Grace

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 8

Post-Conceptions

WOW. I am in shock at how this semester has gone. I have felt like every semester since fall of 2019, has been an absolute train wreck to reach the end, and this semester did not fail to carry on tradition. So much personal battles, along with our environmental battles, plus my continual trudge to the finish line of my bachelor's degree. I have made it to the end... and I am in utter shock in this moment.

I believe that what everyone had imagined for this course is very different from what we actually got out of it. The theme of this course is to converse, and I feel like this lead in each class meetings agenda allowed for an open and connective classroom. I really enjoyed each and every class that we had together, learning about sustainability and the environment we live in. Although, wish that we would have been able to meet for all of them as scheduled.

My favorite experience has to be when Paige, our campus naturalist guide, took use through the campus trails and lead us through the cypress dome! It was an incredible experience that I would like to share with others. I have been on the trail countless times, but it was never with the water level so high to that it engulfed half of my body!

A HUGE reason as to why I stayed studying at Florida Gulf Coast University for all my years is because I could see that the professors and advisors care. They care about the topics they taught, and most importantly, they care about us. My professors care about me and that's why I love FGCU.

I'm very pleased with this class as it did not disappoint me in the slightest regarding my feeling towards my other experiences at the university. I am leaving on a great note.

thank you,

Grace

*answers to my first journal entry*

Preconceptions:

My idea of this course was already fairly spot on- I mean, I am a Senior after all, I've heard all my friends tell me about the course over the past few years. However, I did learn what Colloquium meant in our first meeting... it's all about conversations.

I was surprised to find out that many of my classmates had no idea of what to expect in the course. Everyone must take it to survive this school, so it is talked about all the time.

Expectations & Connections:

I hope to learn some interesting facts about our local ecology that I wouldn't necessarily find out about in a regular class. I'm interested in learning about my professors' passions and connectivity to our community. I also hope to learn about my classmates and the different interests that they have. I have already learned about my teammate, Nanda's career goals, and it aligns closely with my own. She taught me that there is an actual industry for the collection of my interests... it's industrial-organizational psychology! I'm looking forward to the colloquiums we will have (not sure if it's appropriate to use the word in that situation but I tried).

As I have been living here for the past five years, I have hardly explored outside of a ten-mile radius of campus. This year is the first year I have acquainted myself with the historic downtown Fort Myers and felt like I've become a part of this wonderful community. I hope to enhance my connections within this course to carry me on far out beyond my studies here at FGCU.

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 7

Marine Studies Field Trip #5

This field trip was done virtually by viewing various website articles and videos on specifically Fort Myers Beach, Estero Island, and Matanzas Pass.

The following will be a mixture of my thoughts, answering some provided questions, as well as supplemented pictures to help understand the topic being discussed.

. . . . . .

What is an estuary?

An estuary is a partially enclosed, coastal water body where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with salt water from the ocean.

Why are estuaries important for both the natural world and for humans?

They act like buffers, protecting lands from crashing waves and storms.

They help prevent soil erosion.

They soak up excess flood water and tidal surges.

They are important feeding and/or nursery habitat for commercially and ecologically important fish and invertebrates, and migrating birds.

Estuaries have an important commercial value. Their resources provide tourism, fisheries and recreational activities to have a greater economic benefit.

The protected coastal waters of estuaries also support public infrastructure such as harbors and ports which are a vital part of shipping and transportation.

Fun Fact about how estuaries can protect people and not just the animals that live in the immediate ecosystem:

*Estuaries can filter out sediments and pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the ocean. As water runs off the land, plants such as marsh vegetation and seagrasses absorb and filter out pollution. This provides cleaner water for humans and marine life.

Barrier Islands

Barrier islands are constantly shifting and migrating in response to storm events and the impacts from wave action. As a result, they accrete and erode sometimes overnight.

This dynamic nature of barrier islands causes difficulties for development. Waterside structures can be lost in a single weather event such as a hurricane, like we just went through, or be subject to beach accretion or erosion.

Hurricane Ian absolutely destroyed Fort Myers, including the barrier islands. These lands held the first infrastructures to make impact with the storm surges. This land is so fragile, so vulnerable, and what happened is very sad.

