In Abbeys work, he describes the notion that everyone has their own special place.
In his book he gives detailed descriptions on the desert and the area that he loves.
“Loveliest of shrubs the cliffrose now
Is hung with bloom along the bough…”28
It seems that the description of the weekly job is something that abbey would never want to change and really enjoys.49-51
I think that having a job such as Abbey describes would really take a special kind of person. They would have to love the land they were on and be able to handle all of the elements as well.

Abbey also discusses the current “views” on national parks
They are designed so that people can feel like they are in the true outdoors and away from civilization. This may work for some but doesn’t seem to be the right thing to do. It will eventually make every remote and wild place something of the past.
1. Ban cars in the parks
2. Place a moratorium on roads
3. Put park rangers to better use
Although these are great suggestions, would they every be possible? It seems that more and more parks are becoming adaptive to this way of tourism.

As tourism continues to grow it seems that there is no bright future for remote desert areas and all parks for that matter.

“The wilderness should be preserved for political reasons”163 but what is the real value to political leaders?

“Most of my wandering in the desert I’ve done alone”251
I personally think that in order to really appreciate and enjoy nature, one must go out on their own. Its the personal connections you make with wild animals, plants etc. that really shape your appreciation for nature which is why I think Abbey is so passionate about the desert.

But with this comes population growth and the more and more people that want to explore remote areas, the less remote it will become. This is a very difficult subject because it doesn’t seem that there is going to be a turn around any time soon.

Robert Sullivan begins with a description of what seems to be a remote area that is undisturbed.

“When I leave the bus, I will often head for the towns around the edges of the swamp or for ancient industrial sites that are now rusting and fading away”14.
“Americas first west”14
“The city and its environs are bursting at its seams” “The Meadows must go”17
“Meadowlands as a new kind of place, neither urban nor suburban”17
An description really helps to form a visual of the Meadowlands-”rusting auto bodies, demolition rubble, industrial oil slicks and cattails merge in unholy sinking union”18
The contents in the Meadowlands continues to grow worse and worse throughout the book-”farmers would wash swill off their fields with fire hoses and that the adjacent meadows in turn became sopped with swill and manure”28
Snake Hill and the Meadowlands were once a place that was seen as wild and untapped but is now a place of pollution and filth.
As described by Sullivan it used to contain fields of various flowers and plant life and was a very visually attractive area.
The shoe industry really seemed to be one the first businesses to put out a large amount of waste from leather into the meadowlands.44
It soon became a place of toxins-”the four new antennae were each four hundred feet tall and buried in the marsh beneath each one were radial antennae, each of those jutting from the base of the tower every three degrees like the spokes of a submerged bicycle wheel”61
After the pollution increased the Meadowlands seemed to become a place that was hidden from the public or at least an attempt was made to do so.The walden swamp numbers I thought were so high that it would clearly deter people from exploring the area and therefore keep in covered up.
The valleys of garbage hills are very descriptive and give plenty of evidence as to why the mosquito problem was very severe in the area. The meadowlands is a place that was created by humans and turned out to be a place that produced various insects/toxins etc that are life threatening to people.
“In Newark alone, hundreds of people died every year from the disease from the swamp”111
The meadowlands also contains countless bodies that have been dumped and left to rot. It seems that the Meadowlands is a place that is only respected by a few and abused by many

Reading Notes:

• Nature Pt. 2 (9/30)
• Nature Pt. 1 (9/23)
• Red (9/16)
• Desert Solitaire (9/9)
• The Trouble With Wilderness (9/2)
• The Meadowlands (9/2)

Current Enviro Events:

• Grass People (11/11)
• Ethiopia Drifting Away (11/04)
• Stem Cells and Diabetes (9/30)
• Dust Storms in Sydney (9/23)
• Show and Tell (9/23)
• Micro Environment (9/16)
• VW’s 1L Car (9/9)

Project Postings:

• Reformulated Idea (9/23)
• Original Idea (9/16)

Final Report [pdf] Presentation: 12/9 Report Submitted: 12/15

Connor McGowan
Stratford Ecological Center: Environmental Education Intern
12/15/09

“The Stratford Ecological Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of
children and adults in understanding the relationships between living things and their environment,
thereby fostering an appreciation of the land and all life that depends on it. It provides hands-on
experiential education for individuals to learn ecological concepts, understand human ecology and gain
a reverence for the diversity, complexity and beauty of the natural world. It manages a diversified
working “family farm,” which demonstrates the lifestyle, techniques and principles of sustainable
agriculture, horticulture and forestry as well as promotes agroecological research. The Center also
strives to preserve the natural ecosystems of existing woods, streamsides, meadows and swamps
located on its 236 acre property.”

