) as soon as we got off the bus. I indulged in a few pieces of strawberry and many pieces of prickly pear! I never knew how amazing prickly pear cactus was, that is why it is important to try everything. ECHO gave us all lots of opportunities to try many different plants. The cranberry hibiscus tasted more like raspberries to me, but it was so delicious i thought about it the whole day. I never knew that leaves could taste like a tangy dessert. I like how ECHO was protecting its soil with cypress needles and pine cones. ECHO also taught us how to reuse old tires and kiddie swimming pools (well almost anything actually ) and turn them into potted plants. It felt the garden of Eden out there and i would love to go back again to get a closer look at the plants, animals, machines, and growing techniques.  

Class Presentations & Urban Homestead Video

Alex MacLean -

What I really liked about today’s class was the many different ways that we can water our plants. The simplest one is one that I like best, collecting water in a container and then watering the plants. when I was volunteering at the Naples Botanical Garden there were many different ones some were painted and some not. Also I did not know that when saving seeds they should be in a container and in something like a fridge.

Lauren Jump-

I was shocked to hear that a chemical found in solar panels is damaging our ozone.  A classmate said that nitrogen triflouride is toxic because it releases too much heat and hurts the ozone.  It is found in solar panels, LCD TVS and computer chips.  After doing some research online I found that …”Elemental fluorine has been introduced as an environmentally friendly replacement for nitrogen trifluoride in the manufacture of flat panel displays and thin film solar cells.[3]” Luckily nitrogen triflouride is not the only option for solar panels.   I like to think that products which are made to help the environment usually do, for the most part.

<J. Oshinowo, A. Riva, M Pittroff, T. Schwarze and R. Wieland (2009). "Etch performance of Ar/N2/F2 for CVD/ALD chamber clean". Solid State Technology 52 (2): 20–24.> & <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_trifluoride#cite_note-Oshinowo-3>



Ishadeen Abreu -

During this week I participated in spreading the word of the importance of recycling by doing the morning wave with all our signs promoting recycling.  Although it was very early in the morning it was really reassuring by all the honks and waves back that we had showing support.  The new plan/experiment for FGCU is to take out all the trash cans out of the classrooms in hopes that students will recycle more and not just throw recyclables away in the waste. It is easier and more affordable for the school to take out trash cans in the classrooms instead of putting a recycling bin in each classroom. This scares me just because I see students being lazy and just leaving trash right on the floor of the classrooms. I hoping that I am proven wrong and that this experiment is successful.  Picture below is the little group of us doing the morning wave. That is me in the hoodie.

Anna Dyson -

I enjoyed the movie we watched in class this week about "the danger of becoming free". I have always been an independent person and i believe it is important to know how to take care of oneself. The building blocks of knowing how to take care of oneself is knowing how to survive. Not knowing how to survive in a city, or survive the dating scene, or survive college....nature. Knowing how to grow and tending to planets should be something taught in schools as regular as algebra. It is completely okay to rely on your community or businesses to support one's needs, but if that wasn't an option....most people would fall by the wayside. Knowing how to grow food and maintain a few animals, collect rain water, and cook are skills than can and do set one free.

Reader Discussion

Alex MacLean -

Before this last class i thought that i know a little about lake Okeechobee but i guess not. i don't know about the waterways and how big it really was. The questions that were asked by some of the groups that got people talking  was asked more than once, was how does one species effect another species. And it is interesting to think that humans could go away tomorrow and all other animals would live on.  

Lauren Jump - 

I was pretty impressed that we made it through a whole book in one day.  The Lake Okeechobee information blew me away.  I’m embarrassed I didn't know about the way this body of water previously moved and how it does now and how it is hurting our state so immensely.  The Everglades restoration is a great project that I hope will be carried out completely.  




