Autumn's Atmosphere

Reflection: Week 15 & 16

2009-05-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

I can't believe this is going to be my last reflection for this class. I can definitely say that I really enjoyed this class, and learned so much. I never was really into the environment, so before this class started I thought it would be about saving animals and hugging trees or something.. but I was definitely wrong. This class taught me to notice the little things that we can do to help our earth, and I think I'm going to even make a new hobby of gardening and junking :)

THE PAST TWO WEEKS..

Sue Whitney came to our class to talk to us about junking. I thought she was so cute! I hope I look like that when I'm 50, haha. I absolutely love her book she gave us. What she does is so unique and creative, and I definitely want to try to do some junking on my own this summer.

On our last day of class (saaaad) we got to sit outside in the beautiful weather and all talk about what we have learned from this class. I definitely think we can all say that we have learned so much from this class. I seriously don't think I have ever been in a class that has interested me so much as this one.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF...

I've learned to appreciate and care about our earth a lot more. I'm constantly un-plugging appliances, recycling, trying to use less water, etc. I now hate and feel terrible using plastic too. I went to Super One and forgot my green bag, and I was seriously disappointed in myself. I also have started buying mostly organic foods. Before I would never want to spend the extra money, but I definitely think it's worth it for my health. As I said in class, growing up, my dad would always put food in the "compost pile" and I just thought he was weird for having a pile of nasty food in our background... but now I'm proud of my dad and appreciate that he does this. I've also learned that I'm more of a grandma than I thought, and want to start planting vegetables/gardening :) Lastly, I love anything to do with art, and junking is definitely a unique art.. so I really want to try to make some cool things out of junk for my new apartment.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT..

I learned that we really need to take care of our earth. There's so many little things we can all do to help out, so why not just do it? When my roomies put recyclable things in the garbage, it just annoys me and makes me think how instead of those things being recycled, they are going to end up in the land fields. Sometimes I've even picked out the stuff in the garbage, but when it's covered in other stuff I just have to say sorry to our earth because I'm not digging through the disgusting garbage...

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT BLOGGING..

Well, at the beginning I was like "uhh.. how am I going to blog all the time when it's so confusing?!" but it's really not! It's quite fun actually. I really think blogging is a great learning tool, and definitely a great way to be environmentally friendly! It's going to feel so weird when I no longer have to check my blog, or post a reflection..

I'm trying to hold back my tears right now.. (just kidding) but seriously, I've really enjoyed this class a lot. I also have enjoyed reading all my group members posts. This class has definitely brought us all closer, so all I have to say is that I will miss you all and we better have a million community health parties this summer! (Katie we need to have more KARE4KIDS $5 margarita nights too)

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL SUMMER! Come ride on the Vista Fleet boats if you're ever bored! (that's where I'll be slaving away all summer)

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

2009-05-09T17:50:00.000-05:00

So after playing all the learning activities of my wonderful group members, these are the results..

Abbey E's Environmental Endeavors - FOOT-O-METER

I played the Bobby's Foot-O-Meter game, which is used in schools to help students understand the concept of their Eco- footprint. For the game, I had to help Bobbie choose what to do that day (such as what to eat, transportation, etc) and then watch my eco-footprint get bigger or smaller. My footprint was 6.3 acres

Ben's Virtual Ecosystem

I had $100,000 to build a house and determine how efficient it was. I built a house by the climate I wanted, construction, energy sources, and efficiency materials. Then I got to see how much money I spent and also how efficient my home was on an efficiency scale. I definitely thought this was a cool activity to see how efficient a house could be!

Katie Kares 4 Environment-Do You? - LITTLE D THE DRAGON EXERCISE

The goal of this game was to feed the monster a good from each food group. When every food group was covered, I advanced to the next level. There was also bonus questions that I got asked, which was fun and informative! This was definitely a great way to learn all the different food groups!

Ingrid's Al Fresco - WATER CALCULATOR

For this activity, I had to answer the questions it asked about my water consumption. Ex: How many showers do you take each day? I found out that on average I consume 107 gallons of water per day, when the state average per person is 71. Looks like I need to watch my water consumption! :/

A Leaf of Sara's Life - TOBACCO FACTS PUKE PAGE

I clicked on each picture to read about how smoking and secondhand smoke can affect my body. This was definitely very eye-opening for me! I already hate smoking but this definitely made me even more grossed out.

Good job finding fun and informative learning activities guys! I just love our group :)

Share and Voice: Eco-Friendly Books

2009-05-08T20:53:00.002-05:00

Well, well, well.. since summer is pretty much in a week, I thought I would look up some eco-friendly books to read when I'm not working my life away this summer.. I found some good books from Amazon Check it out :)

Also, I ordered the book Gorgeously Green in the beginning of this semester, and have yet to read it.. but since methods is no longer my life, I now will actually have time to read it :) I did read about 10 pages of it though, and so far so good.. so that's another book idea for you!

Share and Voice: Reusable Bags

2009-05-05T13:10:00.003-05:00

Good thing Dan from Super One gave our class those reusable green bags... I found this interesting website talking benefits of using reusable bags

DID YOU KNOW?

Using reusable bags provides many benefits to the individual and the environment. As more and more plastic bags are consumed on a daily basis, more and more plastic must be produced because, at most, only 3% of plastic bags are recycled. The production of plastic, in and of itself, emits toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Plastic bags also use oil in their production. Obviously, the more plastic bags we produce (to support our growing use of them), the more we pollute the atmosphere and the more oil we consume. Plastic also takes over 1,000 years to decompose and release toxic chemicals into the soil during decomposition. They also pollute the oceans and countryside, killing thousands of animals every year.

Dan's a good man :) haha

Advocacy Project: Environmental Learning Activity

2009-05-04T16:26:00.007-05:00

DINING DECISIONS

Purpose: This activity could be used in schools to help children to be able to pick out a variety of foods filled with the daily nutrients you need.

Background/Reasoning/Evidence: This activity really stood out to me because although we may think we are eating healthy foods, most people are still missing many needed nutrients. Check out these sites so you can be a pro at the game before you start it! :)

Nutrition Education

A Balanced Diet

Five Important Nutrients We Should All Include in Our Diets

Instructions: Click on "Play the Game" and pick five foods off of the conveyor belt and place them on your tray. After you picked your food, click on "Eat Now" to get your "tray feedback" of all the nutrients you chose or didn't choose.

