Energy Efficient Appliances and Light Bulbs

When you buy an appliance, you commit to paying both the initial cost and the operating cost for as long as you own it. Appliances with the energy star logo are significantly more energy-efficient than the average comparable model, but may cost considerably more initially. The Energy Star program is operated jointly by the U.S.Department of Energy and the EPA. A few of the appliances that can be energy star certified are refridgerators, stoves, dish washers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, air conditioners, water heaters, computers and office equipment. Besides buying energy efficient appliances, it is important to unplug these appliances when not in use. Saving energy saves money: Households can save up to $400 a year on utility bills!

Light bulbs can also be energy efficient. If every American home replaced just one light with an ENERGY STAR light, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, about $700 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars. An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months. It uses 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb. These too, cost a little more than regular light bulbs, but save the customer much more money in the end. The energy efficient light bulbs are hazardous if broken, so the user should look up what to do if this should happen.

Certified Sustainable Lumber Practices

It is important to choose sustainable practices when buying appliances, building resources, etc. Lumber harvesting is one resource that is not always done sustainably. Clear cutting severely damages the environment. Therefore, certified lumber is a much better choice.

To measure the sustainability level of lumber, two main attributes are evaluated: harvesting and chain of custody. The harvesting process is evaluated based on how trees are planted, grown, cut down and renewed to ensure the long-term health and existence of a forest. Chain of custody tracks exactly who or which company touched a piece of lumber, tracing it back to the company that employed the person or machine that cut down the tree. Only 10 percent of the world’s forests are certified sustainable.

Lumber certification alleviates concerns about mismanaged forests that contribute to soil erosion, loss of wildlife, and the clear cutting of old-growth forests. Lumber certification tells an architect or builder a product is made with environmentally responsible practices and material.

Dozens of product certification programs operate worldwide, while two programs take center stage in the United States: The Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council. Both are independent third-party organizations that certify the harvesting process and chain of custody for lumber producers.

Certified sustainable wood costs more, but the impact on the environment is much less drastic than clear cutting.

Fertilizer runoff

Fertilizers are used by homeowners to maintain and improve landscape beauty and quality. Increased use of home lawn and garden fertilizers, however, has caused concern about pollution of lakes and groundwater. This pollution can cause disruptions in the food chain.

The two fertilizer nutrients that are primarily involved are nitrogen and phosphorus, which are needed by all plants for healthy growth. Although an individual lawn or garden is small, the total area of lawns and gardens in urban environments can be significant. Runoff and drainage waters carrying these nutrients move over hard-surfaced streets where there is no soil to act as a filter. The result is an increase in pollution problems. Proper fertilizer use can enhance plant growth without polluting the environment, but misuse of fertilizer will harm the environment. One problem that we talked about in class is the fact that fertilizers and pesticides are used all the time instead of to correct a problem. Perfectly manicured lawns should not be so desired! Rather, the use of native plants should be encouraged.

Ecological Footprint

An ecological footprint is made up of 4 components: land energy, consumed land, farm land, and forest land. This is translated into the amount of fossil energy a person consumes, the amount of land or “built environment” a person occupies, the amount of land it takes to feed a person “food land”, and the amount of forest product consumed. The average North American uses an average of 20 acres. We went to myfootprint.org in class and I volunteered to take the quiz to see what my ecological footprint is. I thought that my family was relatively environmentally friendly, but if everyone on earth lived the way my family does, we would need 6.58 earths to provide enough resources to sustain our lifestyles. North Americans are accustomed to using much of the earth’s current resources. The problem is that developing countries see us as an example and want to be like us. As they develop, they use more and more resources. We, as Americans, cannot chastise them for wanting what we have! We must use more sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the planet.

Manatees

Manatees are one of the animals on the endangered species list. I enjoy boating and think it is a pain to have to follow the laws in the no wake zones but after doing research on the fact, I will pay closer attention to those laws.

Manatee protection rules are established to restrict the speed of water vessels where necessary to protect endangered manatees from harmful collisions. In the year 2009, 429 manatees were killed in Florida. 93 of these deaths were caused by watercrafts. Boaters need to be more responsible and pay attention to the no wake zones. The faster a boat travels, the more force is applied to the strike.

he difference between the force of a strike at 30 miles an hour is exactly twice that of a strike at 15 miles an hour, all other factors being equal. Approximately 25-30% of manatee deaths statewide are attributed to watercraft injuries - including personal watercraft. A PWC moves at high velocities and, along with passengers, weigh about 500 lbs at a minimum.

