I did not get to see my tree leaf out. When I first picked my tree it was still snowy out so it was dormant. Over the weeks that we watched our trees the buds had finally flowered about 2-3 weeks ago. The tree was still just flowering when I look my last photo of it this week. I believe that my tree is a Red Maple tree by what the flowers look like. I think that we all expected spring to come a little bit earlier this year. I also think that most of the other students also had late flowering trees.
While watching my tree I enjoyed checking on it to see if the buds had opened yet. It was a little bit discouraging because I thought that it would have flowered sooner. Because spring came so late but we had to take pictures of our tree every week towards the end of the semester there was several weeks where my tree was still not doing much. Finally the buds started turning from brown to red. I was glad that I got to at least see the tree flower. It was cool getting to track a tree and see it change with the seasons. I wish that we could have talked about our trees more in class so that we could all share about our trees and tell eachother where our trees were at. For example if the buds, flowers, or leaves were out yet. I also think that it could have provided some interesting in class discussions.
Two photos of my tree from the end of the semester.
Photo of the buds during the semester.
Photo of my tree at the beginning of the semester.
I chose to research the steppe eagle. The steppe eagle is usually a dark brown color that matches their habitat. They are usually found in grasslands specifically steppes and semi-desert areas. They are typically found in europe, the middle east, and some parts of asia. I found it interesting that these birds used to build their nest on platforms of rock just off the ground but due to habitat alterations in the last two decades they have started to build their nest several yards off the ground in trees and bushes. This made me wonder if that affects the probability of chicks living to adulthood because they are more likely to die if they fall out of the nest from higher up. The climate that these birds live in is considered subarctic because of the location of the region. However the temperature ranges from 86⁰ F to 32⁰ F and they prefer open dry habitats. Their diet consists mainly of carrion, but they also will eat small rodents and some small birds. In researching about steppe eagles I could only find information about the human threats to these birds. Since they are birds of prey they are naturally the predator not the prey. The one reason I did find was related to their environment but was caused by humans. Since in the past 20 years these birds have had to build their nests in trees instead of just off the ground their chicks have been dying due to wildfires. This wasn’t found to be a problem when they were building their nests on platforms.
The critical threat to these birds is that their land is being converted for agricultural use as well as to put up windmills, power lines, and electrical towers. The birds have been found dead due to flying into towers and windmills. They have also been found electrocuted by the power lines. The cause of the threat is human intervention. There are ways to put up power lines and windmills in places that won’t harm these birds or any other birds. For example tracking where the birds generally live nad avoiding those areas when building structures.
This quick video is not about the steppe eagle specifically but it explains the reasons why eagles fly into windmills on accident and the issues with policies that aren't protecting these birds.
The link between the steppe eagle’s habitat destruction and Keene can be linked to the United State’s high energy usage. Regarding birds in general power lines and towers contribute to bird deaths in New England. In New Hampshire we get most of our energy from nuclear power plants but the use of wind power is growing significantly. While wind power is a sustainable option for energy it has its consequences. In New Hampshire the best places to build windmills are on ridges in undeveloped parts of our state. This could have a significant impact on our local wildlife. See this link for more on wind power in New Hampshire. https://www.outdoors.org/conservation/hot-issues/wind-power
To reduce electricity use we could try and limit unnecessary uses of electricity. Someone could do this by air drying their clothes instead of using the drier, turn off lights when leaving a room, unplug things you aren't using. If you just turn off the lights every time you leave a room that doesn’t affect you daily life enough to not do it. Unplugging things that aren't in use can also be quick, you can just unplug it when your done using it. If we are all just a little more conscious of this, then we wouldn’t have the need for as much power as we currently consume. A second thing that someone could do to reduce energy use is to pick the right appliances to buy. Especially your refrigerator/ freezer since it is working all day, every day. For homeowners they could invest in insulating their roofs or ceilings. You could also do an energy audit. This can help you figure out where most of your electricity use os going.
This is a fun short video that illustrates simple things we can all do in out everyday lives to help conserve energy.
Temperature in the grasslands can range from over 100º F to -40º F. The seasons range in harsh temperatures because of the hot summers and cold winters. The soil is dark and very rich in nutrients. This is because of the growth and decay of the wide spread grass roots. This also creates a very rich and fertile upper layer of soil. The grasslands get an average of 20-35 inches of rain. This determines the height of the grass and also is why there are three types of grasslands: the temperate grasslands, the tall grass steeps, and the short grass prairies.