Therefore, building on the beach or any part of a barrier island is risky. But people are drawn to this idyllic location which often results in highly developed beaches.

Estero Island

Mid-19th century settlers to Estero Island began as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862. During the late 19th century, members of the Koreshans, a group of people living in a utopian commune near Estero, purchased land on Estero Island.

Some lived on the island, and a saw mill was also established on the island by the Koreshans. Few people lived on the island in those early settlement days, but the 20th century brought the land boom of the 1920s. Developments on the island were just getting underway when hurricanes in 1921 and 1926 stalled the development plans. The Great Depression pushed back further development of the island.

Although, fishermen were living on the island and thriving in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. During the 1950s, there was a renewed interest in the island as a vacation getaway destination. Tourism and commercial fishing have both been major players in the history of the island.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!

The fishing industry has a deep history on Estero Island. During the 18th century, Spanish fishermen from Cuba fished these waters and sent dried and smoked fish back to Havana where local fishing banks had been “fished out.” Local fishermen have been plying the waters ever since.

By the 1930s and 40s, commercial fishermen were the local year-round residents of the island. Later, the discovery of shrimp (“pink gold”) in the area brought more fishermen to the area to exploit this newly found resource. While commercial fishing has historically been the cornerstone of the Estero Island economy, tourism (including recreational fishing) has since become the mainstay of the local economy.

*Final Fun Fact*

The boardwalk at Matanzas Pass is a great example of using recycled materials in construction. The boardwalk material is made up of plastic bottles and caps! How about that for sustainability?!

Thanks for reading,

Grace

*disclaimer* all photos were found on public domains. I do not own any photos.

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 6

Waste to Energy Field Trip #4

On November 15th, we took a field trip over to the Lee County Waste Management Facility. They are responsible for Lee (population 803,000) and Hendry (population 43,000) Counties trash disposal. This place goes by multiple titles: the Lee County Resource Recovery Center, the Magic Plant (hahaha), Solid Waste Plant, Waste-to-Energy Facility, and as the pictured sign says, the Cornerstone of the Lee County Integrated Solid Waste Management System.

We each generate ONE TON of trash every single year. that's an average of 4.4 pounds per day. 800 ponds of that is generated in your home- and all of it has to go somewhere.

Here's what we can do about this stinky problem:

REDUCE - Make smarter choices about what you consume

REUSE - Repair, share, sell, barter, buy second hand

RECYCLE - Learn about your local recycling program and place only appropriate items in your curbside bin

RECOVER - Recognize your waste for the resource that it is and dispose of it properly

This pit can be considered a fuel tank. This trash will generate 60 megawatts every single hour. They use this to power about 15% of the facility, and they sell 30,000 megawatts every month of excess energy, and this Powers 30,000 homes.

It was so stinky in here I almost simultaneously threw up and passed out!

This big green machine is a part to the sorting system. This trash system allows for the recovery of metals. Only about 9% of metals are appropriately recycled, and this machine will help to recover that 91% which gets thrown into traditional trash. Even non ferrous metals like aluminum gets detected through electromagnetic waves so even if you don't recycle your coke can first time, it will get transported to the recycling through this wonderful process.

Here's a picture of the switch board inside of the control room. This room is in charge of overseeing the whole sorting process and ensures everything maintains a smooth operation.

I was very proud of my county when I found out that Lee County is a top county of recycling in Florida. I've always known that recycling is typically a scam of a system because nothing gets properly sorted, and the whole process is not usually profitable. And to find out that my county has been able to overcome this immense heap of trash issue, was good to hear.

In fact, Lee county is a leader in sustainability in North America. Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs!

Here I am! hahaha I felt ridiculous in the hard hat and glasses, but honestly, after looking at this selfie, I rocked the look!

One final fun fact I learned on this field trip is that there's extreme repercussions for dumping in improper grounds. A man was charged and taken away in handcuffs!

Anyways, besides the nasty smell, I had a great time learning about this crucial piece to Lee County.

Grace

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 5

Pachamama Alliance : Awakening the Dreamer Project

The Empowered Woman is Key to Healing Our Earth

If we are to do real good for the indigenous land, it's animals, and peoples, we must change the dream of the modern world.