If the watercraft strikes a manatee in the head as it is taking a breath, acute trauma may result and the animal may die immediately. A mid-body strike can even be fatal if ribs are broken or disarticulated. Their internal injuries can result in death from internal bleeding or infection.

Things to do When Boating or Jet Skiing to Avoid Manatees:

▪ Abide by the posted speed zone signs while in areas known to have manatees present or when observations indicate manatees might be present. What to look for when trying to see manatees: Observations may include a swirl on the surface caused by the manatee when diving; seeing the animals back, snout, tail, or flipper break the surface of the water; or hearing it when it surfaces to breathe.

▪ Wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare on the surface of the water. This will enable you to see manatees more easily.

▪ Try to stay in deep-water channels. Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, lagoons, and coastal areas. Avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas.

▪ Remain at least 50 feet away from a manatee when operating a powerboat. Don't operate a boat over large concentrations of manatees.

▪ If you like to water ski, choose areas that manatees do not use, or cannot enter, such as land-locked lakes.

▪ Don't discard monofilament line, hooks, or any other litter into the water. Manatees may ingest or become entangled in this debris and can become injured or even die. Note: discarding monofilament fishing line into the waters of Florida is unlawful.

Melaleuca

Melaleuca is an exotic invasive tree that was introduced into Florida from Australia to stabilize swampy areas near lakes and canals. These trees drink massive amounts of water and have caused a fire hazard, earning their name as the Everglades ecosystem’s worst enemies. A collaborative effort to wipe out the melaleuca, called the TAME Melaleuca Project, is being carried out by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. In 1990, the South Florida Water Management District began an aggressive campaign to lower melaleuca populations across South Florida. As a result, melaleuca acreage on public lands has decreased dramatically. But the 60 to 100 foot tall trees continue to spread at such a high rate on private property that there has been little decrease in overall acreage covered.

The volume of seeds helps the trees to spread. Stress on the trees (fire, cutting, or spraying) causes them to open and release the seeds and mature trees can hold millions of seeds. While herbicides will kill trees, they cannot keep up with seed production and unless a stump is ground, trees will resprout after being cut down.

The story of Bottled Water

We watched the story of bottled water in class one day. We discussed the fact that the “need” for bottled water is a manufactured demand. Most of the drinking water in America is clean enough to drink out of the tap. There are very few places in which there is an actual need for clean water. Some of these bottles are recycled, but many of them end up in landfills. There are great alternatives to bottled water. Filtered jugs can be filled and put in the fridge or reusable bottles can be filled and taken with you if you’re on the run.

An interesting piece of an article I read was this: According to the report, more than 1 billion water bottles are winding up in the trash in California each year. That translates into nearly 3 million empty water bottles going to the trash EVERY day and an estimated $26 million in unclaimed California Refund Value (CRV) deposits annually. If recycled, the raw materials from those bottles could be used to make 74 million square feet of carpet, 74 million extra large T-shirts or 16 million sweaters, among other things.

Instead, they are swallowing landfill space, increasing air pollution and destroying the ozone layer.

Endangered Plants and Animals in Florida

There are 56 endangered animals on the list I found online and 55 endangered plants. Those numbers are only for Florida! When I was younger I didn't realize that plants could be endangered also. If a single plant or animal becomes extinct on this list it affects the entire food chain. As of May 21, the total number of endangered species on this list (updated daily) was 16,547.

While researching this topic I found that plants and animals can also be considered threatened, which is different than being endangered. This is what I found:

Threatened means that the animal is vulnerable to extinction and the population of the animal is declining. (ex: Certain species of whale population are being threatened.)

Endangered means that the animal will soon be extinct if nothing is done about it. Some endangered animals are being bred in captivity until their numbers increase enough to be released back in the wild. (ex: Bald Eagles are an endangered species of bird. Pandas are an endangered species of bear.)