My final project was a detailed power point regarding sustainable agriculture and my experience
as an environmental education intern. In my presentation I covered a number of topics ranging from
organic laws and regulations that must be met in order to run an organic sustainable farm to feeding
cows and pigs each and every morning. In order for Stratford to remain a working organic farm they
must pass a yearly examination from the OEFFA. These examinations include anything from checking the
chicken feed to testing the water that is pumped into each field.

The second part of my presentation involved mainly information about my intern experience. As
an intern I would responsible for farm chores every morning and afternoon. I would also visit various
schools throughout the central Ohio area and speak in front of classes about Stratford and would then
lead these classes on educational hikes through Stratford’s farm and preserve land.
Stratford Ecological Center. Starting on September 8th of 2009 I was hired as an environmental education intern at a non-profit educational farm and nature preserve. My final project for Environmental Geography was a power point presentation that included detailed information about organic sustainable agriculture and my intern experience as a whole. I started my presentation with the Stratford mission statement which is, “The Stratford Ecological Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of children and adults in understanding the relationships between living things and their environment, thereby fostering an appreciation of the land and all life that depends on it. It provides hands-on experiential education for individuals to learn ecological concepts, understand human ecology and gain a reverence for the diversity, complexity and beauty of the natural world. It manages a diversified working “family farm,” which demonstrates the lifestyle, techniques and principles of sustainable agriculture, horticulture and forestry as well as promotes agroecological research. The Center also strives to preserve the natural ecosystems of existing woods, streamsides, meadows and swamps located on its 236 acre property.” Following this I gave a brief overview of the staff at Stratford. These staff members did not receive enough credit in my presentation but were amazing people to work with and of them had an impact on my experience and also taught me more than I could have imagined. I then began to discuss my internship experience and what the internship consisted of. As an environmental education intern I was responsible for morning and afternoon chores which included feeding the chickens, cows, pigs, cats, goats, sheep, cats, chicks, and at times milking the goats. I also assisted with hygiene care which included trimming hooves and treating for foot rot. In addition I would travel each Monday and Tuesday to various schools in the central Ohio area on pre-visits. The pre-visits consisted of talking in front of classes, discussing what Stratford was along with their goals and also what the classes could expect on their visit. Each Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the classes that had received pre-visits earlier in the week would come to Stratford and be led on guided tours by the interns.
My project also included information on sustainable organic farming as a business. Stratford in an organic self sustaining farm which means it uses no chemicals of pesticides on its plants or in its feed, and it is able to sustain itself year in and year out by maintaining the land. Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals: environmental stewardship, farm profitability, and prosperous farming communities. I also included the organic certifications for livestock and produce that is required by the OEFFA for self-sustaining organic farms. (http://www.oeffa.org/certification.php)
Following the informational portion I went through a slideshow of pictures I had taken while at Stratford.

Appendix:
The majority of the information I used for my project was from personal experience while at Stratford. Each day brought something new and exciting which helped me to form my final project. While I was at Stratford I had contact with and every employee there and learned something different from each of them. The staff consists of Jeff Dickinson(farmer and director), Christa Hein(education director), Chris Byerly(Operations Manager), Jane Walsh(Volunteer Coordinator), April Hoy)Field Trip Coordinator, Mary Hilborn(Office Manager), and David Hoy(Development Director). While working at Stratford, everyday seemed to be an interview where I was gathering information. I learned how to care for the animals, what to feed them, how to treat them, what each of them needed, and how sustainable agriculture actually worked from Jeff Dickinson. I learned various teaching techniques and how to go about treating children of different ages and what I was expected to do from Christa Hein. The notes that I took were through experiences. The only information that I used that was outside of Stratford was the OEFFA certification (http://www.oeffa.org/certification.php) While at Stratford I also had to take a class on sustainable agriculture which was done via the internet through (http://www.sare.org/). This class was based on sustainable agriculture, various techniques, marketing strategies, cleanliness, animal care, produce care, etc.