This image of the food pyramid can help you learn the different food groups that you should chose from. Remember to pick out foods from all the different groups, but go easy on the fats :)

Reflection: Weeks 13 & 14

2009-04-30T20:20:00.010-05:00

These past two weeks were probably the most entertaining for me this semester. It's kind of sad that the semester is almost to an end... (note: kind of)

During week 13, we watched "the story of stuff" and went to the bagley nature area to do some navigation skills. This probably wasn't one of my favorite activities since I was really ready to go to on a nature walk, but I had fun with Sara J, Katie and Heather :) During week 14, we listed to Brian talk about his job and how it's related to the environment. We also did a repurpose/refurbish activity, which was super funny! Good times in Group 3 :) I loved hearing all the different ideas the groups came up with.

What have I learned about myself:

I learned that junking actually interests me. It's really a creative way to help out the environment. I'm really glad Dr. V. had us do that activity. Maybe I should stop spending all my money at Target, and start going to Goodwill to create something out of someone's junk!

What have I leaned about the environment:

I learned that there's so many ways to help out our environment. Even just making a a personal hobby that you enjoy (junking) can really help out our earth. I also learned to not get your summer dresses out when it's 70 degrees one day, because the next day the weather can change to 30 degrees.. good ol' Duluth..

What have I learned about blogging:

I wouldn't neccessarily say I have learned anything, but I think I've really grown into a regular blogger user. I remember at first I was like "uhh, how do I do this? what is this?!" and now blogging is practically the new facebook! haha. It will definitely feel weird when I no longer have to write these reflections, or comment on my web groups share & voices.

ONE MORE REFLECTION TO GO! have a good weekend everyone :)

Share and Voice: Littering

2009-04-28T17:14:00.002-05:00

I think it's sad when our grounds are filled with liter, and I know it's very harmful for our environment.. but HOW harmful is it exactly? I found this article that talks about how liter trashes our environment and the affects of it. Some interesting facts I learned in this article are...

Cigarettes are a major cause of liter. First of all, it's terrible for ones health, and then our environment has to deal with the consequences as well?!

California alone spends $28 million a year cleaning up and removing litter along its roadways. What a waste of money! If everyone learned not to liter, they wouldn't need to spend millions and millions of dollars to pick up people's trash.

There's a litter prevention group is Auntie Litter, which started in 1990 in Alabama to help educate students there about the importance of a healthy and clean environment. Today the group works internationally to help students, teachers and parents eliminate litter in their communities.

Throwing away our trash is an easy task, but yet so many people still do it.. poor earth :(

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

2009-04-27T19:38:00.006-05:00

April 27, 2009

Senator Amy Klobuchar

302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Klobuchar,

Obesity and chronic disease are huge problems in our society today. Many citizens do not have the proper education and resources to live a healthy lifestyle. Although education and proper food choices are costly, it would be beneficial for everyone in the future.

I believe that passing the H.RES.274 bill which supports designation of March as National Nutrition Month, could change the health status in our country. Providing the right education and making healthy food choices more accessible to our communities, could really make a difference. Not only could the obesity and chronic disease rates decrease, our society would become healthier overall. Setting a good example of how to life a healthy lifestyle is crucial for our children. If they grow up to learn how to eat right and stay active, their health will benefit from it as they grow older. A healthy lifestyle is obtainable, and I believe passing this bill will make it accessible for everyone.

Providing healthier food choices at schools and restaurants, promoting wellness, and making healthier foods more accessible are some things that we would easily change. Although restaurant owners, food vendors, schools and some shoppers could be affected by this bill negatively, there are many people that would be in favor of this bill. Farmers, doctors, registered dietitians, and parents would definitely support this issue. Business for farmers would increase, since more people would be buying locally grown produce. Doctors and dietitians would see less people with health and diet problems; which would mean less people seeking treatment for these problems. Parents would support this issue since their children would be provided with healthier food choices; creating a less stressful and more fulfilling lifestyle for them in the future.

I know that you are a supporter of protecting our environment, and passing this bill would definitely benefit our environment. According to www.dothegreenthing.com, eating meats uses a lot of fossil fuels and creates a lot of CO2. Even more than the car industry! Creating diets filled with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables could really help out our environment.

I hope that you support this issue and vote “yes” for the H.RES.274 bill: designation of March as National Nutrition Month. The health status of our country could greatly benefit from this.

Should you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 123-456-789. I am more than willing to help promote the importance of this cause, so if there is anything I could do, please let me know.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.

Autumn
123 Environment St.
Gogreen, FL 54321

Share and Voice: The Oprah Winfrey Show

2009-04-22T19:23:00.010-05:00

On today's show, Oprah talked about how to go green at home and save money. Some of these tips are very easy ways to save money... here is a couple of my favorite ones...

-Use LED Light Bulbs
Lighting accounts for 11 percent of your energy bill, and there are now more money-saving bulbs on the market than ever

-Use drapes for windows
It's hip—and economical—to have shades! You don't need to warm up your house on a sunny day if you're not at home, right?

-Get a At-Home Water Filtration
By getting one of these, you'll save about $300 a year on bottled water.

-Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
These last 10 times longer than a regular bulb—and you can save as much as $5.40 per bulb per year.

-Get a Water Aerator
This will reduce the amount of water that comes out of your faucet. You can save 1 to 5 gallons of water by putting something like this into your water faucet.

-Reusable Cloth Dishtowels
If you're constantly reaching for a paper towel, it's time to replace those rolls with cloth or microfiber towels.

-Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies
You should consider replacing toxic cleaning solutions with an all-natural, homemade alternative.

Go to oprah.com for the complete list and other money saving tips!

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

2009-04-20T20:12:00.007-05:00

I chose the issue to promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight. This is the bill H.RES.274 :Expressing support for designation of March as National Nutrition Month.

Who is affected by the issue?
I think fast food restaurants would be affected the most by this issue. Many food vendors and restaurants (especially fast food) would lose business because people would not be going out to eat as often, Schools would become affected because the food provided in the cafeteria would get changed from fattening choices to more healthier ones. Anyone who would start to eat healthier would lose money since healthier foods are more expensive. Food markets and grocery stores would gain business since more people would be cooking their own healthy meals instead of going out to eat. Anyone who starts eating a healthier diet would also gain from this issue because their health would improve.

What are the consequences of the issue?
This issue would cost citizens money because healthier foods are more expensive. Any restaurant workers might not get as many hours since business might slow down. Restaurant owners could lose money as well. Since more money would be spent on groceries than usual, stress and conflicts within families could occur. The economy would have less money since restaurants would be affected, and citizens wouldn’t have as much money.

