The first stop on my trip through the Corkscrew Sanctuary was the most interesting to me. The Living Machine is the essence of environmental sustainability. The Living Machine incorporates natural filtration systems based on a series of tanks in which water is pumped through the various processes to become sanitized. The very long process was actually developed to solve a waste management problem at the location as the guest facilities previously were not properly disposed of. I found the process fascinating and this is a prime example of how technology can incorporate nature into cleaning up after humans, to reduce our impact, and even benefit the environment. It was interesting to learn the ecological importance of Florida wildfires and how prescribed burns can actually prevent the loss of biodiversity. The large alligator we saw was a good reminder that humans need to be careful when visiting deep swamps. I really enjoyed the sounds of bird. The construction of the wooden walkway with fire, rot, and insect resistant wood is an example of responsible building because building things that last reduce waste of valuable resources. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary also has a great transition in between the ecosystems in the matter of feet. The outdated board displaying population growth and urbanization is alarming to remember how humanity is growing exponentially and the resource demands will only continue to rise. Even with a cultural change and extreme cutback on per person demands, the number of people will rise and overall consumption will continue to grow.
