Reflection: Week 8-14

Share and Voice- I really enjoyed the Share and Voice posts on our blogs. I liked the freedom of researching and blogging about topics that I was very interested in. I also enjoyed reading other classmates posts and seeing what they come up with for topics to write about. I wrote about zebra mussels in Minnesota lakes, my deer hunting experience, and the show "American Pickers" on the History Channel.

Advocacy Project- I did not enjoy blogging for this project. My topic was not very interesting and I do not have a great knowledge of politics. However, I did learn some things while researching and I learned how to write a letter to a politician to persuade them to vote a certain direction.

Junk Project- For my Junk project, I made a picture frame out of old wood hockey sticks. I

currently do not have a picture for it yet but am working of finding one. I found a few good websites I can use to find ideas for re-using items. I really enjoyed looking for ideas for this project online.

Photo Essay- For my photo essay I took pictures of things around my house that have been re-used or re-purposed. I had pictures of christmas decorations, a refinished cabinet, a recycled glass bowl, an old fruit box, and a rubber floor we re-used from a hockey arena.

I really enjoyed taking this class and have gained an awareness for the environment that I didn't have before I took this class. Hopefully I keep learning new ways to contribute to a healthier environment and continue the habits I learned in this class in the future. As for my blog I may keep updating it once and a while if I come across anything interesting that I would like to share. I actually liked my experience blogging so I may create a new blog for fun.

Share and Voice: History Channel

As I was trying to think of something to write about for this share and voice assignment, I had the t.v. on the History Channel. I was watching re-runs of a show called American Pickers. Basically there are two guys who travel around the U.S. looking for old or rare items to purchase from people. They dig through old barns, garages, houses, and other places cluttered with what looks like useless junk to most people. They buy items from these people and clean them up and re-use or re-sell them. It is interesting to see some of the items they find and use. Many of the items are just laying around and serving no purpose, so it is cool to see them bring items back to life. Even though the items look old and are sometimes in rough shape, many of them are as good as new once they are cleaned up a little. If you haven't seen this show before I suggest you check out an episode or two. You can also view episodes online on the History Channel.

There is also a show on the History Channel called "American Restoration" where they restore old items. I have only watched part of an episode before but it looks very interesting.

Advocacy Project: Letter to Elected Official

December 11, 2011

Senator Amy Klobuchar

302 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington D.C. 20510

Please vote “YES” to EH- 16.7- Inspect drinking water outlets for lead in Schools and S-875 Drinking Water Right to Know Act require additional monitoring of contaminants and for other purposes.

The only way to determine how much lead is present in the drinking water at your school is to have the water tested and documented. As a health educator, I believe increasing drinking water inspections in schools will result in healthier students, staff, and communities. This will ensure a safe drinking supply in Minnesota’s school systems.

Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures, which can add significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water. With the amount of old school buildings still being used, monitoring the contaminants closely is critical to ensure safe drinking water.

Opponents may argue that the cost of increasing inspections is too high. However, by increasing the amount of inspections, we can save money on health care costs. High doses of lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and blood system and can even be lethal. It is particularly dangerous for babies and for small children because their bodies and brains are still growing and developing.

The health of students, staff, and community members is very important for the future of our state. Therefore, ensuring a drinking supply that is safe to consume is important for the health and development of our state. Please vote “Yes” to increase drinking water inspections in Minnesota’s schools. If I can provide any further information, feel free to contact me at 111-222-3333. By E-mail at Safewater@school.edu.

Colton Borwege

Advocacy Project: Fact Sheet

Lead in School's Drinking Water

S-875: Drinking Water Right to Know Act

A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require additional monitoring of certain contaminants, and for other purposes.

The Issue: Lead and other chemicals in school’s drinking water

What is Lead?
Lead is a toxic material known to be harmful to human health if ingested or inhaled. Lead in the body can damage the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells.

Who is affected by lead?
EVERYONE! However, children, infants, pregnant women and their unborn children are especially vulnerable to lead.

How does lead affect us?
In children, lead has been associated with impaired mental and physical development, as well as hearing problems. The harmful effects of lead in the body can be subtle and may occur without any obvious signs of lead poisoning.

How does lead get into the school’s drinking water?
Lead enters drinking water from a building’s plumbing system. Lead may be present in various parts of the plumbing system (such as lead solder, brass fixtures, and lead pipes) and is picked up by the water passing through the plumbing system. The amount of lead, if any, in a plumbing system will depend on the age of the system and the materials from which the system was constructed.