There are four main human threats to the grasslands. Humans build farms on the grasslands which ultimately pushes the natural wildlife out. We also let our animal agriculture overgraze and that leaves nothing left for the natural wildlife and the land ends up depleted. Hunting can lead to extinction because of us killing for furs and meat. And global warming can cause droughts in these areas.
Here is a photo of some of the wildlife in the grasslands, specifically the bison.
The primary producer in the grasslands is the grass itself. Because of the rich soil and widespread roots the grass can withstand harsh climates and different amounts of rainfall. The primary consumers in the grasslands are prairie dogs and bison. Since they are herbivores the grasslands are a good environment for them. They are also considered ecological engineers because of how they adapt and use their environment to their advantage. The prairie dogs adapt by hiding inside their burrows and holes to get away from predators and the harsh temperatures. The bison use a stamping noise to alert others of danger. They can also run up to 40 MPH and jump 6 feet, vertically. Tertiary consumers are the black footed ferret, lions, and hawks.
Here is a photo of one of the grasslands primary producers, the Prairie Dog.
Threats to the Grasslands and the Temperate Deciduous Forest:
The human threats to the Temperate Deciduous Forest would be farming, fuel, and housing. The trees were cut down to make room for people. They burned the trees for charcoal and also used the lumber to build homes. The cleared land was then used for these new homes and also as farmland. Less than 1/4 of the Temperate Deciduous Forest is left.
The grasslands also have the human threat of agriculture. earth used to be 1/4 grasslands but most of that is now used for farming and animal agriculture. There are now patches of grasslands and forests that has grown back over time around houses and farmland. Roughly 13% of the grasslands remain today. And is being lost at a rate of 2% a year.
Another threat to the grasslands would hunting for meat and furs. Many of the animals in the grasslands are extinct or endangered because of the hunting. Especially on top of the growing animal agriculture business.
Here is a photo of a fox in the grasslands. It is an example some of the wildlife that is killed for fur.
The biggest threat to the grasslands around Keene NH is the food we eat. Most food is grown or raised on grasslands. our culture is prone to overconsumption of resources. We waste about 40% of the food we buy. Old food in landfills contributes to 20% of the methane emissions in the United States and about 14% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of food.
Some solutions to food waste might be; just buying less food, stick to your grocery list, use a cart/ basket that only fits the essentials, and freeze more things. It can be as simple as using a basket instead of a cart or making a simple grocery list before you do to the store. You could also try composting your food waste and use it as fertilizer.
Here is a short video from the University of British Columbia that is about the impacts of the agriculture industry on our natural biomes.
To me the only wilderness we have around here is Mt. Monadnock and other hiking areas around. To me Keene has been urbanized quite a bit. On campus most of the trees that are there are not indigenous to our area. The natural foliage and wildlife was taken out and buildings were built and then a landscaper comes in and makes the campus look pretty with new plants that maybe wouldn’t have been there otherwise.
I look around in Keene and except for the couple of parks there are there isn’t much natural forest area or grassland. And that isn’t even touching on the pollution of the rivers and other bodies of water. You have to go out of town to see any natural forest or open grassland.
It wasn’t always like that though. Keene used to have a lot more wilderness and wildlife. If you just travel 10-15 minutes out of town there is a lot more wooded areas and wildlife. For example I grew up around here (about 15 mins from Keene) and it wasn’t uncommon for us to have bobcats, bears, or foxes around a lot. When I said that to a friend of mine that had only ever lived in Keene they were shocked. It feels to me like Keene has been so urbanized that people only expect to see domesticated animals.
Video:
I watched this TedTalk about how humans are affecting the environment at an exponential rate. I found it very interesting. Particularly the visual at 10:25 in the video. It is shocking how much we have messed up our environment. Especially because it has only really gotten bad in the last 60-70 years.
I chose to read Jubilee: What a Biodynamic Farmer Taught me about Rejuvenation for my article because the name and subject caught my eye. As a Sustainable Product Design & Innovation major sustainability is really intriguing to me and it is starting to become somewhat a passion. I really resonated with the author. I myself would love the opportunity to intern at a biodynamic farm.