I have a number of pictures from Stratford but cannot include them in this page because it is accessible
by anyone with the internet.
In the Spring of 2010, I plan on working at Stratford again, possibly in a slightly different position. As I said previously it was a great experience and something that I will never forget. Stratford is an amazing place and I hope in the near future there will be more and more places similar to Stratford.

READINGS:

9/01 —Introduction: Dylan “0ats” Ewing/Are the meadowlands a wilderness?/my hometown

9/09 – Desert Solitaire

9/14 – Red: Notes

9/30 – Attitudes since Ancient Times:

10/07 – The unsettling of America: Human Sovereignity and “Living in the Future”

11/04 – Breakfast of Biodiversity

11/11 – Lawn People

CURRENT EVENTS/BLOG-ROLL:

9/07 – News of the Weird

9/16 – Microenvironment

10/04 – News…

10/06 – News:whales in japan

10/06 – news: light-pollution and OWU

10/21 – Town Hall Meeting

11/04 – Sea Slime

11/11 – sesame street goes green

11/18 – Porches: Hammocks, make your own

11/18 – White Nose; Declining Bat Populations Persists

11/18 – Honey Bees: Colony Collapse Disorder

PROJECT:

10/06 – News actually/maybe/not really

10/21 – Project idea as proposed from 09/09/09

10/21 – What Ive been thinking of since 09/09 proposal

11/18 – GUYS!!!!! HI, Dylan here

PROJECT SUMMARY —— 12/14

Dylan Ewing

12/14/09

Project Summary: Brewing Beer, is it a product of the environment?

BEER. The German purity laws state that only 4 ingredients go into it; water, malt, yeast, and hops.

Water is an important because it makes up more than 90% of the beer’s composition, thus it is relatively important to have water that is clean, as in not filthy. While better water makes better beer, it is not the most important ingredient because even some water and their impurities will be purified by the hops natural ability to do so.

Malt is the base oil the beer. May be viewed as the infrastructure. Malt is a syrupy, thick, molasses-like viscosity that is derived from germinated barley grain. It provides the main source o sugars that the yeast will consume, (maltose -à glucose by diastrose- natural enzyme in barley grain, glucose is digestible form of sugar for yeast) glucose molecules and convert them into Carbon dioxide and ethanol as waste products. Not much is known about yeasts but all yeasts for beer were originally derived from the immediate environment- Today, they are re-cultured and have been for hundreds f years (most of them).

Hops may arguably their most important ingredient. It provides the distinct flavors to a beer, naturally preserves and purifies the beer, and is the most effective ingredient when relating a beer’s composition to an environment. All oils and resins come from lupulin glands on the base of the flower’s petal, these release alpha and beta acids which are responsible for the beer’s distinctive flavor, purity, and preservative qualities.

I showed you guys how to make some home brew in a 15 min. video, this beer was an experimental approach to see if there was an observable difference in two identical beers; manipulated with two variables via hops and yeast. For two different beers made (an American Pale Ale and an English Pale Ale), the hops and yeast used were obtained from the two corresponding regions, as traditionally used in these regions.

The Recipe;

Both Ales:

-dried malt extract (2 lbs each)

-60L 2-row crystal grain (Barley) (10 oz each)

- Pale malt extract (3.3 lbs each)

- approx. 20 juniper berries and a sprig of juniper each

Manipulated variables:

English Pale Ale: 1 oz Target hops, 1 oz Kent Golding’s finisher hops, 1 packet of English ale yeast

American Pale Ale: 1 oz Centenniel hops, 1 oz Amarillo finisher hops, 1 packet American ale yeast

Yeasts make a profound influence on the taste of the beer and are derived from their environment, typically by leaving beer outside and awaiting for the microspores to land and colonize the sugary-solution, a direct influence of the environment. However, with modern technology, these yeasts are available all over the world now and have evolved very much with their short life-histories and fast reproduction/mutation rates. Thus , the English ale yeast of today is surely different from what it may have been 300 yrs. ago.