How do you know how much lead is in the drinking water?
The only way to determine how much lead is present in the drinking water at your school is to have the water tested. Each tap or fixture providing water for drinking or cooking purposes should be tested for lead at least every five years. Based on the results, action should be taken to replace or repair the water outlets or pipes.

For more information contact the Minnesota Department of Health

Minnesota Department of Health, Section of Drinking Water Protection, 651-215- 0770, www.health.state.mn.us

Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning, 651-582 -8748, www.cfl.state.mn.us

Sources:

Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Environmental Protection Agency

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

These are pictures of recycled or re-used items that are in our house. Some of the items are old, some are more recent. Before taking this class I have never really thought about where these items have come from. I never even knew we had some of the things I found and was surprised how many recycled or re-used items we had in our home. My mom was setting up Christmas decorations at our house this weekend so some of the items are Christmas related.

My grandpa made these two items about 10 years ago. On the right is a candle made out of part of a birch tree. Then he stapled ribbon and pine cones and pine needles on for decoration. The bigger log on the right holds two candles sticks and is decorated the same way as the small candle. This is just a simple way to make a nice looking candle or holiday decoration.

This was an old sled that was sitting in storage at our house and my mom decided to make it into a Christmas decoration for the outside of our house. She put a ribbon, wreath, and bells on it and it sits by our front door.

This is a lamp that is in our bathroom. It is made out of a glass jar and has been painted and decorated with twine. I think this is a cool use of an empty glass jar.

This is a bowl made out of recycled glass. One of my mom's students made it and gave it to her as a gift.

This cabinet was taken out of my great grandparents house and was in rough shape. We refinished it and it looks as good as new. It is currently sitting in our dining area with some other decorative type things inside.

This is a picture of some christmas decorations my mom has made in the past. On the left is a reindeer ornament made from an old christmas light and pipe cleaners. On the right, since my mom is a teacher, she made these apples out of a crushed pop can and wrote holiday messages on some.

The box that is temporarily holding up our new t.v. until we get a shelf built in our entertainment center was an old wooden fruit box that we sanded and painted and is usually used a decoration in our home.

This is the exercise room at our house. The floor is rubber matting that was torn out of the hockey arena in my hometown that was going to be thrown away. We asked if we could have some and cleaned it up and put it in our exercise room and it has worked out great!

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Problem:

Schools water and water outlets containing lead

This is an amendment to the S-875 Safe Drinking Water Act to require additional monitoring of contaminants and for other purposes.

Whom does the issue affect?

This issue affects students who attend the school and staff that work at the school the most. The school loses due to the money that would come out of the budget to test the water and outlets for contaminants. The students, staff would gain the most knowing they have safe drinking water. The community would also gain from having less health problems due to drinking water. The company that tests the water and water outlets would also gain business from this amendment.

What are the consequences of the issue?

High doses of lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and blood system and can even be lethal. Continuous low-level exposure causes lead to accumulate in the body and cause damage. It is particularly dangerous for babies and for small children because their bodies and brains are growing rapidly. These health issues would also cause emotional stress to families and friends. Other contaminants may also cause cancer and reproductive complications. Consequences for society include increased health issues in the community and increased health expenses.

What is the economic impact of this issue?

The economic cost would fall on the school budget would have to cover the cost for the increased monitoring of the water. Which would cut into spending for other things in the school. The economic gain would be increased health and less medical expenses for students, staff, coaches, and other people who use the school’s drinking facilities.

What is the social impact of the issue?

If this bill passes it would result in healthier and happier individuals, families, and communities. Without the worry of contaminants in their drinking water it will relieve stress. The cost of the issue would be less healthy individuals, families, and communities. More emotional stress to individuals, families, and communities due to not knowing if drinking water is safe.

What are the barriers?

The biggest barrier is the financial barrier. You would have to find money to pay for the inspections and money to replace equipment if a problem occurs whether it comes from the government or funded by the school.

Another barrier could be proving to people that this is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with. Some people may think there are better ways to spend the money.

What are the resources?

Some resources we would need are a company to test the water and water outlets. They could then present the results in a meeting open to the school or community to attend. If you held a meeting you could inform people that there is a need for this and figure out the funding for the project.

History of the issue:

Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. However, new homes are also at risk; even legally “lead-free” plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures, which can add significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water. With the amount of old school buildings still being used, monitoring the contaminants closely is important to ensure safe drinking water.

The first Safe Drinking Water Act was born after four years of work by Congress to develop a national program that would ensure the quality of America’s drinking water. For the first time, the 1974 act authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set standards for any contaminant in public water systems that adversely affects public health. Passing the proposed bill would further monitor drinking water contaminants to ensure safe drinking water in the schools.