Extinct means that the animal has completely died out and there aren't any left of this species. (ex: Dinosaurs are an extinct species of reptile. Dodo is an extinct bird.)

Important Dates in Collier County History

Important Dates in Collier County History

February 26, 1521
Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon set sail from Puerto Rico with 200 colonists to explore and settle Southwest Florida’s lower Gulf coast. Calusa Indians immediately drove off the Spaniards, mortally wounding Ponce.

March 24, 1837
Old Fort Foster, the earliest military post in the County, was activated by the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole War.

March 23, 1873
Barron Gift Collier, the founder of Collier County, was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

June 1, 1881
Wealthy Philadelphia tool-maker, Hamilton Disston, purchased 4 million acres of Florida swampland and wilderness – including all of present day Collier County – from the State of Florida for 25 cents an acre.

November 6, 1886
The Naples Town Improvement Company was organized in Tallahassee, Florida.

August 26, 1887
The first plat map of Naples was registered with the Lee County Clerk’s office in Fort Myers.

June 25, 1888
Work began on building the first Naples pier.

March 5, 1896
Anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing unearthed the famed Key Marco Cat while excavating an ancient Calusa Indian site on Marco Island. Miraculously preserved, the tiny wooden statuette was part of one of the richest archaeological discoveries in North America.

February 1, 1901
Naples and Fort Myers were connected by telephone.

October 17, 1910
A hurricane destroyed the original Naples pier.

May 8, 1923
Florida’s State Legislature partitioned Lee County to create Collier County, the state’s 62nd county.

July 7, 1923
Collier County’s Board of County Commissioners held their first meeting, at the Rod & Gun Club in Everglades City.

July 9, 1923
Collier County’s first bank - the Bank of Everglades – opened in the town of Everglades.

July 25, 1923
The County’s first newspaper, The Collier County News, began publishing.

April 13, 1925
First meeting of the Naples Town Council.

January 7, 1927
The Seaboard Air Line Railway’s Orange Blossom Special, became the first passenger train to arrive in Naples.

April 26, 1928
The Tamiami Trail was officially opened to traffic in Everglades, completing the first paved highway from Tampa to Miami.

March 13, 1939
Collier County’s founder, Barron Gift Collier, died in New York City, ten days before his 66th birthday.

September 26, 1943
Florida’s first commercial oil well is drilled near Sunniland, in eastern Collier County.

December 23, 1943
The U.S. Army activated a military base at Naples Army Air Field to train combat pilots during World War II.

December 6, 1947
President Harry S. Truman dedicated Everglades National Park in Everglades City.

May 25, 1949
The Florida State Legislature approved a new charter for Naples, changing it from a town to a city.

July 4, 1953
Naples Airport was dedicated as the Naples America Airport.

September 10, 1960
Hurricane Donna scored a direct hit on Naples and Collier County.

September 30, 1962
Collier County’s seat of government was officially moved from Everglades City to East Naples.

February 11, 1968
Alligator Alley was opened to traffic.

August 29, 1997
Marco Island incorporated to become Florida’s 398th city.

Downtown Fort Myers Field Trip

Wednesday we went on our class field trip to Downtown Fort Myers. One of the things I found most interesting was the story about how the construction workers that were supposed to build the yacht harbor in Sarasota drove too far and ended up building it in Fort Myers instead. I also liked the story about the Pleasure Pier. I think that the building that was moved off the pier onto land should be restored and used. It is a cool piece of the history of Downtown Fort Myers.

I also had no idea that Lee county was one of the last places to move away from segregation. The story of the two boys who were accused of raping a white girl because they were swimming with white children was extremely sad to me.

I also found it interesting that the canals in the Keys were dug out to use the keys stone. I thought that they were dug so that there would be more water-front property. I'm sure that was also part of the reason too!

I have never been to Downtown Fort Myers. It was definitely a worthwhile field trip. I mentioned to Nicole that I didn't know much about the area and she justified it with the fact that I live in Naples.. but to be honest, I don't know much about the history of Naples either! This has really opened my eyes and given me the opportunity to gain a better sense of place.

Invasive Exotic Species: Burmese Pythons

Burmese Pythons are another exotic invasive species that are overpopulating Florida that were recently featured on Animal Planet. These snakes got here from pet owners who did not want them anymore and from damaged zoos, pet stores, exotic animal warehouses, and wildlife refuges in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.