Hops have an even more profound influence on the taste of the beer. The alpha acid content is the source of this influence. The American hops, characteristic of the American Northwest, have a much higher alpha acid content than do the English, thus the American pale ale was one that was much more bitter, as opposed to the more mellow, aromatic flavor given by the English pale ale. Differences in oil and resin content also added to different flavors observed in the beer. The Amarillo hops of the American ale gave it a distinct citrus-grapefruit like flavor, while the finisher Kent Golding hops gave the English ale a mellow-citrus, more fruity kind of flavor.

CONCLUSION

Surely at some point in time, these hops and yeasts were direct products of their regional climates and soil compositions, however, the main point of this project was to stress that there is no ‘original’ environment in modern day. In order to create a beer that is a product of its environment would require extraordinary means, by which, one would literally have to seclude their self in the wilderness and be able to successfully grow their own ingredients and derive their own yeast. Even in such a scenario, the product would likely be undesirable and surely not your typical brew. Our environments are constantly changing, and so are the products that are derived from them. Like the evolution of people, habitats, and ecosystems, such products like beer, most certainly follow. In modern day, barley grains are grown in monocultures of hybrid/genetically modified variants, hops are hybridized/genetically modified and grown under climate controlled systems with fertilizers and supplements that do not mimic regional soils, yeasts are maintained and controlled in laboratory cultures, and beer in general is a result of mass transportation and a melting pot of cultures.

Notes for Readings:

• Bridget K. Fahey – meeting me Aug 27, 2009
• The Trouble with “The Trouble with Wilderness” Sept 1, 2009
• The Meadowlands – notes and questions Sept 1, 2009
• Desert Solitaire – reflecting and questioning Sept 8, 2009
• Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert Sept 15, 2009 [Presentation]
• Reflections on Nature Sept 22, 2009
• Nature: Is It Natural? Sept 29, 2009
• The Unsettling of America – an unsettling account of events Oct 7, 2009
• Learning How to Be Idle Oct 21, 2009
• Breakfast of Biodiversity – a lot to chew on! Nov 4, 2009 [Presentation with Becca Kelly]
• Come and Join the Lawn People Nov10, 2009

Current Events Postings:

• National Eggo Shortage – Leggo my eggo…really!!! Nov 18, 2009
• Memories from Lawn-America Nov 10, 2009
• Shoe World Nov 4, 2009
• Light Pollution, Development, and Perkins Oct 18, 2009
• The National Parks: America’s Best Idea Sep 29, 2009
• Aspen leaves dipped in Colorado Gold Sept 23, 2009
• Autumn! Sept 17, 2009
• T.G.I. Thursday??? Sept 8, 2009
• Roadless areas in Colorado Aug 31, 2009

Project Update Postings:

• DZ Greening update 9-30 Sept 30, 2009
• Greening the DZ House Sept 22, 2009
• Greening the Delta Zeta House Sept 9, 2009

Project Report[1] – my report project summary!  Presentation Dec 2, posting Dec 14.

Links to Blog Postings

Reading Notes:

• 9/2: The Meadowlands, Sullivan and “The Trouble With Wilderness”, Cronon
• 9/9: Desert Solitaire, Abbey
• 9/16: Red, Williams
• 9/23: Nature (preface and ch. 1-5), Coates
• 9/30: Nature (ch. 6-9), Coates→presentation posting; presented with Selby Majewski
• 10/21: How to be Idle, Hodgkinson
• 10/28: Unsettling of America, Berry
• 11/4: Breakfast of Biodiversity, Vandermeer and Perfecto
• 11/11: Lawn People, Robbins

Current Events:

• 8/31: Introductions: Matthew Jordan
• 9/1: Going Bike Crazy for the Environment
• 9/8: Reverse Boycotts and Buying Booze for the Environment
• 9/15: The Scioto River
• 9/23: Desert Sage Smudge Stick
• 9/30: Reducing Food Waste: Sour Milk
• 10/13: Community Planning Meeting: Mixed Use or Mixed Up Messages?
• 11/4: Crispy Cones: Colbert Mocks Portable Food in a Cone
• 11/11: My Experiences With and Thoughts on Lawns
• 11/18: What’s Your Walkability Score?