Consumption driven world

I typically associate "dreaming" with sweetness and optimism, but i believe the way this documentary uses the phrase to regard mindless acts of destruction that no human would make if they were awake to their actions.

Sustainability is defined by the United Nations in 1987 as. . .

The ability of the current generation to meet its needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

It is terribly sad to reflect on our worldly progress and see that it is only stealing from the future. Inevitably, we will have less than we currently have because of the immense greed and disregard for the sacred land we are graciously given by God.

Our actions have extreme consequences that are killing the natural world. But we are kept blinded from the massive corporate destruction, as otherwise, we would not be able to sleep at night.

We must break free of the destructive dream, and live for a sustaining world.

I am shocked to see how far this abusive way of living truly goes. It really puts things into realistic perspective when hearing about the wild animals on the brink of extinction. Our majestic Lions may be gone within the decade with our accelerating rate of consumption. Lions are the KING; top cat of the food chain. They are royal and worthy of a wonderful life. Yet, we are stealing away their most basic needs. Utterly heartbreaking.

It shouldn't take the extinction of an animal to make a change. The loss of human lives and homes should be enough. We are wiping our own planet out and this alliance is doing what we all need to do. Wake everyone up, and change the dream. We must put our money where our mouths and eyes are. Stop supporting major corporations only here for the profit. Most companies are profit over people. BOYCOT THEM. I stand for People with the Planet.

Grace

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 4

A Virtual Trip to ECHO - Field Trip 3

Introduction

ECHO stands for Educational Concerns for Haiti Organization. This name was developed from the inspirational trigger to the create the foundation. Richard Dugger took a trip to Haiti and saw the devastating inequality and poor living conditions and was inspired to change the world he saw for the better, starting with a hope for Haiti.

ECHO’s mission is to end hunger through sustainable small-scale farming solutions by providing education and resources to farmers all around the world. They have been doing this for over four decades and have impacted millions of lives in their efforts to tackle hunger at the source. ECHO operates out of 190 countries.

Reflection

I learned a saddening fact that exposes our current food production systems failure to sustain itself… that “75% of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and 5 animal species. And more than 90% of crop varieties have disappeared from farmer’s fields.” No one else will tell you this stuff. ECHO is here to tackle the hardest issues we face world-wide- regenerative farming.

Organizations like ECHO are extremely important because they are educating us on the devastating facts that big corporations would like to cover up, and they are addressing the issues head on with loving support. We become more connected, educated, and healthier by having ECHO in our lives.

An example of an adaptive technology proposed by ECHO is a garden design that is more attainable for people in urban areas with lack of nutrient rich soil and planting resources is to make a garden bed out of an old car, or ideally big truck tire. You can then use aluminum cans, and plastic bottles to help insulate the tire garden bed- all recycled products. Finding good soil can be tough for many, so there are simple solutions to feeding your soil and making it rich. This can be by adding kitchen scraps like apple cores, carrot tops, vegetable peels, and coffee grounds to the dirt. Also adding small dead animals like rats and squirrels to compost in the dirt. Using unwanted organic matter is the key here to growing the healthy organic crops to eat.

I did not discover something in the ECHO farm that I want to apply to your own life, but I appreciate how they monetize their donations and put actions to the gifts you may give… $25 – seeds, $100 for small garden, $2500 for village training. The giving page is so useful at providing smart donation strategies to max out the benefits for ECHO and yourself, including tax breaks and donation matching. I personally will be asking my financial advisor to match my donation, which they do 200% of what I give, and I will have Starbucks, my work, 100% match it as well. This will help to provide ECHO with four times the amount of money I originally could give on my own.

Food Footprint

My experience in growing pants and gardening is what I would consider intermediate level. I have herb plants, some peppers and tomatoes, and a raised garden bed where I’m experimenting with growing potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions as very small batches. I hardly have any space outside so my options are limited, but I am looking forward to my next dwelling where I will prioritize having land for self-sustaining gardening bounties. My newest endeavor is growing micro greens. I have invested in seeds of all types of herbs, leafy greens, beans, onions and stuff to harvest as sprouts. It’s a lot of fun growing your own food.