What is the economic impact of the issue?
An economic cost of this issue is that healthier foods (such as buying fresh produce or organic foods) costs more, so shoppers would have to pay more money when they go grocery shopping. An economic benefit would be that local food markets would increase in business, making an increase in production for farmers.

What is the social impact of the issue?
Some social costs would be that if less people started going out to eat and made their own meals at home, there would be less people getting together for family get togethers, something to do, etc. A social benefit would be that family time at home could increase if more people are making food at home and sitting down as a family to eat.

What are the barriers?
Some barriers of this issue are that it’s difficult to make people actually want to spend the extra money on healthier foods, educating the public of the importance of healthier eating and the affects of chronic diseases. Another barrier would be changing menus at restaurants and schools. We could overcome these barriers by making billboards and radio/TV public service announcements to educate the public on the importance of a healthier diet, making healthier foods sale items, and eliminating fattening foods on the menus and replacing them with healthier choices.

What are the resources?
Some resources we would need to educate the public about this issue would be radio and TV time, money to create billboards, health educators, registered dietitians, and doctors. Money could be taken from taxes to be used for educating public on the importance of healthy eating. Health educators could educate schools, churches, organizations, etc. Registered dietitians could meet with people in the community to improve their diets to make them healthier. Doctors could educate their patients who are at risk for chronic diseases and create a plan to improve their health.

What is the history of this issue?
The first nutrition campaign was launched with a presidential proclamation in 1973 as National Nutrition Week. National Nutrition Week became National Nutrition Month in 1980, which encourages local communities to raise awareness surrounding nutritional health, encourages awareness about diseases and death caused by lack of nutrition, and recognizes and salutes health care professionals such as registered dietitians that spread the knowledge and importance of nutrition each day. This resolution is in the first step in the legislative process. It was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on March 23rd 2009.

Allies & Opponents
Farmers, doctors, registered dietitians, and parents would support this issue. Food vendors, restaurants, and shoppers would oppose this issue.

My Recommendation: I would want policy-makers to vote YES for support for designation of March as National Nutrition Month.

Share and Voice: Dear Abby

2009-04-17T19:13:00.004-05:00

So I'm a nerd and get "Dear Abby" sent to my e-mail every morning.. (I pretty much can't start my day without it) Anyway, this was in the column today and I thought it was so cute that an 8 year old was so concerned with the environment already! It makes me think that if we teach kids the importance of being eco-friendly and how to go green, our environment could be in better shape for the future. Abby also gave some good info at the bottom (gotta love Abby!) Enjoy!

GIRL'S DOUGHNUT TASTES LESS SWEET SERVED IN A PAPER BAG

DEAR ABBY: I am 8 years old, and I love science. I am writing you because when I go to the doughnut shop, they always give me paper bags when I order my doughnut to eat there. I also notice other people getting bags they don't need because they are eating their doughnuts there, too.

How many trees have to die for no reason?

I care about recycling and how long it takes for things to break down in the earth. What can I do so the doughnut shop will stop wasting bags? -- MANDI IN SCARSDALE, N.Y.

DEAR MANDI: I respect the fact that you are conscientious about how your actions -- and the actions of the people around you -- affect the environment. You are a sharp young lady.

What you should do is speak to the manager of the doughnut shop. Tell him or her that these days a strong selling point in many businesses is that they are "going green." In the case of the doughnut shop, it would cost them less and even gain them more customers if they would stop handing out bags to customers who are eating their doughnuts on the premises and tell them why. (A piece of waxed paper would suffice and create less waste.)

Readers, if you are interested in how long it takes the items we toss into our landfills to decompose, I found the following illuminating. Read on:

Paper ................... 2 to 5 months

Orange peels ............ 6 months

Milk cartons ............ 5 years

Filter-tip cigarettes ... 10 to 12 years

Plastic bags ............ 10 to 20 years

Leather shoes ........... 24 to 40 years

Plastic containers ...... 50 to 80 years

Disposable diapers ...... 75 years

Tin cans ................ 100 years

Aluminum cans ........... 200 to 500 years

Styrofoam ............... Never

Reflection: Week 11 & 12

2009-04-16T20:55:00.003-05:00

It's crazy that weeks 11 and 12 are over already! Aaaw I can feel the sand on the beach already :) haha

So over these past two weeks, we watched the documentary "Unnatural Causes." This was by far my favorite documentary we have watched this semester. I'm happy I got to do a review on it, because I found it super interesting. It really opened my eyes to how much power money really does have, and the disadvantages of it. We also looked at Healthy People 2010 and each picked a different issue that we were interested in. The goal that I chose was to promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight. Although it might not seem obvious that it's related to the environment, I think a person's diet is definitely correlated with their environment and what they are exposed to. We also read reading 20, and Shar did a good job leading the discussion about it in class :)

What I have learned about myself...
I am definitely a huge believer in that money isn't everything and you can't buy happiness, but after watching "Unnatural Causes," it disappointed me to see how much power money really does have. Too bad money doesn't grow on trees, I would definitely be out planting lots of those trees!

What I have learned about the environment...
From reading chapter 20, I learned that the ozone is closing.. which was definitely something I never knew before. I also thought it was interesting that during our discussion we talked about how the 21st century will probably be considered the "go green" time since we keep learning and finding new ways to go green (like blogging instead of wasting paper for assignments, woohoo!)

What I learned about blogging..
To tell you the truth, I don't think I really learned anything new about blogging besides that sometimes a post looks a lot different in the "preview" option than when you actually post it.. it's kind of weird. Maybe it's just me.. I dunno?

Have a good weekend everyone!

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

2009-04-13T20:44:00.013-05:00

Goal: Promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight.

Progress: No objectives in this focus area met or exceeded their targets. Food security was the only objective that moved toward its target for which the change was statistically significant. Growth retardation among children under age 5 years in low-income families showed no movement toward or away from its target. This objective remained static at 6 percent through 2003, with the target at 4 percent. Optimal nutrition is important to reducing the growth retardation among low-income children. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years increased from 11 percent to 16 percent, moving away from the target of 5 percent

Disparities: Race and ethnicity, gender, income, and disability

Opportunities and Challenges: Collective national action and community involvement are essential to promote healthful diets among all Americans and to reverse the trend in increased overweight and obesity. The Dietary Guidelines provides a focus for many of these efforts by identifying eating and physical activity patterns that can help Americans manage weight and reduce risk of chronic disease. Two examples of balanced eating plans consistent with the Dietary Guidelines are the revised Food Guidance System "MyPyramid" and DASH (the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan. The food label is another tool that can help consumers construct healthful diets

Emerging Issues: With increased obesity and its associated comorbidities, newly developed pharmaceuticals and increased use of bariatric surgery are likely to be considered as treatment options. Appropriate monitoring, such as efficacious data collection, medical care, and quality assurance, is needed to evaluate the benefits and risk of these and other therapies. Nevertheless, prevention rather than treatment may hold the highest potential in reversing the trend in increased obesity in the United States

19-3. Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.

Objective	Reduction in Overweight or Obese Children and Adolescents*	1988–94 Baseline Percent	2010 Target Percent
19-3a.	Children aged 6 to 11 years	11	5
19-3b.	Adolescents aged 12 to 19 years	11	5
19-3c.	Children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years	11	5

Title: H.RES.274 :Expressing support for designation of March as National Nutrition Month.

Sponsor: Rep Kathy Castor

Latest Major Action: 3/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Recommendation: Vote YES for H.RED 274 March as National Nutrition Month

My Political Representatives: U.S. Senator: Amy Klobuchar

Review of Documentary: Unnatural Causes

2009-04-10T08:50:00.013-05:00

The documentary Unnatural Causes-Is Inequality Making Us Sick? was by far one of the most interesting documentary's we have watched this semester. It really pointed out how much power money does have, and the affects of that.

SUMMARY
Our social and economic environment definitely affects our health. America should have the best health since we have so much money, but instead we are faced with a higher percentage of babies dying in their first year, 47 million Americans not having health insurance, and we are ranked 30th for life expectancy. Not right is it?

Is it our diet? Our individual behaviors? Or just the way our society is organized that affects our health? All those are factors that contribute to health, but our economic status definitely correlates with our health. If a person with low income smokes they would be at greater rick of getting lung cancer than a wealthy person. Low income Americans are twice as more at risk for diabetes, strokes, heart disease and possible excess death. Also, a person is expected to live 2.5 years longer if they are a college graduate rather than just a high school graduate.. but of course, you need money to go to college.

Another factor that affects our health is our chronic stress levels. When we are stressed, a normal stress response turns on when needed and then off when the stressful situation is over. If you come from a lower economic class, the stress response stays on, and affects health. If a person is continuously stressed, they aren't going to eat right, get enough sleep, or be able to relax... all these factors can contribute to poor health.

RANDOM FACTS
- Other nations are not like the U.S. in fact, France's minimum wage is twice as much as ours.
- African-Americans' are more at risk across all social statuses.
- Health largely depends on our assets we have.
- In a cold research study, they discovered that the more education and income you have, the less cortisol you released during the day, and less chronic stress meant getting less colds.
- Counties where wealth is distributed are happier.

MY THOUGHTS
It's unfortunate, but health largely depends on our assets that we have. The more money you have, the healthier you will probably be. I'm a big believer that money isn't everything, and it doesn't buy happiness but in a way it's true. The more money you have, the more resources you have access too. I enjoyed our discussion in class after this movie. I'm sure there are many countries looking down on at us and thinking since we have so much money, why aren't we doing something about this problem? The truth is we are a country that is still learning. Obviously we aren't going to know how to do everything at first. Do babies come out to the world ready to take their ACT's? Of course not! They learn everything as they grow up.

NEW CONCEPTS
Excess Death Rate= When the death rate is higher than it is supposed to be/expected to be
Cortisol= A steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex, that regulates carbohydrate metabolism and maintains blood pressure. Puts body at alert, helps gain energy and motivates us.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
The Shameful Link between Health and Wealth

Reflection: Week 9 & 10

2009-04-02T18:31:00.007-05:00

REVIEW:
Another two weeks have gone by, yay! Well during these past two weeks, I didn't learn a ton, but we got introduced to our photo essays-which was a really fun project! During week 9, Dr. V. talked about the ethics in photography (autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice) She also talked about getting consent when we take pictures. I definitely wouldn't like it if someone went and posted pictures of me online without my permission! She also talked about times when we didn't need consent such as when you can't identify a person in the picture, when it's a public figure or when you are taking pictures of big crowds.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF:
I actually really enjoyed doing the photo essay. Although I did feel like a creeper following a vehicle into a parking lot to take a picture of their bumper sticker, or taking pictures of people walking when they weren't looking.. (haha) overall I had a good time! I've heard this from Dr. Tornabene before, but I really realized that the camera doesn't have all the power, the person BEHIND it does. A camera really isn't anything until the person holding it takes action.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT:
I learned that our community does many things that are environmentally-friendly. I would just walk around and see random things, and think, "oh I could use that for my photo essay!" I really had a lot of things I could have taken pictures of, so props to the Duluth community going green :)

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT BLOGGING:
I learned that putting pictures on here is kind of frustrating.. I was getting a little annoyed when I was trying to post my pictures because they wouldn't go where I wanted them/delete randomly..? I finally figured it out though!

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful week off, and is ready to get back to it all next week! P.S. I added that picture so you all think spring instead of about all the stupid snow we just got..

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

2009-04-01T21:14:00.038-05:00

Taking this class has really opened my eyes to the environment around me and ways that we can help out to make our community more environmentally friendly. Below are pictures that I took of different ways the people in Duluth are going green. Enjoy!

PROMOTING "GOING GREEN"...

BRINGING WATER BOTTLES/COFFEE MUGS TO SCHOOL INSTEAD OF BUYING THEM...

UNPLUGGING APPLIANCES WHEN NOT IN USE...

RECYCLING...

EATING ORGANIC FOODS...

TAKING THE BUS/WALKING TO SCHOOL...

USING FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS...

REUSING MAGAZINES & BOOKS...

Share and Voice: Fargo Flood Video

2009-03-29T20:54:00.003-05:00

So my freshmen year of college, I went to school at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Even though I don't live in that area anymore, hearing my friends give me details about it and how they are getting evacuated from their homes has actually affected me personally. Although I'm glad I don't go there anymore, I just think about what it would be like if I still did..

I found this cool video on YouTube about the flood and how the Fargo-Moorhead residents are getting together to help out during this natural disaster. Check it out!

