Journal 5

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
Reflection

Photo Credit to Emily.

1. What were your initial thoughts after you finished the book?

I cannot believe she did not find the ghost orchid! I was anticipating this throughout the whole book. Let’s just say I will never look at an orchid the same way. I knew absolutely nothing about orchids or even plants. Nor do I really have an interest in ever knowing anything about plants. And yet, I found Susan Orlean’s book, The Orchid Thief, fascinating. How can that be? I think it’s because the historical details she included were anything but boring. This was a strange story, and all of her

details were startling but unique.

2. Did you enjoy the read? Why or why not?

This book was exciting and hard to put down. It was amazing to learn that Florida possessed something so important and expensive like the ghost orchid. This book had both the history of the orchids and it went into full detail about the subculture of crazed flower lovers, like John Loarche, here in Florida. I knew nothing about orchids when I started reading this, it made me want to know more. Why were people obsessed? It made me want to get my own orchid to see if I could keep it alive.  It also made me secretly want to spend an entire day with them at the botanical garden. I also loved the way Laroche teased Susan and said she would never get through a year around orchid people without getting hooked.

3.  The Fakahatchee Strand represents various things to different characters in the book. What is its significance to Susan? To John Laroche? To the Seminole Indians?

To Susan, the Fakahatchee Strand meant it was the sanctuary to the ghost orchid. A place where such rare plants seem to live probably because of the swampy, humid, climate that Southwest Florida had to offer.  John Laroche saw potential in the Fakahatchee Strand. These orchids were so rare that people would pay a hefty amount of money just to see one of these orchids in person. He was so determined to find the ghost orchid and clone it to make millions and live comfortably.  The Seminole Indians saw the place as their home land. They saw it as history and willpower to find these precious plants for self-fulfillment than money.

4. Do you agree with Orleans' description of Southwest Florida and its native areas? Were you surprised by the way she viewed it? Do you feel it is important to preserve the lands she discusses?

I agree with Susan Orleans’ description of Southwest Florida and its native areas. I was not surprised by how she viewed it. She is right. Here in Florida you will see a pond of water go from looking like it’s near its death and then bam! It changes and it adapts to its surroundings and making itself a home for hundreds of living organisms—all occurring naturally. We need to conserve as much as we can. These places have so much rich history that needs to be conserved. I am glad that the Seminoles are recognized and that they are just as willing to preserve the land they live on and use the resources wisely without disrupting the environment.

Journal 4

Beautiful Honduras 

Photo credit to Cazual Finca. 

When I was a young child I would love to hear my parents tell me that we were going on a trip. I would be full of excitement, because I knew that we would be going to a place that I had never seen before. My parents, my sister, and I would pack our luggage and venture out and head to an unknown destination. One of my most cherished memories was when we visited our grandparents in Goascoran, Valle, Honduras back in 1995.

Honduras is full of all different kinds of land types including; wetlands, mountains and tropical rain forests. My grandparents lived in the mountains in this beautiful Spanish style home. They raised cattle and goats and cultivated their own crops such as: corn, beans, and plantains. They depended a lot on the rainy season in order to keep cultivating. As far as the appearance of the region, there were no cement roads or electricity running through the area. One had to walk for miles in order to get to the closets market or even next door neighbor. There were only two forms of water available; the well that was built years ago and a fresh river that rain through the area known as "Rio Dulce de Goascoran". It was a crystal clear water and people would drink out of. I was hesitate at first when they offered me to take a drink, but once i gained the courage to do so, I realized I had never tasted such sweet mouthwatering water in my life.

Photo Credit to WiseGeek.

Honduras had not changed much from when my grandparents were growing up. When I visited it was probably at its highest peak of lush and greener. Food was not a problem. We would always have tons of leftovers. For example, when my grandfather would milk the cows, my grandmother would boil some of the milk for us and the rest was made into delicious cheese. When the working men would come from the corn field, they would bring buckets of corn for us to peel. We would all sit together as a family and peel the corn peels away. It was an enjoyable family time we all cherished.

Photo Credit to  Brette Warshaw.

Today, Honduras has changed a great deal. They have not had as much rainfall in the past few years as they would have hoped. The fields are extremely dry and at times they have wildfires because of this. Now they have running cement roads coming in from the city. This has been a good and bad thing. It is easier to get around the area, but the downfall is that it has polluted the fresh river that the locals have depended on for so many years. They no longer drink from it, but drive to the closets market and buy water that come in plastic baggies.

Honduras has evolved throughout the years. Some of the changes undergone have had a positive and negative impact on the country and its’ regions. Honduras will continue to be beautiful in my eyes. It will always have a special place in my heart. I have made so many fond memories that I will cherish throughout my life. 

Journal 3

Plan B 4.0

Chapter One: Selling Our Future

Photo Credit to Do Something

Chapter one had an intriguing take on the whole ‘world is coming to an end’ theory.  It is a corollary of global warming, where the changing climates cause the weather to become more extreme and melting ice glaciers are affecting the ecosystem. This theory is suggesting that just like history has showed us, food shortages might be the source of the decline of civilization.  History has a way of repeating itself and unlike the past we are aware that these problems exist due to the evolving technology we have today.  The statistics given in this book strongly support decreases in harvesting due to droughts, floods, and the harsh conditions that result from our environmental decline.  

