Sense of Place Interview

For this journal entry, I interview my Great Aunt Joeanne who lives on the other side of Florida. She is retired and widowed.

Q: What do you think sustainability is?
A: "I believe sustainability means to preserve or keep something maintained for later (future) use."

Q: What's your philosophy on sustainability?
A: "As for our environment, I try to improve sustainability by recycling, using my car only when needed, and using fluourescent light bulbs for less energy use."

Q: What is your ecological perspective?
A: "Since I have been aging I see a steady decrease in society's improvement towards a healthier world. Whenever I go out, everyone is always in a rush. People demand things from stores and purchase such unnecessar material goods it's a shame and such a waste of money. I watch the news on a daily basis and you would not believe how little newsreporters include our environmental issues. There needs to be less talk about the new cast for the Twilight saga, and more heap about hurricane season and how to prepare."

Q: Do you consider West Palm Beach your sense of place?
A: "I would actually consider the Bronx my sense of place beings as I grew up there and met my husband there. I relate to my hometown more than anything and get homesick every now and then even though its been such a long time."

Q: How do you think your upbringing differed from mine?
A: "That's an easy one because there was less technology. When I was a kid we walked everywhere we went-school, church, the movies, to our small houses. We grew up outdoors and in our surroundings and that made us very street smart and aware. We used to play outside from dawn to dusk and our families were fine with that, knowing where we were and what we were doing."

Q: After telling you about my Colloquium class, what is your perspective on what I have been taught/learning about this summer?
A: "I am glad your school is making students take a course about the environment. It excites me that you are becoming aware of your new environment. More elementary school should incorporate environmental science as a subject instead of just earth or social science."


Sources:http://www.landmarkeducationnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/sustain-environment.gif


Video on the elderly engaging in their environment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRoJu6vIU8M

Below is the link to an article by Kate Brooke titled, "Two degrees of Celsius Separation." It describes The Elders group, which includes eminent global leaders, created by Nelson Mandela to emphasize and teach to their grandchildren "that the world must act now to prevent climate catastrophe in the future."

http://trueslant.com/katebrooks/