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.

Eye Opener: CSPI

2. Eating Green Calculator

1. Every week my current diet requires 1.1 acres of grain and grass for animal feed and over 30.4 pounds of fertilizer to grow animal feed. Over 7400 pounds of manure are produced by the animals I eat. My diet is currently high in fat at 39% of my daily value and cholesterol at nearly 50% of my daily value.

2. According to the calculator, by eating 1 serving less of beef, chicken, cheese, and milk, I can reduce my environmental burden. My results would be reduced to .8 acres of grain and grass for animal feed, 22.9 pounds of fertilizer to grow animal feed, 5650 pounds of manure, and .2 pounds of pesticide. These changes will help reduce my risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and other diet related problems.

3. I took the pledge. I will be more aware of the products that I am eating and the effects that they will have on the environment. Eating more natural foods that are not processed will benefit my health and the environment in the long run.

Please feel free to calculate the burden your diet has on the environment and things you can do to improve our lifestyle using the eating green calculator.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

My smart goal was to eliminate my use of paper plates. In the last week, I have not used a single paper plate. Throughout the entire week I have used our re-usable glass plates. I have also been hand washing my dishes at the end of each day instead of using the dishwasher, which saves on water and electricity.

Planning my meals ahead and not eating when I'm rushed has helped me not use paper plates. Some challenges I had last week was eating fast food. Even though I did not use paper plates, my meals from Burger King and McDonald's come in paper bags, and the food and drink containers are made out of paper.

Since I have been more aware of the products I am eating and using, I feel better about myself when I have washed my dishes by hand and saved on electricity and water. I am also hoping that by not using paper plates it will cut down the amount of garbage we have each week.

This week has taught me that one simple change to your lifestyle can have multiple impacts on the environment. For next week I will be changing my SMART goal to make it a little more challenging. I am going to eliminate all paper products including napkins, paper towels, paper plates, and paper cups from my lifestyle. I will also try to only eat at fast food restaurants once a week to cut down on my use of paper products.

Eye Opener: Ecological Footprint

My first reaction after taking the ecological footprint quiz (click here for quiz) and seeing that it would take 4.3 planet earths to support the entire world if everyone lived like me, was shocking. I knew there were some things in my lifestyle that I could do more often to improve the environment, but apparently there are many things I should change.

Here is how my results broke down: Services 47%, Food 29%, Goods 13%, Shelter 7%, Mobility 4%. According to these results services were the biggest area of resources I used, followed by food as the two most significant. My current lifestyle produces 19 tons of carbon dioxide, which is a hazard to the environment.

One thing I could change is the amount of meat that I eat each day. The majority of my meals contain some type of meat and other processed or packaged food items. Eating more food that comes from a local source would help benefit the environment. I am also trying to bike or walk to some places that I go instead of driving my car. One thing I wish I took advantage of is public transportation. Even though taking public transportation can be less convenient, I should take the bus to places instead of driving my car to help the environment. Other simple things I need to do more often is recycle, use less electricity, and use less water. Improving on these things will create a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and hopefully lower the number of planet earths resources I use.