In the article the author describes her found understanding of biodynamic farming as a farm that is self sustaining. It is like its own co-existing ecosystem that gives and takes through the circle of life, food, waste, and caring for the land. I really love that there are people out there that have a passion for growing food that is truly good for you, the land you are using, and the creatures surrounding and occupying the land.
The land that the farmer had to work with was in very poor condition to begin with. The land was littered with such things as old tiers and concrete blocks. The farmer was determined to figure out how to make the land usable and tried a method called “test and replace”. He purchased tons of mineral and vitamins to dump onto the soil. He tested it and dumped more on it and tested again. He tried this over and over without the outcome he was truly looking for. The farmer wanted healthy, natural, nutrient rich soil. So he went back to the books and found biodynamic farming. You make your farm into its own self-sustaining ecosystem. He finally got the good “tilth” that he was looking for. In the reading the author made this soil sound like something out of a fairytale compared to the soil that is used to grow our everyday produce from big factory farms.
The author then connected these lessons that she had learned at the Jubilee Farm to a patient that she has named Allie. Allie was a very sick woman. Crippled with fatigue, allergies, depression, and several gastrointestinal problems. She was so sick that she couldn’t even work. She had been to several doctors with nothing to come out of it other than being prescribed a pharmacy worth of pills to take daily and an overwhelming pile of inconclusive lab results and medical bills. No one could figure out why she wasn’t getting better.
After the authors visit to the farm she asked Allie to come back and talk what she had learned. She told Allie to start eating from local farms and even participate in farming locally. So she gave it a try and it helped her tremendously. Her mood and test results improved dramatically. There is something magical about eating farm fresh, nutrient rich foods; and also being part of helping grow them. It helps to give one a sense of purpose and community.
There is a huge difference between the farm in the reading and the farms thaw we get most of our foods from. A few of the detrimental impacts that modern agriculture had on our environment would be: conversion of land, loss of indigenous animal habitats, overconsumption of water resources, and soil erosion/ degradation. At the Jubilee Farm the farmer worked really hard to make sure that he is farming in a sustainable way that has a harmless impact on the environment.
I chose to read Jubilee: What a Biodynamic Farmer Taught me about Rejuvenation for my article because the name and subject caught my eye. As a Sustainable Product Design & Innovation major sustainability is really intriguing to me and it is starting to become somewhat a passion. I really resonated with the author. I myself would love the opportunity to intern at a biodynamic farm. The part that I found most interesting was that his farm is like a small ecosystem that sustains itself.
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Having watched the TedTalk Charles Moore: Seas of Plastic (link to original TedTalk). I am appalled at what humans have done to this planet. It is shocking that we have let this kind of pollution happen and go on for so long. I was surprised to learn that the plastic that we "recycle" doesn't even actually get recycled. It makes me sad that the speaker doesn't think that there is any help for the oceans other than stopping the plastic at the source. It doesn't appear to me that this will happen any time soon, especially because this TedTalk is from 2009 and It has been nine years and nothing has changed. If anything I think maybe it has gotten worse. I don't think that the use of throw away plastics is going to stop anytime soon. Plastic is a convenience that we have all become accustomed too and people don't like change unless it can be marketed to them in a way that will make them want to make a change. For example when throw away plastics came onto the market they branded them as easier on wives because they wouldn't have to do as many dishes.
Connecting this to the reading the Jubilee Farm seems to do everything they can to recycle their waste back into the earth and not make waste that can't go back into their little ecosystem. Most of the workers on the farm eat the food from the farm. There is no need for plastic packaging if you just eat it fresh from the farm. I would assume that the farm probably does produce plastic waste but probably not as much per person as there would be of all of the farm workers brought their produce from a grocery store.
Plastics in terms of modern agriculture I think is best viewed if you go to any grocery store. There is plastic packaging everywhere when you do to the grocery store. No matter what the produce is there is most likely an option to buy it packaged or wrapped in plastic. Some examples would be cucumber (wrapped in plastic), bell peppers (on a piece of foam with plastic wrapped around it, or in a bag of plastic or a sleeve), berries (plastic snap container), clementines (plastic mesh bag or wood box with plastic mesh over it). A lot of these foods are prepackaged so it is "easier" for you to just grab what you need and go. But it is not easier on the environment. Now compare this to when you go to a farm stand and they have cardboard, wooden boxes, or reusable bags to put the produce in.
