Propelling Forward the Environmental Conscious: Jemma Peterson
As our environment fabricates the very world which we live in, it is crucial that we protect the natural aspects of our planet and world in order to continue supporting the life of numerous diverse ecosystems and species.
In order to spotlight the fantastic work of an individual who propels initiatives and ideas regarding the improvement of sustaining the environment, Vissa Journal visited the Fairchild Botanic Garden to gain a unique professional perspective on preserving the environment and our natural world as a whole.
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Spotlight: Jemma Peterson
Profession: Database and Communication Coordinator within the Volunteering department of Fairchild Botanic Garden and Dade County Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitator
Vissa Journal: “ What is your role in protecting the environment?”
Peterson: “ So here at Fairchild, as far as protecting the environment most of what I do is the educational portion of that. So informing my constituents, be it volunteers, about environmental issues; how they affect Fairchild, how they interact with Fairchild.
At Wildlife Rescue of Dade County I am hands-on treating patients that have environmental conflicts, with people specifically. “
Vissa Journal: “Anything more you’d like to say about your specific role within Fairchild.”
Peterson: “ I do a lot of training. When we talk about the environment at Fairchild, that’s in just about everything we do. So I’d say we give big talks about it around 5 or 6 times a year with a reach of about 500 people.”
Vissa Journal: “ Who specifically do you speak to within these large scale ‘talks’?”
Peterson: “ So this refers to our active volunteer pool. So my message goes to that group, and if they each tell one person then I’ve done a great job!”
Vissa Journal: “ What is the most influential experience in shaping your work?”
Peterson: “Here at Fairchild the most influential experiences are the ones where I get to meet and be with the working scientists here for a day. I also try to insert myself into many different situations around here. One the coolest things I’ve done has been to go out with the Orchid Team to help with the Million Orchid Project and the Native Orchid Conservation Team to a park and we planted 1,000 orchids. That was really cool because I don’t get to do that everyday.”
Vissa Journal: “Can you elaborate on the Million Orchid Project?”
Peterson: “Sure! The Million Orchid Project is a project we’ve been running for around 10 to 11 years. Our goal is to put a million orchids back out into the South Florida community, not the wild. They go into green spaces like parks or schools. We work with between 5 and 8 species of orchids and we grow them in a lab. This is because orchids don’t really have great survival rates out in the wild. You’re looking at a 1 in 10 million survival rate meanwhile in a lab we can get maybe 75,000 to grow out of one seed pod. Which is pretty good for us, it's just very labor intensive.”
When being asked “What do you think is the most important thing Fairchild does to protect the environment”, Peterson expressed how one of the most important actions Fairchild takes to protect the environment is spread their message through educational methods.
Peterson continues this thought when stating, “ Yes, we do a lot of hands-on conservation, we actively put a lot of things either into the environment or we work with groups that do that, but if we tell no one about it then it still makes a difference but it doesn’t help us. Being able to talk to the ‘everyday person’ that maybe doesn’t know about conservation, that is the most important.”
Vissa Journal: “Are there any other events Fairchild holds to help spread its message?”
Peterson: “Yes, there are many other events aside from our regular on site little interpretation stations. We have all of our big events, things like our Orchid Festival where we have our orchid team there talking about our on the ground research. We’ll participate in things like career days and community events like Earth Day for instance. We also form a lot of partnerships with other Botanic gardens. Additionally we hold the Fairchild Challenge in which we’re connected with over 400 schools to spread our message.
Additionally we go to conferences and global conferences. Recently we had a team go to Australia—like all the way across the globe!”
Peterson then added that the Fairchild director of education and the director of the garden went to this conference in Australia and spoke about their conservation work and several other messages regarding conservation importance.
Vissa Journal: “What impact do the actions of individuals have on the state of the environment”
Peterson: “What I’m realizing in my day-to-day life regarding environmental issues is that for the most part the environment is not being destroyed by individuals; it’s corporations. If you look at some on the campaigns in he last few years, like the straws and sea turtles campaign, that makes up an almost negligible amount of ocean pollution. 70% of ocean pollution is fishing nets, is the fishing industry. I think our actions create an impact, but it's not the driving force— in really like 50 companies destroying the planet.”
Additionally, Peterson noted that environmental movements could benefit from informing more individuals on where their consumer products are produced and how they are created. Specifically Peterson stated, “Being aware of where does your food come from”
Vissa Journal: “What is the most essential action people can take to protect the environment?”
Peterson: “Become aware of what is harming the environment and alter your choices accordingly. Whether it is getting rid of plastic garbage bags and reducing but reusing certain things.”
Following this thought Peterson stated, “We’re all taught in school: reduce, reuse, recycle. We’re not very well educated on reducing.”
“Educate people, and if you have enough people, you can make a difference.”
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The actions and work of environmental specialists such as Jemma Peterson allow for vital messages regarding environmental protection and awareness to be spread to a greater number of individuals. By speaking to specialists like Peterson, one may gain a unique and informed perspective within a world of numerous varying viewpoints.
After speaking with Peterson, it is clear that the work into Fairchild Botanic Garden and other botanic gardens will continue to push the tide of positive change through inspiring and informing individuals to be more environmentally concious. While immense corporations and companies may have the majority of fault in harming the environment, no ocean can be formed without the presence of various drops of water. Therefore, individuals must continue to strive to become informed and make conscious choices in order to truly be the drops that form the tides of change.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”