I have some pant knowledge from personal research when I delved into learning about nutrition, the vegan diet, etc., and I have also taken two classes at FGCU- Food Forest Gardening, and Permaculture Gardening with Alex. Both of my grandparents have had different varieties of gardens as well which probably sparked my passion for fresh food.

My life would be radically different If I had to source all of my food on my own. I cannot fathom it, living in this environment. The United States has made it impossible to scavenge and grow crops with over industrialization and unnecessary chemical dumping and fertilization.

If tomorrow, I had to rely on me and only me to eat, I would run away into the woods, for starters. Find a stream and create an irrigation system and begin planting along the water-bend. But I understand travel is not even an option for many, So I truly would not know what to do if I was all alone and responsible for providing all of my own basic needs. I am truly blessed to afford the educational opportunities to experiment with growing my food, but not necessarily depend upon it.

Grace

*all photos from echonet.org*

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 3

Field Trip 2 - Six Mile Cypress Slough

The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is about 3,500 acres of wetlands in Fort Myers, Florida. The wetland came into protection thanks to a high school environmental group who had learned about the few standing hardwood wetlands and took initiative to have Lee county purchase this land and have it be placed into preservation.

It's amazing to read that from this first initial act of love to care for our local environment, these high schoolers created an opportunity for the Lee county community to have voted over 30,000 acres into preservation. This conservation effort had three main goals of flood protection, drinking water supply, and recreation -- which all directly benefit us humans.

Essentially, a slough is a drainage channel within a wetland, so this area is very important to the water management and circulation in Fort Myers. The slough drains a 33-square mile watershed and during the wet season holds water 2-3 feet deep. That means the Slough is important for water storage and flood protection. The technical term for this slough is a cypress swamp, as it is a wetland dominated by trees.

It's important to note that this particular slough is a second generation forest of regrowth due to logging. Many of the trees along the boardwalk were planted recently in efforts of restoration. I noticed that there aren't many other plant species than the cypress. This is due to the difficulty of sustaining life amongst standing water. The cypress trees have adapted overtime to thrive in this type of environment . One way is by the design of the base of the tree. The cypress trees trunks are wide, sort of like straddled legs, to help stabilize their grounding amongst the soft soaked soil. The widening of the trunks is called buttressing.

Gator Lake is an attraction within the preserve, and it is a man-made lake due to limestone mining used to build the foundation of a road. An indicator to knowing this is not a natural occurring lake is that it's got steep sides and deep water. Even at the height of the dry season, the lake still retains water, inviting alligators and other wildlife at a time when water and prey are scarce.

In the photo below, you can see just above the treeline, floating on the surface of the water is a little gator. It is common to also find a variety of bird species such as the white ibis, great egret, little blue heron, and snow egret.

When it comes to Florida, elevation means a whole lot to what can be grown, even just a mere few inches of gradual change.

The berm that surrounds Gator Lake is man-made as described earlier, but it creates a narrow land surface high enough for pine trees to establish and grow out of the flooded swamp. Coming from the berm, the elevation drops only a couple of inches, but it is enough for oaks to outcompete the pines. The laurel oaks can tolerate wetter soil than the pines, so you'll find them next as you move downhill and off the berm. As you continue to move toward the center of the slough, the elevation drops further, and cypress trees become the dominant plant species.

You can observe this subtle change in elevation by paying attention to the thin layers of ecosystem changes. This transition is known as an ecotone.

Within the Wood Duck Pond, there's two other tree species that will grow in the deeper waters at the edge of these natural water bodies. Pond apple and pop ash are both native tree species that are adapted to growing in flooded swamp soils. These trees have shorter lives than the cypress, and are smaller with multiple limbs, but they are similar by being deciduous. They also form buttressed bases to give them more stability in the soft soils, just neither are as strongly supported as the cypress has adapted to be.

These two trees are important in supporting the protection of wading birds and their nestlings. The birds enjoy being around the bases of these trees where they can seek safety from lurking predators, like the alligator.

A fish commonly seen swimming in these ponds is the Florida Gar. It is a long and narrow spotted fish that is native to Florida, as the name hints at. The spawning season for the Florida Gar occurs in late winter and early spring, within the shallow weeded waters where the females can safely discharge their eggs which will attach to the marshy grass.