The climate and ecosystem of the Everglades are ideally suited for the Burmese Python because it is hot and humid. The Everglades also offers the snakes plenty of prey to sustain them.

The number of pythons in Florida alarms scientists because there is nothing to keep this snake’s population under control. They will cause significant decline in native species in Florida. Some scientists estimate there may hundreds of thousands of these snakes within the state. A female Burmese python can lay more than 30 eggs at a time. Larger females can easily exceed these numbers. One female captured in the Everglades was found to have 85 eggs developing inside her. A well-fed female python will generally reach sexual maturity in a few years. On top of that, these snakes can live for more than 20 years in the wild, and healthy females can reproduce annually for much of that lifespan. Now take that reproductive capacity and spread it over the last 17 years or so, when these snakes are believed to have entered the Everglades in large numbers.

http://www.reptileknowledge.com/articles/article22.php

Invasive Exotic Species: Feral Hogs

The same show on Animal Planet also featured Feral Hogs as an invasive exotic species of Florida.

Florida's feral hog population is second in the United States only to that of Texas. Feral hogs are found throughout the state in a variety of habitats from the southern Everglades to the northern hills of the Panhandle.

The hogs are native to Europe and Asia are aggressive mammals posing serious ecological, economic, aesthetic, medical and veterinary threats. Domestic pigs were introduced from Europe to the Americas by Spanish explorers. Over time, some pigs escaped or were intentionally released into the wild. Subsequently, free-ranging, feral populations established themselves on American soil.

Biologists estimate the nationwide population of feral pigs to be around four million animals, 500,000 of which are in Florida. Wild hogs can host many diseases and parasites, including cholera , tuberculosis, salmonella, anthrax, ticks, fleas, lice and others. Male pigs can be particularly intimidating, tipping the scales at up to 200 pounds. In some parts of the state, pigs are wreaking havoc on farms and saplings in regenerating forests. Efforts to keep the pigs under control include hunting, trapping and fencing, but it's a constant uphill battle. A pig can produce two, and sometimes more, litters a year, especially in southern Florida where conditions are perfect. And a litter can number a dozen. That's a lot of pigs.

The article states that the hogs usually don’t attack humans, but if they feel cornered they might become aggressive and possibly attack. The show on Animal Planet featured a first-hand experience of a woman who was attacked, so it is possible.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=827155&page=1

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/publ/wlnotebook/pig.htm

http://texnat.tamu.edu/symposia/feral/feral-14.htm

Invasive Exotic Species: Nile Monitor Lizards

I was watching a show on Animal Planet about invasive exotic species the other day. One of the animals featured was the Nile Monitor Lizard.

The lizards' weapons include: sharp, snake-like teeth, long, muscular tails they use as whips, and claws that look like the sinister pendants of voodoo necklaces. They can climb, run up to 18 miles per hour on land, and swim under water for an hour at a time. They grow up to 9 feet and are carnivorous. They’re no

t picky eaters. Bugs, frogs, smaller lizards, turtles, birds, rodents, baby alligators, endangered gopher tortoises, endangered burrowing owls, the eggs and offspring of any of these animals, feral cats, domestic cats, possibly even the family dog, road kill, whatever. They sometimes hunt in packs. It is clear to see why they wreck so much havoc in Southwest Florida. “They have the potential to devastate native fish and wildlife populations."

Local legend has it that a pet store went bankrupt sometime in the '80s and the proprietor let loose a gaggle of monitors in an area where, back then, almost nobody lived. Another theory is that wholesale distributors of exotic pets dumped monitors on purpose in the hope that they would procreate and provide a steady inventory to later be caught and sold. A third idea is that a series of owners over the years bought monitors when they were still small and then couldn't or didn't want them anymore when they began to grow into small dinosaurs.

Sightings in Cape Coral have become less because people are moving out of the city and therefore there are less people to make the calls.

They're down there, in the man-made canals, and you might not see them, but you sure see their burrows, deep holes dug into the dirt on the banks, and if you traipse around all that Brazilian pepper and cabbage palm they'll smell you before you see them. They're moving, eating, looking for mates. They're making more babies.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article1011745.ece