Reflection: Weeks 13-14 & Overall Course

It is so hard to believe ,but the semester has finally come to an end.  I am kind of pleased to say this will be my last blog post. I really enjoyed this class and have learned a lot. This is what we did in the last two weeks. Its been real, its been fun!
Week 13
For week 13 we attended an informational and tour session at the Goodwill.  I really enjoyed this.  I was very surprised that they created so many jobs for the community.  I also really liked that they traded efficiency to create these many jobs for disabled citizens. Before our tour I purchased my junking project as well, which you will see later on in the post! We also posted our last eco-chic post.  I really enjoyed this assignment, because I was very successful.  It was a good change for me I eat way more fruits and vegetables now.  In week 13 we did another advocacy project.  It was creating a fact sheet.  I was a little nervous about this assignment, but it went well. 
Week 14
For week 14 we did our junking project.  I did a nice organizational board with a calendar on it.  I plan to use it in my room.  It will help me stay organized.  I first started out by sanding off all the stain on the wood.  This took a while.  I then spray painted it black.  Then I attached hooks on the bottom for jewelry and put on the calendar.  Overall I am very impressed with my junking project. 

 Before

 After

We also did our last advocacy post.  It was a learning activity that went with our proposed bill.  I liked doing this because I learned something new from each one.  

Overall Course

I have really enjoyed this course a lot.  At first I was not to fond of all the blogging, but now I am glad we did it.  I can now say I am a blogger.  I may not be a professional, but I know how to do it.  I think more classes should utilize technology.  I also really liked the documentaries we watch in class. Each one had a special message and they effected everyone differently. My favorite one was tapped.  I now use a reusable water bottle 100% of the time.  The advocacy projects were interesting and sometimes tedious, but definatly worth it.  I now know a little more about politics than before this class.  I am kind of sad to say that the semester is coming to an end.  Each time I left class I felt more "green" , now I will  just have to be more "green" on my own.  I would just like to thank everyone for a good semester and good luck in the future! 

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Tackling Transportation: Sarah

1. Pick three locations that you go to often. (It can be school, work, home, the mall etc.)  The three locations I chose were: Solon Campus Center(work),SpHc (classes), mall. I spend most of my time at school, so it was hard to pick three different locations.
2. How do you typically commute to these locations?  I typically use the  bus or car pool to these school locations and when I go to the mall I drive.
3. Report the most convenient route to your 3 locations and the modes of transportation.   The most convenient way to get to school is by taking the 11 bus.  Which only takes about 13 min.  The most convenient way to get to the mall by bus is by taking the 20 bus which takes about 50min.
4. How does this route differ from your typical commute? The route to school is not much different then my normal route unless I drive.  The route to the bus is way different because I would normally drive.
5. Are these commutes a realistic change you could put in your schedule? why or why not? The one to the school is realistic, but the one to the mall is not.  It would take way to long when usually I am in a hurry.  I do try to car pool.
6. Do you plan to try incorporating this routes into your routine? I just plan to incorporate my school route.

Occupational Hazard Crossword: Samantha

1. Inhalation

2. Decades

3. Lead

4. Wash

5. Blood

6. Symptoms

7. Work 

I learned that lead can stay in your body for decades that is scary!!

Childhood Lead Poisoning: Alyssa

CDC Website

1. Youth and Adult Brine VIP LaCrosse Gloves. On the market for 11mo before recalled

2. Children's Tiara.  On the market for 10mo before recalled

3. Moroccan Tea Glasses. On the market for 4 mo.

EPA Website

1. get paint inspected immediately

2. clean paint chips up immediately

3. clean house weekly

That video was interesting, very catchy.  The one thing that interested me most was the symptoms.  I had no idea  that having an attitude was one of the symptoms. 

Understanding Emissions: Adam

I learned that motor vehicles in Minnesota gives off more than half of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.  I also learned that emissions are greater when a vehicles engine is cold.  The last thing I learned about car emissions is that poor car maintenance equals really bad pollution.

Breathe-Freeville Mystery

1. Suspect: Benzene(C6H6).  This is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell.  This is a carcinogen.
2. Cause (where does pollutant come from):  This pollutant comes from the air mainly from gasoline, motor vehicles, cigarette smoke and wood smoke.
3. Crime (what health effects is it having on citizens/environment): This chemical can harm citizens of leukemia. It also has effects that are harmful on blood and bone marrow.
4. Lock 'Em Up (Alternative resources we could use/do to replace/reduce the pollutant):  I could not find any specific ways to use alternatives of C6H6.  The only thing I thought of was finding an alternative to putting it into gasoline.
5. Case File (what did you learn from this activity):  I have learned that benzene is in many different things, especially in gasoline.  It is colorless and has a sweet scent. I was also unaware that it was in wood smoke.

Resources used: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/61279/benzene
 

The Effects of Smoking: Kristy


I learned a lot about the effects of smoking.  What really caught my eye when readying the fact sheets was the number of pregnant women who some. I think it said over 10% choose to smoke.  That is just so shocking to me.  To me that is murder.  Your killing your unborn child.  After taking the survey/quiz. I feel I learned a little more that I did before hand.  

