On Monday, May 13, 2019, I attended my first University Colloquium
class. Initially, I was not really sure
what to expect, or what the class was even about, all I knew was that I HAVE to
take it.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that we will be
learning about sustainability in this class, and how important it really
is. The professor, who I shall call Dr.
Ashley for the rest of these blog assignments, was really engaging and did a
magnificent job of holding our attention (at least mine, I’m like an easily
distracted squirrel). She took us on a
walk across campus, explaining all of the methods the FGCU has taken to embrace
sustainability on campus. For example,
the little bags of cherry pits near the trash cans which keep away bees without
the use of pesticides, which saves both the environment AND money. We ventured forth to the campus trails,
getting a little muddy along the way, which reminded me that I am in dire need
of appropriate footwear. We had an
assigned reading before class, which I did not read before class (real talk),
but from what I remember the most about it, it really drove home the point of
sustainability. We would not have campus
trails if the folks who planned the campus layout did not understand the value
of sustainability. By having campus trails,
it gives students an easy opportunity to get out there and enjoy nature, even
if its just in between classes.
I took some pictures along our walk…
Here are some of the wildflowers I saw… I cannot identify
them, but I feel as though I overlook them often. Florida has a lot of pretty wildflowers if
you look closely enough. I find myself looking for them on the side of the road more often now, or anywhere really.
I also found some interesting fungus! After consulting my wild mushroom identification
group on facebook, it appears these are trametes cinnabarina, which is said to
be a rare specimen, but also inedible. I wonder if these mushrooms were used to dye cloth or yarn (I'm a textile nerd), if it would cause the fibers to turn that same orange color. I'm very intrigued by nature-based dyes.
I have not spent as much time in nature lately, and this walk
inspired me to take out a little more time for myself and step away from my
stressors and electronic devices. I made
sure to incorporate some more time outdoors as part of my “self-care” routine
this weekend, and I feel it will make a big difference. I am really looking forward to going on more
field trips and learning more about sustainability.
