Saving Our World One Step at a Time

It is important now more than ever to be involved with our earth and to develop ways of preserving it. During the past decade we have been witness to the slow destruction of the world and we are the only ones to be held accountable for it. A number of people, terrified by the idea, have developed plans, charters, acts, and social gatherings in an attempt to bring awareness to the ecological health of our planet.
One of these initiatives is called the Environmental Literacy Plan. This program is designed to teach our children, grades K-12, to understand ecology and to learn through first-hand experience. These types of experiences help develop respect for the natural world and those who inhabit it. Knowing and understanding our ecology and how it works will make these future generations more willing to become involved in their communities and in the preservation of the earth. In the long run, it is expected that the ELP will make the children ecologically aware adults that appreciate the world in a way that we never did. The outcome includes innovative ideas and eager people interested in creating a sustainable world.
This humanitarian aspect is another way to get people closer together and closer to nature. When people come together and interact, they are able to see similarities in each other that they would not have seen prior to the experience. The closer we get to one another and the more bias we can eliminate, the more equipped we will be in making larger decision that will positively impact the world. Growing and creating experiences together creates unbreakable bonds that make us more willing to open our minds to new ideas. Our little differences don’t mean much when we step back to see the big picture, in this case the crumbling health of our world.
I was able to witness first hand an environment that taught children to be ecologically aware. Isaiah, my 11 month old son accompanied me to the Imaginarium, and was amazed with everything there. He seemed curious, and I could tell he had great intuition on the topic. In all, the Imaginarium is a fun and interactive museum that did a good job in incorporating almost all of the principles of the Earth Charter. This is important because these are the same principles needed to build a sustainable environment and teach people to become forward-thinking. We are at a very critical point where we must choose our future. The Imaginarium stresses the humanitarian aspect in its mission statement to “…bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect and nature, human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace.” (Earth Charter Commission 92-95) This is accomplished by having environmentally aware activities that get children and adults from every background so close to nature that they are interacting with it.
Awareness is the first step. Our hope is that this awareness will be accompanied by action. We must to do anything we can to alter our current course before we pass the point of no return, if are not there already.



Citations:
• Earth Charter Commission. The Earth Charter. First Edition. Washington, DC: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. 92-95. Print.

Urban Field Trip

I went to Down Town Fort Myers this afternoon. The first place I stopped at was the Edison Center. Every time I see the house I think about all the history the house possesses. It’s incredible to think that something worth wild came out of dinky old Fort Myers. I then stopped by the old court house. This place seems a little more sentimental because my great grandfather was involved with the constructions of this building. I know that it is made with sand stone with coquina’s. My grandmother has told us and showed us the building since we were little. Finally we stopped at Centennial Park. Here we can see the Caloosahatchee River. This park is fun it offers a variety of things to do and a variety of things to look at. The landscape is immaculate, and sculptures very realistic.

Swimming at Mom's House

I was at my mom’s house today and we went swimming. It was a hot afternoon, about 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Isaiah is still unsure about the pool, I think because his feet don’t touch the bottom. Whenever we’re in the pool Isaiah likes to hang on me like a monkey. We were in the pool for about a half hour before Isaiah was ready t o get out and have a snack. We had a fun time today.

Fun in the Rain

It has been raining so much that it has been hard for me to find time to go outside. Today, I finally took a brisk walk in the rain. It almost felt like I was walking around in a steam room, by the way it was soo humid. The climate was warm and the small cool droplets of rain felt good falling on my body. Isaiah had come with me, he was very fascinated, he had never experienced rain before. I think we will do it again soon.

The Beauty of a Sunset

Today I sat outside with Stan and watched the sunset. The sky was filled with orange, yellow, pink, and purple. The lower the sun got the more spectacular the view was. This was also one of my favorite sunsets where there a enough clouds to capture the colors, but also enough sky that you can see the rays beaming through. I always feel so peaceful when I see sunsets. They remind me of being with my family in the Virgin Islands, where we would go every summer.

Kids and the Park

This mourning I walked around the park with my son, we saw a bunch of kids playing on swing sets and it made Isaiah want to go on the swings too. Isaiah is always so fascinated with other kids. He would be staring at them observing their every move. It think he’s just trying to find some bad habits to pick up. We stayed at the swing set until the kids ran off to go on the jungle gym. Isaiah proceeded to jungle gym but instead of climbing up he was watching the kids from the bottom. He was laughing and running under the kids making his own fun.

Fun Time in The Back Yard

Today I was in the back yard and saw two Blue Jay’s fighting . We tossed a few pieces of bread and they stopped fighting, they each grabbed a piece and flew off. Isaiah, Stan, and I were also running around in the backyard until Isaiah started to pick up mushrooms trying to eat them. I knew it was lunch time so we went inside. Isaiah was upset about going back inside but he happy drink some water to get the nasty taste of mushrooms and sand out of his mouth.

