So here's a new one on me: Green Funerals. I actually just want to be added to the compost heap in the backyard but the TRPA doesn't allow it. My kids didn't think it was a good idea either. How about cremation? Seems the most ecologically sound and then they can stick me on the mantle and dress me up for Christmas.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080420/ap_on_re_eu/green_graves

Sea and Survival

Why do people continue to build in or near areas that are constantly barraged by forces of nature? I am always amazed that after floods, hurricanes, volcanos, mud slides and tornados, people rebuild their homes as if that was the one and only time this would ever happen and they are exempt from it ever happening again. When homes are built on unstable ground or near a coast prone to hurricanes or serious erosion, their owners are asking for problems. After a high insurance claim, many homes are deemed "uninsurable" yet people continue to rebuild. I do agree with these graduate students that these "lessons...need to be incorporated into ordinance," in order that we do not pay the high price (in our insurance policies) for these "ecological lessons" (17)

Below is a link I found with the song "Old Cape Cod," sung by Jerry Vale, along with a beautiful slide show. I lived on the Cape with my boyfriend and child in 1979 and it was the most beautiful experience of my life. I loved the dunes; back in those days one could walk for miles or run on them. Now it is prohibited in order to prevent erosion of the cliffs and to protect the plant species that grow in the primary dunes. I lived next to the Highland Lighthouse of Truro and was friends with the lighthouse keeper so was fortunate to have been able to go inside on several occasions.

The lighthouse was originally built 500 feet back from the edge of a 125 foot cliff (dune) in 1797. Due to erosion of an average of three feet per year (one year it eroded 40 feet due to a severe storm), by the 1990's it stood about 100 feet from the edge. With federal funds and money raised by concerned citizens, the Highland Light (as it is called by locals) was moved 450 feet from its original location in 1996.

Would this be considered a "simple ecological lesson" (17)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdNcRuJ1vME

I really enjoyed reading the chapters from the book, The Man Who Knew Islands, by David Quammen. Having spent time in the Amazon region in 2005 I can truly relate to Alfred Wallace's dismay when first embarking upon his journey and discovering there was a big difference between an abundance of a certain species and a diversity of species. When I first arrived in Equador I was told there were 85 different kinds of Hummingbirds so I expected to see hummingbirds everywhere, practically bombarding us as we walked through the region. That did not happen. However, if one is ambitious enough to wake up at 5:00 in the morning and try their luck (and patience) at birdwatching, you may be fortunate to see a few variations of hummingbirds along with a few other species of animals in the several hours you devote to that passion. I did see one monkey in the outing, and one hawk-like bird of prey. I also decided that birdwatching was not for me and can truly appreciate all the tedious hours and years that Wallace put into his work, only to have it all burn up in a fire.

There were some other interesting discoveries made on his journey in the field of Biogeography that I find fascinating. The fact that continental islands and oceanic islands differ in the way that they are formed: the former being attached to the continent and separated only by a submerged land bridge and the latter being created by volcanic activity out in the ocean (like Hawaii and the Galapagos). Wallace points out that, "a continental island begins with everything and everything to lose... An oceanic island begins with nothing and everyting to gain" (54). He also notes that one needs to study islands to gain insight into evolution (55).

Whatever happened back in 1858 with regards to who came up with the idea of Natural Selection, Darwin or Wallace, both were men dedicated to the notion and science of evolution. Both men had their ideas and worked hard to prove their theories, but it bothers me to think that all my life I have attributed the idea of Natural Selection solely to Darwin when, after reading these chapters, believe perhaps that I have been wrong. Wallace put his whole heart and soul into his findings; he spent four years in the Amazon, isolated and lonely collecting plant and animal species only to have them go "up in smoke" on his return to England. He then traveled to the Malay Archipelago to study for another couple of years, revealing his findings to his friend, Charles Darwin who appears to have gotten most of the credit. I don't undermine Darwin's work, but realize that the History and Science classes from my youth need to be revised and retold, giving credit where credit is due.