One of my favorite things within wetlands are the breathing knees of the cypress trees. They remind me so much of the aesthetic of stalagmites found within caverns. The nubby knees poking above the water is another adaptation in the fight to survive within the Six Mile Cypress Slough. They provide extra stability in the soft shifting soil of the swamp and are an extension to the underground rooting system that we are visually unaware of.

This is such a powerful quote by Chief Seattle. We must live our lives with the future in mind. Many things we do are taking away opportunities for the ones to come.

By looking to nature, we can see it has many groups/communities/ecosystems (ponds, lakes, ecotones due to elevation differences), that co-exist within a larger sustainable system (the slough).

Nature is forgiving of us, and resilient to our actions, and we must work together and find our humanity to heal our mother, for our children of the future.

The foundational story to the Six Mile Cypress Slough is very inspiring to learn that a couple of passionate tree hugging high schoolers have changed the ecological course and sustainability of Fort Myers forever, sharing a beloved spot, providing the community with a greater sense of place.

Grace

*disclaimer: all photos were retrieved from the Youtube video provided for us to view*

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 2

University Sustainability & Campus Trails Field Trip

This past Tuesday, September 13th, We went on our very first field trip for my Colloquium class! It was so much fun. We explored all around campus... Our first stop was at the Veterans Pavilion. We talked about what happens here- important speeches are given, emotions are shared, art is displayed, and ceremonies and cultural events are held here. Veterans Pavilion is at the heart of campus and is our university's sense of place.

The second stop was inside Seidler Hall. This building has been appointed as being LEED platinum. This high status of energy efficiency is achieved through methods such as motion-triggered lighting, solar-powered electricity, and accessible showers for public use to encourage physical means of transportation. Some benefits of being LEED accredited include boosting public image, tax benefits, improved employment, better employee performance, and an overall healthier environment.

Our next third stop was just outside the neighboring building, Whitaker Hall. Our campus naturalist guide, Paige, pointed out a few sustainable components that we use each day... the solar-powered self-compacting trash cans and recycling containers, as well as the type of walkways that were chosen. The sidewalks are made of pavers that function with the rainfall as they absorb the water, filter it and release it to the drainage ponds, helping to passively maintain healthy water on campus.

Our fourth and final stop on the main campus was at the AC cooling plant. This is a very important component of campus sustainability. These tanks function to push cool air throughout the academic buildings throughout the day on a time system in sync with the day's time and the temperature outside to maximize efficiency. The tanks are full of frozen blocks of water, and the ice is melted and turned into vapor to supply the fresh cool air in our classrooms.

Moving onto the campus trails portion of the field trip...

We walked the trail that lies between the arts and music portion of campus and the SOVI student living facilities.

When we first entered, we were amongst what is known as the pine flatlands. This area, and others with a similar ecosystem will be managed with prescribed fires to help build fire retardant abilities. As you approach an area as such, you will notice various plant life that is blackened and charred, creating a metaphorical callous of resilience.

The second area that we entered was the Oak Hammock. You could notice the transition from the pine flatland to here by the lowered temperature. The canopy coverage of the broader branched trees cooled the climate in this environment nicely.

Within the Oak Hammock, I found some very cool air plants living on the trees.

I also came across some lovely Beauty Berries, and a pretty little pink flower and tucked it in my braid!

Once we started to get wet, we knew that we had entered the Freshwater Marsh portion of the trail. This water reached up to be about mid-shin deep.

A unique form of plant life found here is known as the Alligator Flag. It lines the waterways in marshes, where alligators will live. People named this plant because it would wiggle and move when an alligator approached through the plants.

I captured this perfect flower floating in the marshy water- looking so delicate and peaceful.

Our final destination was the Cypress Dome. This was waist-deep water. Considering how hot it is outside, I was pleasantly surprised by how cool the water was. It was very refreshing.

We were asked to pick a tree and be still with it. Observe our surroundings and just be here. This was a magical experience, to say the least. To be standing amongst super tall trees in water covering half my body! I think some classmates found this to be bizarre, but everyone in the end found appreciation for the moment.

I felt grateful.