The Adventures at the Imaginarium

Today Isaiah and I went to the Imaginarium. As we entered the premises I saw a very bright and colorful ENTER sign and brachiosaurus made up of colorful pipes that matched the building. Most of the outside was a vibrant blue color. The water tower was another focal point of the museum as you entered the building also the vibrant blue color. As I took my first steps into the museum I noticed that it was also the gift shop. There was a large variety of interactive toys that looked almost irresistible through a Childs’ eyes.
The next area that you enter is the room with a large tank in the center of it. In the large tank there are sting rays, a family of horse-shoe crabs, and a blow fish. In the small tank there were the bottom dwellers such as: clams, starfish, and sea urchins. To the left there was a room filled with fish, reptiles, and a bird. If you continue out the doors there is a lake with coy fish and a little man made water fall, where there are also swans, and geese. These were my favorite areas because I have a big fascination with animals. I think that the fish was one of Isaiah’s favorite parts because he sees them on his Baby Einstein tapes.
Isaiah also thoroughly enjoyed the sand boxes, aka “Dino digs”, and” Little People” area that was filled with toys that had wheels. He also enjoyed the lightening simulation. He continuously ran back and forth through the walk way. The glass had water running down it making it appear that it was raining and the light effects and noise made it seem like lightning and thunder.
I would have liked to look at the technology area longer but it was far to advance for Isaiah it bored him way to easily. In the technology area there was experiments that had to do with gravity, building things, and a small room with a large screen that made it look like you were throwing/kicking/hitting a ball in a variety of sports. There were also a few things that we didn’t do such as the 3D movie and the hurricane simulation that I plan on doing next time we go.
In all the Imaginarium was filled with hands-on activities that are fun for all ages. I can’t wait for Isaiah to grow up more so that he’ll be able to appreciate more things in the museum.

It's Raining It's Pouring...

I try to wait until the evenings to go outside to do my journal entries, but lately it has been raining almost every day. So this week I am doing me journal from my porch. The feeling I get when it rains is sense of relief that the heat is finally gone. The feeling as if I am in a steam room is still there, but the dry heat is what gets to me. The sounds of the rain dripping on the leaves and roof feel my ears with beautiful music that is accompanied with the crashing of the thunder and the dancing lighting. Rain has always comforted me.

Work Less Live Happier

Working less equals a happier life. Americans have been working long hours to contribute to their materialistic habits, but are they really happy? I think that they are severally depressed people that like being surrounded by nice things. A person’s life long goal should not be to be successful, but to find inner peace.


As stated by Juliet Schor in Sustainable Work Schedules for All, “It becomes possible to produce a given level of goods and services in a shorter period of time, thereby giving workers more free time away from the job, or to produce more goods and services by keeping hours constant.” Making work hours shorter will improve a workers quality of life by: making a sustainable ecosystem, giving workers more free time for family and hobbies, and by making workers more productive while on the job.


Now a days, nearly all employees are working themselves to death trying to move at the fast pace that is expected. People are also trying to work after hours to get a few extra dollars to fulfill their materialistic need. Juliet Schor affirms, “Long hours of work are stressful; undermine family functioning and social connections, and cause physical and mental illness.” The only thing that working long hours does is keep parents away from their children and make people exhausted, depressed and fat. It’s no wonder why so many people are relying on pills to fix their problems when all they need is a lifestyle change. Materialistic objects can only provide temporary happiness. Family, friends, and achieved goals provide long term fulfillment.


The fast pace that individuals are working at doesn’t only affect the humans race, but it also affects our ecosystem. High volume production causes a larger ecological footprint that will only devastate us in the near future. If we all would just slow down and smell the roses we will be able to fix ourselves, and our surroundings. Working less will also allow people to get more involved in their communities, creating a better sense of being.


“If past recessions are a guide, many workers-particularly those who get a three day weekend- will adjust to lower incomes and decide not to resume a five day schedule,” as stated in the article Sustainable Work Schedule for All. It has been scientifically proven that when people have the opportunity to work four days a week then they are more likely to adjust to the lower income to keep that lifestyle. Would society realize it unless they had the opportunity to work a four-day schedule? I don’t think they would. It is the norm to work five days out of the week. Children grow up going to school five days a week, and then grow into adulthood, and work five days a week. So, in a way I think that it is almost programmed into us to only have two days of relaxation. But is it right? I don’t think so. Do you?


Citations
• Juliet, Schor. Sustainable Work Schedule for All. First Edition. Washington, DC: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. 91-95. Print.