Advocacy Project:: Water Vocabluary Match

Water Vocabulary Match

• The purpose of this activity is to get you interacted with water.  There are some vocabulary words about water and its infrastructure which is very important when thinking about clean water.
• Background/Reasoning/Evidence: http://www.cetconnect.org/testthewaters/TesttheWatersLesson1.pdf, http://water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm, http://blumenauer.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1539&Itemid=167.
• Water infrastructure is a very important topic.  Without it we would not have clean water.  Infrastructures need updating and with out being updated we would be at risk for being contaminated and losing water from broken pipes.

• Instructions:

1. Click on this link: http://classtools.net/widgets/quiz_3/iXXU4.htm
2.  On the right hand side on the lower corner of the box select PLAY.
3. Then on the top left select Matching Pairs.
4. Then Pair up the vocabulary words with the correct phrase.

Hope you enjoy! This game reminds me of when I was a kid playing the game Memory.

Share&Voice: Office Depot

I work in the admissions office and we got a package the other day from Office Depot.  In this package was one item in a fairly large box which was unnecessary.  When I saw this I thought to myself how it was not environmentally friendly! So I took a few pictures.  This is what the box included:

This is what the box looked like. It felt like there was nothing in it.

There was a lot of air packets in the box as well.

 And.... this was the only thing in the box. One gel pad! What a joke!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Final Weekly Review & Overall Project Reflection

1. My SMART goal was to eat 3(1/2)cup servings of fruit or vegetable 7 days a week. I achieved this by eating a serving in the morning usually an apple and 2 servings for supper, which was usually a steamed vegetable.
2. I can honestly say I had more successes than challenges. Once you get into a routine it is easy.  Strategies I used were creating routine and sticking with it. If there were any challenges it would be cooking.  It is hard to cook every night especially during this time of the semester.
3. I experiences happiness and I feel this when I have accomplished my goal.
4. I didn't really learn much this week. I just stuck with my goal.
5. I do plan to stick with my goal.  I feel way better when I eat right.

Review the entire process:

1. My SMART goal was to eat 3(1/2)cup servings of fruit or vegetable 7 days a week.  I did change my SMART goal from eating organic to eating non-organic because it is so expensive.
2. One thing that helped me was to create a routine. Things that got in my way were rotting fruit and veggies it is so hard to keep them fresh. I addressed this by buying frozen vegetables and fruit I bought things that don't rot as fast like apples.
3. One thing I befitted from was having a more balanced diet.  I learned that my body likes to eat healthy once getting into a routine it felt good. I learned that by changing something so small in my daily diet was good for me.
4. I tried to eat as local as possible, to help the environment out.
5. I will defiantly continue this gaol, because it makes me feel good. 
6. My recommendation for others with lifestyle goals is to stick with it and create some sort of set schedule or routine.
  

 "Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain."

Advocacy Project: Letter and Fact Sheet

December 5, 2010

Al Franken
U.S. Senate
320 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

VOTE YES ON H.R. 3202: WATER PROTECTION AND REINVESTMENT OF 2009

The proposed bill will provide updated water infrastructure for our water system. I find this to be an important issue because it will save us money in the long run and decrease water contamination among other things.

The bill will protect public health, help restore the environment, create jobs and reduce the amount of pollution. Each day the U.S. loses 6 billion gallons of water due to bad infrastructure (6 billion gallons of water is about 9,000 Olympic sized pools). Last year 240,000 water mains were broken. This caused some major chaos in areas. It led to contaminated water and property damage. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) graded our nation’s water infrastructure a “D-“in their 2009 report.

Opponents of this bill may not see the importance of having an updated infrastructure. They may also be upset with the small tax on certain products. Pharmaceutical companies and large corporations will most likely oppose this bill due to the increased tax. This water protection and reinvestment act can save us money and decrease the amount of contamination.

We appreciate your  previous and future concern for the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act. We hope you decide to go further in moving this bill through congress and vote “yes” for H.R. 3202 - The Water Protection and Reinvestment Act. If I can provide you with additional information or assistance please contact me at (555)-555-5555 or email@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Calista

The Water Protection and Reinvestment Act

Fact Sheet

What is it?
The Water Protection and Reinvestment Act is a bill that is designed to help keep and maintain good water infrastructure.

The need
America’s water infrastructure is dissolving away. Last year 240,000 water mains were broken in America. This caused a lot of problems especially with contamination and property damage. Due to our poor water infrastructure America loosing 6 billion gallons of water a day because of leaky pipes. This would fill over 9,000 Olympic sized pools.

Funding
The funds for this act will come from a variety of areas. There will be a small tax on products that will raise some money we need for the fixing of the infrastructure.

Products include:
• 4 cents on containers that are in water based beverages
• 3% excise tax for products dissolved in water (toothpaste, toilet paper etc.)
• 0.5% excise tax for Pharmaceutical companies
• 0.15% tax on corporate profits over $4 million

There will also be some funding through grants and loans.

What the bill will do for the citizens
• Protect Public Health
• Help restore the environment
• Create jobs
• Reduce pollution

Supporters
• National Association of Clean Water Agencies
• American Rivers
• Clean Water Action
• Associated General Contractors
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• Water & Sewer Distributors of America
• Rural Community Assistance Partnership
• Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment
• American Public Works Association
• National Utility Contractors Association

Share & Voice: Composting 101

I decided since I did my photo essay on composting you would want to know a little more about it.  I found this really great article that explains what it is and why it is so good. Check it out and maybe you will want to start a compost.  Composting 101