Sarah FitzGerald visits Wise Recycling

Wise Recycling is a chain of metal recycling plants. I visited the plant in Clayton, North Carolina. While visiting the plant, I saw they recycled all manner of metals excluding the precious metals, such as gold and silver. This plant focuses on aluminum, steel and copper. To the left is a picture of me in front of a pile of irony extrusion, one of the "grades" of aluminum. There are different types of aluminum, and they separate them by quality and purity. Most metals are crushed into bales, in the picture on the right, I am standing in front of a 4,000 lb bale of number one (pure) copper. Cans are called UBC for uncrushed beverage cans, and so many are recycled each day at the plant, that rather than crush them into bales, they are shredded and shot directly into tractor trailers. The man who gave me the tour told me that they sent out roughly a full tractor-trailer worth of aluminum can shreds a day, and he told me that well over a million pounds of metal are moved through the plant every month.

Recycling aluminum saves energy, and saves 95% of the energy that would have otherwise been needed to make new aluminum from ore. Four pounds of bauxite ore would be needed for every one pound of aluminum that is not recycled. Bauxite ore, the ore aluminum is created from, is found lying flat near the Earth’s surface over long stretches, sometimes many miles. In mining for the bauxite ore the vegetation in the area is destroyed, habitats are lost, and there is more soil erosion due to the open pit mining method that is used. Carbon dioxide, perfluorocarbons, sodium fluoride, sulfur dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and quite a few other harmful gases are released in the smelting and processing of bauxite ore. The EPS says that the perfluorocarbons that are released during the initial smelting process to turn bauxite ore into aluminum are 9,200 times more harmful than carbon dioxide when it comes to their affect on global warming. Recycling greatly reduces the amount of these toxins released into the atmosphere.

The Galapagos Islands - Alexandra Shannon

Over spring break I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Ecuadorian highlands and Galapagos Islands with 19 other students from NCSU. Our trip started in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito and then took us north to the cloud forests of Mindo. From Mindo we left for the islands and spent a total of 6 days there before returning to the states.

The Galapagos Islands are well known today greatly because of Charles Darwin and his adventures on the Beagle. Darwin spent weeks on different islands in the archipelago observing the unique species that inhabit the islands. From his research he published the very controversial (for its time) and well known book “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.”

Today, the Galapagos is home to a biological marine reserve and a national park. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All of these factors make it a very special and popular place for tourism. I visited 3 of the 15 major islands during my stay including Isabela, Fernandina and North Seymour. During my time there my group and I visited the national park (where we meet the infamous giant tortoise Lonesome George), snorkeled on a few different occasions, hiked various trails and visited different farming communities and nature reserves, etc. I was very fortunate to see a lot of the endemic wildlife that inhabits the islands which I will include pictures of below.


Visiting the turtles in the National Park

Giant Tortoise (top) Galapagos Sea Lion & Swallow Tailed Gull (bottom)

Blue Footed Booby (top) Land Iguana (bottom)

The Farmer's Market Raleigh, NC ~Candice G.

For this assignment, I went to The Farmer's Market in Raleigh located at 1201 Agriculture Street. The Farmer's Market offers fresh produce, plants and local products with over 35,ooo spaces rented out to local growers and merchants. It is the best place to get fresh fruits and vegetables and meet the growers in an open friendly environment. The market also features a fresh seafood market/restaurant as well as a traditional restaurant that is open for breakfast and lunch. Indoors there are specialty shops including the NC Meat and Cheese Center. It features farm raised, all natural Poultry, Heritage Beef, Ostrich, Bison, Duck, and other specialty meats, eggs, various cheeses and more.

As I was walking down the rows, I couldn't help but think how much these local products put the food at the chain supermarkets to shame. In addition to that, the people who grow everything are right there to answer any questions you have. You can tell that they take care of their products and take a lot of pride in what they do by how excited they are to have you try their samples and volunteer information about the extra care that they take to ensure that they are selling the best produce possible.

