REFLECTION: WEEKS 15 & 16

Week 15

This week we did our final eye opener on an online learning activity for our group members to do. I thought this was fun, and a great way to cover many different topics! We also had a guest speaker Sue Whitney come to our class to talk to us about junking and her life background. I thought she was a great speaker, junker, and very intelligent as well! She gave us all a free copy of one of her junking books, so I was very thankful for that. This week was also had class outside and sat in a big circle and shared to everyone what our most significant learning was. Although it was fun and nice to be outside, it was somewhat sad because we all knew that it was the last day of class! I think it's clear that we all learned so much from this class, not only about the environment, but also about ourselves and everyone around us...

Week 16

This week all we had to do is comment on everyones eye opener post. This is officially the last week of blogging, but I know I will still check my blog over the summer and even post things when I'm bored! Also this week we have to do our very last reflection, which I am doing right now...(sniff sniff)

What I have learned overall

Overall, I have learned so much in this class. Here is a brief list of things I learned or got more familiar with from being in Environment Health Issues:

-blogging (duh)

-junking

-using a compass

-be nice to people when approaching them about the smoking policy, lol

-water privatization

-corporations can patent seeds (still angry about that topic!!!!)

-you can easily make an eye-gouger out of a sprinkler

-how to take good photos

-Subways cookies are AMAZING

-health equals wealth

-eat less meat!

-Dr. V is the fastest speed walker in the world!

-the ozone is closing

-group 3 is hilarious!

-this class was filled with good quality people!

Well that about does it. Last post (for class) ever! As Dr. Martin Luther King once said in his infamous I Have A Dream speech, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" Hope everyone has an amazing summer break! Don't work too hard now, and keep in touch. This class may be over, but its spirit will live on....(in health 4000)!

REFLECTION: WEEKS 13 & 14

Week 13

This week we watched a short video called "Story of Stuff." It was a bit one-sided but it was entertaining and a fast-paced way to show how manufacturing works, so I enjoyed it. We also did the second half to our advocacy project, the Issue Overview. Towards the end of the week we went out to Bagley Nature Area and engaged in a navigation activity using compasses. Since barely anyone knew how to properly use a compass, I think we all had a good time, and learned something new!

Week 14

During this week we had a speaker come in and talk to us about opportunities after graduation. We learned about the Americorps and how it is a great way to gain experience and pay off loans. We also wrote letters to our political representatives regarding our advocacy topic. I thought everyone did a great job with their letters, especially since it was probably the first time for many writing a letter like that. On Thursday we got to do a junking activity which I thought was hilarious! It was really fun getting into groups and coming up with crazy ideas to repurpose certain items!

What I learned about myself

Over the past two weeks I learned that I can successfully navigate through the woods with a compass. I also learned that I should try to repurpose more things in my life because it's actually pretty fun. Although having an eye-gouger or ninja star in my house may scare my friends away...

What I learned about the environment

I learned that although there are millions of ways to harm the environment, it is counter-balanced with ways to help. There's always a pro to every con. For example, buying a lot of junk essentially hurts the environment because of all the manufacturing it has to go through, and all the space it takes up in landfills. However, junking is a way to counter-act this problem. But sadly, even though there may be a pro for every con, it seems as though everyone these days engages in the "con" activities without balancing it with a "pro." This may be why we are coming up short when it comes to sustaining our resources.

What I learned about blogging

Once again, I haven't really learned too much about blogger itself, but I have come to realize that my blog group is pretty much AWESOME! I'm thankful to have been in such a sweet group this semester, and will miss blogging on a regular basis when this semester is over =/

That's about it, hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! DON'T GET THE SWINE FLU!!!!

REFLECTION: WEEKS 11 & 12

Week 11

This week we watched the documentary "Unnatural Causes." I thought this was one of the most interesting videos we've seen yet. It was mainly about the health gap between the wealthy population and poorer population. People with less money most likely have worse health because they may not have health insurance, no or minimal access to health facilities, and live in urban areas that may be unsafe for them physically and environmentally. We were also introduced to the Healthy People 2010 assignment, which is basically a national goal of becoming healthier by taking little steps towards achieving certain health objectives.

Week 12

This week our advocacy project was due which was composed of choosing a goal from the Healthy People 2010 list. It was interesting looking through all the national goals and objectives and seeing which were moving towards the target, and which were moving away from the target. Although America is making a lot of progress, we still need to work on improving a lot of other health-related goals. We also read Ch. 20 in our textbook which talked about the ozone layer and how it's expected to repair itself dramatically within the next 3 years! One reason for this is because of the decrease in use of CFC's (Chloroflourocarbons), which deplete the ozone. This reading was great because it was the first to show that we as humans are actually helping the environment for once! It's good to know our actions are making a difference, giving us a sense of hope.