An Attempt to Fly a Kite

Today it seemed a bit windy so, Isaiah, janey, mia, and I went out side to attempt to fly the Batman kite I got for Isaiah. The kite would get about six feet high and then the wind would stop and it would fall to the ground. This went on for about 5-10 minutes until Isaiah started to wine because he was sweating from the heat. The dogs had already beat us to the porch ready to go inside. It almost seems impossible to enjoy the outdoors with it feeling like a sauna all the time. I guess our next outting will have to be in the water. No doubt about it.

Last week I didn't have time, but Isaiah, Stan, and I went to Centenial Park. We walked around as long as we could until the heat had the best of us and made us run to the car. We tried to go on the swing set, but the sun made the seats so hot that I wasn't going to put my baby on the seat. I saw a beautiful tree with orange blooms on it. It was defenitly eye catching, since it was the tree with the most color around.
The one thing that I think makes this park so beautiful is that it is next to the water with a beautiful view. I have always loved the water. Hopefully the Oil spill won't ruin this for the future generations.

Gateway is Beautiful, but the Dog Park Sucks

This mourning Stan woke me up to tell me that our dog that had run away a week and a half ago came home. It all started when my boyfriend's mom, who is currently living with us, let my dogs out and some how scared Janey, and so she ran off and never came back. I was at school, so I didn't know anything until hours after the fact. But in all, she's home and we're all happy.

So after I gave Janey some love, a much needed bath, and removed most of the stigtites from her fur; we went to Gateway to go to the dog park. When we got there it was closed. I was mad, but decided to make the most of it, by enjoying the rest of the park.

First we went to the swings, Isaiah loved it. Then we went down the slide where i got my butt wet, so we didnt.'t do that again. After Isaiah got bored of the playground I saw a lake in the near distance so we decided to check it out. When we finally got down to the lake I saw to two huge tan birds with red heads. They were just chillin and munchin on something in the grass. I'm sure they saw us because they seemed a little uneasy that we were there, but yet they didn't mind the street that was behind them.

We didn't stay long, I had one dog trying to run in the water to catch bugs and another trying to run back to the car to go home. So I took my few pictures to capture the beauty while trying to round up the bunch. The park is well maintained and beautiful, but there is a loud school and street soo close that you can hardly enjoy the beauty. Periodically there is a "man-made" sound distrubing the ambiance. Also, it is soo hot and humid right now that it hard to enjoy the outside even in the early mourning.

Fun at the Beach

This weekend Stan, Isaiah, and I took a trip to Lover's Key. While entering the park there were many signs informing the guests that this national park was voted the best beach in the United States going on two years now. There were bulliten boards with information about the plants and animals you will be able to see in the park. The weather was very hot, probably about 97, and the water was beautiful and warm but cold enough to cool us off from the unforgiving sun. We didn't stay too long but i had time to take pictures. When we first pulled in to the parking lot there was a red bird lookin at its self through a mirror of a truck. It was very fascinated with the mirror because it repeditativley kept trying to fly into the mirror to get to itself, lol.

While at the beach we took a walk, played in the sand, swam, and had a picnic. We saw fish, a few species of birds, and found a living sand dollar while in the water. We got to get right next to the Heron while taking a walk, it didn't seem threatened by the people as long as you didn't get too close. In the near distance we were able to see a few nest which I guess were Osprey nests. There were also Mangorves, Panic Grass, Palm Trees, and Sea Oxeye. It didn't take long before Isaiah was all played out and ready for another nap.

Nature is Always More Beautiful Away from the Racket

Isaiah and I woke up early one mourning and took a walk around Brynwood, my parents neighborhood. The neighborhood is well maintained and for the most part professionally landscapad. There were a variety of plants and trees growing it each persons yard. Some of the plants I saw that I can name were: paper trees, pine trees, palmetto bushes, bamboo, golden shower, and a few different varieties of palm trees. We also came across a brown bunny, hawk, and a blue jay. Isaiah always has a good time when we go for a walk, and this time was no exception. I believe that i had a better time in this neighborhood because of the variety, and the fact that I didn't have an abundant of cars passing.

My Family and Our Neighborhood

My name is Amy A. Zipperer, but my friends call me Lexi. I am native to Fort Myers although I have lived overseas in Quito, Ecuador for 8 years of my life. Now, I am 23 years old living in Lehigh Acres, FL with my boyfriend Stan, 27, and our son Isaiah, 10 months. We are expecting the newest addition to our family December 11, 2010.

Lehigh Acres is a small town in a rural area. Walking around my neighborhood I noticed that the vegetation mainly consists of: pine trees, palmetto bushes and vines that have over grown over everything. I found some cactus too!! I was eager to find some color amongst all the foliage, and finally came across a beautiful plant that had leaves with orange tips that resembled flowers.

It is obvious that my neighborhood is not well maintained or watered on regular bases. It is clear that the only plants that would be able to live out here are the ones that are able to survive without water for long periods of time. My neighborhood didn’t consist of much color or of anything exotic but no matter where you go you can always find beauty in nature.