This is an image of the Deule River in the Northern France polluted with plastic waste, particularly plastic bottles.
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I chose to compare the article I read about Jubilee Farm to a TED talk called Birke Beahr: What’s wrong with our food system (link to original TedTalk). Birke is an 11 year old boy who knows more about our food system than most of the people that I know. Which to me is actually kind of sad. We are all kept in the dark by these big box companies so that they can make a buck or two off of us. Birke spoke about how these days most of what we eat is processed and genetically engineered. And we don’t even really realize it. It is not good for us and it is not good for our environment. The incredibly over processed and over engineered foods that we consume are killing us. Birke even said that genetically engineered foods are proven to cause several health problems and even cancer (and we all probably know or knew more than one person who has/ had cancer). And that is just scratching the surface of how it affects us and our environment as a whole. He continued to describe how most farms these days spray their food with a ton of different chemicals that runs off and pollutes our water supply. And also the animals that we eat are kept in horrible condition and aren't fed what they really should be eating. It all adds up to an unhealthy planet and unhealthy people.
Both of these sources agree that sustainable/ biodynamic farming is the direction we need to move in for our own well-being and for our environment. Birke had a really good quote in his TED talk that really resonated with me, “We can pay the farmers or we can pay the hospital”. I know that a lot of people are under the misconception that eating farm fresh vegetables is more expensive. And I know it may seem that way but would you rather pay a little more for food that is going to make you healthier, happier, and live longer; Or would you rather pay the medical bills when you are sick and can’t work like Allie who had a mountain of medical bills and didn’t even make progress on what was causing her condition.
Section 4
Personally I don’t think that Keene State has the healthiest options when it comes to clean eating. And I know that I have no idea where their food comes from except the Prime Roast Coffee. I only know that that is roasted in town but coffee beans can only be grown in the “Bean Belt” so they are definitely imported like everything else. Personally I rarely eat on campus because every time I do I end up feeling sick. I feel like that is not a good sign. I appreciate that now the DC composts but I still do not know where the compost is going. And also how good could it be to use when the food itself is not very good for you.
I have some friends that eat on campus most of the time and most of them have a weight problem. It is hard to go into the DC and only eat what would be good for you and also only eat a modest portion size. I know that we overuse the food resources that are around us at Keene State. I also have yet to see anything that comes from a local farm (like the family owned one in Winchester, NH) or even things sourced by the Monadnock Food Co.Op.
I would love to see Keene State host the local Farmer’s Market sometime or have the Co.Op. come in and encourage students to shop there for healthier, local food options. Or even start a gardening club and have the students grow their own produce. That to me would be an amazing and fun step in the right direction for a healthier community.
I also notice a lot of plastic waste on the Keene State Campus. Even in our class there is always someone there with some kind of "throw away" container. For example: chip bags, water bottles, other canned or bottled drinks, paper waste like food containers or coffee cups, the plastic lids on the coffee cups, and plastic food containers from lloyds. I would really like to see more of a movement on campus to bring our own containers or even a "tax on a reusable container and then we get our money back for it when we return it. I went to Germany last year and got a hot chocolate at this local ice rink and they charged me two euros extra because they game it to me in a mug. This way if the mug gets stolen they don't lose money but it also is an incentive to return the mug and get your money back. It is the same way with shopping carts over there. I think it is actually a very intuitive way to reduce waste a atleast a little bit at a time.
This is a picture that I took outside of the science center at Keene State College. If you look closely there are several plastic bags, a pop tart wrapper, and a plastic bottle visible. And that is just on the top. We have been learning in class how bad these "throwaway" plastics are for the global environment but we still use them constantly every day.
This is another picture that I took that is just outside of the science center. There are a few plastic bags visible in the back, a polystyrene foam food container, and a plastic cup. Again that is just what is on top.
Photos
I took these pictures at a friend of mine's little farm in Sullivan, NH last year. I really enjoyed helping my friend get his land ready to plant the seeds and also helping him plant and tend to his garden. I personally think that everyone should experience growing their own food at least once in their life. I hope that in the future I can have my own huge, beautiful garden.
This photo is of the potatoes that I helped him plant last year.
This photo is of his tomato plants. I helped him instal the poles and strings that they grow up.
These last two pictures give a more full view of his garden.