Project Postings (Porches)

• 9/8 and 9/16: Update: Project Topic-Placemaking and Porches (updated post on 9/16, originally posted 9/8)
• 9/23: Porches, Placemaking, and the Urban Environment
• 10/7: Project Update: Porch Photography

Final Project Report (link to PDF file), presentation on 11/18; final report submitted 12/14/2009

COURSE PORTFOLIO

Notes On Readings:  

 The meadowlands 

Desert Solitaire

Red 

Nature #1 

Nature  #2

 Unsealing of America

 Breakfast of Biodiversity

Lawn People

 Current events:

 Hello My Name is Becca Kelly… 

The Mound and Atomic Energy

It’s Blowing in the Wind My Friends

Trail Riding 

80% Organic Cheddar Bunnies

 Eco- Bunnies

 Lawn, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways…

  Corse Project:

 Project #1

 Conservation Education at ECC

PROJECT REPORT

Becca’s Final 

A.) Links to class reading notes

Week 2, September 1: Cronon “The Trouble With Wilderness”

Week 2, September 1: Sullivan “The Meadowlands”

Week 3, September 8: Abbey “Desert Solitaire”

Week 4, September 14: Williams “Red”

Week 5, September 22: Coates “Nature Part I”

Week 6: September 29, Presentation of Coates, Nature Part II

Week 7,  October 6: Berry “Unsettling of America”

Week 8: Perkins Observatory Trip

Week 9: Mid-Semester Break

Week 10, October 27: Hodgkinson, How to Be Idle (missed)

Week 11, November 4: Vandermeer and Perfecto “Breakfast of Biodiversity”

Week 12, November 11: Robbins “Lawn People”

B. Link to Presentation Postings

Presentation with Matthew Jordan

September 29: Coates “Nature Part II”

C.) Link to Current Events and other postings

August 26: Introduction

September 1: Lead Poisoning

September 8: Pro-Climate Change Website

September 15: A Microcosm of Ants

September 30: Baby Animals!

October 11: Perkins and Planning

November 11: Thoughts About Lawns

November 18: Porches

D.) Link to project postings

September 8: Initial Project Ideas

September 15: New Project Plan

September 22: Final Project Proposal

E.)Project Report

“I’m a Worm, I Eat Dirt!” And Other Lessons from Preschool Environmental Education

Selby Majewski and Becca Kelly

Part I: Presentation Outline

Part I: Presentation Outline

A. History of Environmental Education

B. Importance of Environmental Education

Overall, increased exposure to science, nature, and the outdoors leads to better cognitive functioning, reduced attention deficit symptoms, increased self-discipline, and emotional well-being.

C. The Importance of the Environment at a Young Age

-Creating environmentalists in preschool ensures they will remain so the rest of their lives

Class Discussion: What memories do you have that played a part in developing how you feel about the environment?

D. Why We Chose to Do This Project

The Ohio Wesleyan Early Childhood Center focuses on experiential learning, community, and child choice, which fit very well with environmental themes.

E. Goals of The Project

Through use of integrated lessons and activities, students at ECC will form a greater understanding and appreciation for nature and the world around them.

F. Visit 1: Playing With Worms

Introduce the concept of decomposition

G. Visit 2: Trash, Recycle, or Compost?

Teach what should be recycled, composted or  thrown away

H. Visit 3: Making The Compost

Layering of Compost

What can be placed in a compost bin

I. Other Aspects of Project

J. Accomplishments

K. Future of the Project

L.What We Have Learned

M. Works Cited

Part II: Project Overview

Becca Kelly and I chose to work with the Ohio Wesleyan Early Childhood Center (ECC) based on our mutual interest in children and environmental education.  We met with the staff of the ECC, who were very excited, and determined what would best suit their needs.  Together, we chose to focus on creating a compost bin, which the teachers had hoped to begin for some time.