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

2009-03-24T20:34:00.028-05:00

President: Barack Obama
Political Affliation: Democrat
The White House 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

U.S. Representative: James L. Oberstar
Political Affiliation: DFL
Duluth Federal Building
Room 231
Duluth, Minnesota 55802
Phone: 218-727-7474

State Representative: Thomas Huntley
Political Affiliation: DFL
585 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-2228

U.S. Senator: Amy Klobuchar
Political Affiliation: Democrat
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-244-3222

State Senator: Yvonne Prettner Solon
Political Affiliation: DFL
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room G-9
Phone: 651-296-4188

Governor: Tim Pawlenty
Political Affiliation: Republican
Office of the Governor
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: Peg Sweeney
5th District
Room 208
100 N. 5th Avenue West
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: 218-726-2450

City Major: Don Ness
Political Affiliation: DFL
Mayor's Office
Room 402, 411 West First Street
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 730-5230
Fax: (218) 730-5904
E-mail: dness@duluthmn.gov

Reflection: Weeks 7 & 8

2009-03-11T19:36:00.007-05:00

Well, well, well.. what do ya know.. another two weeks flew by!

Review:
During weeks 7 & 8 we watched the films "Green" and "Thirst" Both films were of course very informative and opened my eyes to issues I have never heard of before. In the documentary "Green" I learned how life-altering issues can really happen to someone when other people only care about the "green." It's terrible that instead of caring about one's health, green pieces of paper matter more. In the documentary "Thirst," I really came aware of the issue of how much we take our water usage for granted when there are other countries that are dealing with issues of water privatizing. I could never imagine not having enough water, because we always have had enough... Another activity we did in these past two weeks was the Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group. I really enjoyed this activity because it was a great way to really look beyond a product and see what it REALLY contains. There's so many products we use in our daily lives that are so bad for us and we have no idea! Another activity we did in weeks 7 & 8 was read chapter 16: Ill Winds: The Chemical Plant Next door and chapter 31: Privatizing Water. Both readings were very informative and I enjoyed our class discussions following each reading.

What I have learned about myself:
I have learned that I am a lot more aware of being environmentally friendly than I was in the past. For example, I keep telling my roomies to unplug the unused electronics when they aren't in use. It bugs me to see the toaster plugged in when there's no reason for it to be wasting energy!

What I have learned about the environment:
I've learned that we really need to start opening our eyes to the way we use our environment. It would be horrible if one day we had to deal with issues of privatizing water. Making little steps to conserving our resources could really make a huge impact in the future.

What I have learned about blogging:
I've learned that blogging is a great way to educate! I learn a lot from reading everyone's share and voices. Blogging is a lot more entertaining way to learn than sitting in class listening to a lecture. I think more teachers should use this as their educational tool!

Everyone that is going someone for spring break (sadly, not me :/ ) be safe, have fun, and get tan for me!! :)

Share and Voice: "Blog-on" Blog Award!

2009-03-09T19:10:00.004-05:00

Well it's time to pass on another Blog Award.. I received one for my Share and Voice: Gorgeously Green from Samantha (thank you Sam!) After looking through many wonderful Share and Voices, I found one extremely funny and fitting for college students...

Jeff's Share and Voice: How to stay green after a hard night contains many great tips for college students and it really made me laugh. Therefore, I would like to pass on my award to you Jeff because not only were you showing your the inner health educator, you were also being environmentally friendly! So everyone give Jeff a round of applause! Great job Jeff!

~Award Instructions~

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award
2. Creat a Share and Voice post that says you've recieved 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.....

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

2009-03-02T18:54:00.006-06:00

I tried to think of one item that I use A LOT and would have a huge effect on me if I stopped using it or continued to use it. The first item that came to mind was chapstick, because there is not a day that goes by where I don't have chapstick in my pocket. I'm absolutely addicted so I knew that that was definitely the item that I would use for this activity.

I used to use just any kind of chapstick, but then I switched over to Burt's Bees because I thought it would be a lot better for me (not have toxins, etc) but I was definitely wrong! My results were the following:

Ingredients in this product are linked to:

	Cancer
	Developmental/reproductive toxicity
	Violations, restrictions & warnings
	Allergies/immunotoxicity
	Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns

What I Have Learned:

I thought I was being wise using Burt's Bees, but unfortunately I have discovered that I was wrong. I know that it only scored a 2 out of 10 on the rating scale, but I thought it was GREAT for me. I had no idea my chapstick that I probably use every 15 minutes was linked to cancer, violations, allergies, and other concerns. I guess just because it's natural doesn't mean it is 100% safe. This was definitely an eye opening activity for me, and I guess I can't feel so secure that my chapstick is completely safe.

Share and Voice: Difference between Organic and Natural Food

2009-02-26T18:11:00.004-06:00

I've always wondered what the difference between organic and natural food is.. well I Googled it, and here is the answer...

Organic food refers to food items that are produced, manufactured and handled using organic means defined by certifying bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under its Organic Food Products Act. Natural food, on the other hand, generally refers to food items that are not altered chemically or synthesized in any form. These are derived from plants and animals. Thus a natural food item is not necessarily organic and vice versa.

Why do some people prefer organic food and some people prefer natural food? This is because some people have the belief that synthesizing a food item results in loss of its nutrients and properties. Hence they demand natural foods. Organic food fans, on the other hand, want their food to be free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives.

Apparently, the demand for organic food is more than natural food because organic food seals are granted and monitored by the government. An act similar to the Organic Food Products Act is necessary for the natural food products as well.

Below is the difference between natural and organic food on different parameters:

Parameter	Organic Food	Natural Food
Definition	Organic food refers to items that are produced using organic means.	Natural food items are minimally synthesized.
Standards	Stringent standards for organic food production, handling and processing exist throughout the world.	Stringent standards do not exist for natural food products in many parts of the world.
Certification Bodies	Many countries have certification bodies, the most prominent being the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).	The International Association of Natural Products Producers (IANPP) is trying to get the definitions for natural food into place. It should be noted that it is not a certification body.
Labels	Organic labels have legal implication. A manufacturer should follow the specified rules and regulations before using the organic label.	Natural labels are normally used freely by manufacturers due to lack of adequate guidelines.
Demand	Demand for organic food is more than the demand for natural food.	The demand for natural food is also increasing; however, not as much as organic food.
Health Benefits	There is no evidence to prove that organic food is healthier than non organic food. People prefer organic food because they feel it is safer than conventional food as chemicals are not used in its production. However, recent research on the health benefits of organic milk has boosted the spirits of organic food lovers.	People prefer natural food because they believe excessive processing of food items disturbs their health benefits.
Price	Organic food is priced more than non organic food.	Natural food is also priced more than non organic food
Shelf life	Shelf life of organic food is more than that of natural food. You can store it for a longer duration.	Since it is minimally processed in many food items, which have high water content, the shelf life is low.
Availability	Organic food is being sold in almost every super market. There are special stores selling organic food and one can purchase organic food online as well.	Natural food is available at many stores that sell organic food. There are some special stores that sell natural food. Further, many stores selling health food items also sell natural food products.