I just finished reading The Panopticon's Changing Geography by Jerome E. Dobson and Peter F. Fisher, which has put my brain into a spin. I was raised in the era of George Orwell's Big Brother scare and when small hand held computer games, such as the Texas Instrument "Speak and Spell," were introduced, refused to buy one for my daughter because I thought it may have some sort of chip in it to detect where we were at all times. My friends thought I was kind of crazy but it wasn't long after that cell phones came into existence and have the capacity to do just that. Now with the Panopticon III in existence, it is possible to track anyone or anything, anywhere or anytime. With this invention, and with more years of maturity (I think), I now have mixed feelings. First, I think it is a great idea to substitute a tracking device rather than a jail cell for prisoners. The economical factor is the most beneficial considering what it costs to house a prisoner for a year versus one who is wearing such a monitoring device. Secondly, it sounds like a great idea for a parent to equip a child with one such device in the event of an abduction, however this is where the clash of views comes in. Where does one draw the line between normal (or is it?) monitoring of a child for his "own protection" and monitoring a child for our "own curiosity?" What seems like a good idea for the prevention of a crime can and will be abused if placed in the wrong (or evil) hands. What a great idea to be able to send you teenager on his first date and be able to know where he/she is at all times, under the watchful eye of mom or dad. Or even better, you'd be able to leave town for a couple of days (or weeks) and know your child is at home in the evenings, doing homework of course, and at school during the day (add a bit of electroshock when your son/daughter gets a little out of line and you have full control). As is mentioned on page 316, put in the hands of a suspicious boy/girlfriend, there could be serious problems.

The technology is here, and along with the technology are people who will abuse it and use it for their own selfish desires. Where do we draw the line? It is comforting to know that people can be tracked with their cell phones, as was the case last year with the family snowed-in on an Oregon mountain road, or in several cases of kidnapping solved by tracking a cell phone, but on the other hand, is it good to always be "track-able?" If microchips can be implanted into animals, it can surely be done with humans. I have a problem with this as I do feel it is an invasion of privacy. Where cell phones are optional; one doesn't need one and can opt to not carry one knowing that he is traceable. And cameras in public places are helpful as a deterrent of crime, maybe not preventing all crime as the authors state, but for most of us "normal" people: Don't do anything wrong to worry about being photographed! But a device that can track our every move, against our will or choice, is a bit unconstitutional don't you think? It will be interesting to see where this goes in the future. And always remember: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!

Is anyone following what is going on in South America? Sounds like troops are lining up along the borders of Colombia. Our buddy Chavez in Venezuela has sent 9,000 troops to the border and Ecuador has sent some as well. Bush is backing Colombia's president. Will be interesting to see what happens in that region over the next few days or weeks. It's almost frightening to me as I spend time in South America each year.

It was interesting to read Parson's article, A Geographer looks at the San Joaquin Valley. I have driven through there on many occasions and it has always intrigued me as a farming community, but I had no idea just how many different types of crops were grown there. Another interesting point Parson made was the diversity of ethnicities living in the region: from Dutch to Laotians, Armenians to Japanese, Russians to Filipinos. I had always assumed that the majority of the population was Hispanic, yet only 20 to 30 percent of the population live in each county (379). Although this was written in 1986; 20 years has probably changed that figure. This article has given me a stronger desire to eat food grown closer to home. So much of our produce is being imported from South America, yet it is out of season. It makes more sense to me to eat more locally and more seasonally. Most likely a lot more healthily!

Parson's also mentions that one-half of the new house buyers in Modesto commute to the Livermore valley or to the South Bay. It seems like such a long commute but I personally know of someone who does this every day. He lives in Turlock and commutes two hours each way to work in the South Bay area. This I can relate to as I commute nearly two hours to UNR each way but I only do it twice a week. My friend, by the way, also lives in a house that was constucted off of a railroad car back in the 60's. The railroad car now is the dining room/kitchen (which was the original home), and the rest of the house spills out from there. Quite an interesting specimen.

At times I tend to take for granted all the hours of research, collecting, and cataloging (otherwise known as Blood, Sweat and Tears) that went into anything that I happen to be looking up in a library or on the internet. In this generation, the information is "Just There." You want to know something, just type it into your search engine and you have a list of 10,000 or more sites in which to turn to find the information you are looking for. It seems so easy and at times appears magical. Lest we not forget that many, many people and hundreds of years of research went into finding the information that now is available at the click of a mouse. These dedicated people, diliently searching for clues as to our cultural identities, or our historical metamorphoses, made it possible for me to type in a few words to find more than enough information on a subject to more than answer any questions I may have. Those geographers like Carl Ortwin Sauer and Thomas Carter along with many others did the foot work while others did the cataloging in Libraries, and still others, input information onto websites. All I have to do is look, and all the information is there for me to find. Lest we never forget that this was someone's passion, someone's life work, someone who was dedicated to gathering information for us to use and absorb and hopefully appreciate.

