Plan B

Digital Design by: Kamilah Van

Are you Taking Care of Things?

au·thor·i·ty
1.      the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.

As humans it seems that we have absolute authority and control over all of the Earth's creations. We can choose the impact we make. If other elements reign over us it can be hard to get things done and the needs of the greater good can be ignored. "It looks now as though food is the weak link, just as it was for many earlier civilizations"(Brown). Instead of going against the environment and the benefits it holds we can all work together to benefit everyone's basic needs. Those with a loving authority and awareness of the environment are proof of this. "As the world struggles to feed all its people, farmers are facing several trying trends" (Brown). It's a tragedy to see that people go without when something could be done to change this reality.

ex·pec·ta·tion

1. the act or the state of expecting: to wait in expectation.

It is amazing how we give people the responsibility over the environment and creatures that inhabit Earth. We are expected to take responsibility for the environment and the other creatures that share our planet. So I ask this, what have you done in your life to reach environment expectations? We could all use the selflessness of people who wish to protect resources and restore certain areas.  In order to provide a better future an example for living our own life with respect to the environment can inspire others.

A Land Remembered

Kamilah Van
IDS 3920 CRN 10140
Professor Brenda Thomas
Journal Entry A Land Remembered: Solomon MacIvey

Solomon MacIvey is the first character that comes to mind. He is a part of a wealthy family that became very prominent in the land. Through the use of the Florida resources his family was able to create a legacy for themselves, though not always so noble in nature. Though his is the last in the line of this notorious family it is interesting to see his recollection of the land where he was raised and his family’s rise to power. The character relates to the environment and the natural world because he was immersed in it as a child. Though his family did not always use the land in the best of ways he was still able to relate and recall the nature of its original beauty.

Photo Credit: http://rschreiber.edublogs.org/

The character’s sense of place and legacy is that though he has not always made the best of choices in his rise to power in his late life he is making sure that he can leave the world by righting some of the wrings that he has done which I find admirable. I relate to this character because I can see how he had to choose between successes and how he would go about getting it. Most people only think about money or opportunities to be gained and don’t always think of the damage they may cause to others involved. My sense of place is that I’ve lived a very sheltered life. I’ve never had to focus much on the environment around me and the role I play. When I began attending Florida Gulf Coast University that is when I really started to think about the role I play and the importance of the natural state of Florida and the plants and animals that are native to the land. The legacy I hope to leave is one that is respectful to the land and can embody it beauty. It's important to strive for succes and advance society but I believe it can be done without harming the beauty of the natural resources of the land.

Journal Entry: Grunwald

Kamilah Van
Professor Brenda Thomas
Journal Entry: Grumwald

Exerpt from The Swamp:The Everglades, Florida, and Politics of Paradise

Endgame

Michael Grunwald

Overall I found the reading to be very informative about the restoration of the Everglades. I never knew how much of a process it was to get certain plans in order to help restore this area. In the open of the reading the author speaks about the slogan behind the campaign for Everglades’ restoration “A Time to Act”. I think that the slogan is interesting to see the relation to the campaign because it offers a call to action to all who read it.

Photo Credit: http://evergladesreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/white-house-disney-news-conference.jpg  

Key officials had absolute authority and control over the restoration of the Everglades. With other individuals it is noted that we need to focus on the needs of the land and do what is best for it. “Action taken to restore the Everglades in the next year will set the course for the next several decades”. There are a lot of people who would love to see the area grow with loving authority and I believe the hard work of the people draws me in to this project and its success.  “After months of cheerleading for CERP, the Everglades Coalition once again had to decide what to do about an Everglades restoration plan with questionable benefits for the Everglades”.

Photo Credit: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/11/01/us/02everglades.4-650.jpg

It is amazing how we hold so much responsibility over the environment and creatures that inhabit Earth. The usually mild-mannered Senator Mack once yelled at him to mind his own business, nut Voinovich believed that if the Everglades was really “America’s Everglades, “as the Florida senators kept calling it, then a threat to the Everglades was America’s business”. As I continued to read the text I wondered if the efforts that were taken were effective and if the slogan could be used national to promote more concern towards the restoration of this region.

 

Photo Credit: http://media.cagle.com/53/2012/04/11/109781_600.jpg

Journal Entry #3 Douglas

Kamilah Van

Professor Brenda Thomas

IDS 3920 CRN 10140

Journal Entry: Douglas

I found the reading to be very interesting. It was very descriptive in talking about the nature of the everglades. I liked this part the most because I have never been to the everglades but the author’s description gave me something to envision.  As the author began to elaborate more on the different aspects of the everglades I began to marvel at how awesome this environment was in its beginning. From outside knowledge I know that today there are a lot of restoration projects to help save the everglades and I can see the reasoning for such action. I like how the author was able to break down the elements of the everglades: grass, water, and rocks to help describe more of its majestic qualities.  I came along this quote: “The mangrove becomes a solid barrier there, which by its strong, arched and labyrinthine roots collects the sweepage of the fresh water and salt and holds back the parent tree” (Douglas). I found this interesting because it reminded me of the field trip we took and how we were able to see the difference between the different types of mangroves. It also allowed me to see more of the purposes they hold in that ecosystem.

Photo Credit: www.gorp.com

Everything in the everglades holds its purpose in making the area what it is and how it functions. From the water to the trees and animals that reside there I have come to see that everything holds purpose. “Sometimes the rainy season goes all summer, casually raining here and there so that the green things never quite dry out while salt-water mosquitos from the brackish pools about the coasts blow on the west wind in thin screaming hordes” (Douglas). This quote makes me think back to mosquito trenches that were identified on the last field trip and the purpose that it held in providing food for the smaller fish. Though those were different ecosystems I can still see the connection.


Photo Credit: www.tripadvisor.com

As people have come to experience the beauty of the everglades I find that the environment is resilient… at least that is what I can sense from the reading. It goes through its lifecycle and helps to host a multitude of plants and animals. “The life and death of the saw grass is only a moment of that flow in which time, the vastest river, carries us and all life forward” (Douglas). I hope that the authors method will be able to inspire others to that the everglades can be protected and allowed to be something that is still a characteristic of Florida ecosystems.