Well my question was answered.. hope you learned something new :)

Reflection: Weeks 5 & 6

2009-02-25T20:40:00.007-06:00

Overview Of The Past Two Weeks:

It's crazy that another two weeks have gone by! Time has gone by so fast, it's hard to believe we are almost half way done! Like the previous weeks, weeks 5 & 6 were filled with information. We watched the documentaries called "Diet for a New America" and "Future of Food."Both of these films were filled with eye opening information. We also each did an Eye Opener:CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest). I really liked this activity, because it made me realize how the food we eat is harming our health, the environment, and the animals. Another thing we did these past two weeks was each read a different chapter assigned to us, and wrote an Eye Opener for those as well.

What I Have Learned About Myself:

When we watched the documentary "Diet for a New America" I was intrigued. I am not a big meat eater, but after watching these documentaries it made me REALLY not want to eat meat. It's kind of sad that our culture relies on meat so much in our meals, when there is so many other nutritious (and more environmentally friendly) foods for you! I've learned to buy a lot more organic than I used to. I used to be a cheapo and not want to buy the expensive organic foods, but now I realized that the extra cost is worth it. It's better for the environment and better for me. I actually just got back from grocery shopping and almost all the produce that I bought was organic... I was pretty proud :)

What I Have Learned About The Environment:

I've learned that we really need to make an effort to help out our environment. That might mean just turning off the faucet.. as stated in my Share and Voice: Turn off your faucet! just turning it off while shaving or brushing your teeth can save up to 10 gallons a day! Think of how much an impact that would make if everyone ACTUALLY did this. I've noticed myself trying to do these little tips because we need to realize that our environment is never going to get any better if we don't start acting now. The more education we provide, the better things will become.

What I Have Learned About Blogging:

I don't think my blogging style as changed that much. I am becoming more familiar with it more and more everyday, but I still wouldn't consider myself a pro. Blogging has become part of my day now.. I don't just check it because I HAVE to. I've also realized how much faster and convenient blogging is than paper assignments. It's like "click, type, click" and you're done! Well of course you have to put some time into it, but you get what I mean.. :)

Hopefully these next two weeks fly by as fast as weeks 5 & 6 did.. I'm definitely ready for Spring Break!

Share and Voice: Gorgeoulsy Green

2009-02-23T19:35:00.005-06:00

I saw a commercial for this book titled "Gorgeously Green" by Sophie Uliano. I typed it into google (I google EVERYTHING) and I found out that not only is "Gorgeously Green" a environmentally friendly book, it's also a website filled with eco-friendly recipes, coupons for environmentally safe products, health & fitness tips and much much more!

According to Amazon, in "Gorgeously Green" Sophie offers a simple eight-step program that is an easy and fun way to begin living an earth-friendly life. Each chapter covers topics from beauty to fitness, shopping to your kitchen—even your transportation. Whether it's finding the right lipstick, making dinner, buying gifts, or picking out a hot new outfit, finally, there is a book that tackles your daily eco-challenges with a take-charge plan.

This book seemed so interesting to me, that I actually bought it on Amazon. (I kind of have a Amazon book-buying problem) but I figured paying about $12.00 isn't much for learning useful ways to help out our environment. Check it out and see if it interests you at all :)

Eye Opener: Summary of Reading #12: Atlanta's Growing Thirst Creates Water War

2009-02-19T20:34:00.013-06:00

Chapter Summary
(This chapter was written in 2002 by Douglas Jehl in the New York Times)

In this chapter, it talks about how in 2003, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida had to come to an agreement on how to divide the water rights to the Apalachicola-Chattahoohee-Flint basin, which feed water for all three states. With Atlanta's growing population, they must come up with enough water to satiate their population, without affecting Alabama or Florida.

Atlanta relies on the Chattahoochee River for nearly all of their water supply. Until then, it had never been a problem. For the first time, Atlanta was forced to admit that their water supply is becoming a problem, which raises argument on whether Georgia, Alabama and Florida should divide their water rights with them.

This decision may be one of the toughest the Southeast has ever had to deal with. J.T. Williams, chairman of Killearn Inc. states, "In the past, water barely even entered into our calculations." Georgia officials do not except Atlanta to reach a real water shortage until 2030 when the river will reach its maximum sustainable limit. The Army Corps of Engineers think otherwise. They suggest that in some months the Chattahoochee may already be near capacity. F. Wayne Hill, the top executive in Gwinnett County replies, "I think it's safe to say that water is now going to be the driving force in all of our decisions, and we're going to have to be a lot smarter about it than we have been in the past."

Atlanta is a region that gets so much rain, but yet there will be water shortage problems? Aaron T. Wold, an expert on water conflicts states "the whole country is learning that we can't just keep on doing what we've always been doing when it comes to fresh water." In 1990, Atlanta averaged about 320 million gallons of drinking water a day from the Chattahoochee river, according to the state and local officials. By 2000, that number has risen to 420 million gallons, and it is expected to keep rising to 705 million gallons a day by 2030.

The question is exactly how to divide the rights to the river for each state. While the governors of the three states say they would prefer to resolve the matter themselves, none of them are likely to sign on to a deal unless they can portray it as the best for their residents. The state and local officials are talking openly about the need for greater changes in the water use if Atlanta continues to increase it's population. Ted Larrabee, an executive coordinator for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District states, "Most of the people in Atlanta have been fairly spoiled over the years when it comes to water, but there has been a lack of programs that do anything more than give lip service to conservation, and that is what needs to change."

Different Viewpoints

In this article titled "Atlanta Water Situation Called Dire" it talks about how the residents in Atlanta need to change their behavior when it comes to water. They believe they need to start conserving their water because the problem is becoming more and more severe.

In the article titled "The Natural History of the Chattahoochee River" by Robert Montgomery it talks about how the residents in Atlanta can't live without water. It also mentions how this is a complex issue, and all sides need to give in a little. The problem is only going to get worse, and human needs should be the number one priority.

My Viewpoint

I don't think I can take a certain side completely. Both sides have good points and reasoning for their beliefs. I think Atlanta's residents do need to start conserving water, but shouldn't everyone? With Atlanta's growing population, and their water use I think it would help dramatically if Georgia, Alabama and Florida divided their water rights with them. It may seem unfair, but they would want the same thing if they lived in Atlanta. I think the majority of the problem could be solved by Atlanta's residents learning how to conserve their water, but I don't think that can help the situation entirely.

Question for Discussion

What would you prefer?

Being forced to conserve your water and giving up some water rights for others...

