Colloquium Fall 2019

Visiting the FGCU campus, and walking around the academic buildings and the nature trails on Tuesday gave me a new perspective on the school itself and the way it was built with sustainability as a major priority. The tour introduced me to many small details I had never observed before, and how nearly every feature of the buildings' architecture or surrounding landscape had a purpose that supports healthy environmental conditions or a reduction of waste. Learning about the way FGCU was built 20 years ago helped me understand the main point made by J.B. MacKinnon in his passage on Knowledge Extinction. Our conversation with the naturalists, and the institution of the Colloquium course, is a good way of combating knowledge extinction. By teaching students the importance of sustainability, we are able to expand our worldview and in turn pass on the same perspective to other people and the generations that follow us.  Prior to our walk through the nature trails, we stopped at the...

Growing up in South Florida, much of my connection to nature was through days at the beach and fishing trips on my father's boat. I learned how to swim at an early age and found a love for snorkeling. I have an interest in learning how to scuba dive, but I am not yet certified. Throughout my childhood, I have many fond memories with my family and friends on the East Coast where I grew up. In the rest of this blog post, I will discuss the impact nature has had on me, and what mattered to me most about the time I've spent outdoors. Though fishing is often harmful to the environment, both commercially and recreationally, it is one of the most significant parts of my childhood and is still a key part of my relationship with my father. I was taught from a young age to abide by all the guidelines for fishing, like legal size limits and catching fish only when they are in season. My favorite part was always lobster season. I loved diving and searching under rocks to find them and ca...