I conducted online research on preschool education; I have only ever worked with older students.  I learned that preschoolers absorb information best when it’s accompanied with things they can touch and look at, and associations that seem simple to adults sometimes confuse them. These were useful tips to remember when I was teaching.

Becca and I both researched ways to begin compost bins.  Because the ECC had limited funds, and because it would be placed in the backyard of the school where children play, we chose to modify a 40-gallon garbage bin.  The kids could roll the bin to have a part in mixing the compost as often as they liked.  We purchased the bin, drilled some holes for aeration, and secured the lid with a bungee cord.  We also obtained a small container for each classroom to place compost in before it was placed in the large bin.

The day of our first classroom visit, I was unable to attend.  However, I helped Becca plan and prepare.  We purchased a box of nightcrawlers to show the kids and explore the basics of decomposition.  This was very exciting because the children were able to touch and play with worms, and Becca was able to capitalize on their curiosity by telling them a little about how worms break down the soil.

Our second visit, we taught a lesson to all 25 preschoolers about where our waste goes.  We played a sorting game where each one got to choose a piece of waste and place it in either the garbage, the compost, or the recycling.  It was difficult to keep the attention of all of them, but they surprised us with how much they knew already!

On the third visit, we acted as an activity the kids could choose to visit during Guided Exploration.  They helped us rip newspaper, shred yard waste, and place everything into the new compost bin.  We then taught one class how to roll the bin outside, and they showed the other classes.

In addition to the classroom visits, we created brightly colored ‘kid-friendly’ signs for the ECC to place on the garbage, recycling, and compost receptacles.  I also wrote a letter to ECC parents to inform them of our project and encourage them to discuss recycling and composting with their children.

Part III: Appendix

Contacts:

Staff at the Early Childhood Center

Materials Created:

ECC Parent Letter (follows)

Dear ECC Parents and families,

We are writing to inform you about a new and exciting project that is happening at the school; we are attempting to increase the environmental aspect of school programming, facilities and activities.  We feel that it is important to begin educating children about simple environmental concepts and teaching them to value the natural world when they are young.

The first manifestation of this project will be the start of a composting program.  It will consist of a sealed garbage bin placed outdoors, that students can help to mix.  Each classroom will have a container designated for compost.  In order to help create the best compost and allow the children to be involved, we encourage all of you to provide snacks that may include ‘compostable’ parts, such as fruits and vegetables, to aid in this area.  This will allow the students to make the connections between the food that they eat and what can be composted.

Some of the students will participate in beginning the compost bin by placing dead leaves, pumpkins, worms, etc. into the container.  We will also be talking more about our waste and how to sort what goes into the garbage, recycling, or compost bins!  There will soon be new ‘kid-friendly’ signage for all of the recycling bins.

This project will be continuing through the year.  We welcome any ideas, questions, or comments you might have.  Some of the other things we plan to work on include creating an ‘environmental book list’ for teachers and parents, nature-based crafts, gardening, learning about birds and other backyard animals, and any other environmental exploration.  Please feel free to contact us!

Sincerely,

Selby Majewski and Becca Kelly

Ohio Wesleyan Class of 2010

In conjunction with ECC Staff

See Becca Kelly’s post for ‘kid-friendly’ waste receptacle signage.

Photographs

Waste bins ready for ‘the sorting game:’

Waste bins ready for sorting!

All other pictures include children and we do not have permission to post them online.

Plan for future:

This project will be continuing as an independent study during the spring semester.  As the compost has already been created, we hope to move on to other environmental topics.  These include wildlife, plants, gardening, the seasons, weather, nature walks, basic ecological concepts like the food web, and outdoor play.  Ideally, we would provide material for 1-2 guided exploration or class time each week.  We would also like to continue integrating our lessons with the rest of the school, so that perhaps on a rainy day there could be an activity showing how rain makes flowers grow, we could go on a brief walk to enjoy the rain, and the story could be about rain as well.  Obviously, these plans require good communication and cooperation with ECC staff.  However, they have been incredibly enthusiastic and helpful thus far and we look forward to working with them in the future.  It will be valuable to gain experience in working as part of a teaching staff and to develop our own ‘mini-curriculum’ with the children, as well as to develop relationships with them and watch them grow and learn.