OR

Not being affected at all by the water supply, but knowing that other people are suffering from the lack of water supply...

Share & Voice: Turn off your faucet!

2009-02-19T10:37:00.002-06:00

Along with getting text messages from SELF magazine, I also get e-mails.. what can I say, I really like SELF magazine. Anyway, they sent me this cool fact..

Turn off the faucet while shaving or brushing your teeth and save up to 10 gallons a day!!!!.

I find it crazy that we could save that much water! I know I am guilty of leaving the faucet running, but think about if we all turned our faucets off and how much water we could save! SELF magazine has other great tips, check it out :)

Share and Voice: SELF tip

2009-02-18T16:11:00.004-06:00

Hey guys! So I get a text from SELF Magazine each month, and February's tip was really interesting to me... it said..

If every American had 1 meat-free day a week, it would have the same green benefit as taking 8 million cars off the road.

Crazy huh?! For more great tips like these, check out SELF magazines website.

Share and Voice: The Miley and Mandy Show

2009-02-17T14:30:00.003-06:00

Ok so I'll admit it... I think Miley Cryus' music is kind of catchy. I also think she's a good role model for young girls.. so when I found this video I thought it was a great idea. I'm sure many girls watch the Miley and Mandy Show and when they hear that Miley Cryus goes green, I'm sure they all want to too. She's a good influence, and she gives some good tips on going green in this video. Check it out!

Eye Opener: CSPI

2009-02-16T17:59:00.002-06:00

I did the "Score Your Diet" activity and found it pretty interesting. I got a score of 106 which is in the excellent range, so that made me proud :)

Some of the foods that I scored the highest in were my vegetables (I'm big on getting at least 3 servings a day.) I also was high in fruit, and whole grains. I think I do a good job of getting enough servings of these everyday as well.

The foods that I scored lowest in were dairy (milk yogurt, eggs) chicken & turkey, and candy. I know I don't drink enough milk, or get enough dairy in general. That is definitely something I want to work on. I'm not a huge meat person, but I do like chicken & turkey so I want to work on eating more of those meats. I also don't think I am THAT bad when it comes to candy... I just like my chocolate, but who doesn't? Plus it was just Valentine's day! :)

The category that needs the most improvement when it comes to health/environment/animal welfare was the milk/yogurt category. I never realized how hazardous the pollution from the production can be to our environment. Also, the harm to animals is terrible. A way to help is to become a vegan and not eat any animals products at all. Unfortunately, I really do not think I could become a full-time vegan. I don't really eat that much meat though, so hopefully I'm helping out the animals a little bit :)

Doing this activity opened my eyes to how hazardous the foods I eat can be for the environment and animals. I'm pretty good on eating well, so I didn't have a big problem with my health. I did realize though how harmful the production of the foods I eat can be, or how so many poor animals are dying so I can eat products from them. This past summer I actually read about the cruelty to animals and wanted to become a vegetarian... unfortunately, that goal only lasted about two days :/ but if you are interested in becoming a vegetarian and being nice to our cute little animals you can check out this site about going vegetarian. Hopefully you will last longer than I did!

Share & Voice: ENVIRO-Cool Blog Award!

2009-02-15T11:34:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone!

So I recently received the EVIRO-Cool award from Ben for my post of Jack Johnson singing "The 3 R's" on YouTube. Thank you Ben! Now it is time that I keep this award movin'! As I was looking through blogs, two really stood out to me... (drum roll)

The first one is Abbey's for her Share and Voice: I heart theToday Show! post. I looooove the Today Show as well, and unfortunetly I am always at school to be able to watch it... but thankfully because of Abbey I got to see what I missed! The video gives a lot of information about ways to help our environment and it's only four minutes long! Everyone should check it out!

The second blog that I really enjoyed was Jessica's Share and Voice post on Google Earth. I've never gone scuba diving in the ocean, but Google Earth gives you tours beneath the ocean! It gives you a lot of detailed images of what you would see if you were under the water. I thought it was pretty interesting, and I thought Jessica did a good job finding this tool!

So Abbey and Jessica here are the instructions for passing on this award! Congrats and good job!

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...
See you all in class!

Reflection: Week 3 & 4

2009-02-12T22:01:00.003-06:00

These past two weeks have definitely taught me a lot more. I feel so much more comfortable blogging and am learning so many new things about our environment.

Week 3
During this week I was one of the people chosen to review the reading of chapter 1: The Challenges We Face. This chapter was shocking and definitely made me realize that we need to do a lot to save our environment. After reading this chapter, I found a bunch of informative sites to help us "conserve and preserve." During this week, I also become a lot more familar with this whole blogging experience, and even started to blog just for fun!

Week 4
During this week we started to watch "An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore. I have never really liked Al Gore for some reason, but he made this film really informative yet interesting. I never knew that much about global warming before watching this, so it was definitely an eye opener for me. He really made me aware of what could happen in the future if we don't start doing something now. All of his graphics and facts really made the film easy to understand and a lot more enjoyable as well. (plus his accent was kind of funny-haha.) As for blogging, Dr. V showed us how to put in a video from YouTube, which was something I was having troubles with. I also learned how to use Google Reader today, and I realized that it's so much more useful for blogging!

These past two weeks have definitely been informative and enjoyable. I'm excited to keep learning about our environment and hopefully become a blogging pro! (yeah.. we'll see if that actually happens.)

Share and Voice: My Cool Sign

2009-02-09T14:02:00.008-06:00

Thanks to Abbey I made this cute sign. It's very easy to do, check it out!

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

Share and Voice: Jack Johnson-The 3 R's

2009-02-08T19:52:00.005-06:00

This is a video of Jack Johnson playing at the Kokua Festival. Jack Johnson is definitely one of my favorite singers. I've seen him in concert twice, and he was an amazing performer both times. Plus he sings songs about recycling :) Enjoy!

Jack Johnson-The 3 R's

Eye Opener: My Ecological Footprint

2009-02-05T21:26:00.007-06:00

I took my Ecological Footprint quiz and the results told me that if everyone on the planet lived the way that I do, we would need 5.59 earths! That's terrible! I realized that there are so many things that I could be doing, but I'm not. :( My footprints in global acres were below the countries average in the areas of food and housing, but in the areas of carbon and goods/services they were above the countries average. I really liked how website gave me a lot of helpful tips to reducing my footprint. There are many simple ways I can help our environment such as eating more local and organic foods, replace items only when needed, take shorter showers, and choosing efficient appliances. These tips can easily be done and I really want to try to focus on making sure that I'm doing them. Just think of the difference there would be if all of us followed at least one of these helpful tips? There could be a dramatic change!

