Echo

Last Friday my colloquium class took a trip to an agricultural area in North Fort Myers known as ECHO. Echo exists to reduce hunger and improve the lives of small-scale farmers. I really enjoyed visiting this place and getting to learn about all the efficient ways someone can filter water, cook food, build a house out of bamboo, etc. It gave me a clear idea of how people who didn't have all of the fancy appliances we do nowadays got through the day. It made me feel like I should be more aware of how much electricity, water and money I use on senseless things when I could easily find a better way to accomplish what I want without harming the environment. This area sends a powerful message to everyone who goes to see it and it can truly make a difference in a lot of people's lives from just one visit. ECHO's legacy is "following with agricultural resources and skills." They fulfill this mission by inviting us to tour their farm and give us a vivid understanding of why they do what they do. My sense of place in this area was that I felt like I was in a place where the environment was safe and unharmed. This made me feel at ease knowing that there are people out there that genuinely care about our environment and making sure nothing harms it. I was most impacted by the different ways one can efficiently do everyday tasks and it made me want to try some of the ideas myself.

Pigs

Bamboo used to build houses

Goats