SHARE & VOICE: Want $20,000?

Hey Guys!

So, I mentioned before that National Geographic was one of my favorite websites. Well, I just happened to be browsing through the site only to find out that National Geographic is currently working with SunChips to sponsor The Green Effect.

Starting April 22, you can voice your idea on how to make your community a "greener" place by submitting a paper no longer than 250 words! And the best part is five lucky people will win $20,000 for their ideas!!! So put your thinking caps on, come up with great solutions and you could find yourself paying absolutely nothing for college next year!

Click here to (possibly) win $20,000!!!

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?

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Hey Everyone!

So, I'll admit, at first I was going to do this photo essay on littering and take pictures of all the crap people leave on the ground. Well unfortunately every time I planned on taking photos outside, it snowed! So I went with plan B and took photos of everyday items we can reuse in our household. Here is a list of 7 items that you can easily reuse

in other creative ways! Enjoy.

Item 1: Yogurt Containers

...Yogurt containers and other food containers are perfect for holding other items, such as....

...Your pens, pencils and highlighters!...

Item 2: Toilet Paper Rolls

...When you're done using a roll of toilet paper, why not use the cardboard roll to wrap other things?...

...Like your Christmas lights, and other electrical cords!...

Item 3: Brown Paper Bags

...No recycling bin? No problem...

...Brown paper bags work perfectly as recycling bins, and the best part is you can recycle the bin itself!...

Item 4: CD's

...Take your old CD's you don't listen to anymore and turn them into...

...Candle Plates! Set the mood without a CD player and double the ambiance as well...

Item 5: Cereal Boxes

...After finishing a box of your favorite cereal, why not make it into a...

...Magazine holder! Keep your favorite magazines organized and neat...

...It's perfect for any occasion...

Item 6: Plastic Bags

...Why not take all the plastic bags you use from your favorite stores and turn them into...

...Garbage liners/bags?...

Item 7: Empty Alcohol Containers

...Don't throw these beautiful items away. Use it to spice up...

...Your house! Empty alcohol cans and bottles are a perfect way to decorate the interior of any college house...

Well that's about it. Hope these pictures have opened your eyes to new and creative ways to reuse things in your homes! Have a good rest of the week, and stay warm!

SHARE & VOICE: Littering?!

Hey Guys!

So, I was in Milwaukee last weekend visiting some friends only to find out that it isn't the prettiest city to be in. Actually, it was downright disgusting. Every inch of sidewalk I was on, and every corner I turned, there was litter EVERYWHERE! The saddest part of my trip was seeing a playground, that looked relatively new and welcoming. The only problem was that the sand on the ground looked as though it was replaced with cigarette butts, a variety of different kinds of paper, aluminum cans, and glass bottles. That sounds fun to play in right?

Well after my experience in Milwaukee, I wanted to find out more about the issue of littering and came across a great website that contains a ton of good information. Also, according to this website, fast food waste contributes to a third of all the litter in our country. What do you think fast food chains can do to reduce their contribution to this littering problem? Any ideas?

ShARE & VOICE: "Blog On!" Blog Award

Hey Everyone!

Well I received this wonderful "Blog On" Award from Hannah for one of my Share and Voice posts about innovative ideas. Thank you very much Hannah! Now that I have had this award for a while, I would like to proudly pass it on to Shar, and Steve!

I gave this award to Shar because of her Share and Voice about kegs, and how they are less damaging to the environment. I thought it was creative, and perfect for college students to know about, so good job Shar! I also gave this to Steve for his Share and Voice about Captain Planet. This used to be one of my favorite shows, and I thought it was awesome that he brought it back and applied it to this class, so way to go Steve!

Award Instructions

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
2. Create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
3. Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
4. Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post.
5. Publish the post.
6. Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
7. Continue the process...

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

President

Barack Obama - Democratic

Contact Information:

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20500

Congresspersons

State Representative

Thomas Huntley - DFL

Contact Information:

585 State Office Building

100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Phone # (651) 296-2228

State Senator

Yvonne Prettner - DFL

Contact Information:

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Capitol Building, Room G-9

St. Paul, MN 55155-1606

Phone # (651) 296-4188

U.S. Representative

James L. Oberstar - DFL

Contact Information:

231 Federal Building

Duluth, MN 55802

Phone # (218) 727-7474

U.S. Senator

Amy Klobuchar - Democratic

Contact Information:

302 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone #'s

Main Line: (202) 224-3244

Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

Governor, State Legislators

Governor

Tim Pawlenty - Republican

Contact Information:

130 State Capitol

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone # (651) 296-3391

E-mail: tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us

County Board

Commissioner

Steve O'Neil

Contact Information:

Room 208

100 N. 5th Ave. W

Duluth, MN 55802

Phone # (218) 726-2359

City Mayor

Don Ness - DFL

Contact Information:

Room 402

411 West First Street

Duluth, MN 55802

Phone # (218) 730-5230

E-mail: dness@duluthmn.gov

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!

SHARE & VOICE: Do You Have Any Good Ideas?

Hey Guys!

So remember how we've been talking in class about how the auto industry really hasn't adopted its un-ecofriendly ways yet, and that's why they are struggling? Well I was researching the Toyota automobile industry to see what they are doing to be successful, and found a really cool website they have! Toyota has a place online where anyone in the world can give them ideas (or "innovations" as they like to call it) to better our world! The site is called "Toyota, Why Not" and is broken down into 6 categories: Safety, Land, Water, Air, Energy, and Community. The way they designed this website is also incredibly visually appealing! The fact that Toyota is allowing people to voice their ideas and opinions to improve problems in these 6 categories may be one of the reasons why they are one of the most successful auto industries today. Come see for yourself, and maybe even voice your own "innovative" ideas!

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

The Product

For this eye opener, I decided to do chapstick because this is a product I use everyday! I don't think I could survive if I didn't have chapstick with me at all times, especially during the winters in Duluth. After finding the type of chapstick I use, the results weren't what I expected.

Results

-The chapstick I use scored a 5 out of 10 on the hazardous scale.

-The UVA was an 8 out of 10 on the exposure score, which is really bad!

-The ingredients in this chapstick are linked to: Cancer, Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity, Violations, Restrictions and Warnings, Allergies, Immunotoxicity, and other minor concerns.

-The active ingredient, Oxybenzone, scored an 8 out of 10 on the hazardous scale.

What I Learned

It's really scary to think that the everyday products we use can and may potentially harm us. Even "organic" or "natural" products may contain ingredients that are linked to certain diseases and illness. Luckily, the harmful ingredients in chapstick are only effective in high doses. Since I don't lick my lips excessively or literally eat sticks of chapstick, I think i'll be okay. However, I did find it a little disturbing that some of the ingredients were linked to such diseases. This activity was not only interesting, but very helpful because the information we learn is directly related to our lives. I will consider looking into different brands of chapstick, but I have become attached to the brand I use now...although I hear "Blistex" is a great brand =D

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!