When I took the quiz called Travel Calculator, I learned that my pollutant score is lower than the average person when it comes to pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, particulates, and carbon dioxide. I really believe this reason is only because I barely have to drive anywhere anymore. I live across the street to campus, and I work on campus. Therefore, the only times I actually have to drive is if I need to go grocery shopping, to the movies, etc. I know that my calculations would be a lot higher if I had to drive more, but good thing I don't right? I still wanted to learn how to help reduce air pollution, so I went to this site that gave some good transport tips such as diving gently, only use air conditioning when necessary, and not running the engine when you don't need to.

The other quiz I took was the General Electrical Energy Cost Calculator. For this quiz, I put in how much I use misc. appliances such as radio, clock, etc. I found out that just for my usage of these appliances for one month, it would add $26.77 on our electricity bill. I live in a house with 5 other people, and although $26.77 might not seem that much.. it would definitely add up quickly! I found a really helpful website that had the top ten tips to reducing your electricity. Easy examples of these would include turning off the lights, keeping the fridge closed, and shutting off your computer at night. All these are very simple ways to reducing your electricity, but yet so many people don't think to do them.

After taking these quizzes, I realized there is a lot of simple things that I can do to help our environment. I hope you look at those websites too to discover some helpful tips for improving the environment as well :)

Review of Reading 1: The Challenges We Face

2009-02-02T16:23:00.009-06:00

I found this article quite interesting. It has sections on population & health, food, water, energy and climate and biodiversity.

The book stated that the world population is still rising and is expected to reach 11 billion within the century. (McKinney,4). Worldwide as least 68 million people are expected to die of AIDS in 2020. The book stated that this situation would not be as bad if the rich nations did more to help the developing world reduce birth rates and slow the spread of disease. Efforts to provide greater access to family planning and health care has proved to be effective, but just think of how much more we could do to help those countries!

Up to a third of our world is starving. Two billion people lack reliable access to safe, nutritious food, and 800 million of them are malnourished. Jeffrey Sachs, the head of Columbia University's Earth Institute, stated that "the key is not to dictate food policy from the West but to help the developing world build its own biotech infrastructure so it can produce the things it needs the most." (McKinney, 4).

I found it alarming that only 2.5% of our water is fresh, and only a fraction of that is accessible. 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water and more than 2.4 billion people lack adequate sanitation (McKinney, 4). I really think if we eliminated the amount of water we used, we could help this problem. Even just turning off the water while you are brushing your teeth could possibly make a huge difference! I found this really interesting site about ways to conserve & preserve. Check it out!

In the section about energy and climate it said that 2.5 billion people have no access to modern energy services, and the power demands of developing economics are expected to grow 2.5% per year. (McKinney, 5). Eliminating taxation and pricing systems that encourage oil use and replacing the with other sources such as wind power may help this problem. I really think we take advantage of our availability to energy. So many people leave lights on and leave unnecessarily things plugged in all the time. We need to become more energy efficient. This site called "20 Things You Can Do To Conserve Energy" is a helpful tool of simple ways a person can help conserve energy around the house.

The book stated that more than 11,000 species of animals and plants are known to be threatened with extinction! (McKinney, 5). Theses vanishing animals can help humans by providing food and medicine. What will we do when they are all gone? I found this website about the 10 Most Amazing Extinct Animals very interesting, yet sad since extinction is FOREVER.

This chapter really opened my eyes to how our world REALLY is. I'm not aware of all these problems since most of them I am not affected by. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't help out though, because one day we will probably be faced with these problems as well.

Some new terms I discovered while reading..

Sorghum
Cassava
Millet
Biodiversity
Subtler

Share and Voice: Recycling Facts

2009-01-29T21:04:00.012-06:00

So I really believe recycling is important and I found these interesting facts about this topic on this website titled "A Recycling Revolution" Here are some of my favorite ones.. Enjoy!

*Americans use 85,000,000 tons of paper a year; about 680 pounds per person.
*A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose -- and even longer if it's in the landfill.
*The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per person per year. This means that 5% of the world's people generate 40% of the world's waste.
*Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away!
*More aluminum goes into beverage cans than any other product.
*Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees.
*An aluminum can that is thrown away will still be a can 500 years from now!
*We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.
*There is no limit to the amount of times an aluminum can be recycled.
*To produce each week's Sunday newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down.
*Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!
*More than 20,000,000 Hershey's Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of aluminum foil. All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it.
*A typical family consumes 182 gallons of soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, and 26 gallons of bottled water a year. That's a lot of containers -- make sure they're recycled!

Image taken from this blogger!

Welcome!

2009-01-29T20:53:00.003-06:00

Hello welcome to Autumn's Atmosphere!

This is a place where I will be posting my thoughts, questions, and interests about the environment.

I grew up in Sartell, MN (the St. Cloud area) but love living in Duluth. I'm impatient, sarcastic, hardworking, and you'll never find me without chapsick in my pocket. I also love Autumn time :)

There are 5 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

Advocacy Project
Eye Openers
Reflections
Reviews
Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post is has been labeled with all five kinds of posts. You will also see the number of each kind of post in my Labels Gadget at the top of the page. All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.

The members of my web group are:

1. Sara J
2. Ingrid
3. Ben
4. Abbey
5. Katie

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe gadget in the gadget column. You can also follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. I am subscribed to all the blogs in my blog list gadget. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete Profile."

There will be plenty of more posts to come!

Reflection: Week 1 & 2

2009-01-29T19:39:00.006-06:00

Although I took Computers in Education where we learned how to use blogger, I definitely had to relearn a lot about it these past two weeks. In class we went over how to create a gmail account, a blogger, adding posts, gadgets etc. We also played a "star wars" activity which related to our environment and how if we don't take care of it, it will slowly vanish before our eyes.

Something that I learned about myself these past two weeks is that I am not very good with technology. I know that with practice I will eventually get better and learn more, but it does get frustrating at times! Thankfully Dr. V has helped me with my struggles! I thought I was a little better with technology, but apparently not.. haha.

I can't really say I have learned anything about the environment during week 1 & 2. Although I must say my roommates and I forgot to take out the recycling last night so it's all piled up now. :/ The point is though.. that we are trying to help the environment a little bit and recycle instead of just throwing it all away (p.s. I did feel kind of bad for not recycling this week though).

I learned that blogging can be fun... but that's once you get the hang of it! At first it's a little frustrating. I also learned about blog etiquette and the importance of it. You really need to be careful of what you say when you blog because it is public!