In addition to all of the picture perfect fruits and vegetables, there was also an abundance of flowering plants, trees, and shrubs for sale from local plant nurseries. I think the best thing I saw was locally jarred SEEDLESS blackberry jam! Now that's dedication! Another thing that caught my attention was a stand that was filled entirely with locally jarred honey of all different types. I had no idea that there was so many different options concerning honey! I suppose that's what I get for never venturing out in my grocery shopping beyond Harris Teeter.

Since the main part of the market is outdoors, not only did I get to sample the fresh food, meet the friendly people who grew everything, and have the option to support local farmers and sustainability, but I also got to do my grocery shopping while enjoying the sunny day! Getting local fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses from The Farmer's Market is better in price, better in quality, a much more enjoyable experience, and more environmentally ethical than going to a chain supermarket. That's pretty much a hands down win in my book!

The Summit at Haw River State Park - Andy Leffler

Located in Browns Summit, NC, The Summit Environmental Education Center at Haw River State Park offers hiking trails, educational programs, overnight stays, a disc golf course, scenic overlooks, and a six acre lake for fishing and canoeing. It is a frequented location for bird watchers, fisherman, herpetologists, and hikers. It offers a unique bird walking trail as well as an extensive wetlands area inhabited by a diverse group of reptiles and amphibians. It also offers a, “serene and natural setting for successful employee training programs, family reunions, youth retreats, teambuilding conferences, spiritual retreats, and club events.” Frequent clients include businesses, governmental agencies, conservation organizations, college and university groups, health care organizations, hobby groups (herpetologists, ornithologists, etc.), churches, and scout groups.

The wetlands themselves are an area of focused protection for the park because they serve as a key habitat in the breeding of amphibians such as spotted salamanders, chorus frogs, and cricket frogs. Adjacent to the wetlands is a creek bed laced with stone that is known for its abundance of snapping turtles. The park has also been found to be a frequented area for tortoises as well. During my visit, I sighted a milk snake, four species of frog, a snapping turtle, boxed turtles, a toad, a salamander, and a skink.

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica - Chelsea I.

Over spring break, I visited the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica. I actually got the opportunity to embark on the SkyTrek journey and zip-line through the mountain ranges and rain forests with Lake Arenal and the Arenal volcano clearly in sight throughout the thrilling experience.

The Arenal Volcano is located within the Arenal Conservation Area, which protects over 16 reserves between the Tilaran and Guanacaste mountain ranges. Arenal is Costa Rica's most active volcano.

Arenal actually plays a large role in Costa Rica's power production. There is a man-made lake, Lake Arenal, that rests at the base of the volcano. Arenal supplies over 12 percent of Costa Rica's hydroelectric energy. On another side of the lake, wind turbines line the Tilaran mountain range, catching strong gales and providing energy to the country.

I saw many animals while visiting this park. The most common animal was the howler monkey. The howler monkeys are extremely loud, and mean. Do not EVER try to make friends with one because my mom came to learn that they don't like humans, but I don't need to go in to that incident.

Cape Fear Botanical Garden - Nisarg Parikh

For this assignment I decided to go visit Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville, NC. In 1989, a handful of Fayetteville gardening enthusiasts shared a grand vision. They believed our community should—and could—have a botanical garden of its own. They believed it and they did it.

Since then, Cape Fear Botanical Garden has flourished. Today, over twenty years later, the Garden encompasses 79 acres of pine and hardwood forest, and boasts meticulously preserved natural areas of the region’s indigenous plants, trees and wildlife. The cultivated garden areas showcase more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants, and include our renowned Daylily, Camellia and Hosta gardens. The River Walk, Heritage Garden, Children’s Garden, and PWC Water Wise Garden provide unique educational experiences for young and old alike.

The 77 acre urban forest provides nature trails, a natural amphitheater, steep ravines sheltering unusual plants, and a varied riparian terrain which steps from open pine forest down hardwood slopes to lush riverbank. Ponds, pools and waterways, lodged like jewels in a broach, attract birds and other fauna and provide habitat for aquatic plants. In this stunning natural setting, the garden’s botanists, designers and gardeners have added structures and plantings to enhance the visitor’s enjoyment. A gazebo and Great Lawn, bordered by beds of perennial flowers, host casual visitors as well as wedding parties and group festivities. The many specialty gardens offer inspiration to adventurers who seek fresh ideas for their own gardens, provide a lovely backdrop for a weekend stroll, and serve as living classrooms for botany and horticulture students.