What I learned about myself

My parents have raised me to believe that "money does not buy happiness." I've lived by this motto my whole life. But after watching the documentary "Unnatural Causes," I think I have to reconsider how important money actually is. In essence, money can and does buy happiness because without good health, I believe it is nearly impossible to be happy. Therefore I have learned that I should revise my motto to "Money can buy good health...which IS happiness."

What I learned about blogging

I learned that blogging is truly a powerful tool in today's world. I say this for a couple reasons:

1. I believe we have all learned so much through blogging all semester. Not only about blogger itself, but technology, and how to utilize a computer to a much higher potential.

2. The photo essays we created, and how Dr. V has sent them to the HEDIR listserv for other faculty and administrators to see our work!

3. I think we have become closer as a class because of blogging. Before this class, I didn't talk to many people that I've known about for the last couple years, so blogger is a great social tool.

Well that about sums everything up for the last 2 weeks. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the sunshine =D

REFLECTION: WEEKS 9 & 10

Review

Well fortunately these last two weeks were not nearly as hectic as the previous weeks. During week 9 we mainly covered the 7th Responsibility of Health Educators which talked about advocacy. We also started our advocacy project by researching and finding our political representatives. Week 10 consisted of our photo essay, which in my opinion was the most entertaining thing we have done so far in this class. I thought everyone did a great job, and took their creativity to the max!

What did I learn about myself and the environment?

I learned that taking actual descent pictures is very time consuming. Honestly, I underestimated the photo essay and figured it would only take me a couple hours to complete. Well it actually ended up taking my whole afternoon/evening. I never thought about all the planning, thinking, and creativity that goes into one picture. Also, from doing my photo essay, I learned that it is very easy to reuse items in my house. It's also cheaper, and looks cool (for the most part).

What did I learn about blogging?

I learned that if you ever need to insert a list of pictures, you have to think backwards. In other words, insert the picture you want at the bottom of the list first, and the picture you want at the top of the list last! I did not do this, and found out the hard way that if you don't follow this "backwards to forwards" method, your pictures will disappear! And it is very frustrating! So next time I will most definitely avoid what I did this time.

Well hope everyone has a fun, safe weekend! Spring is almost here, can't you feel it in the air?

REFLECTION: WEEKS 7 & 8

Week 7

This week was composed of 2 reading reviews, the documentary "Green," and an eye opener.

The first reading review, Ch. 16, was one that I was required to do. It was basically about the problem with chemical plants polluting the air, and affecting the communities around the plant. The video "Green" focused on a 100 mile stretch along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Louisiana, which is referred to as "Cancer Alley." This video was really eye opening and it tied in perfectly to our reading review as well. The eye opener we did was called "Environmental Working Group" and focused on the everyday products we use, and how hazardous they are to both us and the environment. I did mine on chapstick and found out that many ingredients in the chapstick I use are linked to various chronic disease and illness. It truly was "eye opening!"

Week 8

This week was composed of a reading review on Ch. 31, and the documentary "Thirst." The reading mainly focused on the issue of privatizing water, and how many countries, especially in Africa and Asia, are deprived of clean water for drinking and other essential use. This topic has been a big debate, and a solution is much needed. The documentary we watched tied in to the reading review, and also highlighted the topic of privatizing water. Unfortunately, we weren't able to finish this video, due to technical difficulties.

What I Learned

Once again, I learned many important things these last two weeks. Week 7 made it clear to me that big factories and plants definitely affect the environment and people within that environment. The whole concept of "Not In My BackYard" became a reality when watching "Green." It's really sad that many people, especially the lower income population, have to deal the consequences of having these big factories to produce the products we use everyday. I truly think if we were put in a situation where we lived near a chemical plant that pumped carcinogens day after day, our use of products would change drastically. We wouldn't support such "monstrosities" as the article in Ch. 16 put it.

I also learned that mankind is corrupt. Of course this doesn't apply to all people, but a lot of people are driven by money and other tangible necessities that corrupt their minds. During weeks 5 and 6 we learned about Monsanto and how they want to basically own GM seeds. And now during week 8 we learned about water privatization. Why does everything HAVE to be owned by someone? Why can't we just let things be every once in a while, especially nature. The longer I'm in this class, the more I come to realize that the human race needs to realize we aren't separate from nature. It's not something that can be owned by something else. Instead, we need to realize we are a system that is apart of nature and one cannot survive without the other. Hopefully we will begin to understand this, and it isn't until then that we can start making drastic changes to improve our behavior and ultimately improve the environment! Well that's about all that I can think of. Hope everyone has an amazingly fun, and safe Spring Break!!! We'll see you in a week!

REFLECTION: WEEKS 5 & 6

Week 5

This week we started watching another documentary called "Diet for a New America." This documentary was about John Robbins, and his proposal of the standard American diet being highly correlated to health problems and environmental problems. I was required to do a review of this document, and I really learned a lot because of it! We also did an Eye Opener by engaging in one of three activities offered by the Center of Science in the Public Interest. I chose to do the "eating green calculator" which calculates how much harm you contribute to the environment based on the number of servings you eat of certain foods. This was truly "eye-opening" because I didn't know my (once thought) healthy diet was actually contributing a lot to the various problems with our environment! This week I learned a lot about food in general, and also about my own diet and what I need to work on.

