"So I quickly invented my Super-Axe-Hacker which whacked off four Truffula Trees at one smacker." Dr. Seuss

Electricity is a valuable commodity. When I started out with this journal I did not know the amount of electricity I really used. Everyday any given person uses tons of electricity, including me. This has been the past 24 hours in my life.

• Phone charging when i wake up, the alarm goes off, I unplug it. 
• Fan on medium 
• Ac on 78
• Take a hot shower, using the electricity to make it hot. 
• Using computer to check email, school,and other things about ten minutes or so. 
• Turn on stove to make breakfast. 
• Use the dishwasher to clean all the dishes.
• Leave in car.
• Come back home turn on lights after dark
• Turn on fan again
• Get on computer check everything again and to do homework for online classes. 
• play DS, charge DS
• finally turn on T.V. for a movie until i decided it is time to go to bed
• Lights and T.V off, go to sleep.

Over the course of a day interact with so many electronic devices. And these are just the home devices not to mention the ones at work. Technology has come so far over the years. Starting with the lightbulb and going from there. I myself use a lot of it and so do my roommates. Bt it is hard not to when all you have ever know is light and power and the ability to flip a switch and have information at your finger tips. This is the age of technology and it is too bad that all this technology needs electricity to run. I think that after all the ground we have made in what phones or computers can do, we could find a way to use less and less power. Like more solar powered items. Another is wind power, using the resources to sustain the coal and oils that we use in excess everyday. 

I have learned money saving tips since i moved out of my house and now i have to pay the bill. I never turn on lights i do not need. When i leave i make sure everything is off and the air is turned up. I work hard to save money and by doing so i feel a little better about my contribution to the Earth and its ability to endure.

Words: 382

"Then... Oh! Baby! Oh! How my business did grow! Now, chopping one tree at a time was too slow." Dr. Seus

Fort Myers beach is the home to not only many people but vast amounts of wildlife as well. The island is seven miles long and one mile wide at the widest most point. This island was first inhabited by the Colusa indians, then the Spanish came. A war in-sued, and lets just say the indians lost. Over the course of Florida's history not only with Ft. Myers Beach the Spanish settlers had a major influence on the state. Everything form names to architecture was changed by these people. Over time the settlers changed and so did the island. In 1921 the first bridge was built from Ft. Myers Beach to the mainland of Florida forever connecting the people on both sides. The ability to go from the beach area to the mainland made for more tourism and merchant opportunities. The fishing industry was always big on the island but grew even more with that of the shrimp boats and easy accessibility. Thus giving us the modern day beach front, with a postmodern feel.

While on this trip i not only learned about the history but the natural world as well. I have only been on a few island in my time so far and this experience was once in a lifetime. I was amazed by the change in vegetation and wildlife on the island. I leaned about mangrove trees the red,white, and black ones. I also learned about sea grapes, that you can eat them and they are quite tasty. I learned about what an estuary was, when the saltwater mixes with fresh water. And that this is a fertile ground for fish and shrimp to have their young. 

The trip to Ft. Myers beach was a simple trip with a short walk but in that time i became very aware that location means everything. Not to mention it was really cool to stop and see the shrimp boat up close and to walk for a little bit on that beach that so many years ago people were landing on for the first time. History is fascinating, it gives a real picture of where we came from and where we are headed. 

Words: 364

"the wind smells slow-snd-sour when it blows and no birds ever sing except old crows..." Dr. Seuss

When I think about all that I consume, it is more than I need. On average, the consumption for the every day person has been on the rise. I think that people try to be green and decrease their carbon footprint. However, this does not always work. I asked my roommates what they thought about this and they did not have an opinion. I think that awareness of the issue would help a lot. By raising awareness in what people use and throw away can make the worlds carbon footprint decrease in size.

My carbon footprint is larger than I would like to admit. Because if you had a world full of people just like me, you would need five earths to support my life style. I have learned that there are things I can work on like buying produce that is locally grown, carpool, and recycle. I think that this made me realize that I need to work on my contribution to this planet so that many generations after me will have a clean supported and available environment to live on. 

Another fact, is that people and change do not always mix. People are set in their ways and if they want to yes they can change, but many do not. This is because they feel comfortable. They have a mind set that if it is not broken do not try and fix it. In this case however, I think it is degenerating the Earth a whole lot faster than anticipated and must be stop at the very least, and reversed as best we can. 

Overall, I have learned that the environment around us is fragile and we as humans are destroying it, slowly, but destroying it nonetheless. The bad part is there are simple fixes like working on the three R’s reduce reuse and recycle. Just these three actions can really make a difference in the lives of today and in the future. If we all do a little it will go a long way. 

Words 334

"one morning, I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the trees! The Truffle Trees.... Mile after mile in the fresh morning breeze." By Dr. Seuss

     A long, long time ago, the land of Florida became inhabited. When this happened people began finding and using the materials around them. This posed problems! The men began gathering the birds for there feathers and the trees were cut down for lumber. This is where Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary came in. In 1954 the area was bought to conserve some of the last of the old Cyprus trees.   And this area is still here today.  

     As one of the colloquium trips this is where I found myself. At fist I was not very excited about this trip I did not know what to expect.  At first we walked thought the wet prairie area then to the sawgrass area both were cool but I just felt like I was in my normal Florida. Until out of nowhere I saw the trees. It was like an ongoing wall of trees that marked the entrance to the swamp. All I could think about is the  part in A Land Remembered that the family goes into the swamp and the water to reds will all the cows blood.   

     Throughout the trip we learned a lot about how this area came to be about the different plants like the Resurrection Fern, the leather fern, and alligator flags. The Alligator Flags and the Resurrection Fern are two of my favorites. The Alligator Flags were used as an indicator if there were alligators near by. And the Resurrection Fern will curl up if you touch it and then unfurl later on. I    also learned about the state butterfly the Zebra Longwing. 

     Over all, the trip was awesome I saw many different insects and animals moreover I learned a lot. While I was there I felt like I was transported somewhere other than Florida when we went into the Cyprus Forest.  I think this will be my favorite trip that we will take. It was interesting and like a whole other world.     

Words 324