Visiting a botanical garden was a great experience, I learned a lot about different kinds of trees.

Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington D.C.

On Easter sunday, I went to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. with my family. The zoo has an incredible variety of amazing animals such as three pandas, one tiger, a whole entire lion pride with four cubs, and many more. I learned that the three pandas were the true rockstars of the zoo because since their debut in January of 2001, they have attracted more than ten million visitors. Also, Tai Shan, the zoo's panda cub is one of the record-breaking 25 surviving cubs born around the world.

The zoo reminded me of "biophilia" and the many ways that humans attempt to domesticate wild animals. Although at the zoo, these animals do have space that emulates a wild setting, it is nowhere near similar to their natural environments. In the photo above, a giant asian elephant is bathing itself in a man-made pool filled with flowing water. In any natural environment this elephant would have had to walk to a river, stream, or small body of water to replenish and bathe itself. It was a great experience but also very humbling.

Tai Shan, the panda cub, was spotted walking through the various play rooms that the zoo holds for the animals. Though it was extremely interesting and fun to be that close to such a rare and beautiful animal, it was still very sad because it seemed like the panda knew "the drill" and was just performing the show he usually puts on for all the viewers throughout the zoo. Overall, it was a very fun experience and I hope to re-visit in the near future!

~Carsen Mata

Lake Jordan Apex, NC

For this assignment I went to Lake Jordan by Apex, NC. The Lake itself contains about 14,000 acres of water and is sustained by the NC Division of Parks and Recreation. The division operates nine recreation areas on the lake — Crosswinds Campground, Ebenezer Church, Parker's Creek, Poplar Point, Seaforth, Vista Point, Robeson Creek, New Hope Overlook, and White Oak Recreation Area.
Many undisturbed areas of the lake provide the a home for the American Bald Eagle during the summertime as well as for other animals throughout the year. The and surrounding area provides plenty of fish to eat and a mature forest for roosting and increased protection efforts have been implemented to increase the number of the Bald Eagle, it still remains a protected species. Interpretive programs about the bald eagle are conducted throughout the year at Jordan Lake.
Not only does the Lake support animal and plant life but it also provides the local water supply for surrounding cities, flood and water quality control. As well the State offers Interpretation and Education (I&E) programs to help engage people in experiences that show appreciation and understanding of North Carolina's cultural and natural resources.
-Gabe Davis

Apex Community Park and Lake Pine - Krystian Kozek

The Apex Community Park in Apex, NC, features a man-made lake, Lake Pine, as a 50 acre centerpiece to its 160 acre complex. Complete with baseball, softball and soccer fields, volleyball, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds and swing sets, and two miles of paved and one mile of unpaved trails, this park is perfectly suited for the recreational athlete while fostering biocentrism with its beauty. Furthermore, this park is well suited for recreational and game fishing as it sports a well stocked fish population that's fed on a regular basis; from experience, typical catches include catfish, bass, crappie, and, unfortunately, turtles.

I visited the park on Easter Sunday as it was an amazing day for a walk along its trails, and I was struck by the idea that this park, and the community unity it brings, wouldn't be around without human manipulation. Being a man-made lake, the ethics behind its creation must have been quite controversial as it destroyed natural habitats; however, the new habitats and wildlife that it brought with its creation, along with providing a hangout and recreational area for the community, can be seen as quite positive outcomes. There is no lack of flora and fauna at Lake Pine, complete with a busy population of squirrels and a significant number of water fowl, which includes a couple of white swans. It's also fascinating to watch the fish population at feeding time; I have never seen water move so violently before.

The paved trail around the park was great; however, I observed a few minute problems. Erosion was evident along the trail in some locations and particular areas of the lake have pollution, where the water is stagnant and water bottles along with other plastics can be seen floating. Unfortunately, I am not aware if anything is being done to correct these issues. Overall, this park is a worthwhile visit and I cannot wait for the summer, when I can go fishing again.