Allies and Opponents:

Allies would be the students, staff, and other users of the schools. Other allies would be community members, the company or inspectors that would do the inspecting and repairs of the water system, and also parents who have children that attend the school.

Opponents could be the school, government, or the community depending on where the funding is coming from.

My recommendation:

Please vote “yes” to require additional monitoring of contaminants in schools.

References:

http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/pdf/OT/OTw99.pdf

http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/index.cfm

http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?topicId=12

Share and Voice: Deer Hunting 2011

I have been deer hunting every year for the past 8 years. During my time in the woods I have seen many other animals besides deer, including: squirrels, rabbits, birds like owls, eagles, wood peckers, also foxes, porcupines, beavers, woodchucks any probably even more. This year when we walked through the woods to set up our deer stands, the trees were marked for logging. When we got home, we researched to see how much they were logging off and when it was going to take place. It was an eye opening experience to see how much of these animals habitats they were going to log off, not to mention the woods that we have hunted in for 8 years. To think of all the old trees and plants that are going to be destroyed and all the animals that are going to have to find a new home is kind of disturbing. And its all to produce paper and paper products.

For my eco-chic lifestyle project I eliminated the use of paper products such as paper plates, napkins, paper towels, and fast food containers. To see first hand how logging and the production of paper affects the environment and the things that live there was shocking. Since taking this class my awareness for the environment has increased a ton and it was interesting to experience that while taking this class. So I urge everyone to try to reduce the amount of paper products they use and think about how your decisions are affecting the environment.

Here is also an article about logging in MN that I found while writing this post: Click here

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/ THOMAS

EH-16- Increase the proportion of the Nation’s elementary, middle, and high schools that have official school policies and engage in practices that promote a healthy and safe physical school environment

EH- 16.7- Inspect drinking water outlets for lead.

Baseline: 55.7 percent percent of the Nation’s elementary, middle, and high schools inspected drinking water outlets for lead in 2006

Target: 61.3 percent

Target Setting Method: 10 percent increase

Data source: School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS), CDC

S-875: Drinking water right to know act

OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED:

• A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require additional monitoring of certain contaminants, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] (introduced 5/3/2011) Cosponsors (None)

Last Major Action: NONE

Status 5/3/2011:

Referred to Senate Committee

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Recommendation: Vote: Yes to S-875: Drinking Water Right to Know Act

My Political Representative: Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken

Share and Voice: Zebra Mussels in MN Lakes

About two weeks ago, I went to my grandma and grandpa's house near Breezy Point, MN. The live on Lake Ossawinnamakee. About late October/ early November every year I help them take their docks, boats, and swimming raft out of the water for the winter. About 6 or 7 years ago we started noticing little sharp shell shaped objects attached to the docks, boats, and swimming raft. We did some research to find that these were actually an invasive specie know as zebra mussels.(The picture to the right is a cluster of zebra mussels on a native mussel)

Zebra mussels are native to Eastern Europe and Western Russia and were brought over to the Great Lakes in ballast water of freighters (used as weight to stabilize ships). Populations of zebra mussels were discovered in the Great Lakes about 1988. The spread of zebra mussels has reached the Mississippi River and are now slowly making their way into Minnesota's inland lakes. A single female Zebra Mussel can produce at a rate of 100,000-500,000 eggs per year. These eggs than develop into larvae and within two to three weeks they start attaching to docks, boats, swimming rafts, seaweed, rocks, and almost anything they can find. These Zebra Mussels also eat plankton from the lake which fish need for food to live healthy.

So to sum it up these are very troubling species that do not belong in Minnesota's inland lakes.

Each year when we take out the dock, swimming raft, and boats, the zebra mussels get thicker and thicker. The past two years I have even seen them attached in clusters to rocks in swimming areas on the lakes. With the sharpness of these species this causes the potential for them to cut swimmers. To help prevent the spread of zebra mussels, examine boat hulls, swimming platforms, docks, aquatic plants, wood and other objects along shorelines of lakes and rivers. Also do not transfer water from one lake to another by boat or any other type of container. There is a Volunteer Zebra Mussel Monitoring Program where you can report your efforts each year.

The Minnesota DNR has also been studies done on this lake and a video with more information can be found by clicking here.