Week 6

This week we were each required to do a reading review on an article that we randomly chose. I did a review on article 34 which talked about free trade and how certain corporations are taking advantage of certain agreements to make the most profit for themselves. Though it was a difficult read, I'm glad I got to do a review on it because I don't know much at all about free trade in general. We also watched another documentary this week. This one was called "Future of Food" and was, in my opinion, the most interesting thus far. The main focus of the video was the debate over whether or not man has the right to patent or own nature. It also emphasized the problem of genetically modified foods and how America is becoming too dependent on these "artificial" products. If we don't act now, pretty soon farms all around the world will lose their biodiversity in their crops. 

What I Learned

Overall, I learned a lot over the last two weeks. I'm really glad we get to watch these documentaries because I feel they are very powerful and informational. Because of the videos we've watched in class, I actually pay attention to what I eat now, and more importantly the serving sizes. I also pay attention to how certain products are worded. Does organic truly mean organic? Seeing that we are about halfway through the semester, I feel the class as a whole is really becoming more aware of our surroundings and our own actions. I also feel we are all becoming much more fluent at blogging. So good job everyone! I look forward to what the next two weeks have in store for us. Hope you all have a good weekend, and make sure to stay warm!

REFLECTION: WEEKS 3 & 4

Week 3

During this week we reviewed 2 articles from our book.  The first article was called, "The Challenges We Face."  This article basically talked about all the shortages we are currently facing with the earth's natural resources.  It not only talked about shortages in space, food, energy, and water, but it also included the problems with our climate and biodiversity. The second article we reviewed was called, "Seeing Green: Knowing and Saving the Environment On Film."  I think it was agreed that this reading was a little more challenging than the first article but after discussing it in class it seemed like everyone got the gist of it.  This article highlighted the fact that even documentaries on the most "natural" environments are manipulated in a way to make it seem like nothing is wrong with our world.  This was an eye opener for me because I never thought about this concept before.  It is crazy to think how much of an influence the media can have on people's perceptions (brainwashing?). 

Week 4

During this week, we watched a documentary called "An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore.  This video, I felt, was very powerful and different from a lot of other documentaries I have watched in the past.  The main focus of this documentary was the ongoing problem of global warming.  Al Gore basically has been traveling around the world to spread the message about all the problems mankind is causing, and the direction we are going if we don't act now.  He supported every word that came out of his mouth with raw facts and scientific data. After finishing this documentary we had a little class discussion about our thoughts, and feelings.

What I Learned

Compared to my first reflection (weeks 1 & 2), I can confidently say that I learned A LOT more over these past 2 weeks.  Like all of you, I feel like blogging is becoming more of an everyday part of my life (like checking my email), rather than a chore.  I also learned quite a bit about the environment. Actually, I should re-word that last statement...What I really meant to say is that I learned our environment really is in dire need of attention.  I already knew about the problem with global warming, and all the shortages we are facing with our natural resources.  I'm sure all of you guys knew about those problems as well, or at least heard about them.  But the 2 articles we reviewed, especially the first one, really impacted the way I think about our world.  "The Challenges We Face" was like a pop-up book that slapped me in the face when I opened it because it offered so many power statistics and facts that are often over-looked by many (especially me). Also, the documentary we watched in class made it evident that our world is not going to tolerate our behavior much longer.  If we don't change our habits, planet earth will eventually shake us off, like a bad case of fleas, and we will be gone just like that! So, I really hope mankind  eventually realizes that it is "screwing itself over" and that we have to act now before it's too late.

REFLECTION: WEEKS 1 & 2

The first week of environmental health class was fairly mellow. We briefly talked about what exactly environmental health is, ways to improve our "environmentally unfriendly" habits, and different ways we affect our surroundings and how it, in turn, affects us. We also did an in-class activity which showed us the importance of conserving resources/space in our environment and also taught us the importance of effective communication. The second week mainly consisted of learning how to use blogger, and google reader. Our whole class created a blog along with a gmail account. We also started to make our blogs look more appealing by adding pictures, gadgets, and advanced features.

To be honest, I haven't learned much about environmental health yet, however, I know we will soon be touching on this more heavily since the course is designed around this topic. One thing I have learned about myself is that I am not as computer savvy as I thought prior to this class. I was confident that I had a pretty good understanding of how to use a computer, but blogger has slapped me in the face and reminded me that there is always room for improvement. I (along with many others I'm sure) have been frustrated at times while learning how to use this blog host, but with time and practice this whole process is becoming much easier.

Overall, I am satisfied with what we've learned thus far. My blog looks better than I expected along with everyone else's. Although some portions of this class may be difficult, it is comforting to know that we can struggle together as a class, and best of all make something good come of it!