Krystian Andrzej Kozek

Kathlyn Clay Edward Library, Greensboro - Yen Tang

I went back to Greensboro during Easter break and went to KCE library to check out some books to read. This library is located inside Price Park which includes a reading garden, walking trails as well as a bird and butterfly meadow.
The reading garden is located behind the library and was initiated by Cadet Girl Scout troop 66. This garden, even though small in size, features a variety of native plants, water conservation measures and certainly serves as a very nice spot for those who enjoy readings and want to get some sun while at it.

Price Park has a few different walking trails. When I was there checking out the place, I saw quite a few people walking/running/jogging around. Around the walking trails, there are signs that serve to educate the public about the local fauna, wildlife and succession stages in the development of the forests. These signs also explain how human interaction affects the natural environment.
Even though this was a quick visit since I originally only wanted to check out some books and left, the surrounding was very pleasant which kept me stay a bit longer and take a few pictures for my leisure. Overall, the place was very neat and is a good resource providing environmental information for children as well as adults.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Josh Kotheimer

So for this assignment I decided to go somewhere I had not yet been. I also decided that I would include my daughter in this learning experience because I think she would get more out of it than myself. Prairie Ridge Ecostation consists of 38.5 acres of old cow pasture. This pasture has been transformed into a variety of habitats including prairie grassland, bottomland forest, ponds and stream.

The Ecostation is actually part of the Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh. This section of the Museum is located on Reedy Creek Rd near the Agronomic Division building.
When we got there we parked next to the sign and map of the area and read a little about the site. Honestly there was not much to see or do at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation. It was mostly just an old pasture that has been turned into a research and educational area. There was a garden in the middle but it was fenced in so you could only walk around and look in. There was also a solar array that provided power for the place. In all I was rather disappointed in the place and ended up taking my daughter to the Arboretum after we left this place.

Pilot Mountain State Park - Joseph Rogers

Pilot Mountain State Park is located in the western part of our state, north of Winston Salem. It's main feature, Big Pinnacle can be seen for miles on the highway and the park covers a total of 3703 acres. It had been inhabited by local native Americans before the revolutionary war, until Britain allied with the Cherokee and they pushed the local natives out. The park was declared a state park in 1968. Because of the natural wildlife within the park, the Big Pinnacle (shown right) is no longer allowed to be climbed or hiked due to birds nesting on it.

I visited the park a few weeks ago to spend the day rock climbing and hiking. The weather was nice to start, but ended with some pretty heavy rain that followed us the entire drive home.

There was a local company there leading a climbing group of about 40 people. Companies such as these can make a lot of money because they the natural rock walls and accessible trails can be used without any cost. I felt that bringing such a large group of unexperienced people to the park area could be damaging to the trails, and the rock features.

At one point during the day a local guide hiked through the area where we were climbing and told us a few things about the wall. He also told me that the park recently changed directors and some new policies were coming. The director is an avid trail runner, and has been seen running frequently. Because climbers usually carry a lot of gear, and there is only one trail, the hikers often have to hike around the blocked areas and make unmarked trails. This can be a problem because the constant walking away from trails can ruin the natural landscape.

At the base of the park there is an old dairy farm. Throughout the day you could hear the mooing of cows from the distance. As well as the beautiful rock features and wildlife, the sound of the farm - without the smell - was pretty cool.

Yates Mill County Park - Xiao He

I went to the Historic Yates Mill County Park during the spring break. This park is close to where I live and it is an excellent place for a real experience of learning the historical and environmental background of the Wake County area.

Yates Mill served Wake County as a water-powered mill for more than 200 years, and it is the only gristmill still in operating condition. The water-powered gristmill was an important economic and social center for residents of Wake County back in the old times. It supported the production of crops and lumber in this region.

With the help and support from Yates Mill Associates, Inc., NC State University, and bot of public and private foundations, the park was developed and re-constructed between 2003 to 2006. Also, the A.E.Finley Center was built for regional environmental study and research purposes. The park was officially opened to public in May, 2006. Now, the Yates Mill County Park is a wonderful place for environmental studying, fishing, picnicking, swimming, gathering, and touring.