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

President:

Barack Obama Democrat
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Governor:
Mark Dayton Democrat
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: 651-201-3400

Congresspersons:

Amy Klobuchar US Senate, Democrat
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3244

Al Franken US Senate, Democrat
Duluth Office:
515 W 1st St
Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 722-2390

Chip Cravaak US House, Republican
Duluth Office: Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building and United States Courthouse
515 West First Street, Room 235
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 740-7803

State Legislators:

(HOUSE)

Kelby Woodard (R)

539 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
651-296-7065 or 800-920-5887

Michael Beard (R)

417 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
651-296-8872

(SENATE)

Al DeKruif (R)

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room G-24
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.1279

Julianne E. Ortman (R)

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 120
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.4837

Mayor of New Prague:

Chuck Nickolay

(952) 758-7737
cnickolay@ci.new-prague.mn.us

Reflection: Week 1-7

Reflection:

Weeks 1-2: I didn't really know what to expect coming into this class. I had little knowledge about blogging and how to create my own blog. This class makes blogging very easy and goes slow enough for me to catch on without any problems. The first two weeks were pretty laid back, we just set up our blog and watched a 60 Minutes video on Rewriting the Sciences. This video talked about the how the government has been hiding science that has information regarding global warming.

Weeks 3-4: These two weeks we learned more about blogging and different features. We also got web groups of people's blogs we had to read and comment on. I also created my eco-chic lifestyle change activity where I created a SMART goal. My goal was to use less paper products, such as paper plates, cups, napkins, and eat fast food only once a week. I really enjoyed this change and found that making one small easy change leads to making more small changes. Like I started washing my dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. We also did a few fun outdoor activities with a jump rope and a meditation type of activity.

Weeks 5-7: We watched "Future of Food". This was a great video that showed how genetically modified foods affect farmers and the food we eat. We also watched "Fresh". This video showed where our food was coming from and how animals were being treated. So we need to keep in mind where the food at the supermarket is coming from and how it is processed. All the videos we watched have really got me thinking about where the food and drinks I am consuming are coming from. So far I have enjoyed and learned something from every video we have watched in class.

Overall, this class has been very enjoyable between the blogging, videos, class room discussion, and now we just got introduced to junking so I am looking forward to that the next few weeks!

Eye Opener: Junk on the Brain

Part I:

Antiques/ Antiquing- An old collectable items. Desirable because of age, beauty, and rarity. (Wikipedia)

Junk/ Junking- To discard as useless of reuse parts. (Free Dictionary)

Flea Market- market, usually held outdoors, where antiques and used household goods are sold. (Free Dictionary)

Thrift Shop- A shop that sells used articles, especially clothing, as to benefit a charitable organization. (Free Dictionary)

Up cycling- the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. (Wikipedia)

Resale Shop- The act of selling again. (Free Dictionary)

Part II:

The terms above are all related to environmental health because they all involve re-using and recycling products. Re-using products reduces the environmental impact that comes with the creation or manufacturing of new products. All the terms above are great ways to re use old products that can still be used by people in some way.

Antiques- Father Time Antiques www.fathertimeantiques.com 395 S Lake Ave Duluth, MN 55802 (218) 625-2379

Junking- Savers www.savers.com 1740 Mall Drive Duluth, MN 55811 218-722-1894

Flea Market- Studebaker drivers club swap meet and flea market 2101 Trinity Road, Duluth MN 55811.

Thrift store- Ragstock http://www.ragstock.com/ 7 West Superior Street. 218-722-1201

Upcycling- Proctor True Value Building Supply 132 3rd AveDuluth, MN 55810 218-624-3651

Resale shop- Plato's Closet. http://www.platoscloset.com/locations/list/MN 5115 Burning Tree Road Suite 315C Duluth, MN 55811

I have minimal experience with the above terms, however it is something I would love to explore and learn more about. I have brought some of my clothes that did not fit me or have been worn quite a bit and gave them to Plato's Closet to be re sold. I have also shopped at thrift stores if I am looking for a costume or something else I could re-use. I would like to learn more about antiques, there are some interesting stories behind some items and you can learn some interesting things.

Part III:

1. This is a decorative clock that sits on an old wooden ladder in the entry way. It can be decorated for all different seasons. I just thought it was cool because many people would not consider having a ladder in their home for decoration. Plus its simple to make. (Click here)

2. This is a window box for inside the home that is made out of old scrap wood and can hold plants inside your home. I liked this because its a convenient way to have plants in your home without having them sit on the floor or table. I also liked the deer antlers that are in the display too! (Click Here)

3. This a old rusty lamp that was refinished and rewired to be re-used once again. All it takes is just cleaning it up a little and get it working again and you have a lamp that is as good as new. I liked this because my grandparents make lamps out of wood and other different re-usable materials. (Click Here)

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Final Review and Overall Reflection

Reviewing the previous week:

1. My SMART Goal: I will eliminate all paper products including napkins, paper towels, paper plates, and paper cups from my lifestyle. Also eating at fast food only one time per week.

2. This week I did not uses any paper products or eat fast food. I was at my grandma's and grandpa's house getting ready for deer hunting and taking out their dock for the winter. My grandma loves to cook for everyone so I ate some good meals and did not have to use paper products.

3. I felt good about achieving my SMART goal this week since I did not have success last week. I feel I have raised my awareness about using paper and the effects it has on the environment.

4. I learned that I am constantly aware of when me or someone else uses paper products. I find myself thinking about my SMART goal every time someone uses paper products.

5. I will try to continue with my SMART goal even though the assignment is over. It really wasn't that challenging to change this habit I had so I will stick with it.

Reviewing the entire process:

1. My SMART goal started out with me eliminating the use of paper plates from my lifestyle. By the end of week 5 my SMART goal was to eliminate the use all paper products including plates, napkins, and paper cups. I also added that I would like to reduce my fast food consumption to once per week to reduce my paper product use.

2. Some things that helped me be successful were my increased awareness of how the use of paper products effect the environment. Also I didn't mind washing my dishes by hand right away after I was done eating my meals. Some challenges I faced were when my roommates would go out to eat. I was tempted to go with them but did a good job of resisting the temptation.

3. I learned that changing one small thing can lead to making more smaller changes. As I added something to my SMART goal almost every week. I eliminated the use of paper plates, then I eliminated the use of all paper products, then I started to wash my dishes by hand, then I ate less fast food, and all those things resulted in less garbage.

4. The environment benefits from my behavior change by saving trees and saving the amount of chemicals used in creating paper. I also produced less garbage by my behavior change. To view the paper making process, click here.

5.I will continue with my behavior change. It wasn't very challenging and these small changes can have an impact on the environment. It is also healthier for myself if I continue with my SMART goal.

6. One small change can lead to other small changes and everything adds up. If everyone makes small changes everyone will benefit from it.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

The product I chose to evaluate was Crest Whitening plus Scope Citrus Splash Toothpaste. I usually use Crest toothpaste but I switch up the flavors or try different kinds every time I buy new toothpaste. I am evaluating the toothpaste that I currently am using now. There are a few minor concerns with this toothpaste.

There are a few ingredients that are toxic to my organ system and also may cause cancer. I feel like the risk these ingredients present are not as serious as this evaluation website makes them sound. The amount of toothpaste a person uses is a very small amount and the majority of it is not swallowed. They also have directions on the bottle that suggest users of the product should be two years old or older and children should use the product under adult supervision.

They have this product listed at a low to moderate overall hazard level. However, I feel with the amount of people using toothpaste it is a lower hazard level than that. I will still continue to use Crest products, but will compare different brands to Crest to see if there are any significant differences in their hazard levels.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

1. My SMART Goal: I will eliminate all paper products including napkins, paper towels, paper plates, and paper cups from my lifestyle. Also eating at fast food only one time per week.

2. This week I did not do so well on achieving my SMART goal. On Wednesday in Hlth 4000 class, we had fruit salad for snack and I was hungry and the only option I had available for a plate was to use a paper plate. I also ate fast food one time during the week, which consisted of a paper bag, napkins, a paper french fry container, and paper that wrapped my sandwich. I did not do my best in dealing with the challenges this week.

3. I felt a little guilty using the paper plates for snack time during class but even though I used a paper plate I was still using less paper than I used to before I created my SMART goal.

4. Even though I did not meet my SMART goal this week I did learn that my awareness for using paper products has increased. When I went to grab snack in HLTH 4000 and saw the paper plates, I immediately thought of my SMART goal, but was too hungry to not use the paper plates.

5. I am going to keep my SMART goal the same and hopefully I can plan to make better decision when a challenge arises.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

1. My SMART goal: I will eliminate all paper products including napkins, paper towels, paper plates, and paper cups from my lifestyle. I will also only eat at fast food restaurants once a week to cut down on my use of paper products.

2. This week I cooked and ate all my meals at home. I used my reusable glass plates, bowls, and glasses for my meals. I also used a dish towel for my napkin when I needed it and washed it so I can re-use it this week. Some challenges I faced this week was my roommate brought home fast food twice so I was tempted to get fast food myself, however I resisted the temptation. I also like to drink a pop at work so I am going to bring my own pop instead of buying a fountain pop in a paper cup at work next week.

3. The feelings I felt towards the end of the week were great since I didn't use any paper products to eat my meals.

4. I learned that I can make it through the week cooking for myself and not eating fast food for the entire week. I also learned that doing dishes is not that bad if you just do them right away after you use them instead of letting them pile up.

5. My plans for next week are to continue with my current SMART goal. I am going to make sure I keep planning ahead to make sure I do not have to use paper products for my meals.