A message

Dear future colloquium students,

You area about to embark on a voyage to new discoveries that you never imagined. The colloquium experience is one that you will never forget. Learning about how FGCU is managing its goals to be a sustainable university and getting in touch with your inner green self will be one of the best experiences you'll have here at FGCU. I wish you luck and let you know now, don't get left behind!

Sincerely,

Christopher Lienhardt

The Colloquium Experience

My experience in this University Colloquium course has definitely been an interesting one. As a Marine Science major I can't say I learned too many things that I didn't already know about but, I definitely can say that it was good to relearn some things that I had forgotten about. I really enjoyed learning about the bigger picture and stopped to look at the small part of the big world I represent. The Collquium experience has definitely been a positive one for me, and I really enjoyed learning about FGCU's promises and goals for sustainable lifestyles and University practices. I am proud to say that I attended THE Florida Gulf Coast University.

Service Learning

After our original service learning project with the Army Corps of Engineers tanked, Mallory, Michael and myself decided to take some of the problems we had learned about from the Corps and try to help out on a level we knew we'd be capable of. Partnering with the Boy scouts of America group we were able to help with a lake cleanup. We helped remove exotic plant species and debris from the lakeside and drains. We were also able to pick up and remove most of the litter that was near the shoreline and make the lake a cleaner, better place for the kids.

Easter

Today I spent some time outside with my family for Easter. I watched some of my younger cousins do the traditional Easter egg hunt outside. I really thought about how much we'd miss doing things outside and how many traditions would be ruined if we weren't able to go out and utilize the gifts nature gives us. I really appreciated those Easter egg hunts when I was a kid, I hope that the tradition never dies for the kids of the future.

Personal #12

After reading Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded," I though about some of the key points and arguments he makes. At one point Friedman states "I am convinced that the best way for America to solve its big problem the best way for America to get its “groove” back is for us to take the lead in solving the world’s big problem." I definitely agree with this point, as the "leaders of the free world," if anyone is going to incite the world toward a green revolution it will have to be us. We need to accept the responsibilities we have and push for the change the world needs.

Personal #11

Tonight I looked at the resource that showed the Environmental Performance Index, which tracks countries on their environmental public health and ecosystem vitality. I was shocked to see that the United States ranked 61st in the world, behind countries like Cuba and Morocco. I was glad to see that we ranked higher than countries like China and India, who contribute most to the burning of fossil fuels and release of CO2 emissions. I truly hope that the scope of these findings reaches more American citizens who will in turn demand better results from the "most powerful and influential nation in the world."

Matanzas Pass Trip

Our trip out to the historic cottage at Matanzas pass was most definitely one of my favorite trips this semester. I really enjoyed seeing the old style Florida cottage that has seen so much change and survived so much history. Meeting the caretaker and former resident of the property was also a great experience in its own; her stories were very interesting and the sea grape jelly was delicious. I also enjoyed our walk through the transitioning hammock to marshland habitats. The very best part of the trip was the quiet minute we had next to the waterside. This moment of pure serenity was very relaxing and definitely made the whole trip a lot better.

GR#10

After reading the Four Challenges of Sustainability, I couldn't help but relate it to the current events the world is facing at this time; War, anarchy, natural disasters and nuclear problems. In the reading Orr quoted Thomas Homer-Dixon's "ingenuity gap," meaning our problems will eventually overrun our problem solving capacities. I truly believe that for us to transition to a more sustainable lifestyle we need to let our governments know that we will not stand by and watch the world crumble. I think that if we as citizens stepped up and showed the big government that people still had the power, the big wigs would do what was necessary to make the world a better place.

GR#9

After reading "What is Education For?" by David Orr, I really thought about what we do daily to educate ourselves and others in our lives. The article defines education as teaching people how to think. I felt that we all do this each and every day, whether we are conscious of it or not. I thought to myself that if we all consciously took the time to teach someone, whether it be someone we knew and loved, or a complete stranger, something new each day the world could be a much better place. If everyone across the world took the time to share their knowledge and wisdom with a new person, the possibilities for education could be infinite.

GR#8

Reading the Earth Charter was definitely different. It followed a different format than most of the other articles in the Colloquium reader. I liked that it had an organized feel and was able to easily relate to most of the topics covered. I really enjoyed reading the part about Ecological Integrity, especially the subsection that stated that it is out job to "Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited apply a precautionary approach." I really connected to this call to arms because of a personal experience I had while snorkeling in the Bahamas. I noticed that a girl was using a live coral head as a resting spot and was carelessly standing on top of it. I warned her that she was killing a live organism and told her that she was breaking quite a few laws as well. I was able to protect said coral from any further damage and teach the girl about what she shouldn't do in the future.

GR#7

After reading The Land Ethic I was most intrigued by The Community Concept. The Land Ethic goes on to simply expand the boundaries of the community to include all things that could be considered : the land. In its simplest form a land ethic reverses the role of Homo sapiens from conquerer to citizen. I really felt like this was appropriate when thinking about myself; after coming back from Officer Candidates School with the Marine Corps. The Marines taught us that we as Officer Candidates were held to a higher standard and that all Marines should be contributing citizens to our great nation. I really feel like I related that to this article when I read it and felt that it was definitely a daily part of my life.

Personal #10

Today I decided to spend my outdoor time enjoying the plentiful sunshine by the poolside. It was a nice hot day outside and I felt like it was a perfect day to soak up some sun and swim some laps in the junior Olympic size pool. While I was there I saw lots of birds flying overhead and even more down by the man made ponds. It was a great day for both the pool patrons and the birds.

FGCU campus walk field trip.

Our campus field trip walk was definitely an awesome experience outdoors. The weather was nice enough to permit us an afternoon walk without too much heat, and we didn't get rained on either. It was very interesting to see and hear about some of the building extras that the University incorporates to keep their promise of being a sustainable college campus. The trails were also very cool to see because of the amount of fauna and flora we were able to see. This trip really made me realize how lucky we are to go to such a great University.

Personal #9

Time spent outside devoted to this blog entry was spent fishing at Clam Pass in Naples. I was able to wade out during the mid-tide change to a great spot with my friend Brad and my girlfriend Lillie. We spent hours pulling all sorts of fish out of the pass. We wound up keeping a few and pan frying them for dinner later that night. It was a great day spent outdoors.

Personal #8

On the cruise I took for spring break I took part in so many outdoor activities I decided that It would be more than appropriate to describe them here. One of the many things I was able to do down in the Bahamas was a sail and snorkel excursion. We went to a fantastic reef near shore and saw lots of species of reef fish and even a large conch. This was one of the many fun things we participated in while enjoying the great outdoor beaches and environments of the coastal waters.