I received this in an e-mail several weeks ago and thought it tied in nicely with the article on Consumption. Americans and some Europeans seem to spend alot of money on food, mainly junk food. Mexicans eat healthy but look at all the Coke in the background. Look at the folks in Chad. Can't even imagine! Perhaps we need a lot more awareness of how we are spending our money (and what we are putting into our bodies)!
http://www.everybodygoto.com/2007/10/12/what-people-eat-around-the-world/

Webb's article hits close to my heart as I have always been interested in Geology, landscapes and the earth. As my interests grew to include the cultural aspects of the land and how people adapted to their environment: what they did to survive, how they survived and the big question, Why there?, thus peaked my interest in Geography. Webb states it best with, "To me land is the matrix out of which the culture grows." It is the framework, "firm under your feet." I studied history in high school and ashamed to say, barely passed with a"D." Yet once I began traveling, and actually saw the land on which the battles were fought, or saw the documents that changed the nation, then it became real for me and then did I begin my quest for more information and history. Webb points out that each man had to fend for themselves and experience what would work best for him, without knowing the outcome. The land on which they decided to settle was some of the most difficult as far as weather, terrain and aridity, yet they perservered and their determination changed the way we look at the whole frontier. No longer is it a desolate place of little or no population, a territory crossed only in passing by the early trappers, hunters and pioneers attempting to work their way west or to someplace else, but man's resourcefulness led him to settle in this area and learn to work the land and its surroundings into a place of permanance, a home.

Popper, Lang and Popper's (P,L and P)article on the census was interesting, although I am not too fond of the way Geographers have a tendency to criticize other's works, in how the census was taken during the 19th century. Recently I have been interviewed by the census takers in my area and when I read that they originally asked as many as 13,000 questions, was a bit relieved. If you have ever been one of the questionees of a census, they come over to your home 4 times, once a month for 4 months. Then, they interview you by phone once a month for the remaining year. At times it seems a bit offensive and the questions somewhat inappropriate, but according to P, L and P's article, they even asked questions "ranging from garbage disposal to polygamy." (I hope to find some of this information useful in my research on Colorado City, AZ).
As much as I was annoyed , the job of a census taker in those days had to be somewhat boring, tedious and at times dangerous. They had to traverse an immense portion of land, most likely on horseback or wagon, and had to endure who knows what kind of weather or hardships along the way, all in the government's quest for information regarding density of places and regions.

Of all the geographers' works we have read, I tend to favor these of Pierce Lewis. His concept of going out there and "looking" at what is around you and the article "Learning from Looking..." really captured my interest. Geography can be taught from books and articles but in order to really appreciate the total landscape and people/places, one must venture out of his comfort zone and experience the entire area. It is clear why he has been rated as one of the top geographers in Jeffrey Smith's writing.

In his article, "Learning from Looking," Lewis mentions that what we do to a certain place has a lot to do with what we think of that particular place. Many people think of Nevada as a pit; in fact, much of our nuclear waste has been deposited in Nevada through the years. I used to think the same way; it was boring and nothing but sand and desolation in every direction. However, once I began studying geology, I began seeing Nevada through different eyes. It has its own beauty and the deeper I dug, the more beauty I found.

Lewis' review on Bellefonte, PA was a carefully written history of a small town that had its birth in better, more promising times and is now faced with a slow and painful illness. He states that, "Small towns may be sick, but they ar far from dead." I tend to agree with Lewis in that I have always preferred to live in a small town. Growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO, I rarely ventured into the city, yet preferred to head to the river and the woods on horseback to enjoy nature. Since my graduation from High School, I have never lived in a town with more than 30,000 population. In the article, a poll was conducted which showed that most people preferred to live in small towns over big cities; the community relations in a small town were more favorable in contrast to the cost of living in a big city being the incidence of high crime. Yet, in his article Lewis tends to see that the overall mood or common feeling among those inhabitants of Bellefonte as one of "lost hope" in their community. This is the part that is sad to me; the hopelessnes and despair that these people feel towards their home, the place where they live. This place that once offered so much promise and hope, has turned into somewhat of a dying ghost town on the verge of extinction.