Ishadeen Abreu - 

During last week’s class a lot of good class discussions arose  from the presentations.  One that really sparked my interest was the question about if  a certain species became  extinct what would it affect.  Right away we determined if all the humans were to become extinct no other animals would be affected. If anything I think the world will go back into the natural order of things just as it was before we were even present on the earth. The popular answer was something as simple as the bee. If the bee became extinct, humans would cease to exist.  That’s crazy to think that a little bee affects so much.





Calvin Thornton - 

I always knew that this was not a land in which people were supposed to live, but I've never had that belief confirmed quite so firmly. If an entire region has to be drained of water, plant life, and animals, and if the entire time swarms of angry insects are attacking the people draining it, people probably shouldn't live there. I am not exaggerating when I say that I truly hope the everglades (swamp) reclaims itself all the way back to where it was before. Something about living in a place where the environment will reclaim your entire neighborhood if left alone for two years makes me want to move away. And I do hold the same opinion as other classmates that if people were to go extinct, the only animals that would mourn would probably be dogs, for maybe a couple of years.





Anna Dyson - 

I thought it was interesting learning about the origin of the name "Everglades". I can not imagine the Everglades being called the "River Glades". The fact that a decent amount of the Florida everglades has not been explored is awesome to me. It makes it so mysterious and wondrous. Man tends to think they know everything and have it all figured out, but they still don't know how the Everglades, and its ecosystems, fully work.This wet and tropical climate is not just a swamp, but a beautiful place to still be explored. 

FGCU Canoeing Trip

Ishadeen Abreu-

I had a blast canoeing last Tuesday! I wasn't able to take pictures because I left my camera in my car just in case we had the misfortune of tipping over. It was definitely a little workout with it being extra windy that day but all in all the weather was nice and it was peaceful. I felt like I was back at home in Iowa at my grandparents house.  I would always take out the paddle boat and paddle to the middle of Lake MacBride (picture below) with a good book and just be in the most peaceful setting you can imagine. Being out in nature as a real soothing effect. I love it!

Lauren Jump-

I really enjoyed the Fort Myers Beach woman’s presentation.  The red mangroves and the oysters’ benefits to cleaning the water interested me the most.  “Mangroves produce 3.6 tons per acre of leaf litter per year which benefit estuarine food chains.  An estimated 75% of the game fish and 90% of the commercial species in south Florida depend on the mangrove system... They also trap mud and silt that flows with the tide, thus gradually increasing the soil around them” (SFRC).  I could not find anything online about red mangroves assisting with cleaning water besides that it prefers brackish water to seawater for nutrition.  It was news to me that we have oysters in the Gulf of Mexico.  I am quite impressed that Crassostrea virginica can filter 50 gallons of water per day (Eastern Oyster).  I had a lot of fun canoeing!  Kayaking is a lot easier.  But, I always love being on the water.  I did not take my camera out on the canoe because I do not have a waterproof case for it.

Florida Forest Trees.  Red Mangroves.  SFRC.  <http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Red_mangrove/redmangr.htm>Eastern Oyster.  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_oyster>  

Alexandra Maclean - 

Last Tuesdays class way lots of fun; I really enjoyed learning all about Fort Myers beach. The oysters I have heard of once in a presentation but did not know how beneficial they were.  Canoeing was fun though It would have been even better if the wind was not so strong it was a really work out trying to keep the canoe going where you want. When I was young I went canoeing all the time in the summers up in Maine with family I have always enjoyed anything that takes place in water. For this trip i did not bring my camera so i did not get any pitchers unfortunately. Overall I really enjoyed this last Tuesday's class.


Anna Dyson -

As blog master i took on the roll of photographer. This turned out to be difficult to do because of the strong wind that day. Whenever Alex and i would stop to take a picture the wind would blow us straight into the mangroves! The current was as strong as the wind sometimes, and it gave us a great workout. The canoeing experience just goes to show, that it must have been tough to travel primarily by canoe! Due to the weather i did not see large amounts of wild life. I did snap a picture of an osprey nest with a mama bird in it. I heard two large fish jump, but when i turned around to see all i saw were ripples. I saw one other bird, but it was too far away to identify.

Pictures from field trip below: