Trip to ECHO, Ft. Myers

  ECHO stands for Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization. They are a non-profit organization in Ft. Myers, Fl. Their mission is to improve the lives of the poor, and reduce hunger, by teaching them how to utilize natural resources for farming. The idea behind it can be extrapolated from an old Chinese proverb by Lau Tzu which reads,

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime"

Instead of simply giving poor people food, it is far better to teach them and equip them with the knowledge they need to sustain themselves for lifetimes.
  This was not my first trip ECHO but it was my first time taking a tour of the farm. When I had volunteered here last year I had a chance to help with the annual Farm Day, harvest the fields, work in the seed bank, and remodel an old house which would house interns. There are many different types of crops growing on the farm and their seeds are being collected in a seed bank. When I worked in the seed bank I was cleaning and sorting seeds that were going to be shipped to Africa. The seeds that are collected are an assortment of rare seeds that happen to thrive in harsh growing conditions. It is hoped that by introducing the seeds into areas where agriculture is difficult that it will diminish hunger as well as improve the soil. Of all the seed banks, ECHO's collection are one of largest in the world. In the event of a disaster, these seeds will come in handy.

  ECHO is basically a huge research farm where studies are being conducted on crops in order to gain a thorough understanding of the best farming methods. Everywhere you look you will find something different, from bamboo trees to rice.

Bamboo trees

The guide told us that bamboo trees do great in hot climates and that they have multi-uses and are very valuable. They also grow very quickly, up to about 16 inches daily.

Wet Low Lands Rice

The "Wet Low Lands Area" is where the system of rice is growing. This is actually part of a two year study in multiple locations that has been evaluating whether rice grows best in a flooded area, or a not so flooded area. Their research has determined that although it has been tradition to grow rice in floods in order to keep the weeds from growing, that you can actually produce more rice by growing in an area that is not so flooded. The right side of the rice is where it was growing in the wet land, and the left side of the rice is where it had been growing without as much water.



me at duck & talapia pond



After you pass through the bamboo trees you arrive at the duck & talapia pond. This is an area where the duck, fish, & water exist symbiotically. This means that everything living here depend on each other for survival. It is a system that is sustained all on its own and which is perfect for tropical climates.



ducks at the pond



another view of the pond



 As I had mentioned before, there are animals present on this farm such as goats, rabbits, ducks, and even worms. They act as helpers by providing manure for crops to grow and as tillers. The manure from worms can be turned into a tea to water plants as compost. The chickens will naturally dig and till out areas around crops. This lessens the need for techonology and electric power.



Goats at the goat house























The guide said that whenever they use irrigation pumps to deliver water without the use of electricity, it is an example of what they call, "appropriate technology." This basically means that you should use what you have in order to make what you need.

Irrigation pumps

Another technique is called drip irrigation which is a technique for irrigating crops that conserves water and reduces weed pressure.



The Miracle Tree: Moringa























Aside from learning about appropriate technology, we also got to learn about and taste several different plants. We were told that the leaves of the Moringa tree are highly nutritious.

Since the people living in poor countries are typically malnourished, a Moringa tree would be of great benefit to them. Virtually all parts of this tree can be used to aid in nutrition, which is why it is called the "Miracle Tree."

Another one of nature's miracles is the Neem. Neem seeds have both medicinal and non-medicinal uses.
Disclaimer: None of the claims contained herein have been evaluated by the FDA nor have the claims been documented by medical research. The information here is not intended to replace the care of a licensed physician. Please seek a medical professional regarding your medical decisions and health needs.

In the bookstore at Echo you will find Neem products for sale. Neem has been used to make creams, lotions, oils, insect repellant, soap, and toothpaste. One of the plants that the guide allowed us to taste was called Katuk. It didn't have a distinct taste, in fact, it reminded me of tasting a pea pod.

  It was a beautiful day to visit ECHO today and I learned a lot of different techniques for farming in all kinds of areas and conditions. Even in an urban environment one can grow crops. Plants don't always need to grow in the ground in soil. They can be grown in tires, in plastic bins, even in plastic bags and growing tables.

Photo of a "working" chicken.



Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Journal #7

I'm Right & You're Wrong

  While it is frustrating to have other people question or disagree with our point of view, I believe the other point of view is necessary to some degree. Problems are seldom solved based on a single approach, oftentimes problems require multiple minds working together. But they have to be willing to work together, and usually it's always easier to work with people who think such as yourself. I don't think people should only seek out others who are like themselves to work with. After all, we are not all the same and we must learn to live with and interact with each-other. In fact, I would go so far as to conclude that our own future survival depends on whether or not we will be able to work together and set our differences aside.
  We all see the world differently and have had different experiences that there is no way that we will ever be uniform in thinking. This is something we should just accept and something that we should be appreciative about. We don't all share the same logic either and what makes "sense" to someone will make no sense to another, and that's OK. What it doesn't mean is that we should always be at polar ends with one another to the point of lunacy. In situations where we need to work with each other, I think we should first be open-minded and willing to listen to other points of view. I think that it is possible for two very different people with two very different perspectives to reach a consensus. However, I think it is not possible until we drop our ego's. I think it is our ego which causes us to lose respect for other viewpoints when it contradicts our own. It seems as if we are always trying to prove someone else wrong because in doing so we might make a name for our-self. Again, this is the desire of the ego; the need to feel smart and important and better than everyone else. If we were to drop trying to prove the other party wrong, then I think we could focus on the real issue's and work together.
  In terms of cognitive dissonance theory, I see it all the time and I think it's a very human response to how we deal with our concept of self. I think that once we have our values and beliefs concretely in place it becomes hard to change them. Then again, people can be easily persuaded, but it's most commonly done with rhetoric and not scientific evidence! Sometimes it is more about the show than it is about the facts of the matter. This is what troubles me the most. I'm not troubled about people who don't agree with me, I am more troubled by the people who fall for a false truth.
  Also, we are creatures of habit due to the comfort that we find in it. Thus, once we are in our comfort zone we don't want to leave it for something that appears contradictory. When we perceive things to be a threat we put up a wall and close off our minds, we may even stop listening because we don't want to hear it. Even when common sense tells us that we are wrong and we should stop a certain behavior, sometimes we rationalize it in order to keep doing it for some small satisfaction we derive from it. Part of thinking logically and being able to arrive at the right conclusion comes from being able to recognize a sound argument. Equally important is the other end of the spectrum willing to question the logic and examine how we arrived at that particular answer.

Six Degrees Could Change the World, Journal Entry #6

  Prior to watching this video I never gave much thought about the climate of the world. Probably because I'm so busy and consumed with other things that take up my day to day life. Besides, when I think about a change in temperature of about 1-6 degrees, I conjure up ideas about how the weather does and can change that much. In just about any environment, the "weather" is not the same on a daily basis. So at first it doesn't appear to be something that we should be concerned about because we are used to the varying temperatures. I suppose we just get so accustomed and used to the way things are that we can't imagine them any differently.
  For the most part, life on Earth seems pretty consistent with occasional disasters- nothing that we can't deal with anyways. Well, this may be so when you examine things in the short term. However, a different picture is painted when you examine things in the long term. Although a temperature change doesn't seem like much now, over a span of time it can add up to serious consequences for life on Earth with an end result we might not be able to survive. The truth is that we simply were not alive during the times when the planet was undergoing harsh ecological changes of the past. We only came about once the "climate" was right for us, and the inverse is true as well.
  Since the making of the film it seems as if there have been more natural disasters, such as the tsunami in Japan. It makes me wonder if the reason why we are hearing about more tornado's is because of global warming? If so, does that mean that the weather will increasingly become worse and worse? Is this the kind of world we want to live in?
  It's surprising to me that there is controversy over the role we play in global warming. Do people really think that scientists are lying to us or that their research is incorrect? I think it's as obvious as witnessing a cause & effect. I can't imagine why people would want to skew information that deals with our own survival. This is what doesn't make sense to me. It also reminds me about how a stop light at a busy intersection will not be put up only until someone dies there. Or about how the police often will not bother placing a restraining order on someone you believe has the capacity to cause harm to you, unless and until, they have taken a substantial step towards committing an action. The problem is that people don't tend to do anything until it's too late, or they don't believe or think there is a problem because they don't see the effects. For example, people still smoke although we all know that it is directly related to causing cancer. One might not get cancer or suffer any effects until 15-25 years down the line, but it's no reason to smoke because it's only making your outlook of survival worse. I compare it to global warming because it's similar in the sense that it will add up to a horrible end result over time. It's a sad world when people fail to believe the science we have nowadays and fail to make the connections back to ourselves. I don't want to imagine a world that ignored the signs in thinking that the world will somehow recuperate on it's own accord.

Diamond's Article #5

Diamond discusses the comparative method in order to gain insight about the causes of a failing society. By comparing societies of the past with other similar societies you can draw conclusions on what led them to fail or succeed. Noting in particular that one cause has to do with ecological problems. Past societies contributed to their own collapse because they had damaged their environment too much and exhausted their resources.
In a sense, a society can choose whether it succeeds or fails by the choices it makes. A society that does not utilize its environment properly can be just as doomed as one which mistreats it. It's all relative to what we do with what we have and how we use it. Generally, my contention is that what's good for the world should be what's good for me, however, the choice is not always that simple. It seems like only recently products on the market have begun to advertise it's goodwill. Every now and then you will see a product with a label on it that reads "when you buy this product you are supporting wildlife" or "5% of the money from this purchase goes towards saving the forest." It takes a smart consumer, someone who is alerted to the troubles the world is facing, to support the companies who will support the environment (and other issues). This is how the modern world will most effectively change it's course. It won't happen without awareness and action, by action I mean that when you go out there you are thinking. You aren't being misled by the politics and advertisements trying to get you to buy their product although they have some of the worst business practices on earth. I think if more people simply "tune-in" the world won't be such a bad place. After all, history only repeats itself if we let it.

Trip to Ding Darling

The reason why Ding Darling exists is to protect the wildlife and to make sure that it doesn't go extinct. The way to do this is to protect their habitat and ensure that there aren't too many disturbances. In the wildlife refuge it's the animals that come first and the people second. Many of the activities here are set up in a way which will not disturb the wildlife. The tram tour is one such activity that does not disturb the wildlife. I had the opportunity to go on a tour on the tram here at Ding Darling today.
(Photo taken while on the tram overlooking the water where the park pumps water in & out)

While on the tram tour I learned a lot about the importance of the Mangrove Estuaries. The mangrove is a tree that is plentiful in the refuge and grows only in the shallow salt-water. The guide had explained that the mangroves here are the most productive place for life on our planet, especially for fish. He said that 80% of fish rely on the energy in the estuaries. Algae, bacteria, and plankton feed off of the the leaves that fall from the mangroves into the water. This is the reason why the fish are here, and the fish are why the birds are here and this is how the whole ecosystem relies on the mangroves. A couple interesting facts about the mangroves is that it is the only tree that can live in salt water and it is an adaptation that took millions of years. Also, the Fl mangroves are illegal to cut down. One other reason why the mangroves are important is because mangroves will absorb 60% of wind and wave action. The reason for this is due to their massive root system which keeps them anchored tightly so they cant uproot. Consequences of no mangroves would be a loss of life for the animals that rely on them for food and shelter, a loss of agriculture and nutrient rich top soil.
(Photo's of the Mangrove Estuaries)

I was given binoculars at the beginning of the tour so I can spot the birds of the refuge. The bird I saw the most of were the Ospreys. They had been flying in the air hunting around the water for fish. They also had a nest that we were able to see them fly into. Osprey nests are common at the refuge and are identified by their white head with darker brownish markings. They are easy to mistake for a Hawk because they appear similar to an Osprey. Both are birds of prey.
(Photo of an Osprey nest)

Among other birds I spotted were the Great Egret, Double Crested Cormorant, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron, and a Magnificent Frigatebird. We were told that the reason why bald eagles are in small numbers at the refuge is because they require a huge territory of land.

The last place I visited was the visitor's center. There were many displays to look at and neat interactive displays as well. One display showed how other countries around the world have used endangered animals as part of their medicinals. For example, China in the past has used Rhinoceros tusks and parts of a Tiger in their herbal remedies. Anyone trying to import endangered species products into the U.S. will have those items seized at customs. We are a country which has signed a pact against such practices.