Grateful for the opportunity, for the weather, for my teacher, for the naturalist guide, and for none of my classmates screaming at the bugs and having to get wet.

Most importantly, I felt grateful for nature allowing such a perfect moment to exist.

We are blessed.

Grace

[gscheelsushi]

Journal 1

Introduction of Myself:

My name is Grace Scheel. I am a Senior studying Communications, Public Relations, Digital Media Design, and Contemplative practices. This is my final semester at FGCU and I am open to opportunities but plan to pursue something within interpersonal relations in regards to organizational psychology.

Preconceptions:

My idea of this course was already fairly spot on- I mean, I am a Senior after all, I've heard all my friends tell me about the course over the past few years. However, I did learn what Colloquium meant in our first meeting... it's all about conversations.

I was surprised to find out that many of my classmates had no idea of what to expect in the course. Everyone must take it to survive this school, so it is talked about all the time.

Expectations & Connections:

I hope to learn some interesting facts about our local ecology that I wouldn't necessarily find out about in a regular class. I'm interested in learning about my professors' passions and connectivity to our community. I also hope to learn about my classmates and the different interests that they have. I have already learned about my teammate, Nanda's career goals, and it aligns closely with my own. She taught me that there is an actual industry for the collection of my interests... it's industrial-organizational psychology! I'm looking forward to the colloquiums we will have (not sure if it's appropriate to use the word in that situation but I tried).

As I have been living here for the past five years, I have hardly explored outside of a ten-mile radius of campus. This year is the first year I have acquainted myself with the historic downtown Fort Myers and felt like I've become a part of this wonderful community. I hope to enhance my connections within this course to carry me on far out beyond my studies here at FGCU.

Grace

[gscheelsushi]

i love typography work that shows movement and thought this was cool because the word “layers” actually reflects many layers on top of each other.

[gscheelsushi]

a sketch of my logo for the personal branding project. I like the script typeface as it feels personal and organic. The curly tails on either side of the “G” are supposed to represent the waves of the ocean (one of my favorite places).

[gscheelsushi]

I thought this quote was pretty cool because the typographer used icons and symbols in place of certain letters to further the message of each word.

[gscheelsushi]

I came across this font while on pinterest and immediately liked it for its sleek minimal design. It reminds me a little bit of the measurements font that I created with similar skewed lettering. With it’s minimal approach, I feel that you have more room to work with manipulation of the letters as well as given the ability to alter the letters by leaving them “incomplete” and partial. 

[gscheelsushi]

Nike’s typography work over the years has been very creative. They seem to always keep a certain look and maintain the same message but find new ways to express it. Nike is about Just Doing It, taking action, movement- and that’s portrayed perfectly in these cool logo designs.

[gscheelsushi]

For this week's blog post I wanted to show off my new favorite tee shirt! I love the color choice of the design and the characters in it of course. But in particular, I really enjoy the typography on the tee. It’s still got the classic Star Wars light speed look of the extended shadowed text, but with a cartoon bubble letter typeface. It makes the traditional text fun and cute for a graphic tee. That’s, what really sold me on this item. (btw I found this gem in Five Bellow if you’re interested)

[gscheelsushi]

I thought this was a very clever use of wordplay as well as a very creative font for the word “pollution” with the remnants of trash forming the text. Very impactful.

[gscheelsushi]

The typography in this dog walking service I recently signed up to work for caught my eye. It’s definitely got the Comic Sans vibe going which I think in the instance is used appropriately. The typography gives a sense of friendliness and playfulness which are two characteristics that are looked for in a pet walker. Also, this is not a highly professional career, although there is a lot of responsibility involved, being a dog walker doesn’t hold the prestige in which a lawyer has, therefore, I feel this typeface is a great choice for such a service. This is not an AD, however, if you’re in need of a pet walker feel free to use code GRACE44012 for $25 off your walks with Wag!

[gscheelsushi]

It seemed fitting to display my typeface project work for this week as we’re presenting on tour pieces today. My font has the aesthetic suiting an Elementary School Math teacher. As Measurement is the name for it, I propose this typeface would be used for casual academic posters and titling. Probably would most likely be found in a science or math classroom and possibly a modernist poster of some sort.