Photo Credit to Ha Tran Bao

The decreases in the harvests not only occur due to the natural disasters, but the increase in population as well.  Farmers are trying to expand the harvest, but the question is will it expand fast enough to keep pace with steadily growing demand. According to the book, food security will deteriorate further unless leading countries collectively mobilizes to stabilize population, stabilize climate, stabilize aquifers, conserve soils, protect cropland, and restrict the use of grain to produce fuel for cars. I think taking measures into our own hands will be the only way to prevent any further damage from happening.

We all know we need to change our lifestyles and become more sustainable. We talk about it, and some of us actively try to, but honestly, most of us don't. Living more sustainably needs to be a part of our life. Many different countries have found innovative and creative ways on how to be more resourceful. For instance, Europeans get their residential electricity from wind farms, Chinese homes get their hot water from rooftop solar water heaters, and Iceland heats their homes with geothermal energy. Here at my school, we have one of the largest ice-thermal storage plants in the state. If every school, every state, every nation would make these positive changes like the ones listed above, our planet wouldn't be in such conditions. 

Journal 2

University Colloquium: A sustainable Future

Excerpt from Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect

Love It or Lose It: The Coming Biophilia Revolution

By David W. Orr

Have you ever heard of biophobia? Well, apparently it exists. Biophobia, in short, is being afraid of nature. Biophobcis are afraid of swimming in a lake or walking through a musky swamp simply because there are living things in them. They are afraid of the unknown. How can such quality come to form? These types of people are raised in the cities, with nothing but controlled environment surrounding them. They are submerged into this world that is unrealistic. A great contributor to this phobia is television.  Television has portrayed this world that has truly affected many into thinking everything out there is bad. Watching movies like Jaws and/or Survival Island are great examples of movies that trigger something into their brain that they can’t see past from what is fact and what is fiction. The point is movies were invented to shape your brain in a certain way.

On the other hand, “biophilia” as E.O. Wilson defined it as “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life”.  Erich Fromm once defined it more broadly as, “the passionate love of life and of all that is alive”. Both indicate that it is an instinctive bond between human beings and the other living systems on this planet.  For the Greeks Eros went beyond sensuous love to include creature needs for food, warmth, and shelter, as well as higher needs to understand, appreciate, and commune with nature (Bratton, 1992). I would call myself a biophiliac person. I love to recycle, save water, and take advantage of sunlight as much as possible. I love natural lighting. I ground myself to eliminate using florescent lighting during the day, even at night. During my field trip on campus, I realized how eco-friendly my university is. It really surprised me to know how far they go to keep our school clean and sustainable.  From solar compactors and recycling bins to ice-thermal storage plants, my school has their A-game right.  

All in all, biophobia can be replaced slowly by becoming biophiliac. The earth was given to us as a gift. A gift we need to cherish and love for eternity.  So instead of being afraid of it, go out on a bike ride through the park, go hiking up the Appalachian Trail, or take a camping trip up to Ginnie Springs and see the beauty that nature has to offer us. Take advantage of it before it’s too late! 

Journal 1

Excerpt from Last Child in the Woods

Photo Credit to SMSD Website 

“… nearly 40 percent of American elementary schools either eliminated or were considering eliminating recess.”

This quote in particular stood out to me, and not in a good way. I cannot comprehend how this could even be considerable? Recess a waste of time? Recess is too risky?  Recess is needed! Recess is essential for building social skills, inspiring creativity, and burning off extra energy. Kids should be encouraged to run and play more; they have a ton of energy, and simply cannot be expected to be attentive in a classroom all day. It’s important to allow a child to recharge their batteries, therefore, enabling them to focus better for the rest of the day.

Touching the Sky with a Stick

“For years Ybarra had dreamed of pulling at-risk kids out of their urban environment and exposing them to nature.”

Wow, this segment from the book really astounded me. I had no idea there were alternative approaches to punishments available. What a great way to show these troubled teens a whole new world. Exposing them to the unknown, showing them there is more to life than street gangs and drugs. Most of these kids grow up in high-poverty neighborhoods seeing violence, drive-by shootings, and brutal home-invasion robberies. They do not know better. Taking them to Alaska, reconnecting them with nature, revaluating their lives, is truly a gift.

Stepping outside

Photo Credit to sabl3t3k

At the age of twenty-two, I still need to get my daily fix of fresh air. Even if I’m not running or biking or swimming, being outside calms me in a way that hardly anything else can. With an hour of nature, I go from being a bossy, opinionated, angry person into a bossy, opinionated, relaxed person. Walking through a park or just my own backyard can help me feel calmer and happier. One of my all-time favorite things to do when I have the time is to take long strolls along the beach. There is just something tranquilizing about looking at the vast sea and hearing the waves clash against the shore that helps me get in balance.  Nature is fuel for the soul.