Which brings up another point for me. I am almost finished reading Route 66: Iconography...
I can't help but feel a great sense of loss due to the fact that Route 66 was right outside my door while I was growing up. Many weekends were spent on the road with my dad, traveling to various places along the original highway that I have been reading about. I have fond memories of stopping at "mom and pop" cafes along the road, putting quarters into the private jukebox on our table and singing along to tunes which included, you guessed it, "Get your kicks on Route 66." These quaint one of a kind restaurants have sadly been replaced by the "clone" restaurants like Cracker Barrel, Chiles, Applebys, and McDonalds. It's a rare occasion to find the traditional roadside cafes that used to dominate the Route 66 landscape. This past summer my daughter and I took a road trip to the Grand Canyon and decided to venture out of the way a bit and traverse the last remnant of Rte. 66 east of Flagstaff. I don't know what I expected, but the first place at which we stopped was a store which carried all kinds of memorabilia from Rte. 66. Not antiques, but reproductions of things one might have seen along the way (such as those which were a comfort for me as a child). It definitely wasn't the same for me and left me with a bit of anxiety and depression and the feeling that I couldn't get off that stretch of highway fast enough; perhaps like the remaining inhabitants of Bellefonte, PA.

Although one can't change the inevitable; change itself is inevitable. We can only appreciate all that is around us right now, treasure it and learn that it is not going to be forever. But it holds forever a place in our hearts and memories, that is something we can never lose nor can anyone take from us.

Check out this site for a video on bio-fuel
http://www.ge.com/company/advertising/index.html?media_id=austria_400x300_10bit&c_id=aolaustria1a

It was interesting to read Wallach's articles, although a bit outdated. I did some further research and found that sheep ranching isn't even mentioned as a industry anymore. I wonder if emminent domain took over and it went back to the "highest and best use of the land." According to Wallach, "recreation and wildlife production" that would generate more income. The writing on Taft and its boming oil industry along with the Green River are both nicely written, short yet concise, articles on regions. In accordance with Hart's article on the Art of Geography, I feel that these were presented as an overview of the areas including a bit of History, Economy, Geology and in an art form. Geography seems to tie all these elements together. I especially liked this sentence, poetically structured, which paints a picture for me of what the town in Green River, Wyoming looks like as of this writing: "Many old square-logged cabins of that day still stand, weathered handsomely, misleadingly peaceful." (Wallach) If you have ever travelled through that area, the high plains, you will totally understand the region. It is nothing like peaceful in the dead of winter. My car broke down in Fort Bridger one year in November when the wind was howling at 95 mph and the wind chill was -20F. Had to hitchhike with my then 2 year old child to a gas station (fortunately there was one close). Yet to study and understand these regions, one must fully appreciate all that is involved with them from the moment of their discoveries, and that is where Geographers step in and use their art.

Appears that the common theme in our readings is "regions" or place, and humans reaction and interaction with their place. Yi-Fu Tuan's article points out that as early as the 18th century, Hun Lian-Chi gave thought to the effect population would have on the land. On the same note Williams article, "Deforesting the Earth" (2007) states that people have been exploiting forests for centuries for their basic needs and refers to it as, "an economic, not environmental issue." Tuan also mentions that most only look at the surface, that animals judge by "appearance" which is all they need to survive. However, our interaction with what is around us and our pursuit of individual happiness, has gone below the surface. As Tuan states, "Civilization has created beautiful surfaces, but at what cost?" Cultures through time have exploited the environment.

The concept of Bioregionalism brings about a new awareness of the earth and trying to get back to basics, starting with where one lives in realtion to a community and his place. Tied into Parson's article comes the idea of food as mentioned in Pollan's "Obsessed with Nutrition". We have come so far away from just eating to survive, eating what is available in or near the region that we live and consequently have an obsession with eating but not eating the right foods. Pollan says we need to "return to the local and the basic." Bioregionalism? I think so. Not only is it healthier for humans in the long run, it is also perhaps healthier for the environment.

Zelinsky spent years trying to figure out where the south began only to find out that the most distinguishable sign which was key in determining the southern boundary was the use of the mule over the horse for agriculture. Again, this is a regional trademark. He points out surface things which helped formulate his boundaries, type of construction, wells, architecture, town centers, etc., all examples of people using the regional resources at their disposal, but there was such a vide variety that one could not really characterize exactly where the south began due to these variations. Yet the one thing that pulled it all together was the use of one animal by a group or a culture of people.

Cultures have done things collectively for their survival that, in their judgment may have been right at the time, without consideration of long term effects on their ancestors.
Bottom line is we need to begin focusing on our own space or region on this planet and the impact our actions have on our place. We need to start thinking as a community and take care of our own "place" before we can reach out globally.

January 28

Geography Class Wow, I can't believe I now have a Blog! With all the reading we have to do am so glad I only have one class this semester. I am innundated with snow and the commute has been brutal, but I graduate in May and I will be DONE!! Hooray! Woke up to so much snow today so I just stayed in and read. Will post on my readings tomorrow.