Final Presentation

Video Link: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mqlPamF78Iln4dPNFLevNrhq3MD1Npiw/view?usp=sharing

Final Video Reflection Justification 

Prior to the start of the semester, our involvement with the natural community around us was minimal. We had exposure on various vacations and excursions but had not been immersed in nature on a weekly basis. Additionally, our exposure into nature writing was lacking as well. Reading a few poems and excerpts in various high school and introductory English classes was the extent of our background. This class gave us the opportunity to dive deeper intellectually by increasing our exposure to natural literature and thought-provoking poetry and song. Along with the various perspectives from naturalist authors, being able to go into our surrounding natural environment allowed us to disconnect from our daily routine and schedule and reconnect with nature. Our thought process and inquisitiveness began to include questions pertaining to the environment around us rather than the mundane routine of our everyday.

Throughout the semester, we spent a significant amount of time on the Trinity River 

volunteering with the Fort Worth Nature Center. Following our class discussion on Barry Lopez, we were encouraged to investigate environmental issues that are affecting the local Fort Worth community, specifically the Trinity River and its corresponding reservoirs. We were surprised to see that one of the largest environmental concerns Fort Worth is currently facing is the invasion of zebra mussels into the Trinity River network. Zebra mussels are an invasive freshwater species that have recently been introduced to Texas waters. They are native to Europe but were brought to the Great Lakes region of the United States in the late 1980s. Zebra mussels thrive in cold water temperatures and were not predicted to expand to the warmer southern waters. However, the species eventually made their way to Texas and now pose a large environmental and economic threat to the communities in which they reside.  

Zebra mussels have very rapid colonization abilities and can quickly take over underwater infrastructure such as pipes, bridges, and docks. They also act as competitors for to other native species, which threatens their survival and has the potential to harm the delicate ecosystems. There have been efforts to eradicate the invasive species, but none have been entirely successful. Currently, multiple research projects are in progress throughout Texas and even locally at TCU. These projects attempt to understand zebra mussel better as a species in order to formulate a strategy that allows the eradication of the invasive species without harming and of the local ecosystems.  

Barry Lopez described the “chilling nature of modern society to find an ignorance of geography, local or national, as excusable as an ignorance of hand tools, and to find the commitment of people to their home places only momentarily entertaining.” This class has pushed us to be more aware of our surroundings and more respectful for environments different than our normal. By engaging with our environment and doing research to understand environmental issues in our community, we have begun to fulfill the TCU mission statement of “acting as ethical leaders and responsible citizens.”

Nature Journal 10

At the end of the documentary “Before the Flood”, DiCaprio mentioned a way for viewers to measure and understand their carbon emissions better through a survey at carbotax.org. I took this survey, and below are my responses to the questions. I based broad questions on my life with my family in Indiana, but personal questions I answered based on my life at TCU.

1.     I was prompted to input my zip code. I had not considered how the state I live in determines my individual emissions level. I now have a better understanding of the importance of voting in government officials who will take action on these issues. After I put in my zip code for my town in Indiana, my score immediately went up and above the national average.

2.     I based my score on my family and our home in Indiana, not on my life at university.

3.     After watching “Before the Flood” I have been more aware of the products I buy and if they contain palm oil. This has been challenging because palm oil can be written as a variety of different ingredients, so I have a hard time spotting it.

4.     I’m a vegetarian so the next few questions were easy answers.

5.     See four.

6.     See four.

7.     I don’t drink cow milk and have adopted substitutes like almond and oat milk. Despite this, I still consume the average amount of dairy and eggs.

8.     Since I live on campus and eat at the dining halls, the only food I personally waste is what is left uneaten on my plate. I rarely take more than I can consume so I don’t see the waste.

9.     This is a hard question. While I try to sort my waste, I know that TCU is single stream and there is little recycling done with the waste on campus.

10.  I answered this based on my family’s waste production.

11.  Indiana has a temperate climate with fair amounts of rain, so we don’t have to irrigate our lawn or plants often.

12.  We live in a single-family home.

13.  Our home is above average in size.

14.  Although our home is not well insulated, we don’t adjust the temperature often. If it is cold outside, we use blankets instead of turning on the heat.

15.  We turn it down to save money.

16.  We hardly use AC in the summer.

17.  We have a side-by-side fridge.

18.  We recently put my grandmother’s old refrigerator in the basement.

19.  I believe my dad switched out all of the old bulbs a few years ago and replaced them with LEDs. I didn’t understand why until now.

20.  While we have a TV, it is rarely on. If we want to watch movies or TV, we usually do so on our personal computers because we like to use streaming services instead of cable.

21.  We don’t use any types of renewable power.

22.  My dad built our house in the late 1990s.

23.  We don’t own a second home.

24.  I don’t shop often because I don’t have much of a disposable income as a student.

25.  I own an older vehicle.

26.  I don’t spend much time in the car since I live on campus. I added up all of the commitments I attend off campus throughout the week and divided by 7. This gave me an average of 20 minutes a day.

27.  I spend all of my time driving in my compact car.

28.  About half of the time I am driving, I am carpooling with others.

29.  This was a hard number for me to come up with because I spent a majority of this year traveling.

30.  I never travel by boat.

31.  This is where my score skyrockets. I have taken many flights this year: 8 quick commuter trips, 2 short haul trips, and 4 long haul trips. My score jumped from 5.1 to 13 after I put the numbers in.

32.  I only fly economy.

33.  I have never flown on a private jet.

My final score was 13.0 tonnes climate pollution, 1.3x the national average. I love traveling, but I didn’t realize scope of the effect flying has on carbon emissions and the climate. Now that I understand this, I plan to start offsetting my contributions to the climate impact every time I fly.

Nature Journal 9

Fort Worth Nature Center – November 13, 2019

As my classmates and I drove from TCU’s campus to the Fort Worth Nature Center, we chatted about our experiences volunteering there. From the first days, learning that we would be working alongside the river, to now, excited to get on the water and canoe. I learned a lot about river side maintenance and the steps the workers there were taking in order to combat erosion. There were no formal lessons, just comments and instructions from our guides that prompted questions.

As we continued to work, week after week, we had a better idea of what to expect of our time: rolling out the mats, cutting down small trees, and nailing in staples to keep the mats in place. I felt more efficient and more helpful as I worked in a variety of roles. As we worked, I enjoyed spending time outside and getting away from campus for a few hours. Since I live and work on campus, I hardly have an excuse or the time to get away. In early November, the leaves started to change colors and the drive into the nature center and where we were working became more and more beautiful.

Finally, on our last week, we got out on the water and canoed. We loaded into the boats, armed with trash bags and grabbers to help us get litter from the banks of the river. When we floated by the erosion mats, it was satisfying to see our work from a different perspective.