Museum of Life and Science - Jennifer Hinkley

I visited the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC. The museum has many different educational aspects and covers an array of topics. I learned about the different missions to the moon, as well as the effects of wind on Earth's weather patterns. If you venture outside of the museum you will find a variety of animals, including bears, wolves, goats, owls, and even a cow. There is also a butterfly room which houses butterflies from across the world. The have displays of hundreds of butterflies from all regions, noting Central and South America as having some of the most beautiful and colorful butterflies. I also went into the insect room and saw lots of insects from around the world. I noticed that Southeast Asia had some of the largest and creepiest looking insects that exist. I would hope to never run into any of those. ICK! Overall the experience was pleasant and I feel as though I learned a lot about the environment and its creatures.

Rocky branch- sandhya nagaraj

Rocky Branch is an urban creek that runs through the heart of the NC State University campus. The water stream was narrow and suffering from severe erosion, hence NC State University has put into operation a three-phase stream restoration plan to renovate Rocky Branch. This project aims to create a safe and accessible outdoor teaching laboratory. This plan will stabilize the creek; improve water quality, aquatic and wildlife habitat; and merge the creek into the campus environment.

In addition to fixing the creek, they are building a pedestrian underpass at Pullen Road which allows safe passage for pedestrians and wildlife beneath a major thoroughfare. The underpass runs along Pullen park- (which i usually walk through to go to the Pullen park tennis courts), through Paul Derr track, Miller fields, through sullivan drive and connects the City of Raleigh Greenway System. The creek is very pretty is some areas; for example, the area between the miller fields and carmichael gym is restored very well, but the areas close to Paul Derr track is still very foresty.

Museum of natural history- Sandhya Nagaraj

Over spring break I went to visit The National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. This museum is a part of the Smithsonian Institution and houses a national collection of more than 125 million natural science specimens. I found it very interesting to learn about the description and the history behind these artifacts.

The displays that I went through included dinosaur skeletons (dinosaurs have always intrigued me) so i was very excited to learn about the different kinds of dinosaurs that were actually available for the viewers. There was also an enormous collection of natural gems

and minerals, artifacts of early man, an insect zoo, a live coral reef and much more. Another very interesting thing I saw was the “piece of mars”, I actually got to touch it- Its hard for me to believe that the piece is originally from Mars, but I thought it was pretty cool to touch and feel an object from another planet.

North Carolina Zoo!-Meredith Shillinglaw

I went to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro in April! The zoo is really cool because they have it split into North America, and Africa. Every animal was out at the zoo the Sunday morning I went, except the rhino, so it was definitely an experience for me to see all the animals. "From our very inception, conservation has been central to the mission of the North Carolina Zoo. Within the Park, we work to reduce waste, minimizing our use of natural resources. Regionally, we are involved in initiatives and programs to improve the quality of our environment and the health of our State. Internationally, we work to protect animal habitats and help people understand the value of wild animals and wild places." This is the North Carolina Zoo's conservation statement, which I thought was awesome that they don't only care about the well-being of the animals, but also of the land they're using. I learned a lot at the zoo, but I thought the information about the wolves was very interesting (and appropriate). Wolves travel and kill in packs, and they female is the leader of the pack. Other animals that were awesome included, the otters, seals, polar bear, gorilla, baboons, chimps, and alligators! I absolutely loved my experience at the zoo, and I plan to return in the summer!

Waccatee Zoo

Waccatee Zoo Trip

This past weekend, I went to Myrtle Beach, SC and visited Waccatee Zoo. It was a very unique experience, unlike regular zoos I have visited. I went with my mom, dad, and little brother. When I walked in the place, there were many different venomous snakes from North and South Carolina. Also, peacocks were randomly walking around the zoo. You could literally go right up to them and touch them because they weren't in cages. There were many different animals I learned about, including a zonkey (donkey and zebra mixed) as well as a rabbit that looked like it was mixed with a deer. It looked very weird. There were camels, tigers, and cougars also. The cages that housed the tigers were pretty sketchy. I could walk right up and stick my arm through if I wanted. It seemed dangerous. We bought peanuts and popcorn to feed the animals. The best animals to feed were the baboons because they would do tricks so you would throw them food. Overall, I liked the experience I had.

Edward Chase Cline